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A week after his death, the former player of the Stade Malien in Bamako and former executive of the Railways, Mamadou Kéita dit L’Assurance, was buried on Friday April 23 in the Hamdallaye cemetery. During the funeral ceremony, several tributes were paid to the man by the officials of his heart club (Stade Malien de Bamako), members of his family and his friends.
The funeral ceremony took place on a basketball court in Darsalam, in the presence of Abdoulaye Idrissa Maïga, former Prime Minister of Mali; Dioncounda Samanbaly, Honorary President of the Stade Malien in Bamako; Abba Niaré (mayor of Commune II); Ms. Djiré Mariam Diallo (Mayor of Commune III); Ousmane Diakité dit Maraka (president of the Central Supporters Committee of the Stade Malien in Bamako); Djénéba Kéita (daughter of the deceased, deputy mayor of Montreuil and the Metropolis of Greater Paris), as well as several members of the family of the illustrious disappeared.
Mamadou Kéita dit L’Assurance was born 1942 in Bamako, to the late Fakourou Kéita and Feue Djénéba Traoré. He did his primary and secondary studies in Darsalam, then his higher education and training courses in France. With his diplomas, he was hired by the Dakar-Niger Railways Authority, where both his technical and professional skills and his personal human qualities enabled him to quickly climb the ladder to become district head of Ways and Buildings. During his long career, he successively exercised this function in several localities: Bamako, Kita, Kayes and Mahina.
Very committed to sport and gifted in football, in the 1960s he joined the Stade Malien de Bamako team in which he forged a reputation as a good defender (stopper) to the point that his teammates felt reassured as soon as he was lined up for a match. This earned him, deservedly, the nickname “Assurance”, which he wears all his life.
In his funeral oration, the brother of the deceased, who represented the family, indicated that despite his success at the Stade Malien in Bamako, Mamadou Kéita has always remained humble, sociable, helpful and always available to others. “Assurance has always benefited from the trust, advice and esteem of its fellow citizens. This quality enabled him to be elected municipal councilor within the Town Hall of Commune III of the district of Bamako, a position he fulfilled to the extent of his wishes throughout his mandate. Endowed with a very high sense of family, he knew how to unite, unifier at an equal distance from all his parents. A man of compromise and consensus, he has always stayed above small conflicts between people to appease hearts and minds ”, he said, before adding that he has always been keen to ensure a stable and decent standard of living for his wife and children, while providing moral and material support to all those, and there were many who asked him for support.
For his part, the honorary president of the Stade Malien in Bamako paid a vibrant tribute to the deceased, in particular for all he did for the Club. “There are many people who do not know where the nickname The Insurance of the late Mamadou Kéïta comes from. When the Chemins de fer team left for Kita for a meeting with a local team, Mamadou Kéita was playing defense. During the meeting, he prevented the attackers of the opposing team from scoring. It was so reassuring that supporters of the opposing team called it Insurance.
After arriving at Stade Malien in Bamako, he continued to play well in defense and since then everyone called him L’Assurance. After his career, he continued to assist the club with the utmost respect ”, he said, before praying for the eternal rest of his soul.
Mahamadou TRAORE
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The funeral oration of Emma Vignon, granddaughter of the deceased
“You left us, but you left behind a big family, united, loving and stronger than ever”
Mamadou Kéïta, Grandpa.
You were a valiant, wise man, always full of spirit and energy. You taught us to never give up, to always aim higher and to overcome life’s trials with patience and rigor. You were our star, our advisor, the one we could always count on regardless of the barriers that presented themselves in front of us.
Today, we are all gathered here for you Grandpa, your family, your children, grandchildren, friends and colleagues. We’re all here for you today, because you’ve left a mark on all of us. You had this gift of seeing the light hidden deep in our hearts and teaching us what our true worth was.
The memory I have of you today, Grandpa, is the memory of a pious and altruistic man, always with a smile on his lips. I remember every party, every birthday, when you arrived we knew the party was really going to start. You took my hand and made me dance the night away. With you, I felt like a princess and you always did everything so that I never doubt it. So today, it’s like a princess that I dress, for you, to show you that I have not forgotten and that you will always remain my king. Memories you left us full of them, and they will stay forever in our hearts and minds.
I couldn’t talk about you without mentioning the great footballer that you were, L’Assurance, the one who never let the ball go. As good with the ball as with the words, you impressed as much on the pitch as in everyday life. This energy and fleetingness, it remains and will remain forever in each of us.
I recently read a poem by Birago Diop which made me think a lot about your departure and which I would like to share a few verses with you today:
Those who died never left:
They are in the shadow that lights up
And in the darkening shade.
The Dead are not under the Earth:
They are in the Quivering Tree,
They are in the moaning wood,
They are in the flowing water,
They are in the sleeping water,
They are in the Cabin, they are in the Crowd:
The Dead are not dead.
Grandpa, you haven’t left. You continue to live in each of us, in our actions and thoughts. You live in the eyes of my uncles, the laughter of my mother, the tears of my aunts and the words of my grandmother. You live in the strength of my brothers, the ardor of my cousins and in the spirit of all those facing me today. You are the stars in the sky, you are the rain of hot days, the flourishing nature and the song of the birds. You continue to exist in every creation of God and for me it is worth all the gold in the world.
You left us, but you left behind a big family, united, loving and stronger than ever. From where you are, you observe and protect us, a balloon in your hand, your cigarettes in the other. And it’s up to us now to bring your heritage and your memory to life. We will make you proud Grandpa, be reassured.
I will miss you dearly, but it’s just goodbye. May Allah have mercy on you and open its doors to you. Rest in peace, in my heart the one who will forever remain my Prince of Mandé. I love you !”
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