There was a groundswell at the popular Westfield intersection and Sayerr Jobe Avenue in downtown Serekunda as hundreds converged on the Gambia’s largest city on Sunday evening to celebrate Senegal’s victory in the finals of the African Cup of Nations.
Senegal beat host Morocco by one goal to nil and, the final whistle of the crunch game saw an outpouring of hundreds of jubilant fans onto the city’s main thoroughfare; Sayerr Jobe Avenue. Jubilant crowds also emerged from the direction of Kombo Sillah Drive, Kairaba Avenue, Mamadi Maniang Highway and Lat Kumba Lowe Avenue. The final destination was the popular Westfield intersection, where wild celebrations were held well into the early hours of Monday.
The cacophony of sounds, ranging from vuvuzelas to car horns and chants that accentuated black African pride to clapping of plates and sounds of traditional musical instruments, rented the moderately cold Sunday evening air. One thing palpable during the celebrations was the African spirit. Gambians, Sierra Leoneans, Guineans and nationals from other African countries joined their Senegalese brothers and sisters to paint the town red.
JollofNews did not witness any security breach at the time of reporting, but the absence of the police from Westfield to Saffideen Photo Studio in London Corner, where the celebrations overflowed, was concerning.
The national police force was taken off-guards as commanders apparently failed to factor in the wild celebrations in Serekunda that greeted Senegal’s AFCON finals triumph.
About five officers from the riot police were seen standing at Westfield shortly before the end of the finals but the sea of people that streamed to the roundabout meant they were dwarfed.
