IVORY COAST: Comedian drums up support for Ivorian team in the Nations cup tournament

Record ID: 182167

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Comedian drums up support for Ivorian team in the Nations cup tournament
  • Date: 26th January 2012
  • Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST, (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF JACQUES SYLVERE BAH AKA 'LE MAGNIFIC', IVORIAN COMEDIAN PERFORMING ON A NATIONAL TV SHOW TO SUPPORT IVORY COAST TEAM/PEOPLE DANCING
  • Embargoed: 10th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cote d'Ivoire
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Topics: Entertainment,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA6GVMRXB688YLPS8K32NDD8DHQ
  • Story Text: As the Africa Cup of Nations tournament heats up in host countries Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, fans in the rest of content have been feverishly supporting their teams.
    Several artists have also composed songs to show support for their teams and In Ivory Coast, comedian Jacques Sylvere Bah, also know by his stage name 'Le Magnific' has been entertaining football fans in honor of the country's national football team 'Les Elephants'.
    Infusing his brand of humour in his songs, Bah says his song is not about praising the team, but to warn them to challenge them so that they can win the cup.
    "I have taken up the song once again and I sing a sort of a warning to the Elephants, on this year's cup. Because when we only sing praises to them, then they don't tend to perform. We need to challenge them, to send out a message to shake them up, which will push and motivate them to perform to their best ability." said Bah.
    Ivory Coast started Group B with a laboured 1-0 win over Sudan in their first match, which failed to convince the country's media but was good enough.
    But for some Ivorian fans in the football crazy country, the fact that the team qualified for the tournament will help bring Ivorians together.
    Ivory Coast's is still trying to recover from last year's four month civil war, that killed more than 3,000 people, and more than a million others were displaced, after former president Laurent Gbagbo refused to cede power to Alasssane Ouattara after the 2010 elections.
    "I think that if we win the African Cup, it will bring back joy to the hearts of the Ivorian people and it will allow us to reconcile. I think that Ivorians should support the national team, which will also facilitate the country's reconciliation." said football fan, Serge Patrick N'guetta.
    The 2012 tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon is seen as a last chance for Ivory Coast's current crop of players, like Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Gervinho who have played in four or more tournaments, to win the title.
    In 2006, Ivory Coast went all the way to the finals but lost on penalty to hosts Egypt.
    Despite Bah's humourous jabs of 'les Elephants' he says he stands behind the team even if they do not win the Cup.
    "The elephant will go far, we wish them to win and they have to win the cup this year. But even if they don't win., we shouldn't really blame them. Sport remains sport, even the big teams go through challenging times," Bah said.
    Ivory Coast is set to face Burkina Faso on Thursday (January 26), as the two teams battle it out for a place in the African Cup of Nations quarter-finals.
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