Cote d’Ivoire’s ‘golden generation’ finally comes good

SOME people in Abidjan believe that Cote d’Ivoire’s triumph over Ghana in the final game of the 2015 African Nations Cup in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, on Sunday was down to the magnanimity of their witch doctors, also known as jujumen.

 There is the story that the ‘all seeing’ men in animal skins had, after the Elephants’ defeat of Ghana in a similar final in Dakar, Senegal in 1992, vowed that Cote d’Ivoire would never win anything meaningful again because their government reneged on the agreement they reached with them before the competition. Perhaps, the similarities in 1992’s win and that of Sunday support this argument.

  Cote d’Ivoire’s first Cup of Nations victory was inspired by goalkeeper Alain Gouamene, who like Boubakar Barry was injured in the course of the game.  Gouamene saved a penalty and scored a penalty in the epic shootout that settled the final against Ghana. After that victory, there were rumors – all denied – that he’d carried in his boot the tooth of an elephant, a muti charm that supposedly made him appear bigger in the eyes of forwards. 

  The report had it that a group of witch doctors from a suburb of Abidjan insisted they were responsible for the success but when the Ivoirian federation refused to pay they put a curse on the national side.

  Since then Cote d’Ivoire had been close to achieving big things in the game, but always came short at the end. Worried by the recurring failure, the report said that in 2002, the Ivoirian government through the Defense and Civil Protection Minister, Moise Lida Kouassi, publicly begged the witch doctors for forgiveness for “the promises, which weren’t kept after the 1992 Nations Cup.” He gave the witch-doctors a bottle of spirits and US$2,000 and asked that, in return, “the village, through the perceptiveness of its wise men, will continue to help the Republic and, in particular, the minister of sport.”

  Cote d’Ivoire’s qualification for the 2006 World Cup finals was attributed to the witch doctors’ magnanimity, but there are those, who argue that a team with the quality of such players as Didier Drogba, Emmanuel Eboue, Didier Zokora, Arouna Kone, Bonaventure Kalou and the Toure brothers should qualify for every competition.

  This is one of the greatest generations of talent any African nation has ever produced – and yet, despite two World Cup qualifications, it remained unfulfilled until on Sunday.

  In 2006, Cote d’Ivoire reached the final but was beaten by the host, Egypt, on penalties. Drogba, who had been majestic through the tournament, fluffed a sitter with 10 minutes of normal time remaining and then missed his penalty. 

  In 2012, Cote d’Ivoire, now fortified by the likes of Salomon Kalou, Gervinho and the emerging Wilfred Bony and Seydou Doumbia, were everybody’s favourite for the crown in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. As in 1992, it didn’t concede a goal in the whole tournament but, in the final, when Zambia conceded a penalty with 20 minutes remaining, Drogba lashed over the bar. Unlike 1992, Cote d’Ivoire then lost on penalties.

  After failing to Nigeria in the quarterfinals in 2013, many people came to the conclusion that the golden generation would retire from the game without winning any major laurel.  Drogba and Eboue left the team after the 2014 World Cup frustrated that despite their efforts, they could not reach the ultimate title in African football.  But Yaya Toure, who at 31 may not be there at the next edition of the competition, led team that finally came up with the goods on Sunday.

  Immediately after Sunday’s game, Drogba was among the first to congratulate his compatriots for breaking the jinx. Drogba posted a video on Instagram of the moment when goalkeeper Boubacar Barry scored the winning penalty with the message “Coooopaaaa faut marquer buuulaaaaa cooooopaaaaa!!!!!!!!!”

  Veteran defender, Kolo Toure, summed up the feeling of his teammates, “We would like to dedicate this to Drogba, Zokora and Aruna Dindane. The generation that came and never won.”

  Coach Hervé Renard became the first man to win the Africa Cup of Nations with two countries having previously led Zambia to the title in 2012 with a penalty shootout victory over Cote d’Ivoire. The Frenchman described the victory as “magic for everyone” in the country.

  “I’m happy for the Ivoirian people. They have been rewarded,” he said. “This victory is magic for everyone. It brings [together] even those who do not share the same opinions. Cote d’Ivoire will be delighted and this is the most important thing.”

  Renard added: “I felt we could win this tournament after the game against a great Cameroun. We were in a very difficult group and the players did what we never imagined.

  “At 2-0 down on penalties, I told myself that history would repeat itself, there was belief to the end. Just before Barry hits the penalty, I said: ‘A goalkeeper who worked with Jean-Marc Guillou is able to pull it off’.”