Mimiko urges Sunshine Stars to forget Bamako experience

ONDO State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, has told players and officials of Sunshine Stars not to allow their recent sad experience in Bamako, Mali, to affect their quest to win this year's CAF Champions League crown for the country.The governor spoke during a dinner he organised for the team in Akure over the weekend, just as the chairman of the state's football agency, Segun Adagunodo, tongue-lashed the Nigerian Ambassador to Mali, Munir Liman, for allegedly abandoning the team at a time his assistance was needed most.The governor, who was full of praises to God for sparing the lives of the players and their officials, counselled: 'Don't be discouraged by what happened in Mali. You have to re-double your effort and go for the trophy.'God has reason for sparing your lives in Mali and at this stage of the competition, what you need is determination and confidence. God will surely see us through to the final.'Earlier, Adagunodo, who was in the second batch of the contingent that was trapped in Mali, had recounted their ordeal: 'We saw hell in Bamako because what we went through was like a war situation,' he told Mimiko and the audience inside the Rt. Rev (Dr.) Emmanuel Bolanle Gbonigi Hall.'We were trapped in the hotel and were hearing gun shots as if it was music. There was a particular day the soldiers stormed our hotel in search of the 'enemies'. It was a traumatic experience for us but we thank God we came back alive.'But I must say that the Nigerian Ambassador to Mali did not do well. While the crisis was on, I put several calls across to him, but he refused to respond. I thought the ambassadors are posted to foreign countries because of things like this. He was with us during the match and even in the hotel after we drew, but to my greatest surprise, he abandoned us at the time we needed him most.'Meanwhile, Sunshine Stars won the 2012 Ondo State FC Cup after beating Rising Stars on penalties.
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