In a world as intolerable as the one we live in today, it takes a great sense of thoughtfulness to maintain some level of peace. Because of the domineering tendency of promoting individual desires over collective interest, the world has become locked up in a state of war with itself. The situation is so awful that only far-sighted leadership stand the chance of rescuing us from the brink of anguish.

By the look of things, however, this generation of African leaders is ready to do just that. We heard the Sierra Leonean president, Dr. Earnest Bai Koroma, say this during his just concluded visit to the Gambia. The philosophy is that you learn from the mistakes of others and save yourself from making mistakes, which can be costly.

This is a belief strongly embedded in the Gambian philosophy, and its proponent is the country’s dynamic leader, President Yahya Jammeh.  The friendly people of the Smiling Coast are honored to be at the forefront of this pioneering wind of change that is blowing across West Africa.

Our memories are still fresh with the experience of the last state visit by the Sierra Leonean president. And now, here comes another visit by another icon, from the Republic of Guinea Bissau.

Like the rest of the countries within the sub-region, this former Portuguese colony closely identifies with the Gambia in a host of aspects. The two people are only set apart by distance, but they share the same ethnicity and religion. The ethnic relation, for a great part, is enforced by blood. President Nino Vieira is a man of distinguishable authority in his own right. He is just one of a host of people that symbolizes the pan-Africanist unanimity that binds us together.

Remember the Kabu Empire? It evokes the supremacy of the Blackman prior to the coming of colonialism. The legendary Jankey Walli Sanneh (the great Nyanchu), was perhaps the most popular of the emperors of that great empire that encompassed part of the modern day Gambia. At one point in time, the Gambia and Guinea Bissau shared a single ruler thanks to this empire.

And the great Amilcar Cabral is another idol of the independence struggle of Guinea Bissau, a struggle some Gambians took part in.

In a way, Mr President of Guinea Bissau is making a home coming. You are so, so welcome. Wish a successful stay.

Amilcar Cabral Zone II Championship, a regional football tournament for West African nations, which is scheduled to take place in Guinea Bissau has been shifted, Observer Sports can reveal.

The eight-nation tournament which was earlier scheduled to start from November 22 to December 4, will now start on November 30 and ends on December 4, 2007, in the former Portuguese colony of Guinea Bissau. The postponement, Observer Sports has gathered, was effected to allow the host country to complete construction works on its FIFA sponsored artificial turf ground.

The draw for the championship will take place on Saturday, November 10, where the eight participating nations that include The Gambia, Mauritania , Guinea Conakry, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde, Senegal and Mali , will be grouped in two groups of four.

The Gambian team have since started training, ahead of the bi-annual championship. The twenty-seven home-based players who are currently training under the guidance of the Spanish coach, Jose Martnez, will be trimmed to a 22-man squad on Tuesday, November 6.

The Scorpions have never won the Zone II championship since its inception, but have reached the finals twice -   1958 and 1980 - and have lost both finals to the neighbouring Senegal who have won the championship a record 8 times. Guinea Conakry are the second record holders, having won it 5 times.

The Gambia National assistant Coach, Lamin Sarr, has said that thirty players are currently training at Independence Stadium, Bakau, in preparation for the Amilcar Cabral Zone II championship scheduled to take place in Guinea Bissau, November 22 to December 4.

Lamenting over his team’s level of preparation, Mr Sarr said the team is currently training only in the mornings, whereas a double shift could be more productive. He also informed that out of the thirty trial players, 20 will go to camp and 18 finally selected for the tournament.

The team will be headed by senior team coach, Jose Martenez.

It could be recalled that The Gambia has never won this Championship since its inception in 1972 when it was called Amilcar Cabral Cup and re-named Zone II in 1979.