Gambia: From a Farmer Battling to Make Ends Meet to a King of Arena - the Meteoric Rise of a Local to a Champion

analysis

Hoyantan is a celebrated figure in The Gambia, a tiny West African nation with a teeming population of two million.

At six-foot six-inch, his gigantic frame easily sets him apart from the crowd. For a man of his personality and Gambia wrestling's King of Arena, he lives in a crowded Kunkujang town, a near one hour's drive from the hustle and bustle of the country's administrative capital, Banjul. A narrow path cuts from the area's main tarred road leading to his home. On entrance, is an iron-welded gate completed by a row of flats housing no more than ten people with a loaded truck packed to the side. Outside of the complex's pavement is a horde of his blokes whom he was chatting with before moving into the inner room upon learning of my impending arrival. The premises is usually flooded with people from all walks of life in show of solidarity on a combat day.

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