Garan Fabou Kouyate
Encyclopedia
Garan Fabou Kouyaté is a member of Mali's Higher Islamic Council and a former member of the CENI (National Independent Electoral Commission) on behalf of the religious groups, and the first general secretary of the Fédération Malienne de Football
(Malian Soccer Federation). Kouyaté is a well-known and respected man in Mali. He is commonly called "Ba Garan" (Bambara
term for father Garan).
or Djeli family (African traditional story tellers, singers, and mediators). He is the son of Fabou and Fatoumata Kouyaté and the cousin of the famous Tiemoko Garan Kouyaté
(killed in 1942 for his political affiliation and anti-colonialism). Garan Fabou Kouyaté did his primary education in the 1930s in the city of Bamako
during the French colonization in Mali (called French Sudan
back then). He continued his studies until the mid 1940s when he graduated as a civil administrator. He worked in Segou
, Sikasso
, Nioro
, and Bamako
in the 1950s and 1960s.
. He was a soccer referee and then member of a soccer team, l’Association Sportive de Segou. In the mid 1950s, Kouyaté served in the soccer department of Segou Region
during the annual Coupe de l’AOF (soccer competition between teams from French West Africa
). Although no team from the region made it to the final, Kouyaté was successful in challenging teams from the capital city Bamako and making Segou soccer well respected.
After the independence of Mali in 1960, Mr. Kouyaté entered the Malian Soccer Federation as first general secretary given his high organizational and management skills in soccer. He was one of the delegates of the Malian soccer team during the African Games of 1965 in Brazzaville
, Congo
, in which the team obtained the silver medal. He was invited to the Soviet Union
, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
, East Germany, and the People's Republic of China
with the Mali soccer team in the mid 1960s. He was also among the delegation of the Malian soccer team in the 1972 African Nations Cup in Yaounde, Cameroon. Unfortunately, the Malian soccer team, with Salif Keita
, once again lost to Congo in the final.
, he was very activie in the promotion of US-RDA in the French Sudan
. He played an important role in US-RDA's 1957 decisive victory over Fily Dabo Sissoko
's PSP. Later, there were some disagreements between him and the Segou's US-RDA representatives due to his "No" position in the 1958 referendum. Further disagreements about the candicacies of delegates for party sections in Segou
made him retired from politics.
(Malian Association for Unity and the Progress of Islam) in 1980. In 1994, he was appointed director of the radio station of AMUPI (Radio Islamique). In 1997, He was selected as representative of the Mali Muslims community to the CENI (Commission Nationale Electorale Independante) despite some pains he had with his leg. In 2001, he was again selected to the CENI as representative of all religious groups. He is also a senior member of the Mali's Higher Islamic Council. Kouyaté is married to three wives and had six children. He is a very respected and well-known man in Mali. He serves as consultant for writers, historians, and biographers on Mali and West Africa's historical and cultural past. He is regularly consulted for advice in formal issues and in local mediation.
In January 2009, he was awarded the grade of grand officer of the national order of Mali.
Fédération Malienne de Football
Fédération Malienne de Football is the Malian Soccer Federation founded in 1960. It joined the Confederation of African Football in 1962 and has been affiliated with FIFA since 1964. Its first general secretary was Garan Fabou Kouyate...
(Malian Soccer Federation). Kouyaté is a well-known and respected man in Mali. He is commonly called "Ba Garan" (Bambara
Bambara language
Bambara, more correctly known as Bamanankan , its designation in the language itself , is a language spoken in Mali by as many as six million people...
term for father Garan).
Early life
Garan Fabou Kouyaté is from the GriotGriot
A griot or jeli is a West African storyteller. The griot delivers history as a poet, praise singer, and wandering musician. The griot is a repository of oral tradition. As such, they are sometimes also called bards...
or Djeli family (African traditional story tellers, singers, and mediators). He is the son of Fabou and Fatoumata Kouyaté and the cousin of the famous Tiemoko Garan Kouyaté
Tiemoko Garan Kouyaté
Tiemoko Garan Kouyaté was a West African labour organiser and propagandist.Born April 27, 1902 in Ségou in the French Sudan, Kouyaté studied at École William Ponty on the Île de Gorée in Senegal. He worked as a school teacher in the Ivory Coast from 1921 to 1923. He then travelled to...
(killed in 1942 for his political affiliation and anti-colonialism). Garan Fabou Kouyaté did his primary education in the 1930s in the city of Bamako
Bamako
Bamako is the capital of Mali and its largest city with a population of 1.8 million . Currently, it is estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth fastest in the world...
during the French colonization in Mali (called French Sudan
French Sudan
French Sudan was a colony in French West Africa that had two separate periods of existence, first from 1890 to 1899, then from 1920 to 1960, when the territory became the independent nation of Mali.-Colonial establishment:...
back then). He continued his studies until the mid 1940s when he graduated as a civil administrator. He worked in Segou
Ségou
Ségou is a city in south-central Mali, lying northeast of Bamako on the River Niger, in the region of Ségou. It was founded by the Bozo people, on a site about from the present town...
, Sikasso
Sikasso
Sikasso is a city in the south of Mali and the capital of the Sikasso Region. With 130,700 residents, Sikasso recently passed Ségou to become Mali's second-largest city.-Geography:...
, Nioro
Nioro
Nioro is the name of two towns in West Africa*Nioro du Sahel: a town in the Kayes Region of western Mali*Nioro du Rip: a town in the southern Kaolack Region, Nioro du Rip Department, of Senegal...
, and Bamako
Bamako
Bamako is the capital of Mali and its largest city with a population of 1.8 million . Currently, it is estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth fastest in the world...
in the 1950s and 1960s.
Sport
Kouyaté was mostly famous in sport especially soccer although his first hobby was bicycling and the Tour de FranceTour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
. He was a soccer referee and then member of a soccer team, l’Association Sportive de Segou. In the mid 1950s, Kouyaté served in the soccer department of Segou Region
Ségou Region
Ségou is the fourth most populous administrative region in Mali, whose capital is the town of Ségou.-Geography:Situated at the center of Mali, Ségou Region covers 64,947 km²...
during the annual Coupe de l’AOF (soccer competition between teams from French West Africa
French West Africa
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...
). Although no team from the region made it to the final, Kouyaté was successful in challenging teams from the capital city Bamako and making Segou soccer well respected.
After the independence of Mali in 1960, Mr. Kouyaté entered the Malian Soccer Federation as first general secretary given his high organizational and management skills in soccer. He was one of the delegates of the Malian soccer team during the African Games of 1965 in Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
, Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
, in which the team obtained the silver medal. He was invited to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, East Germany, and the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
with the Mali soccer team in the mid 1960s. He was also among the delegation of the Malian soccer team in the 1972 African Nations Cup in Yaounde, Cameroon. Unfortunately, the Malian soccer team, with Salif Keita
Salif Keita
Salif Keïta is an internationally recognized afro-pop singer-songwriter from Mali. He is unique not only because of his reputation as the Golden Voice of Africa, but because he has albinism and is a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita...
, once again lost to Congo in the final.
Politics
Kouyaté had a brief political career from the 1950s to early 1960. As a former student of Modibo KeitaModibo Keïta
Modibo Keita ; was the first President of Mali and the Prime Minister of the Mali Federation. He espoused a form of African socialism.-Youth:...
, he was very activie in the promotion of US-RDA in the French Sudan
French Sudan
French Sudan was a colony in French West Africa that had two separate periods of existence, first from 1890 to 1899, then from 1920 to 1960, when the territory became the independent nation of Mali.-Colonial establishment:...
. He played an important role in US-RDA's 1957 decisive victory over Fily Dabo Sissoko
Fily Dabo Sissoko
Fily Dabo Sissoko was a Malian author and political leader, born 15 May 1900 at Horokoto . He died 30 June 1964, imprisoned at Kidal...
's PSP. Later, there were some disagreements between him and the Segou's US-RDA representatives due to his "No" position in the 1958 referendum. Further disagreements about the candicacies of delegates for party sections in Segou
Ségou
Ségou is a city in south-central Mali, lying northeast of Bamako on the River Niger, in the region of Ségou. It was founded by the Bozo people, on a site about from the present town...
made him retired from politics.
Later period
After retiring from the soccer arena, especially because of his age, Mr. Kouyaté and some other senior retirees founded the AMUPIAMUPI
AMUPI is a Muslim association in Mali. Created in 1980, its first President was Oumar Ly and Vice President was Mody Sylla. After Ly's death, a new congress in 2001 elected Siaka Traore as chairman. The association seeks to boost unity in the country and create environment for the progress of Islam...
(Malian Association for Unity and the Progress of Islam) in 1980. In 1994, he was appointed director of the radio station of AMUPI (Radio Islamique). In 1997, He was selected as representative of the Mali Muslims community to the CENI (Commission Nationale Electorale Independante) despite some pains he had with his leg. In 2001, he was again selected to the CENI as representative of all religious groups. He is also a senior member of the Mali's Higher Islamic Council. Kouyaté is married to three wives and had six children. He is a very respected and well-known man in Mali. He serves as consultant for writers, historians, and biographers on Mali and West Africa's historical and cultural past. He is regularly consulted for advice in formal issues and in local mediation.
In January 2009, he was awarded the grade of grand officer of the national order of Mali.