Maumoon Abdul Gayoom: The cricket loving President of the Maldives

A.H.M. Azwer

The longest serving Head of the SAARC countries, the evergreen Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has once more stepped into our emerald isle to participate at yet another summit of this Regional Group in Colombo.

My reflections carried me back meeting him last year.

It was the Christmas eve. I was pleasantly surprised when the Foreign Ministry beckoned me to receive him at the Bandaranaike International Airport in the absence of the Foreign Minister and his Deputy from the country.

He was on his way back home accompanied by his ever graceful wife Nasreena after performing the Haj pilgrimage. It was late in the night, the wee hours of the morning.

Minister M. H. Mohamed also joined us at the VVIP lounge a little later. For Mohamed and Maumoon, it was a case of two old bosom friends getting together and recalling many memorable events in their lives.

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was his usual bubbly self and from his smile we knew he was happy to see us as much as we were happy to see him.

After the traditional greetings of peace, the President of the Maldives recalled the many meetings he had had with Minister Mohamed, and recalled that he and his good friend worked together in the Rabita in Makkah, which is an organisation dedicated to help the poor the world over.

President Maumoon related to us that the Saudi Government had done a marvellous job in improving the facilities in the Holy sites in Makkah and Madinah. “There were nearly 4 million pilgrims this time” and the fact that there were no untoward incidents, speaks volumes for the attention the Saudi Government had paid to ensure the safety of ‘Liyufur Rahman’ - ‘Guests of God’.

Coupled this with the traditional Arab hospitality and you have an unforgettable spiritual experience... he added “the Islam world owes a debt of gratitude to the Saudis for the tremendous work they were doing to improve facilities for the benefit of millions of pilgrims.”

I was in for another surprise, for out of the blues President Maumoon moved the discussion to cricket - my favourite sport which I was privileged to give radio, TV commentaries (in the Tamil language, particularly) for the last 30 years. He told me that it was a pity Sri Lanka could not win the Galle Test match against England played last year.

Incidentally, apart from the serious attention he would pay for the SAARC at top level discussion with the Heads of States in this region, I am sure he would have glued to the TV to watch the proceedings at Galle where the second match between Sri Lanka and India was played.

“Sir are you familiar with the southern port city of Galle?” I enquired. “Of course” he exclaimed. I always picture picturesque rampart and the deep blue sea beyond.”

I was to face another flipper. “I attended the Bahjathul Ibrahimiya College in Fort, Galle, where I first learnt my Arabic. Galle Stadium was then only a playing ground,” he reminisced.

I told him that the present Government helped both financially and otherwise to rebuild the Galle Cricket International Stadium after the place was destroyed by tsunami. President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is a cricket lover like you I said was himself present recently to open the renovated and highly improved stadium with much better facilities offered than before.

I also took the opportunity to point out to President Maumoon that President Rajapaksa during the opening ceremony declared that his Government would construct international sports stadia even in the Northern and Eastern Provinces as well; and it is towards reaching such a goal that he wished peace is achieved before long.

“The sports facilities available to the sportsman and sportswomen in the South should also be given to those in the North and East as well - is my dream and help me to make this dream a reality soon,” said President Rajapaksa to a jubilant crowd on that occasion.

“It is a good wish; and I hope your President’s wish could be fulfilled soon,” he continued, “I still hadn’t been to Galle Stadium after it was declared a Test venue, but I remember listening so interestingly to Tony Greig’s commentaries over radio and TV describing this Test venue as a glorious and picturesque venue with Coconut palms along the sparkling beach swaying in the breeze like some sentinels looking out into the sea for ship wrecked sailors...”.

If I thought that was the end of surprises, the Maldivian President could give me I was wrong. He had more in store.

“I recall the great Ws-Weeks, Walcott, and Worrel - the great West Indian legends - who have their names carved in gold in the pages of cricket history. I have seen them play at Galle, and what is more I remember the exact score the West Indies made in that match (but sorry that score slipped my memory).

This man heading a thousand Isles has a prodigious memory, I thought.

I ventured to suggest: Why don’t you start cricket in Male?” I will” he said, “If you promise to send Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India to play over there.”

He said they play a ‘little cricket’ in the Male. The main feature is the annual match between two sides from the Majlis (Maldivian Parliament).

“In one of the matches I was awarded the Man of the Match Trophy”! a jubilant President revealed.

He recalled: “Mahela - the Majestic - Jayawardena, while on a holiday in Male made a sporting gesture when he played cricket with my sons”.

He lamented the population of the Maldives was so small to raise a cricket team though a few Maldivians has played cricket at Zahira, St. Peters and Trinity Colleges here.

He also told me that he keeps abreast news in the cricket arena amidst busy schedules and contented, he believed that the new find Chanaka Welagedera (at that time) had a bright future ahead of him. The man never ceased to fascinate me!

Then the talk shifted to Haj again and President Gayoom said he had met Presidents and Prime Ministers such as Mahmood Ahmedinejad (Iran), Abbas and Nur Maliki (of fraq) at the Haj, “and of course King Abdullah” he is a wonderful man” he said.

“Let me tell you a secret right now he is in the Maldives after personally supervising the Haj pilgrimage and ensuring that there were no accidents this (last) year.

All good things come to an end. And soon - all too soon - it was time to say Good bye.

The Chief of Protocol (then) Jaffeer came round and with all due respect informed his Excellency that the flight was ready to take off.

President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom got up, stretched his hand and gave his Salaams: “Give my regards to President Mahinda Rajapaksa” he said “Don’t forget to give my Salaam to Minister Bogollagama and his Deputy Hussain Baila too.”

The writer is the Presidential Advisor on Parliamentary Affairs and Media Ombudsman