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ISSN 0796 - 1200 Vol 1 No 002 Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 Price D30.00

UTG Lecturer
Dr. Ismaila Ceesay SeniGambia
Utterly Dissatisfied
With The State
SeniKaadou
Of New Gambia
Exclusive on page 12
SeniXibaar
JAMMEH ANOTHER
YOUNG
ALLEGEDLY FEMALE
STOLE $50 MYSTERIOUSLY
DIES
MILLION

I
By Mustapha Kah
n what appears to be a mysterious death, a young
lady named Fatou Loum, has been found dead,
this paper can reveal. Her passing was widely
circulated on the social media, but the circum-
stances surrounding her demise are still unclear.
In an audio circulated online, it was said that she
was found with her hands, mouth, and nose tied.
Surprisingly, no injuries were found on her body.
The Public Relations Officer of the Gambia Police
Force, David Kujabi, confirmed that investigations
see page 3 are still ongoing about the facts of the girl’s death.
Continued on page 3
New Gambia Is A Youth Invention see page 24
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 2

Editorial
S
eniGambia newspaper forced itself to be born last Friday despite a number of
hurdles. Yet the premature birth resulted in a healthy baby that was given a warm
welcome by the you the Public. This week we launch the weekly newspaper with
all the sections that we expect to run every week and with the proper procedures as
stipulated by law. Every week we hope to bring you the sections on Seni Kaadou where
you the public have your say on the most pressing issues affecting the public life in The
Gambia. Through messages you sent to us, we shall be your voice [see Seni kadou sec-
tion on page XX.] In case you missed it last week: here goes our maiden editorial again:
January 19 is now firmly etched in the memory of Gambians as a liberation day just
like February 18, Independence day. Although the rebirth of hope began on first De-
cember 2016 as the citizenry patiently stood in line to cast their votes with the weight
of expectations heavy on their hearts and shoulders. It was on Friday the second of
December 2016 at Juma’ah prayers time that the shaky hope blossomed with the
Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) declaration of the results of the Decem-
ber 1 elections: Yahya Jammeh’s era as leader of The Gambia had come to an end.
The nation erupted in a whirlwind of celebrations as sincere as the welcome of
the birth of a long awaited child after decades of barrenness. But the celebra-
tion was short-lived. By the tenth of December 2016, Jammeh in stubborn de-
fiance of the will of the Gambian people raised his protest at the genuine hap-
piness of the people by claiming that the counting of results was rigged and he
has overturned the will of the people: the IEC declared results. To claim that
Jammeh was truly the bad bully who would not leave the Gambia alone would
be an understatement. Pandemonium broke and the cost of the collective trau-
ma which our poor nation was subjected to we leave to psychologists to study.
But History was on the side of the long suffering people of this great nation: on Thurs-
day, 19 January 2017, Adama Barrow was sworn in as the President of the Gambia.
The new Gambia, and by the close of Friday January 20, it was bye, bye Jammeh, salam
new Gambia. As stories are being written on how exactly it happened, how it turned
out well for The Gambia, one year on from the fateful January 19, a new newspaper
is born. SeniGambia weekly newspaper: the one year old new republic’s first weekly
newspaper. SeniGambia is your newspaper, you the people and friends of The Gam-
bia. It will be your observer of national development efforts, your point of view like
a mirror to express your ratings of the performance of elected representatives, and
your standard for human rights preservation and the respect for the rule of law.

SeniGambia will be watching the new Gambia, SeniGambia swears to be the eyes,
ears and mouthpiece of the poor, the needy and the oppressed until their rights
are fulfilled. But SeniGambia will not be hard on the new Gambia because the new
Gambia is the Big Brother to SeniGambia. We share the same parents: The Gambi-
an people, repressed, held back and oppressed for two decades, two decades of lost
development opportunity. We share the same mother: the oppressed people of our
country, who lost their lives, the lives of loved ones, for no crime except they crossed
a dictator. We share the same father: The brave youth of the country who matched
and topped every move that Jammeh threw at them at the final battle and resist-
ed until he gave in and came tumbling down. And we appreciate this marriage of
our mother and father that was tied by the brave political leaders and the diaspora
alliance who stood up to defy a despot. So we will not be hard on our Big Broth-
er, the new Gambia. But unlike the western countries where Big Brother watches
everything, here with the birth of SeniGambia, Small Sister to the new Gambia one
year on, we will be watching Big Brother. Small Sister shall watch over Big Brother.
So Big Brother, be warned. We don’t expect to be reporting the disappearance of jour-
nalist, the wrongful detainment of civil servants and frequent changes in ministers,
permanent secretaries and directors. And we certainly don’t expect or hope to be
always reporting the murder of oppressed Gambians and rampant corruption. But if
it occurs, like our brave father we shall sniff out the story and tell mother and father,
so that Big brother can be reformed and grow into something we shall all be proud of.

SeniGambia will come out every Friday, covering headline news of that Friday, with
objective analysis of the main stories of the week, summary of global news relevant
to the Gambia, preview of events and much, much more. A new Era begins and we
pledge to do our best and not let you all down. Seni kadou, SeniGambia and togeth-
er our dreams of socio-economic development we shall fulfill with God’s blessings.
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 3
National News
JAMMEH ALLEGEDLY STOLE $50 MILLION
By D. Taylor

T
he English broadcasting ser-
vice of Canal France, has
made a startling revelation
about former president of the Gam-
bia, Yahya Jammeh. Canal France
alleged that Jammeh absconded
with over 50 million Dollars from
Gambian coffers, on his way to exile
in Equatorial Guinea, last year. This
appalling exposé was made in one
of Canal France’s headline news on
21st January 2018.
This report came hot in the heels
of an interview with president Obi-
ange, the leader of Equatorial Guin-
ea; that was reported last week by
this same reputable news network,
RFI, and picked up by this news out-
let.
Jammeh ruled The Gambia from
July 1994 to 2016. He came to pow-
er through a coup against former
president Jammeh who also ruled
The Gambia for 30 years. During his
time as president, Jammeh was ac-
cused of gross human rights abuses
and grave corruption.
It could be recalled that in Decem-
ber 2016, Gambia held its presiden-
tial election and former president
Jammeh contested against a coali-
tion of opposition parties, headed
by Adama Barrow, who subsequent-
ly won the election, in a landslide.
For one person to pocket such an
amount of money could leave a big
strain on the economy of a small
country like The Gambia, where
most people live on less than one
Dollar a day, with poor infrastruc-
ture, low standard of living, high
rate of unemployment especially
among the youths. Worst is that The
Gambia heavily depends on foreign
aid to finance government activities.
It could be recalled that Mai Fatty,
key member of the coalition one
year ago, after Jammeh had left into
exile in Equatorial Guinea, said that
former president Jammeh stole
huge sums of money from Gambian
coffers. This new revelation by Ra-
dio France puts more light on the
nature of allegations that Jammeh
stole from state coffers.
Though Mr. Fatty’s remarks were
not substantiated; this has done lit-
tle to dissuade the administration of
President Adama Barrow setting up
of the Commission of enquiry prob-
ing into former president Jammeh’s
financial dealings. The commission
is headed by Surahata Janneh, a well
know Gambian lawyer.

Continued from page 1

Fatou Loum’s passing away has raised concerns over the security of the country. Several murders have happened recently. On 25 January 2017, for-
mer High Court Interpreter, Sheikh Tijan Hydara was charged with murder of one Vanessa Faal, an Ivorian-Senegalese woman. Vanessa’s body was
found dumped in Manjai Kunda about two months ago.
Last year a Senegalese pedophile, Essa Jarju, was arrested after he raped several people including children. “On Thursday 15th June, at about
04:00am, a 22 year-old Essa Jarju a Senegalese national resident in Tabokoto was caught breaking into a dwelling house and attempting to rape a
woman in New Yundum. He was escorted to Yundum Police Station where the matter was subjected to a thorough investigation” the police had said.

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Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 4
In the news this week:
“ROGUE” JAMMEH LOYALISTS “SNITCH” INTO BANJUL
By Mustapha Kah
Two Jammeh stalwarts were over toral system was “rig proof.” This
the weekend apprehended by secu- plunged The Gambia into political
rity forces after arriving at the Ban- predicament for several weeks un-
jul International Airport unnoticed til the regional body in West Africa,
from Equatorial Guinea. The duo ECOWAS, threatened to send troops
Umpa Mendy and Ansumana Tam- to oust him.
ba jetted in Banjul from Equatorial
Guinea, where they had stayed with At the end Jammeh left Banjul fol-
former President Jammeh. lowing several weeks of protracted
negotiations involving the interna-
The social media has been busy tional community. As he left Banjul
with views on how it is possible for for Malabo, Jammeh took a handful
the two men to snitch into the coun- of loyalist and supporters including
try unnoticed by security personnel Umpa and Ansumana. Fears that
who were present at the Banjul In- Jammeh’s loyalists were going to
those crimes, the linking of Umpa itary procedures. “When someone
ternational Airport. The public fear cause instability led the West Afri-
to former President Jammeh’s hit leaves The Armed Forces for some
aroused out of the precarious secu- can regional group to station hun-
squad called the “Junglers” could time and are not disengaged, when
rity situation in the country as a re- dreds of the 7000 original troops in
provide useful information to Gam- they are back into the country after
sult of last year’s political gridlock. the Gambia after Jammeh’s depar-
bian authorities about the nature of sometimes, they are invited for de-
ture.
Jammeh’s human rights violations. briefing. It is a normal procedure”.
Jammeh who had once said he will
The other returnee Ansumana Tam-
rule The Gambia for one billion Although the reason for the arriv-
ba became close to Jammeh in the “We have not seen anything point-
years, lost the December 1st elec- al of the two is not clear, The Point
past three years. ing towards the fact that they could
tions to President Barrow who was Newspaper alleges that “Umpa
be security risks or anything to the
elected by a united opposition of Mendy was a Principal Protection
Jammeh still enjoys support in some contrary,” he added, noting that
seven Political parties. The parties Officer to President Jammeh for
regions of the country. His party, the “There is nothing peculiar to our
defied the odds to select Barrow to many years. He was alleged to have
Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation situation; I can assure that Gambia
lead them and subsequently won been personally responsible for a
and Construction was on tour in the is safe and life goes on normally.”
Jammeh. number of crimes that are currently
past few weeks where they clashed
being filed at the Attorney General’s
with supporters of the coalition in However, General Kinteh’s com-
After conceding defeat, Jammeh Chambers; for the consideration of
parts of the country. The clashes ments have not stopped concerns
renounced his concession a week the soon-to-be established Truth
reached their pitch in Busumbala being raised on social media. “
later. He had said that he was going and Reconciliation Commission.”
and only simmered after security The FACT that two close aide-camp
to take the “back seat”. “If [Barrow]
personnel were deployed to calm of former President Jammeh who
wants to work with us also, I have Political and security analysts have
the situation in the affected areas. went to Equatorial Guinea with him
no problem with that. I will help drawn lines between the two men
and were declared WANTED by the
him work towards the transition,” and some human rights violations.
Some media chiefs have said the duo current government could sneak
he said. Jammeh’s 22 year rule was marred
are not danger to security. Fatunet- through the Banjul International
by serious human rights defile-
work quotes the Chief of Defense Airport, either unnoticed or delib-
Jammeh had alleged that the elec- ments. The country continually
Staff of The Gambia Armed Forc- erately let go to pass through nor-
tions were marred by irregularities ranked among the worst for media
es, General Kinteh, as saying that mal Airport procedures is definitely
despite boldly claiming before the and other human rights issues. As
the pair were invited for question- ALARMING,” said Malick Jarju, a so-
elections that The Gambia’s elec- efforts are underway to investigate
ing, adding that this is part of mil- cial commentator.

GAMBIAN AMBASSADOR TO SIERRA LEONE FEMI PETERS, DIES!

By Cephas K Terna
The death of the Gambian Ambassador to
the Republic of Sierra Leone has been an-
nounced. Femi Peters died last night in Free-
town,. His body is waiting to be transported
to the Gambia for decent burial.
Mr. Peter’s health condition deteriorated af-
ter he was released from jail. He was a dia-
betes patient. He was jailed together with
Foreign Minister Ousainou Darboe and co
during Jammeh’s rule.
A source phoned to inform the Senigam-
bia Newspaper on Sunday 21 January 2018
about the unfortunate death of Ambassador
Femi Peters. “For your information Ambas-
sador Femi Peters died. He died Saturday
night 20th January 2018 in Freetown,” said
our source.
Femi Peters was onetime the Propaganda
Secretary of the United Democratic Party
(UDP). He has been jailed on numerous occa-
sions under dictator Jammeh’s rule.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Ousainou Dar-
boe is said to be in Saudi Arabia with a dele-
gation attending the OIC Summit. The news
of Femi’s death reached Darboe shortly after
he arrived in Saudi, said our source.
Editor’s note: Our condolences to the Peters
family. May his soul rest in perfect peace and
may God reserve place for him in heaven.
Ameen.
 Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018
WAS EX PRESIDENT JAMMEH’S HIV/AIDS TREATMENT
PROGRAMME A FARCE OR REAL
By D. Taylor
T
he BBC reporter, Colin Free-
man has made some very
starling remarks about for-
mer president Jammeh’s HIV/AIDS
treatment program, during his ten-
ure at office.
He made this remark in a BBC pro-
gram called “from our own corre-
spondence, where the BBC journal-
ist will usually report the news in a
documentary.
As the first person in Gambia to
publicly declared himself HIV pos-
itive, Lamin Ceesay thought he was
doing the right thing. That was back
in 2000, when HIV was rampant in
Africa.
Mr. Ceesay’s made this public dec-
laration of his HIV/AIDS status co-
incided with the commemoration
of World Aids day. He took part in
march for HIV/AIDS commemora-
tion and awareness campaign, for
Gambia HIV/AIDS charity.
This earned him respect worldwide,
but a few years later it also brought
attention of the Gambia’s former
President Jammeh to the whole
world.
In early 2007, Yahya Jammeh made
the announcement that he can cure
AIDS and claimed to have invent-
ed his own miracle cure for the vi-
rus (HIV/AIDS), using a mixture of
herbal medicine and spiritual heal-
ing technique.
The former dictator disclosed that
“the healing only works on Thurs-
day and Mondays,” the report con-
cluded.
Jammeh’s announcement triggered
an international outcry and doubts
about former dictator Jammeh’s
claim especially among health
chiefs around the world. Jammeh’s
claim was denounced as being fruit-
senigambia 5
less and ridiculous, the BBC report-
er said.
However, knowing the political cli-
mate that existed at the time, no-
body dared to publicly denounce
Jammeh’s new found cure for HIV/
AIDS, “telling the President he is
talking nonsense could land you in
Jail,” Mr Collins noted.
This is why when Mr Ceesay re-
ceived the invitation from Gambia
HIV Charity, asking for ten volun-
teers to be the first batch of Mr
Jammeh’s six months treatment
program, Mr. Ceesay decided not to
reject this invitation. “I first thought
of sending other people to join the
programme, but I feared, if I didn’t
go myself it might get me into trou-
ble”, he said.
According to the BBC reporter, Col-
lins Freeman,
When Mr Ceesay arrived at the heal-
ing ground he realized the ground
rules are clearly stated, no smoking,
no drinking tea or coffee, no sex, and
no drinking of other medicines; in-
cluding the anti retral viral drugs.
It was too late to back out, there herbs contained in the bottle was, from Leeds’s University; instead of
were armed bodyguards placed at Ceesay revealed. him giving the program an academ-
Whatever was in the bottle, it gave ic flavor he was made a spokesman
Mr. Ceesay constant diarrhea and he to rebuff the doubt of some foreign
also caught Tuberculosis, from an- Journalists. In fact given up his an-
other patient. Eventually he was so ti-rectral viral, that left him so week.
weak; he had to be transferred back Mr. Sowe and the fellow patience are
to a proper hospital. now working with Aids Free World.
Doctors at the hospital tested him The US campaign group want
and the test showed that he (Cee- charges to be brought against Mr.
say) was still HIV posited. Jammeh over the program. It said its
And so they placed him on anti false AIDS treatment was one of the
rectral viral again. Mr. Ceesay was biggest human right scandals dur-
among the lucky one; his wife who ing Jammeh’s time in office.
the entrance, Mr Freeman said. “To was also among the patients died A Senior UN health official who
my astonishment we were told that during the herbal treatment pro- raise objection over the treatment
no one should leave until after the gram. was kicked out of the country, for
end of the six months treatment. No “Just like my wife, this was the fate casting doubts over Jammeh’s ridic-
patience should be allowed to leave of majority of other AIDS patients” ulous claim to have found the cure
without Jammeh’s permission.” Mr Ceesay said. for AIDS, Colin freeman said.
Ceesay, claimed. As a senior figure in the HIV Char- In the end some 9000 people are
And so the treatment began, each ity group, Mr Ceesay was attending believed to have been treated, al-
morning the ex-president will rub a funerals all the time, although that though since Mr. Jammeh kept the
mysterious green paste into the pa- was not what the then president record of the clinic secret. Nobody
tience’s body, while chanting prayer wanted but pressed on to have pa- ever established how many patients
from a leather banned Koran, then tients appearing on the state TV to died.
twice per day they will drink from sing the program’s success, Colin One thing though seems certain; the
a bottle filled with yellow herbal Freeman affirm. only miracle about his cause was,
potion; Former president Jammeh Among them was Ousman Sowe, if anyone survived at all” Mr Colin
refused to say what the yellowish who had a degree in Public Health, concluded.
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018
Summary of Other Gambian News This week
O n Tuesday 23, January 2018, President
Adama Barrow, launched a 6 year Land
Scale Ecosystem based adaptation project in
the country at the Kairaba Beach Hotel. The
project is aimed at building climate-resilient
natural resources based economy for rural
Gambia. At the launching ceremony were
Permanent Secretaries, Directors, CEOs,
Public and the Private sector officials in at-
tendance. This 6 year project is implemented
by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate
Change and Water Resources which is ex-
pected to target Upper River Region (south
and north), Central River Region( south and
north), and Lower River Region respective-
ly. Expectations are high that the project will
enhance economic growth for the said re-
gions.
Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, a political commentator
and lecturer at the University of the Gambia
said the first one year of president Adama
Barrow in office has been a total waste be-
cause of his government inability to put its
strategies together. Dr. Ceesay pointed out
that the government is failing due to lack of
proper and precise idea of what they exact-
ly want to achieve, “the government is even
bitting more than it can chew” he added. He
however, credited the Barrow government
for political freedom, exercise of freedom of
expression and political participation by the
citizenry. Dr. Ceesay lamented over the visi-
ble abject poverty in the country, saying that
the Gambia faces 48 percent poverty rate, 38
percent unemployment and a pubilc debt of
about 1 billion dollars.
The department of livestock services through
APRC party spokeperson, Seedy Njie, said he its regional livestock directorate in URR over
was picked up by police officers from the Of- the week embarked on sensitization of com-
fice of the President on the early hours of Fri- munities on rabies control. Sanjally Conteh
SeniGambia
SeniKaadou
SeniXibaar
day morning for questioning in connection to
a call he made for the release of all detainees
including Landing Manneh who is believed to
be his supporter. Mr. Njie added that, the po-
lice officers told him that it was not expected
for a political leader to say what the country
needs is reconcialiation and national unity
and not violence.Njie noted that, the officers
were acting under the directives from the
Office of the President to get him. However,
the top brass of the APRC was later released
but asked to report the following Monday to
the same office. Mr. Njie, maitained that he
will always call for the release of all those
detainees. It could be recalled that, the APRC
and UDP party supporters clashed on two
major incidences in Mankamang Kunda, the
birth village of the current president Adama
Barrow, Busumbala and Farato respectively.
These unfortunate political fracases led to
the total revocation of the licenses for all po-
litical rallies across the country until further
notice that is according to the Inspector Gen-
eral of Police of the republic of the Gambia.
United for Purpose formally concern univer-
sal in partnership with Bio-fortification at
Njawara Agricultural Training Centre, on Fri-
day 23, January 2018, trained women from
North Bank region on food supplementary
preparation. A cooking demonstration of po-
tato leaves into different diet was exposed to
the women at the training session. Accord-
ing to Salieu M Samba, the project is aimed
at boosting nutrition for vulnerable children
and mothers.
senigambia 6
regional director has called on dog owners
to vaccinate their dogs against rabies, but to
also reduce population of stray dogs in the
area. According to him, rabies kills one per-
son every ten minutes.
According to police commisioner Camara,
two Senegalese armed men with a locally
made rifle were nabbed at Choya Village on
January 17, 2018 in the Central River Re-
gion of the Gambia by police officers from
the Jareng police station following an alert
to mount a checkpoint in all strategic loca-
tions in the area. Modou Mbaye 37 and Amat
Mbaye 36 respectively are both from the
Senegalese village of Jamagoja. This arrest
came when so many robberies and attacks
on businessmen and financial institutions in
upcountry have risen in recent times.
The Minister of Communications and Infra-
structure, Demba Ali Jawo has said that one
year is not enough for the governenment
to solve all the problems of the Gambia. Mr.
Jawo added that, people wanted everything
to be done here and there which is impossi-
ble because of the fact that they inherited a
broken economy. Jawo also said that youth
unemployment and irregular migration are
real challenges for the government of the
day and they are doing everything to address
these issues. Besides, Murtala Touray, an an-
alyst on west Africa has said yes the Barrow
administration inherited a ruined economy
but their problem also is that they came to
power without a proper plan in place. Mr.
Touray, implored patience from the masses
while calling on government to rapidly put
in measures to turn the economy around in
order to restore hopes in Gambians.
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 7

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P.O. BOX 4032 (220) 4378506
BAKAU Fax: (220) 4378501
The Gambia Email: admin@gppa.gm

PUBLIC NOTICE
GAMBIA PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY
ANNUAL PROCUREMENT PLAN FOR THE FISCALYEAR 2018

The Authority hereby sends a reminder to all Procuring Organisations (POs), that they should prepare and submit an
annual Procurement Plan for the Fiscal Year 2018.

This submission is in accordance with Section 30 of the Act, which stipulates that ‘a Procuring Organisation shall en-
gage in procurement planning with a view to achieving maximum value for public expenditure and the other objec-
tives set out in Section 3 of the same Act and in accordance with the applicable budgetary procedures.’ Regulation 25
(1) further states that Procuring Organisations shall provide annual procurement plans describing the extent, timing
and purpose of projected procurement requirements for the ensuing budgetary period.

This helps the Authority to have knowledge of the proposed procurements to be conducted by PO’s and is also useful
for the statistical analysis of the performance of the procurement system by the Authority. In addition, Procurement
Planning guides the Procuring Organisation to devise planning strategies and procurement packages taking into ac-
count identification and assessment of the need for the procurement, conducting market research in order to identify
various technical solutions, in particular in the commercial market, to identify the range of available contractual and
guarantee terms available in the commercial market place that would be suitable for Public Procurement.

In view of the foregoing mandatory requirement, the Management and members of the Board of Directors of GPPA
implore all Procuring Organisations to submit their respective Annual Procuring Plans on or before 28th February
2018. The Authority is well poised to work with any Procuring Organisation that may have difficulties in generating
a plan by availing the Procuring Organisation competent staff to work with in the development of their plan. The An-
nual Procurement Plan form (GPPA FORM 103), can be downloaded from our website at www.gppa.gm .

In the same vein, all Procuring Organisations are required to complete and submit form 041, Record of Supplier Per-
formance Assessment- to the Authority for the Fiscal year 2017.

GPPA MANAGEMENT
 Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018
Summary of World News This Week
George Weah was inaugurated as
the President of Liberia on Mon-
day 22nd January 2018 at a packed
Samuel Doe stadium in Monrovia
attended by African leaders from
Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali and Si-
erra Leone. The popular footballer
and Africa’s first winner of the FIFA
World Player of the year (1995) was
successful at the presidential ballot
box at the third attempt after losing
to outgoing President and Nobel
Peace prize winner Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf in 2005 and being on the los-
ing side in 2011 as running mate to
Winston Tubman, Johnson’s chal-
lenger.
At the annual four day World Eco-
nomic Forum conference in Davos,
Switzerland, Australian-born film
actress, Cate Blanchette called for
more compassion by world leaders
to the millions of displaced people
including refugees.
The Egyptian Authorities arrested
former army General Sami Annan
on Tuesday 23rd January after he
announced last Friday that he will
be a candidate in the 2018 presi-
dential elections. The presidential
elections are scheduled for 26-28
senigambia 8
March and candidates are required and The Poor Widens as the poorest half. This stagger-
to register with Egypt’s National ing news dropped a day before the
Elections Authority between 20 and Imagine waking up in the wee hours news that the Amazon boss Mr Jeff
29 January 2018. Mr. Annan’s arrest of the morning to get the kids ready Bezos gained $2.8 billion a day af-
is seen by political experts as neu- for school and prepare to go to the ter launching Amazon Go, a cash-
tralizing the most potent treat for market to sell the vegetables you ier-less store. According to Forbes,
President Sisi, who is now expected bought from the gardeners the pre- this makes Mr. Bezos the richest
to be re-elected. vious day not knowing whether man in the world with a net worth of
you will be able to have enough fish $113.5 billion overtaking Bill Gates
An article on the Guardian (UK) money for the family or to go to the and Warren Buffet. So far this year
newspaper this week revealed that office to work for less than you de- the Amazon boss has made $15.2
social media sites are designed to serve. billion and it is not even the end of
make them addictive to users and January yet.
that developers of popular social Now imagine waking up yesterday
media applications such as Face- to the news that in 2017 the gap This is not a verdict on Bezos or a
book and Twitter rarely use them. between the superrich i.e. the 1 per- question of whether it is right for
The foreign Affairs Ministry of Bot- cent and the rest of the world has one person to make such exorbitant
swana issued a statement to protest widened. A shocker right?!!! amounts of money whilst others are
The U.S. President’s calling African languishing in poverty, this is an ap-
countries as ‘Shithole countries” and According to the latest Oxfam re- peal to our leaders particularly our
called on other African countries to port, some 82 percent of the money African leaders to sit up and take
express their disappointment at the generated last year went to the rich- notice and to create the enabling
diplomatic embarrassment. Presi- est 1 percent of the global popula- environment for the people they are
dent Trump on his part denied that tion while the poorest half most of supposed to represent thrive. We
he meant any offence and described whom reside in so called developing can have all the policies in the world
himself as ‘the least racist person’. countries saw no increase at all. The (which we have in the Gambia in-
The Ethiopian regime released a report noted that the reason for the cluding a very comprehensive social
prominent opposition leader and widening gap is due to firms’ influ- protection policy) what we need is
hundreds of political prison to joy- ence on policy, erosion of workers’ the commitment from the leaders to
ous celebrations from their sup- rights and cost cutting. ensure the policies are implement-
porters. ed. Implementing policies does not
The report further contends that guarantee a narrowing of the gap
Global Gap Between the Rich 42 people now had as much wealth but it is a good place to begin.
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018
Seni Kaadou:
Please send your views, letters and messages to editor@senigambia.com,
text messages on Tel: + 220 216 7617/ 3930160 / 9938845 / 6881031
In response to the infamous
pseudonym Soldier’s first post
on Freedom Newspaper ‘‘GAM-
BIA: THE SOLDIER IS BACK
FROM POST JAMMEH RETIRE-
MENT; AS HE DROPS A BOMB-
SHELL!”
Fear allah, you are notting but
a foul- mouth hypocrite insid-
iously bent on destroying the
peace and stability of the coun-
try. If you are a decent individ-
ual you will not hide behind ap-
suedo name a soldier to vomit
your gab bage in public. Hate
and spite oozes out in many
form of manifestation”
Lansana Farti City University
London
On Madi Jobarteh’s Bar-
row-meter analysis
“Well analyzed. Barrow govt
needs a huge adjustment to
take us to the promise land.
There is also a great need for
change of mindset among
the average Gambians whom
most of them are found in the
epicenter of political rallies,
they’re the laymen, our women
and children who take politics
by heart, and eroding on par-
tisanship and ethnicity thus,
division and sagregation has
plaqued us and left us reeling
on development.
More so, Barrow should stop
or limit the foreign travels and
resort to putting his house in
order, because domestic vio-
lence and the venom of divi-
sion, corruption, and nepotism
is engulfing us. The unemploy-
ment crisis is deteriorating as
certain laws are yet to be re-
pealed to give chance for inves-
tors to invest. The civil service
is bogus as nothing efficient
or effective is being done in
the public offices other than
endless marathon breaucracy,
with everyone on their cadgets
navigating on the social media.
How do you expect progres-
sin development with such at-
titudes at work? Leadership
requires proactiveness not ti-
midity!”
By LM NoBle NjAi •
Farafenni Senior Secondary
Jan 23, 2018 3:46am
“Dear Mr. President,
The Great Gambia Idea: “No
army can stop an idea whose
time has come” Victor Hugo
Permit us to extend to you
our warmest good wishes for
your personal well being and
that of your family and gov-
ernment. That you have been
chosen by God is self evident.
And that gives us great joy and
hope indeed in the future of
The Great Gambia. Your Excel-
lency, every person on the face
of the earth has a God given
power of choice; the free will
to agree with or to disagree
with God. We pray, fervent-
ly, that you would choose to
agree with Him and leave your
name in the sands of time. It
is easier, of course, to yield to
circumstances and to seek the
help of man. It is understanda-
ble but not the best way to go.
To agree with God and even to
choose the ‘road less travelled’
ultimately will bring great suc-
cess and fulfillment.
Today, the world is ‘aghast’ at
President Trump’s private re-
marks on African countries as
‘s…hole’ countries. We are not
so much concerned about the
‘correctness’ or otherwise of
his remarks. The truth is that
many, including Africans, think
the same about their countries.
A young lad on the ‘Back way’
travel to Europe once said, on
a CNN documentary, “what’s
there to go back to? Either
make it or die” Such is the state
of hopelessness of the African
youth. The sense of indigna-
tion at President Trump’s re-
marks may be understandable,
for none can rightly say that
the African is less endowed in-
tellectually than the other rac-
es. But this really is not about
any African per se. By God,
we have outstanding African
personalities in all spheres of
human endeavors to give any
implied inferiority a lie. I have
personally attended several in-
ternational leadership training
and been selected as ‘leader
of leaders’ by my peers. And
I dare say it was not a token
nomination. But who can deny
our sorry state as a people?
The remark rankles, I believe,
because there is truth in it. If
person calls you a stone, when
you ‘know’ that you are human,
it will, at best, elicit a question
as to the soundness of that per-
son’s mind. We have not been
able to address ‘our communi-
ty’ needs as we have our indi-
vidual needs. It just means that
we have some more work to
do. We know it and the world
knows it too! I recall a British
minister of state telling us, Ni-
gerians, on our own soil, that
we do not need Britain to grant
us debt relief but 10 of our own
fellow Nigerians could rescue
the country from our debt bur-
den!! Enough of ‘playing the
ostrich’! We cannot continue
to ‘invest’ public and private
funds in other countries and
then turn around to ask the
same countries to bail us out
of ‘poverty’. Recently we heard
that some of the grants given
to fight Ebola in Sierra Leone
were ‘misappropriated. How
shameful!!
We do not need President
Trump to tell us the truth. We
know it and we have a choice
as to our response. Either con-
tinue to play the fool with busi-
ness as usual, plundering state
resources for personal gain and
watching our people die from
preventable diseases or take
up the challenge and prove to
ourselves that we indeed are
not ‘s…hole’ countries. At The
Great Gambia Project, a sister
to The Great Africa Project,
we believe that Africans are
not inferior, or superior, to any
other race but that we all are
endowed by God for greatness;
for dominion over His earth.
The choice is ours to make. We
must remember though, that no
matter how much we achieve
individually, we are that much
less in the eyes of the world, by
the levels of our communities.
Every community or nation is
like a chain. The strength of
every chain is at the weakest
link. We are only as strong as
our weakest members. Africa
senigambia 9
must arise and prove her met-
tle. For greatness is never giv-
en or borrowed; Greatness is
earned. We must take person-
al responsibility for our great-
ness for:
“The price of greatness is
responsibility” Sir Winston
Churchill.
Here is the good news; God is
on our side. He has spoken.
God has chosen the youth to
transform the African land-
scape. He calls the problem of
the youth, ‘wrong belief’. The
rest of us have a role too, a
duty to our youth and our fu-
ture greatness. God says to the
African elite, ‘to make the mon-
ey work’ for Africa and our fu-
ture. If the African Diaspora, in
their thousands, will be inten-
tional in investing their money
and expertise in Africa,, what
a difference that would make
in just a decade!!! We do not
speak here about the 100 or
50$ every other week for indo-
lent consumption. We are talk-
ing about building businesses
to engage the youth and turn
our shame to glory. As the ig-
noble Hitler correctly pointed
out, ‘he, who owns the youth,
owns the future’. But it will
not happen because we wish
it or because we have the po-
tential. It will happen because
we are willing to work it out
and manifest true greatness.
Far too many have remained
in the struggle for personal
achievement and ‘relevance’.
But true relevance is never in
what we ‘own’, for indeed we
‘own’ nothing in the real sense.
It is in who we impact for life;
the secret of relevance is in the
‘community’.
We invite you, Mr. President,
as you meet with senior gov-
ernment officials in the coming
days, to give serious thought to
this message, that we may all
‘build together, and be no more
in reproach’. “
Dr. Abraham A. Abraham
THE GREAT GAMBIA PROJECT.
Futurelec Building, Bertil Har-
ding Highway, Kotu, KSMD,
Banjul, The Gambia. www.
greatgambiaproject.com.
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018
The Publics’ Eye
SeniGambia is honored to introduce to you, dear revered reader, your typical, average married Gambian couple: Penda and Pateh
Public. They live below the poverty line, they are very peace loving, patriotic Gambians, and they take their struggle for daily bread
very seriously. As you can see, Ms. Penda and her husband Pateh have muslim names, a Christian surname, and they are very honest but
frank, traditional yet secular, law-abiding yet fearless.Every week we bring you their views on public life in The Gambia
Penda Public
‘Chei! The traffic on the roads these
days! It took me two hours to get from
Westfield to Sukuta in the rush hour,
not counting the hour I spent trying to
hustle and fight for a taxi seat. When I
tried to complain the old man sitting
next to me in the taxi van said that it
will only get worse: There are too many
cars and there will be many more in the
future yet the roads are not increasing!
It seems that all the passengers in the
van wanted to say something about it.
A young man wearing a tie in the van
complained about long queue of con-
tainers waiting to be cleared at the
Ports in Banjul. And you know what
most of them contained? He asked.. No!
tell us! We replied in unison. Cars! He
said. Cars, cars, cars. Chei! The young
man said he is a clearing agent and
when he went to get his licensed plate
at the Police, he found another long
queue, an untold number of people
waiting to get their number plates. An-
other passenger confirmed his story,
as he said that a man will walk out of
the police station in Banjul with ten or
more number plates in one go! Where
will all these cars fit? Why is something
not planned about the road networks?
Whose responsibility is this? If it is he
government, why don’t they import
buses so that poor housewives like me
will spend less time looking for a ride
and more time with my family?
And my poor children! Everyday go-
ing to school is another struggle. They
have to get up before 5 am, get out of
the house by 6 am so that they reach
the Brikama highway before 7 am. If
they are late by fifteen minutes, they
will stand, oh they will stand and stand,
and stand and stand and stand, waiting
for a taxi, as all the taxis pass them full
from Tabokoto and Coastal road. These
taxis too! They cut the route by saying
they are just going from one short des-
tination to another short destination
for seven dalasis, so that the can col-
lect 21 dalasis between Coastal road
and Westfield! And my poor children
are the victim of this wicked practice
of taximen. So I must deprive them of
sleep to get to school early. By the time
they return home they are so tired be-
cause the return in the rush hour is
even worse. People now try to avoid
the Westfield Tobokoto highway. So
congested! My poor children now doze
as they do their home work, and before
they can even relax Pateh and me are
telling them to go to bed so that they
can wake up at 5 am again! Chei! I wish
Pateh could afford a car, at least we will
not have to depend on these taximen
who are killing us with complaints that
this seven dalasis fixed price is too low!
But if Pateh gets a car, he too will add to
the go slow go slow traffic. Chei? What
is the way out?’
Pateh Public
Last Monday from Barra, I took some
goods to Kuntaur, Bansang and Basse
for a friend who gave me good busi-
ness. Everything went well until Kun-
taur. As I and the truck driver arrived at
Laminkotoh to cross to the south bank,
the ferry wasn’t working. We rushed
to the bushtown – Bansang crossing,
ferry was working but a truck that
was exiting the small pull ferry just as
we arrived got stuck at the edge of the
wharf. Whilst they argued that the driv-
er was rough and the driver argued that
the ferry was not stationed properly at
the wharf and whilst they worked out
a way to get it unstuck, we hurried to
the Basse Crossing to now get to Basse
first before we proceed to Bansang.
By the time we got there the last fer-
ry had crossed. We spent the night on
the truck, and I dreamt of a new Gam-
bia where the ferries work, there is
a crossing every hour and there are
guest houses all over the country and
LaminKoto – Koina road is a highway!
The next day by afternoon I did not feel
too well and I suspected malaria from
sleeping in the truck where I dreamt of
my madam. so I dragged myself to the
Basse District Hospital. I don’t know
why they call it District hospital now. I
swear to God Holy it looks and smells
the same way as when it was just a Ma-
jor health Centre!
Thankfully the lab was working and
when I got my test results I was able
to buy the antimalarial drugs. And the
drugs were available in Basse! I could
not believe it!
When I finally reached Bansang and I
delivered the goods, I was able to have
some spare time to relax. I now had the
time to look at my WhatsApp messag-
es. Lord have mercy. These days, if you
want to be on top of the news, you have
to be on Social media, I was telling Pen-
da just the other day. The social media
on top of all the lies and rumours circu-
lated there, there is much information
to keep one current, and sometimes
there is one or two jokes to make you
laugh and forget your depense prob-
lems. A friend of mine sent me a link to
a Gambian lady’s blog in the UK called
that culturecriticdotnet! She has a very
funny post on the types of in-laws in
Jollof culture. It goes:
5 Types of Gambian Gorros
Hey guys! Today I’m back with some-
thing light-hearted. If anyone knows
me in real-life, then they know that se-
riousness is not a permanent state of
being for me. Not at all.
After the popularity of my ‘5 Types of
Gambian Aunties’ post, I thought I’d do
another variation of it based on my ob-
servations of Gambian gorros.
I won’t even bother with a disclaimer
so let’s go..
Opal Mbaye
Signs herself up as chief organiser of
every family event and doubles every
food order for the event.
Suggests that everyone wears ashobi
for her husband’s nephew’s 3rd birth-
day party.
Plans an intervention to sort out family
drama that no-one even involved her in.
Flew to Germany to attend her hus-
band’s cousin’s bestfriend’s takki goor
and documented the whole journey on
her Whatsapp story.
Has her sister-in-law as her Whatsapp
DP with ‘lovely sis’ written over the pic-
ture in pink font.
Molly the Maid
Is the one who washes the 50 boxes of
chicken legs Opal Mbaye ordered for
the family event.
Buys fresh kong and goes to her moth-
er-in-law’s house to cook it into pep-
persoup because her mother-in-law
coughed once over the phone.
Used to come over and handwash bae’s
clothes while they were still dating.
Still “blues” her clothes.
Everyone swears she makes the best
findi but they’re lying. They just don’t
wanna do it.
Can be seen surrounded by 12 metal
bowls on tamkharit, holding a bakkou
5 metres long.
Madame Petaw
All roads lead to the seetkat.
Buried a goat’s horn wrapped in red
senigambia 10
fabric in her wuji perchago’s backyard.
Takes her own bottled water and refus-
es to eat anything at her in-law’s house
because you can never be too sure.
Everyone’s lowkey scared of what she’s
capable of and try to stay on her good
side even though they don’t like her.
Says she’s going to visit her aunty but
really sneaks away to Mali to see a ser-
igne based on a friend’s recommenda-
tion.
Has a small pouch of salt in her bra un-
der her left armpit because chaat dafa
gaw.
Miss Family-Bi-Yep-Lai-Seyal
Her main goal in life is to please all her
in-laws – yi nobu ak yi fegn, yi mag yi ak
yi ndaw yi, yi neka birr rew ak yi neka
bitim rew.. ku lim juum daal.
Watches Wareef religously and hopes
to meet Tata Mamy one day.
Soaks bae’s feet in warm water every
day at 7pm, right after serving chuu
kong for dinner.
Pops a pill of mugn every morning and
has an endless supply of sutura.
Her sister-in-laws don’t like her.
Forces her husband to wear a haftan
the same fabric as her dagit every Fri-
day.
Xaleh Capable
Only visits her in-laws once a year and
doesn’t stay for more than 15 minutes.
Dafa am ay sohla.
Cuts her husband off when he tries to
explain the family drama to her, she has
enough of her own.
The only mummy she has is the one
who birthed her.
Pretends not to see her sister-in-laws
when in public but really she squeezed
past them without a care in the world.
Cannot come and kill herself.
Once spoke to her mother-in-law
through gritted teeth in the corridor
then went inside the living room and
offered everyone tea like nothing hap-
pened.
Is tired.
Said “yow yai kan” when she met her
husband’s uncle for the first time.
Used with permission from:
http://theculturecritic.
net/2018/01/18/5-types-gambi-
an-gorros/
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 11
 Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018
The SeniGambia Interview
By Daniel Taylor
Dr Ismaila Ceesay is a lecturer of
political science at the University of
the Gambia and also the coordina-
tor of the Master degree program
in international relations. Dr Cee-
say was instrumental in calling for
the boycott of lectures at the UTG,
during the impasse. In this one and
one interview Dr Ceesay bares all to
SeniGambia.
SeniGambia: during the impasse you
were among the first people in the
university to openly recognize Ada-
ma Barrow’s victory and led the call
for the boycott of lectures, what trig-
gered that move?
Dr. Ceesay: Yes, I was among the first
people that recognized Barrow’s gov-
ernment. What triggered that move
was when Jammeh attempted to sub-
vert the democratically elected choice
of the people. Jammeh lost the elec-
tion, conceded defeat and promised
to oversee the transition period until
he hands over power to Adama Bar-
row, only for Jammeh to turn around a
week later on TV saying he rejects the
election and there will be no elections.
We will only have elections when he
says there will be one.
With such remarks, I knew we should
not allow him to go ahead with his
threat. So when I listened to Jammeh’s
speech on TV, I began to analyze it. As
intellectualsour roles are not just to
teach and do the academic work,but
to help solve the problems of society.
I saw that what Jammeh was doing
was illegitimate and an injustice to the
Gambian people. This was when I de-
cided to write a letter to the university
authorities to say that the universi-
ty should not sit aside and see justice
being subverted; the university has a
role to play. I told them we are to boy-
cott all university activities including
lectures, but my letter met resistance
from the top echelon of the University
of the Gambia.
The top brass of the university wrote
another letter to tell the students to
ignore my letter, but the good thing
is that some students that were sup-
porting me. There was a big debate at
the university and the university sen-
ate met and decided that the students
should decide whether to suspend
classes or not. Eventually, those who
wanted lectures to be suspended won
and classes were suspended.
Jammeh was over confident contesting
for the 2016 presidential election. Jam-
meh was complacent; he was so com-
placent that when he was asked in the
morning of the election he said “this is
going to be my biggest landslide.”His-
tory has shown that dictators do not
go into elections they know they can-
not win. Jammeh underestimated the
mood of the Gambian people.
Former president Jawara, was wiser; in
1992 Jawara declared that he was go-
ing to step down, just to test the mood
of the Gambian people, but Jammeh
never did.
Jammeh gave our election a clean bill,
“it was free and fair”
Jammeh said elections in the Gambia
cannot be rigged; Jammeh conceded
defeat, but later on changed his mind.
The only reason he did that was to en-
trench himself in power. Gambians
could not accept that from Jammeh.
When I was writing that letter to the
university authorities,Jammeh was
still in power; so in effect, had we not
succeeded in moving Jammeh out of
power then I would have lost my job
and even my life. I was ready to sacri-
fice my life to see Jammeh go because I
knew what Jammeh wanted was wrong
SeniGambia: You said you had a lot
of support from the UTG students,
what do you think triggered that
support.
Dr. Ceesay: This was because every-
body knew that what Jammeh was
trying to do was wrong. Jammeh was
trying to steal the election in broad
day light. The Gambian people made
it known that they wanted a change
of leadership of the country; people
wanted change, this was manifested in
the polls.
The young people of the Gambia voted
for change, they voted overwhelming-
ly for change. In fact, it was the young
people that overwhelmingly support-
ed my call for a boycott. When we
boycotted classes, we saw the domino
effect, other institutions starting call-
ing on Jammeh to cede power to Bar-
row.
This eventually gave the struggle to
unseat Jammeh the momentum it
needed.
SeniGambia: How did you feel when
you saw Barrow being sworn in Sen-
egal as the new president of Gambia?
Dr. Ceesay: His swearing in Dakar
created a debate. Some said it was
unconstitutional, whilst others said it
was legitimate.
But for me, I want to look at the overall
role played by the Senegalese. We have
to remember that the Senegalese were
the first to condemn Jammeh. Senegal
was part of the Security Council and
Senegal’s president, MackySall was in-
strumental in ousting Jammeh.
If you could remember in 1981 Sene-
gal intervened in The Gambia to help
keep former president Jawara in pow-
er, because it was in their interest to
sustain Jawara in power, but in 1994
when Jawara requested help from Ab-
dou Diouf, he refused. This was be-
cause Abdou Diouf was not in good
terms with Jawara; the reason being
that Jawara would not give them the
type of integration that Senegal want-
ed.
Senegal thought Jammeh was going to
be their man, but we all saw what hap-
pened; Jammeh turned out to be their
worst enemy. Border closures were
happening during Jawara’s time, but it
became worst during Jammeh’s time.
This is why in 2016 after the disputed
election Senegal intervened to get rid
of Jammeh. Senegal played a crucial
role in removing Jammeh. If it was not
for the Senegalese, Jammeh will still be
in power.
What Senegal did was to their own in-
terest, now Senegal has an edge over
Gambia. You just have to look at all
the sectors including security. In fact,
I learnt that some Gambia soldierswill
be sent to Senegal for training. How-
ever, Gambia benefitted, because if it
was not for the Senegalese, we would
still have been stuck with dictator
Jammeh.
SeniGambia: Coming to the depar-
ture of Jammeh, what do you have to
say on that?
Dr. Ceesay: The coalition made Gam-
bians believe that Jammeh was the
only impediment to our country, that-
Jammeh was the only problem. They
made us belief that once Jammeh is
gone our problems will be solved; they
sold to Gambians that once Jammeh is
gone there will be milk and honey in
the streets of Banjul.
It was when Jammeh left that we soon
realized that our problems were bigger
than we have imagined. It’s just like
some of the African leaders who made
us belief that the Europeans were
our only problem, but this was not
the case. I remember talking to some
youths after Jammeh left into exile,
they said, “now that Jammeh has gone
we would jobs, investors will come to
The Gambia, in fact the youths will
have two, three jobs.”
Unfortunately, the coalition did not do
a good job to manage the expectations
of the youths.
What the Barrow Government should
have done is, lay the ground for the
other Governments that will come,
since they are just a transition Gov-
ernment.For me I have not heard Bar-
row or any of his ministers explain the
vision of how they want to transform
their ministries.
There has been a lot of talk about re-
form, but we must know that before
we reform, we must first diagnose
senigambia 12
what the problem is, before you can
get the cure.
Most of these reforms we are seeing
come from experts or people out of the
country. They will come and tell Gov-
ernment you need to reform this and
the Government will say yes we need
to reform that; Gambia Government
is not taking the initiative. We have 19
ministers, do we really need all that?
Before we do a civil service reform, be-
fore we do a security sector reform, we
must first know what the problem is.
For me, there are two things the Bar-
row administration has not succeed-
ed in doing. They have not explained
a coherent vision of where they want
to go and secondly, they have not suc-
ceeded in managing people’s expecta-
tion.
SeniGambia: One last question:
There is high youth unemployment
in the Gambia, what do have to say
to that?
Dr. Ceesay: I do not think the Gam-
bia Government has got any plan to
address youth unemployment in the
country. Any time Government is
asked what plans do they have to ad-
dress the youth unemployment, they
will say the investors are coming. The
Government needs to have strategies
to create employments for the youths
and one of the ways they can is by in-
vesting in schemes like they do in Eu-
rope. These schemes and projects will
provide jobs for the youths.
For instance, Government needs to
start charging for parking, like in Eu-
rope.
Youths could be employed to carry
out that task; this could provide em-
ployment for the youths. Government
needs to create the environment where
the youths can find employment. Our
economy is extraverted, tourism is
dependent on tourist coming from
outside, agriculture depends on our
peanuts being bought from outside; if
they do not buy it, it becomes a prob-
lem for the country.
SeniGambia: Dr. Ceesay thanks once
again for making the time to talk to
SeniGambia.
Dr Ceesay: Its a pleasure talking to
you!
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 13
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018
Feature
THE RISE AND FALL OF DICTATOR JAMMEH
By Baboucarr Camara
H
e was touted as the messiah,
the prodigal son who came
through divine interven-
tion to free Gambians of its political
bondage punctuated by endemic
corruption, inequality, nepotism,
unemployment, and a class struc-
ture that perpetuated the interests
of the ruling class. The national cake
wasn’t shared equally, and the rul-
ing class plundered state resources
with impunity. Most, if not all, con-
cluded that Ex-President Jawara
was a good democrat that endeared
him to the hearts of Western leaders
but he was too weak to deal with
the unbearable situation back home
with cost of living skyrocketing at
an exponential rate.
Political cronies enjoying didn’t
want him to go, thus creating a
power struggle within the then
ruling PPP Government, leading to
Jawara’s decision to cancel his re-
tirement plans he announced at the
Mansa Bengo in Mansa Konko, LRR.
The population has had enough of
the system but failed to dislodge the
PPP in the 1992 polls and when jun-
ior soldiers led by Lt. Yahya Jammeh
successfully staged a bloodless coup
two years later, they sought and se-
cured the support of the disgruntled
population, especially youth.
“We will never introduce dictator-
ship in this country. We are not here
for praises and we are not here to en-
rich ourselves. We will not tolerate
any sort of corruption. We will not
be secretive in anything that we do.
We want the press and international
community, including Gambians, to
criticize us where we go wrong. We
are here to set up a just system that
is not corruptible, to make sure that
the living conditions of Gambians
will be augmented to an acceptable
standard within the limit of our re-
sources. But we are not here to use
the limited resources of the country
for our own good at the detriment of
the masses;” these were some of the
catchy words and beautifully crafted
phrases as transparency, accounta-
bility and probity used by Jammeh
in playing with Gambians’ emotions
to entrench himself in power.
Fast forward to 22 years later, Jam-
meh represented everything but
what he preached. He was worse
than the ideals that he preached
against in his early days and to some
senigambia 14
Special Feature: The New Gambia – One year on: A look back on
key events and turning points
The Gambia was the worst dicta-
torship in modern history. He sur-
vived several coup attempts, faced
widespread criticism for his gov-
ernment’s gross human rights vio-
lations. Jammeh was a decisive and
controversial figure who used di-
vide and rule tactics to entrench his
leadership and portrayed himself to
be a person with supernatural pow-
ers and claimed to have found a cure
for Aids. He would later take The
Gambia out of the Commonwealth,
describing it as a neo-colonial insti-
tution and vowed to rule for a billion
trained rebel Baba Jobe and gradu- Despite his initial pledge to hand
years.
ates from universities in Ghana, like over power and return to the bar-
The atrocities committed by Jam-
Samba Faal, as his political cronies. racks, Jammeh contested the 1996
meh awoken a sleeping nation and
He took cue from Rawlings to es- elections and would go on to contest
re-energised the population, mostly
youth who knew nothing else than
his 22 years misrule. This galva-
nised the political class of diverse
backgrounds to establish the coa-
lition that would topple Jammeh in
the December 2016 polls. He lost
elections to the little known Adama
Barrow who was backed by a coali-
tion of seven political parties and an
independent, thus signaling the de-
mise of one of the most brutal dic-
tatorship and brought about a New
Gambia.
Having initially conceded defeat,
Jammeh refused to cede power,
claiming irregularities in the pro-
cess. West African troops invaded
tablish the July 22nd Movement as five further elections, which were
the country to remove the recalci-
the link between the Armed Forces mostly disputed for favouring the
trant leader. Subsequently, troops
Provisional Ruling Council and the tyrant. What Jammeh did was to use
from several West African nations,
masses. He appointed active mem- his political cronies to manipulate
including Senegal were deployed
in The Gambia. Their mission was
to drive him out of office if he did
not agree to go, and Jammeh, whose
government was notorious for tor-
turing, maiming and killing per-
ceived opponents to ensure he has
no rivalry budged under pressure
and agrees to go into exile in Guinea
Equatorial.
Jammeh’s rise to power and
political ideology
After seizing power to dislodge
Jawara’s 30-year rule, Yahya played
with the emotions of the unsus-
pecting population to secure their
unfeign loyalty. He used popular
bers of the army as commissioners the elders of West Coast Region, par-
participation to win the hearts and
and mayors in the seven adminis- ticularly Brikama, to implore on him
minds of an excited population and
trative divisions of the country and to stand for elections as a civilian.
his political ideology was a mixture
the vanguards of the revolution as He pretended to have reluctantly ac-
of both Jerry John Rawlings and
their deputies, thus helping him to cepted the plea but this turned out
Muammar Gaddafi and he validat-
further entrench himself. to be a ploy and he would later go
ed those claims by using a Libyan
 Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018
Feature
on to eliminate his close allies and
went solo but that was what lead to
the beginning of his inevitable slide
towards self-destruction.
Just few months after taking over, a
power struggle engulfed the AFPRC
and Jammeh hatched a ploy to elim-
inate all other four members of the
Council one after the other starting
with Sanna Sabally and Sadibu Hy-
dara and later his civilian friends
including Baba Jobe amongst oth-
ers. Jammeh became entrenched
and formed secret agents who were
directly answerable to him and to
eliminate his perceived enemies
and those who defy his orders. He
used fear tactics to scare people and
he became the State, thus leading to
him becoming paranoid.
He controlled the narrative and ma-
nipulated the minds of the people
throughout his stint in power turn-
ing out to be the worst tyrant and
dictator all in the name of consoli-
dating his grip on power. Jammeh
was corrupted in all its forms to the
point he forcefully ceased people’s
properties. When he overthrew the
PPP regime, he was as poor as a
church mouse, but within 22 years,
he looted The Gambia to become one
of the richest men in Africa. Late last
year, a court order was attained by
the government to freeze his known
assets and this according to the au-
thorities include 131 landed prop-
erties, 88 different bank accounts
and 14 companies in his name or
those linked to him. This year also,
he has his properties in the United
States ceased by the Trump admin-
istration. He still has properties and
businesses in Morocco and the Arab
world. He indiscriminately tortured
and killed Gambians and took their
lands with impunity.
A close associate of Jammeh, who’ve
known him throughout their adult
life, described him as a difficult
character to deal with. He calls him
very envious and a covetous man
who will never be satisfied. “I re-
member when I was building my
house, could you imagine a house
that I started even before he staged
the coup, the moment he heard it,
he hid under the clout of darkness
to see on his own,” the friend said.
“We have all contributed to en-
trenching Jammeh into power and
we are all in one way or the other
guilty. The way I know Jammeh, if
others knew him the same way, they
would never have given him an op-
portunity in the first place. The man
senigambia 15
is everything but the actions he por-
trays,” another close associate of the
sadist told me.
The Fall of Jammeh
Jammeh’s intransigent and some-
times erratic behaviour led him to
commit several political suicides es-
pecially in the last two years of his
tenure. He began his presidency by
building infrastructure across the
country and establishing important
public institutions, including the
University of The Gambia and The
Gambia Radio and Television Ser-
vices, but it is his lack of respect for
the fundamental rights of the people
and his lack of depth in the affairs of
what happened was, he was ready the presidency then he began to un-
running the government that made
for war even though he knew he derstand the level of seriousness of
people felt more oppressed.
couldn’t sustain it but just to destroy the regional leaders and it began to
He made more enemies than friends
the infrastructure of the country sink in that time was indeed up.”
both within and outside the coun-
try, thus leading to the rise of the
oppressed class. The politically
conscious became more embold-
ened leading to events that no one
would’ve imagined few months pri-
or. This started with the UDP stand-
off in Fass and the April 14 and 16
demonstrations that led to the in-
carceration of the entire leadership
of the party and the death in custody
of prominent activist Solo Sandeng.
The last straws were his Tallinding
address in June 2016 when he went
on the rampage against Mandinkas,
the largest tribe in the country, and
the decision to declare the coun-
try an Islamic Republic a couple of
Whether or not Jammeh was pre-
days later. A divided nation became
and make it ungovernable. But be- pared to go to war isn’t very cer-
united, irrespective of our tribal, re-
cause he’s too insecure he couldn’t tain but one thing that was never
ligious and political difference, with
trust anymore to be trained on how in doubt is that Gambians have had
the common goal to vote him out.
to use those heavy artilleries and enough of him and even the military
Gambian dissidents and political
activists that were forced into exile
by the tyrant all united against him
and their case was important be-
cause Jammeh’s rule had put huge
economic mess on The Gambia and
this people had both the economic
and political leverage and called on
their people to vote for the coalition
candidate Barrow.
When he refused to step down, it
created a messy situation back home
and because of the political uncer-
tainty that brought the country on
the brink of war, 40,000 people ran
to Senegal and other neighbouring
countries as refugees with 75,000
others internally displaced. He was
even the few that knew how to op- wanted to see his back more than
forced into exile in Guinea Equatori-
erate them were all working directly anyone else, thus depriving him of
al with military intervention against
under his command and were never the human resource to fight for him.
his administration looming from re-
allowed access to the huge arsenal The lesson from the Jammeh era is
gional forces.
at State House,” CBKL [name redact- that never again, should we allow
“Jammeh had weapons that could
ed], intimated. “It was when he saw dictatorship to take roots in this
fire all the way to Dakar, Senegal;
the Nigerian fighter jets flying above country.
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 16
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 17
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018
SeniHealth Brief:
Looking at Good Health in The Gambia
By Abdullah Channer
The group of basic elements that
families in the Gambia should
strive to make available in the daily
diet are considered this week.
Calcium
Calcium is essential for life and it is
the fifth most abundant element on
earth. It is essential to the devel-
opment and solidity of bones. It is
found in the following foods that
are abundant in The Gambia: av-
ocados, cucumbers, onions, okra,
carrots, tomatoes, cheese, milk,
nuts, pulses, wholegrain cereals
and water cress.
Magnesium
Magnesium plays an important
role in Metabolism and opera-
tion of nerve and muscle cells. It
is found in fish, potatoes, milk,
wholegrain cereals, nuts, pulses,
aubergines, dry beans, cucumbers,
carrots, okra, peppers, pumpkins,
spinach and sweet potatoes.
Phosphorus
Phosporus combines with calcium
in the bones and teeth and it is
also essential for the energy me-
tabolism of cells involving glucids,
senigambia 18
- Continuation
lipids and proteins. It is found in
eggs, milk, pulses, avocados, au-
bergines, dry beans and peas, beet-
root, carrots, cucumbers, lentils,
onions, peppers, corn, pumpkins,
sorrel and tomatoes.
Potassium
Potassium is required to ensure the
balance of fluids in the body. It is
found in all fruits and vegetables. 
Zinc
Zinc is essential for the immune
system, male fertility, growth and
the activation of certain enzymes.
It is found in abundance in oysters,
shellfish, red meat and whole grain It is found in seafood, iodized salt, found in ready-to-eat foods.
cereals. milk, spinach, white cabbage, pota-
toes, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes. Proteins
Iron Proteins are the main structural
Iron is involved in the formation of Flouride and functional components of the
haemoglobin, the pigment of red Flouride makes a major contribu- cells in an organism. Proteins make
blodd cells that transport oxygen. tion to protecting bones against up 15% of the human body, which
It is found in oily fish such as sar- demineralization. It is found in includes the nervous system, hor-
dines and mackerels, green leaved seafood, tea, peas and beans, grean mones, enzymes, and antibodies. It
vegetables, dried fruit and nuts. beans, lentils, onions, red cabbage, is therefore essential to eat proteins
white cabbage, spinach, tomatoes. in sufficient quantities to maintain
Iodine good health and for our body to
Iodine is required for the synthe- Sodium work properly. It is found in all
sis of hormones form the thyroid Sodium (salt) which contributes meats, fish and some vegetables,
glands, which are involved in most to regulating extracellular fluids is wheat germ, peanuts, soya
of the body’s metabolic functions.
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 19
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 20

Seni Lifestyle / Seni Culture

ICONIC POET LINTON KWESI JOHNSON IN THE GAMBIA FOR
THE MBOKA FESTIVAL ADVISES GAMBIAN ARTISTS
By Sikkaaka Sompo
“Aim for Excellence,” was the events during the festival were
advice Linton Kwesi Johnson, well received as he sold many
the Jamaican British poet gave books. He advised Gambian
to Gambian youth in an inter- artists in whatever art- form
view with SeniGambia during they do to search for the truth.
the Mboka Festival of Arts, Cul- In doing so, they will capture
ture and Sport. Linton Kwesi, some aspect of the human
fondly called LKJ, now 65 years condition. He stressed that it
old and revered as the world’s is especially important to aim
first reggae poet, was a head- for excellence in their work.
line attraction in the second The Mboka Festival was or-
Mboka festival that ran from ganized by Camp Africa, Global
6 – 20 January, 2018. Mboka Hands and SABLE Publications.
is a wollof word meaning ‘rel- Other highlights of the festival
atives/related’, thus the Mbo- included an opening night din-
ka Festival promotes the ‘One ner at the Senegambia Beach LKJ with Immortal X, Gambian Poet and youth activist for social justice
Family’ connection of all Afri- Hotel where the festival’s during LKJ’s delivery of the Mboka Festival’s keynote address at
cans by celebrating Gambian guests like LKJ, Ghanaian writ- The Gambia College (Photo courtesy: Lena Nian, James Murua’s blog)
cultural heritage along with Af- er and poet, Nii Ayikwei Park-
rican Diasporic art and culture. es, South African poet Natalia
Linton Kwesi Johnson was Molebatsi among others min-
born in Jamaica in 1952 and gled with Gambian writers and
moved to England as a boy in poets such as Musa Bah, Bintou
1963 to join his mother. In his Sanneh, and Sikkaaka Sompo.
youth he was a radical free-
dom fighter who joined the Some of the highlight events
British Black Panther Move- during the festival included an
ment. He became celebrated evening of poetry performance
during Margaret Thatcher’s at the Ebunjan Theatre, Inter-
reign as prime minister in the
national Junior Chef of the Year
eighties when he produced Competition at the Senegam-
poems that protested againstbia Hotel, a work-in-progress
police brutality. In 2002, Lin-
reading of the play “Phillis in
ton became the first black poet
London” by award-winning
to be published in the Pen- playright Ade Solanke as well
guin Modern Classics series.as readings at the at the Afri-
Mr. Johnson lamented that can Poetry Library in The Gam-
it is tragic that the Gambian
bia in tribute to the literary
youth are migrating in largeancestors that passed away, Ni-
numbers to die in the sea orgerian novelist Buchi Emeche-
be enslaved in Libya. Yet it is
ta who died in 2017 and late
strange that many Jamaicans Gambian writer Musa Jallow.
live in the Gambia, having The first Mboka festival is Jan-
been disillusioned with rac-uary 2017 was headlined by
ism in Britain, whilst Gambian
Nobel Peace Prize for Litera-
youths are migrating to Eu- ture nominee NGugi Wa Thion-
rope in search of a better life.
go, the celebrated Kenyan Ghanaian writer/poet Nii Ayikwei Parks and Kenyan journalist
writer and one of the famous literary blogger James Murua at the second Mboka
He felt happy that his two fathers of African literature Festival writer’s dinner, Senegambia Beach Hotel
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 21
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 22
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018
Miscellaneous section
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE… LET’S GET
INVOLVED TO MAKE THE GAMBIA GREAT AGAIN
By Cephas K Terna
A
young man used to pick
arguments with the
government, he used to
say “you call your government
a democratic government;
you better know what a mess
you’ve made in your democra-
cy; poverty, hunger, inequali-
ties, injustices of all kinds, eth-
nic conflicts, riots and what not!
The government did not an-
swer him for quiet sometime
and the young man did not stop
complaining either. He was at
his wits end, one day, he asked
the government impatiently.
“Are you deaf? Don’t you hear
my queries at all? Why don’t
you do something about mak-
ing The Gambia a better place so
that our young men and wom-
en will not dream of risking
their lives through back way?”
This time around the govern-
ment responded with a state-
ment as such, “Fellow Gambians
and all resident in the Gambia,
we have heard and agreed with
all that you have said about the
condition and state of affairs
in the country; but remember
that God has also created you
with power to make a differ-
ence! Stop complaining and
start working! You can make
a difference too and you can
equally make Gambia great!”
The world stood in admira-
tion and awe at the beautiful
ceremony of Mother Tere-
sa by Pope John Paul 2 in Oc-
senigambia 23
tober 19, 2003, more than 3 nation. India is my home, I ways be there, national calam-
lakh people from all over the hope to die here and be buried ities and ethnic conflicts to
world, in which large num- along with them”. Gladys con- happen and there will be peo-
bers of them were Indians. tinued making a difference by ple who take undue advantage
Mother Teresa of Kolkata, the living and working for leprosy of others but it is incumbent
Albanian-born nun who made
India her home, has certainly
made India and all of us proud!
Yet, think of what made Moth-
er Teresa someone very spe-
cial. At a very important junc-
ture of her life (1948), she
decided to dedicate the rest
of her life totally to the people
who lived in Kolkata’s misera-
ble slums, and to the poorest of
the poor, the world over. Even
though the odds were against
her, she decided to make a dif-
ference in the lives of the poor
around. With just Rs 5/_ in
her hand, she began her work.
Gladys Staines a little known
Australian woman working for
the poor in Orissa, till January patients of Baripada (Orissa). upon all of us to be responsi-
22, 1999, when her husband Senegambia media is here to ble and striving to make a dif-
Graham Staines and their two remind you that one doesn’t ference in the midst of all the
minor sons, Philip and Timo- need to be a Mother Teresa or chaos and adversities. These
thy, were burned alive by mis- Gladys Staines to make a dif- two jewels of humanity, risk all
creants yet she did not with- ference. “For The Gambia our for the betterment and service
draw from the good work she home land we strive and work of others who were complete-
was doing in Orissa, instead she and pray”. The simple truth is ly strangers to them. With the
decided to carry on and make that all of us can make a dif- little and pain from bleeding
a difference. Gladys stunned ference wherever we are and wounds they chose to make
the world when she said: “I’m in whatever we do. Week after a difference in their time and
not bitter, neither am I angry. week, Senegambia will publish place of influence…. What
I hold no grudge against those historical facts about people about you? Quit the complain-
who killed my husband and who dared to make a difference ing and do something worth-
children….. She went on; “my in the lives of the people and while…… to be Continued nest
husband and children have Nations that were very poor. week. (LET’S GET INVOLVED).
sacrificed their lives for this Poverty and hunger will al-
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 24
Youth Focus
NEW GAMBIA IS A YOUTH INVENTION
A lmost everyone discerned that
if there is any unswerving fact
about Gambian politics for the bygone
the hands of time towards bonding
the opposition. Repression, economic
decline, youth unemployment, cor-
As early as 10 August 2016, youth had
made calls in the local media on the
need for a united coalition to chal-
its demerits. At the end of the day, they
had to act based on Dante Alighieri’s
quote that: “The darkest places in hell
22 years, it was that ex-President Jam- ruption and international isolation lenge Jammeh. Unemployment and are reserved for those who maintain
meh could only be dethroned from amongst other elements were the in- the deficiency of pecuniary prospects their neutrality in times of moral cri-
power by an aggregated and united ducing dynamics. These dynamics had forced many youth to risk their sis.”
opposition. On almost every election affected everyone and to compound lives to foldaway to Europe through
year, Gambians overtly and privately issues, the erstwhile dictator declared the Mediterranean in search of green- Opposition Parties Respond
called for our fragmented opposition the country as an Islamic state. This er pastures. Many lost their lives be-
to present a united front against Jam- isolated the 10% of Christians in The fore reaching their dreams and such The opposition responded positive-
meh. These concerns were raised as Gambia. hardships provided the fertile grounds ly to the request of the youths. Two
early as the 2001 presidential votes, for regime change calls by youths. weeks after Foroyaa published the
but had regrettably continued elu- Therefore, when Solo Sandeng, the demands for a united opposition, po-
sive for so long. As attempts to unite slain youth leader of the United Dem- “We are calling all the opposition par- litical parties began to respond. Some
the opposition proved futile, Jammeh ocratic Party, led protests for electoral ties to come together and produce a came up with proposals. Halifa Sallah,
with the backing of the state machin- reform ahead of the 2016, many youths coalition for change. I feel it is better Secretary General and Presidential
ery won election after election. joined him. When it became public for us to have a grand coalition rath- Candidate of the People’s Democratic
that he was tortured and killed by the er than each of the opposition parties Organisation for Independence and
His first election triumph came in state security apparatus, the people contesting to remove the incumbent Socialism (PDOIS), Dr. Lamin Bo-
1996. After ruling as the chairman of could not bear it anymore. The pro- from power,” said a young man named jang, leader of National Convention
the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling testers succeeded in attracting public Kebba Kanteh, during an interview Party (NCP) and Hendry Gomez, the
Council (AFPRC) from 1994 to 2006, sympathy to their cause largely due to with Foroya’s Kebba Jeffang. leader of Gambia People Democratic
he literally ditched the kaki uniform the fact that follow up protests by Hon. Party (GPDP) were the first three par-
to contest as a “civilian.” He had an- Ousainou Darboe and his colleagues “It’s high time to form a coalition to ty leaders to respond.
nounced during the military takeover met the same brutal fate as Solo. serve the interest of the Gambian peo-
he led against former President Jawara ple. If we have UDP, PDOIS, NRP, By September 2016, meeting had al-
that he will only stay in power for two Darboe and co were arrested and im- NCP, PPP, GPDP, GMC and the new- ready been rolled out by the party
years and will not run for future elec- prisoned for demanding the body of ly formed GDC bonded together and leaders to decide the modalities of the
tions. The main aim of his military Sandeng “dead or alive.” In the days which many Gambians are yearning united front. Foroyaa newspaper re-
coup was to establish institutions and and months ahead of the December for, it will definitely usher in the third ported on September 30th that three
fight governance obstacles like cor- elections, calls for a unified oppo- republic that we desire. The oppo- presidential aspirants were “present at
ruption which obstructed The Gam- sition grew louder. People wanted sition parties should not be divided the Kairaba Hotel to attend the Con-
bia’s progress. change. The opposition leaders had but should come together and select ference of Presidential Candidates
to put their differences aside for the an ideal candidate to represent all of aimed at promoting coalition build-
Jammeh would not honor his words. greater national interests. The country them in the election,” he added. ing.”
Like several African military lead- could not continue to miss basking in
ers before him, the strong man was the democratic winds of change that Similar calls were made by Kemo The leaders in question were Dr.
trapped in the “sweets of office” and were blowing across the West African Bojang. He expressed urgency in the Lamin Bolonding Bojang, Dr. Isatou
ran in four future elections. Aside sub-region. As was said many times, need for a cohesive opposition declar- Touray and Halifa Sallah. The leaders
from the 2006 polls, he contested in The Gambia was among the last bas- ing to Foroyaa that unity among the of the National Reconciliation Par-
2001, 2006 and 2011. The presidential tions of dictatorship in the region. opposition parties is now or never, as ty and Gambia Democratic Congress
successes were followed by landslides the clock is ticking. were also represented.
in parliamentary and local govern- The calls for change had won the
ment elections. hearts and minds of many sectors of Kebba’s interview with Kanteh and Gradually, the party leaders began
Gambian society. Nevertheless, one other youth came after youth in a to identify with the need for opposi-
After 22 years in power, Jammeh suf- group stands out for many reasons- Whats App group called Democratic tion unity leading to the balloting of
fered a shock election defeat in De- Gambian youth. Gambian youth had Gambia tasked him to talk to political President Barrow as coalition stand-
cember 2016. His words failed him as the deciding factor in the polls for leaders and bring to their attention the ard-bearer and his subsequent elec-
he once claimed that he will rule The many reasons. Firstly, forming 64% of fact that youth were clamoring for a tion as 3rd President of The Gambia.
Gambia for a “billion years if Allah the population makes them a formi- united front against Jammeh. Indeed,
said so.” He said in many instances dable voting bloc. Any politician who this move proved to be one of the trig- The Diaspora and “1994 Born” Vot-
that no election or coup would remove wins the youth vote together with the gers of the combined efforts by oppo- ers
him from power and that if Gambians women bloc was always going to win. sition leaders to face Jammeh in De-
didn’t vote for him, “Jinn’s” will. cember 2016. One group of people in the youth cat-
Almost all politicians including Jam- egory who have played a crucial role
The political tsunami that ended his meh knew that. For 22 years, Jammeh Considering the fear factor that pre- in ushering a new dispensation was
rule was possible through a united co- manipulated them. He used divide and vailed in the country at the time, it those born before 1994. When Presi-
alition that had been unmanageable rule tactics to keep them in check. His should be highlighted that some of dent Jammeh came to power through
in previous elections. In the run up to rhetoric of being concerned about the the young people in the forefront for the coup in 1994, most of them were
the votes, a coalition of 7 parties came welfare of the youth was not backed by change faced life threatening situa- not born. During most of his 22 year
together to put forward President Ad- reality on the ground. As the elections tions. “It was a difficult moment for all rule, they didn’t vote probably due to
ama Barrow of the United Democratic came close, young people realized that rights activist particularly the young,” voter apathy.
Party as leader and the rest was histo- Jammeh was not their man. Many of says Lamin K. Saidy during an inter-
ry. Barrow resigned from his party to them lost confidence in him and want- view with me.
stand as emblem holder for the oppo- ed change.
sition coalition. Mr. Saidy and other youth activists
Youth Call for Coalition who wanted to see change had to
A mishmash of dynamics spurned weigh the merits of action for against
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 25
 Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018 senigambia 26
Sports
GFF NATIONAL LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION ROUNDUP
Thrilling Clash between City Rivals: Hawks 2 – 2 Real De Banjul
By Modou Jagne

A s the 2018 Gambia Football Fed-

eration (GFF) National First
Division league approaches the mid
Position in the league. Having lost to
Hawks in last seasons Football Fed-
eration cup final, the stage was set for
midway point of the 2nd half and this
time the referee did award the spot
kick. Lamin Chatty converted with
stage, it is still a tight and jam packed them to make amends and get their precision, side footing the ball to the
race where the difference between the season back on track. right side of the keeper. 2-1 to Hawks.
table toppers GAMTEL and the bot- And just as it seems that vultures were
tom club Bombada is a mere 12 point. As anticipated the match was played about to feast on a real de Banjul left
Second from bottom side Steve Biko at a scintillating pace and with such for dead, there was to be another twist
is only 6points behind third placed directness that it left no doubt on the towards the end.
Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) after the spectators minds of the hunger for
end of round 8. Victory form the two Capital City ri- Faced with the uphill task of at least
vals. Real started faster and settled salvaging a point with time running
Week 9 kicked off on Tuesday 23rd quicker but as the game approached fans. Ebou Sanyang converted the spot out, the boys in white threw more men
January at 4pm at the independence midway through the first half Hawks kick with Hawks keeper Yankuba Col- forward as Hawks sat back to protect
stadium pitting two traditional heavy- grew stronger and more confident. ley getting his fingertips on the ball. So their lead and what would have been
weights and historic city rivals Hawks Their front three strung together de- it remained one apiece until halftime. their second win of the season follow-
versus Real de Banjul, two teams with cent combination play as Real were There was a genuine claim for a penal- ing the 2-0 over Bombada in the pre-
equal need for points but at opposite suddenly on the back foot. When a ty just before halftime when goal scor- vious round. As determined as Hawks
sides of the table so far this season. Un- through pass was deflected around the er Abdoulie Jallow was played through were, their resilience wasn’t as strong
til the last round of games, Hawks had right edge of the box by a Real defend- from a diagonal pass with which he as Real’s relentless pressure in pur-
found themselves battling to get out of er, Hawks’ attacking midfielder and met a late challenge after knocking suit of an equaliser. That came from
the relegation zone due to their blunt- dead ball specialist Abdoulie Jallow the ball past the keeper but the referee a sublime volley by Foday Manneh
ness in front of goal. Having found the pounced with a first time strike across deemed it a fair challenge. in the 71st minute. After a quick one
back of the opponent’s net a dismal 3 and into the top corner to break the two play on the right a defense slic-
times in 7 matches (2 against Bomba- deadlock. A real “Golasoo” that sentThe Second half produced more of the ing pass was played into the edge of
da in the previous round), the team the neutral but more importantly thesame tempo and both teams looked to the area, where Foday, cutting in from
was set out by head coach Ansu Fat- go home
Hawks fans to celebrate in awe and eu- the blind side, met the bouncing ball
ty to play expansive football but with phoria. with 3 points. Like for like changes with a first time side foot that looped
an end product that’s been lacking so in offensive positions saw both Real over U20 keeper Yankuba Colley and
far. Building confidence and comrade- Not to be outdone, diminutive and dy- coach dipped right under the crossbar. It was
namic Pa Modou Sohna of Real, wear- Majorr Saine and his opponent in
ship is paramount at this stage with the pure class that left this reporter sali-
looming fixture of the CAF Confeder- ing number 10, the dugout Ansu Fatty reinforce their vating and forgetting where his loyalty
ations Cup qualifier against Nigerian was isolated in a one on one situation game plan lies! Neither team deserved to lose the
FA CUP winners Akwa United (more at the right elbow of the penalty box, with fresh options. match as both played on the front foot
on that in upcoming SeniGambia is- with Hawks captain and senior nation- and took initiative whenever they had
sues). al team centre back Mass Manga. With Although Real captain Salifu Krubal- possession. Thus when the final whis-
a skill fulstep over to his left, Manga ly marshalled his back four with vocal tle came, neither coach looked disap-
Real De Banjul, on the other looked to was outsmarted and tripped Sohna as leadership and pointed and all the fans went home
bounce back from their defeat against he dragged the ball into the box with dominated in the air, he cannot be happy to have enjoyed a thrilling game
GAF in the his right foot. A clear penalty with lit- everywhere all the time as pressure led of Football with great goals galore.
previous round which left them at 5th tle to no complaints from the team or to the falling of Hawks striker in the

GFF FIRST DIVISION LEAGUE ROUND UP

In the other matches in round
nine of the 2018 GFF Nation-
al league matches played on
Tuesday, reigning champions
and the national representa-
tive of this year’s edition of the
CAF Champion’s League GAF
(Gambia Armed Forces) took
on Banjul United. The city
Boys held the green boys to a
1-1 at the independence stadi-
um in the late kickoff (6pm).
Elsewhere in box bar mini
stadium in Brikama, Brikama
United made their home field
advantage count by humbling
Tallinding United 2-0.
Wednesday’s matches at the
stadium saw GPA (Ports) take
on an exciting and young Ma-
rimoo side at 4pm. The match
flow was clearly hindered by
the pitch conditions as both
teams struggled to keep pos-
session. It took a second half
set piece from the right edge
of the area, with which Ports
right back’s in swing deliv-
ery was met at the far post by
tall Muhammed Kabba alias
Depeh, with a towering head-
er for the solitary goal in the
match. Marimoo huffed and
puffed and even hit the cross-
bar with an audacious effort
from second half substitute
Modou Manneh. But it was
not to be for the boys from
Manjai.
Steve Biko’s indifferent season
continued as they played a
draw against new-comers and
surprise package Fortune.
Table toppers and soon to be
runaway leader GAMTEL
kept their momentum going
with a 4-0 walloping of bot-
tom club Bombada. GAMTEL
extends their lead at the top
whilst Bombada looks to be
heading to inevitable relega-
tion.
Friday 26th January - 1st February 2018
Sports
GFF Monthly Awards – Winners Announced
January 24, 2018
The GFF is delighted to announce the
winners of the monthly awards as fol-
lows:-
Men’s First Division Coach of the
Month: Sulayman Kuyateh – Gamtel
FC
The former Brikama United coach who
took over the telecommunications gi-
ants at the start
of the season has won the award for the composure, agility and bravery, coming
second consecutive month. During the
period from
Week 5 to Week 8, Kuyateh led his team Sabally, the awards panel also disquali-
to a total of 7 points over the period, fied one of the nominees, Foday Seck-
which was the most across the league
and this was despite his team only
playing three games whilst others had
played four. Opposition coaches cur-
rently have no answer against Kuyateh’s
men.
Zidane! Who Would Have Thought?
Zinedine Zidane is synonymous
to success??? This is at least what
all football fans have witnessed
throughout the charismatic French
man of Algerian heritage career as
a player for decades and of course
his young and trophy laden career
as a Manager. In a short span of two
and a half seasons the icon has won
everything on offer ranging from
a back to back Champions League
wins to winning La Liga and Copa
del Rey, from Uefa Super Cup to
Club World Cup, from a 40 match
unbeaten streak to outplaying and
out classing Barcelona in the most
recent edition of the Spanish Super
Cup to kick off the season in August
of last year. It seemed inevitable
then that Zizou, andReal Madrid
AKA Los Blancos, and their 5 time
Ballon d’Or winner and current Eu-
ropean champion Cristiano Ronal-
do, were en marche to scoop every
trophy and award on offer for team
and individual honors.
Their arch rivals, on the contrary,
where reeling from the loss of Ney-
mar Jr in eye-watering £200million
transfer to PSG. As staggering as the
amount sounds and actually is, Bar-
ca were not prepared to lose their
2nd best player and potential future
ballon d’Or winner at all. After all,
the Brazilian had completed pre-
season with the club and had been
mute for most part of the transfer
window amidst huge speculation of
his imminent transfer. Teammates
Men’s First Division Player of the
Month: Yankuba Sabally – Fortune FC
The shot-stopper has been the saviour
for his team many times not only this
month but also since the start of the
season. In a month that was short of
goals it is also important to
recognise the contribution of those
who kept the ball out of the net and Sa-
bally fits the bill
perfectly. He has also stood out for his
up with crucial interventions for his
team. In reaching the decision to award
an of Tallinding United, as he received
a red card during the closing stages of
their final match of the month against
Fortune.
Men’s Second Division Coach of the
Month: Ousman Drammeh – BK Mi-
lan FC
like Gérard Pique shared the now
infamous picture of himself with
Neymar on instagram with the cap-
tion “Se Queda” which means “He
Stays”. Eventually the deal went
through and Neymar himself con-
tributed to the £200million transfer
fee. Things looked even bleaker for
Barcelona as their pursuit for Liv-
erpool’s O’ Magico better known as
Phillipe Coutinho made no head-
way as the English club had plans
of their own and were in a healthy
enough negotiating position to see
off 3 transfer bids from the Catalans
they finally secured the deal in a
£142 million transfer fee this Janu-
ary 2018, 6 months after their initial
bidding.
Fast forward to today and if any
pundit or football expert had pre-
dicted that Real Madrid would19pts
behind Barcelona (with 1 game in
hand), knocked out of the Copa Del
Rey by lowly
Leganes, and facing the real pros-
pect of being knocked out of the
Champions League as they face a
formidable PSG side spoiled with
talent, then he would have been
Pundit number 1!To be honest, the
downfall is somewhat Los Blancos
own making as they only managed
a second place finish in their group
although Tottenham’s emergence
in this year’s edition has a lot to do
with that. After their loss against
Leganes Zidane was quoted as say-
ing “It’s a fiasco, My worst moment
senigambia 27
Whilst carrying out a number of differ- impressed with his energy, technique
ent roles at the club, Drammeh has led and quality at set-pieces and has also
his team to come up with
three wins and the 9 points collected crucial goals and assists for his team,
across the month were more than any he also stood out for his work-rate and
other team and fighting spirit.
they have also added goals to their per- The GFF Awards Panel received recom-
formances to reach the play-off places. mendations from the Coaches’ Associ-
The panel ation and
was particularly impressed by the man- Players’ Association respectively and
ner he has led the team with an empha- all of their recommendations were ap-
sis on possession and with an attacking proved and
strategy. endorsed by the panel.
Men’s Second Division Player of the Each winner will receive a cash prize of
Month: Fabakary Touray – Kexx Unit- D2000, a certificate of achievement and
ed FC a bottle of
celebration drink, which will be pre-
Touray has been seen as the key man in sented at their next match.
stabilising Kexx at the top of the Sec- Congratulations to the winners!
ond Division
table with his goal-scoring contribu-
tions from midfield. As a box-to-box
player, he has
as a coach. I don’t regret anything I that quenched the fire in his bel-
did in the game, though. I take re- ly to find the back of the net? Is it
sponsibility for what I do”. because Luka Modric and Sergio
Ramos are no longer spring chick-
The French man was asked about ens? Or maybe it is the same old
concerns over his job and whether story that Gareth Bale has still not
it depended on progressing in the lived to expectations, Isco is still in-
Champions league round of 16 tie consistent and struggling for form.
with big spenders PSG and his re- Or that the youth system known as
sponded with “Yes, that’s clear. I’m Castilla is not producing enough to
responsible for this, I’m the boss. strengthen the senior team.
I have to find the solutions. We’ve
found some of them but not con- Even more problematic for Real
sistently enough. I need to take re- Madrid and Zidane is the emer-
sponsibility and I’ll always fight”. gence of new super-rich clubs like
PSG and Manchester City willing to
The Zizou we know and adore to- pay more than Madrid in transfer
day has risen against the odds to fees and wages.
become a world icon. He did
not achieve all that he has due to After all the success of the club in
luck obviously. He has persevered the last two seasons it is astonish-
throughout his life and ingly swift how fast the
has over come adversity and tables have turned for Zinedine Zi-
emerged victorious more often dane and Los Blancos!!!
than not. So who do we blame? It is
because Cristiano finally matched Who would have thought????
Messi’s five Ballon d’Or awards
 g
Seni ambia
Sports with Modou Jagne

THE NEW U20 EAGER TO FIND OUT

WHAT THE DRAW HAS IN STORE.
T
he Gambia youth national That brings us to where we are today. possible. He has introduced the the- are of the highest necessity. These
teams have realized a lot of A new day, and a new opportunity oretical part of the game to his charg- ethos will undoubtedly be instilled
success in the yesteryears and to do things even better than before. es during their recently concluded 4 in the minds of the young boys who
those days bring back fond memo- The dream of all involved in the pro- day training camp and expects play- harbor big football dreams but need
ries filled with joy and national pride cess of youth football development ers communicate freely with him guidance and encouragement to be
for all Gambians. The 2005 hosting has a chance of coming to fruition. and within themselves. Here is a the best that they can be.
and clinching of the U17 African na-
tions championship comes to mind,
Names like Momodou Zico Ceesay,
Ousman Jallow, Ebrima Sohna, Tijan
Jaiteh, Sanna/Sainey Nyassi, Abdoul-
ie Kenny Mansally, and Pa Modou
Jagne etc comes to mind. They have
made their permanent place in our
hearts and minds and deservedly
so. Their group went on to represent
Gambia at the World Cup in Peru
were they famously thrashed mighty
Brazil but subsequently bowed out of
the tournament in unlucky circum-
stances. After graduating to the U20
category and progressing to the latter
stages of the CAF nations cup and
securing their passage to the world
stage, this group of players are argua-
bly the most successful generation in
Gambian football history. The first
U17 of 2000 led by head coach Pa
Suwareh Faye are not to be forgotten
as they are the pioneers of the youth
national team project. Names such as
Arthur Gomez, Assan Bierhoff Jat-
ta, Amadou Daddy Gai, Aziz Corr
Nyang spring to mind. Their gener- Especially at a time when our senior coach who paints the picture and cri- Ultimately, the success of the youth
ation created an aura of belief after national team is underachieving. A tiques it before putting it in a gallery. national team is truly realized when
their exploits in Namibia got them breath of fresh air and the emergence This eases the transition process for that generation proceed to become
to the semi finals of the CAF Nations of new talent is badly needed to re- players moving to the professional professional footballers in the var-
cup U17 in 2000. It paved the way for vitalize the National teams swagger! leagues as they would have already ious leagues around the world, this
the generations that follow. Newly appointed national U20 head been accustomed to a very vital as- is the foundation of the Gambia na-
After turbulence and difficulties coach Mattar M’boge just completed pect of the modern game. tional team in the near future and
marred the GFF and hindered its a four day camp with his initial 25 The selection process will be ongo- some of these boys will end up being
progress and stability during a pe- man squad selected from a meticu- ing and so additions, and omissions household names and will take Gam-
riod of confusion and corruption. lous process of scouting from high are likely to occur. Talent is galore bia’s name even higher in the football
The Gambia where subject to a ban school tournaments to nawettaan, around the country which is a great echelon.
for all youth national team categories from super nawettaan to the GFF na- problem to have for any football But the work starts now for these
only to be lifted a couple of years ago. tional league, as well as from regional coach as it provides the luxury to look boys, the head coach and his staff,
The first U20 project lead by former football academies. His self imposed into the personalities of the players. the federation, and all football stake-
head coach Omar Sise came within mandate is to get his squad to under- Never has it been more important for holders to put all hands on deck and
whiskers of qualifying for that year’s stand and play fundamentally sound “star players” to have good work rate give it our best shot!!!!
edition of the CAF Nations cup U20 football and be tactically adaptable and training attitude. Tactical disci-
at the first attempt two years ago. to as many formations and tactics as pline and awareness and team spirit

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