The Phone Call – A Tribute to Dad

It was one of those phone calls, you know, the ones that come in the middle of the night to shred your soul into pieces, pull the ground from underneath you, and dumb you into an “emotional landfill”. My phone had been buzzing on the nightstand, but I could not hear it because I had already hit the fifth gear in my sleep. I was sailing. But with every sleep, no matter how deep, there are always moments of interruption, whether from tossing and turning or snapping out of a bad dream. Mine was the former. 

It was in the middle of my toss and turn that I heard my phone buzzing. With one eye half open, I contemplated answering the phone for a minute, but reluctantly picked it up and said “hello”. The voice on the other end called out my name “Mod Ndow!”, and my heart sank right away. It was my sister, Salan Ndow. I was tempted to deny that it was me and tell her that she had the wrong number, for I knew exactly why she was calling. I could sense it in her tone. First she asked if anyone had called me, and I said no but that was a lie because I later saw all the miss calls I had, they were too many to count; others had been calling me too. But I guess Salan must have been the chosen one – the one chosen to deliver the bad news to me.

The sad news busted the doors of my memory bank and different recollections of dad throughout the years started bursting out. Dad started teaching English and Literature at Gambia High School at age 17, after graduating from Boys High School. He also taught at Armitage High School when I was a baby. Further down the road, dad became the Headmaster of Muhammedan School, and that’s how I became the Headmaster's son (dommi Master Ndow). 

He later became the president of the Gambia Teacher’s Union, fighting for the rights of teachers and the noble work that they do. I vividly remember when teachers would come from different parts of the country to see him, and sometimes to his house and knock on the door in the middle of the night with their grievances, and dad would wake up and get into his car with them to go address their issues. This was how accessible dad was. In his time at the Ministry of Education, he served in different capacities; but the position I remember the most was his role as Chief Education Officer. This role was a unique and dynamic one. The position requires careful program planning and management as well as spending a significant time nurturing external relationships. It was a position that demanded strong leadership and vision. From there, dad retired in 1995. 

But that was "retirement" just in name only, dad continued to serve as a board member on various school boards, helped set-up and ran both Bakoteh High School (SOS Hermann Gmeiner) and Daddy Jobe Comprehensive, while building his own institution - Kairaba Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School. Kairaba Upper Basic has now been in existence for 14 years. He was also a member of the initial team that was setting up the university before you know who hijacked it - Goloh. In the late 1990’s to early 2000’s, dad served as the President of The Gambia Red Cross Society. From 2003 to 2006, he served a term as the Chairman of West African Examination Council (WAEC). I remember him calling me while attending a meeting in Geneva on behalf of WAEC, and left me a message with a call-back number and his room number. I soon realized the he was staying at a motel and asked him why didn't he stay at a hotel. He said the motel was decent and in a good area and that he didn't want to waste WAEC's money by staying at some fancy hotel. Dad was that honest, simple and humble, he can sleep anywhere and hang with anyone. 

In his capacity as Chief Education Officer, President of The Gambia Red Cross Society and Chairman of WAEC, dad had access to all sorts of scholarships, but mann morm musuma giss takanderri scholarship sah! I had to hustle on my own (gortor gortor). He always felt that as his kids, we had a somewhat decent enough foundation and will be able to fend for ourselves, so he mainly focused on the less fortunate. 

For sixty solid years, dad served in the public sector, shared knowledge, developed minds, and impacted many lives. He had a passion for teaching and education, and his vision was laser sharp. He poured his heart and soul into it. He did nothing for money, and when there was a surplus, he recycled it right back into his passion – education and helping others. As an educator, he was a father to many by default, and he treated every student with care and compassion. Dad never talked much, but he said a lot. His words are silent, but his actions are loud. He never taught me anything, but I learned everything from him. He exemplifies honestly and integrity, and his wisdom was infinite. In our many Sunday two-hour beach walks while here with me, dad once told me "never compromise your values and always stand up for what you believe to be right. I have friends who compromised their values, and today they have robbed themselves of their dignity." He was admirably principled and understanding. He left some big shoes I may not be able to fill, but I will be more than happy to shine them. I can confidently and proudly say that dad did more for a lot of other people than he did for me, and I would not have wanted it any other way. He had a rich and generous spirit that will keep on giving. He will surely be missed by many.

In Loving Memory of Mr. Ousman Alieu Ndow

Fading Away

I don't think I need to remind anyone of you what happened after the fall of Goloh. Some of you know it better than I do paski yenanga won sa digi yeffya, but we all felt it the same. The clouds of hope and freedom quickly formed and started pouring heavily. It washed away the fear and darkness that had permanently resided in Gambia for 22 bad years. Hope and freedom flooded the country, but it was a good flood. Although our drainage systems are poor, this was the type of flood we were all waiting for to gladly wade through, with or without boots. The good flood!

On Independence/Inauguration day, Gambians filled the stadium beyond capacity to witness the celebration of freedom and democracy, after many years of oppression; they could breathe again. Nothing like oxygen! Gambians in the diaspora too descended like eagles, to join in and feast on the new found freedom and help celebrate. The smiling coast turned frowning coast - was now smiling again. It was like the heavens had opened, and Gambia was now rising. Gambians united and decided to turn a new leaf of freedom and democracy, and the entire world was behind the country. President Barrow's speech was inspiring and uplifting.

It didn't  take long before money came rolling in; Goloh had emptied the piggy bank and headed south. The country was virtually bankrupt! The EU pledged a €225m rescue package for Gambia, of which they delivered €75m in immediate funding and the remaining €150 is for long term help. Other major funding came in since then too. The coalition government had their agenda and we were all excited. The excitement was palpable!  The youths were drunk with hope because a portion of the delivered €75m was earmarked for job and skills training for them. Their frustration had created the "backway" phenomenon, and this was a message of hope for them. To them, things were now about to change and get better economically, and they could see it in the horizon. I guess perception is reality. Almost every Gambian had their own "priority wish list" of issues they wanted the government to tackle first; virtually everyone was fully engaged, as should be. The pending release of a blueprint announced and celebrated, and a Think Tank launched and celebrated too, and that was the last we heard.

And here we are now, eight months later, with very little tangible progress. There is still no VP appointed, the youths are wondering when will their pain ease, electricity is still sporadic, hospitals lack basic necessities, the economy is not gaining traction, and the bad floods are now here; trapping cars on the road and limiting mobility. It's the rainy season again. Lavish contracts have been signed, but the people don't know what they are getting for their money. The clouds of hope that rolled in after the fall of Goloh are now fading away, being erased by a dangerously intense partisan politics. Gambia survived the cancer of dictatorship, and is now being threatened by another new cancerous tumor - toxic partisanship. So far, beside freedom, Gambia has gained little to none.

We are also now being told that the MoU that the coalition government was based on was not signed by any of the parties. This seriously calls into question the coalition's agenda, no doubt. Meanwhile, those in office have upgraded their entire wardrobes, and are gaining weight fast!

The Post Victory Conference – A Political Satire – Part II

As Halipha Sallah was in the middle of presenting his reasons as to why PDIOS was also rejecting UDP’s Bamba Seringne Kadimu Rasul Mass offer for Sulayman Bokarr Bah, power went out. Within a flash, the crowd in attendance uttered loud boos that would rival a Wembley Stadium crowd at any given day. How can power go out at a brand new $55 million conference hall in the middle of such an important and essential conference? Well, don’t ask me - your guess is as good as mine! Too many cooks in the “power kitchen”, maybe? NAWEC, Sinohydro Corporation and Senelec are all in the “power kitchen” frying cables.

It wasn’t even fifteen minutes after the power outage before the temperature in the conference hall started to rise and attendees were asked to vacate the hall while the power situation was being sorted out. While waiting outside, there was much chatter amongst the crowd regarding the surrogate trade negotiations. Virtually every one had an opinion. The temperature outside was not friendly either; it was a hot, humid Sunday with temperatures in the upper 90s. Soon, the conversation amongst the crowd shifted from the surrogate trade negotiations to Gambia’s chronic power issues. Some were saying we should look into air energy, others insisted we should harness the moon for energy and yet others insisted some of us generate enough body odor to generate 24/7 electricity. Meanwhile, The Gambia’s own pencil, Sabally, and the rest of the conference staff were working the phones trying to get the power up and running again. He had security with him because he knows Gambians are jealous of him and he has to act important by virtue of his critical role. Three hours later, power was finally back on and people were dancing and celebrating as they filed back into the $55 million conference hall.

Momodou Sabally: Ladies and gentlemen, once again, my name is Honorable Momodou Sabally. I was your best presidential affairs minister under our hero, Jammeh. On behalf of myself and my conference staff which includes people from my leadership academy where Mama Signateh teaches the fundamentals of ethics, I would like to apologize for the power outage and welcome you back to our one in Africa $55 million conference hall. NAWEC has delivered a used generator for us to use for the remainder of the conference and with enough petrol, so I don’t anticipate any more power issues. Thank you for your patience and understanding. We will now resume.

As Sabally was calling the conference back to order, that’s when OJ walked into the conference room accompanied by Ndey Mbergan Sarr and Ndey Ngoneh Njie holding PPP’s pink flag, and Bai Tama right behind them. Ndey Mbergan and Ndey Ngoneh are PPP members but OJ and Bai Tama had met a few weeks earlier at OJ’s house on Koriteh day.  Bai Tama walked into OJ’s house and interrupted his meal looking for salibo.

Sabally: Mr. Jallow, I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you guys wouldn’t attend. Mr. Darboe had said…

Darboe: Said what, Mr. Sabally? I told you that was a joke! Didn’t you hear the audience laughing?

Sabally: Yes I did, Mr. Darboe; and it was funny too, sir.

Darboe: Mr. Jallow and I are friends; a photo of the two of us hugging went viral online, you didn’t see it?

Sabally: I probably did, Sir. Mr. Jallow, welcome to The Post victory Conference 2017. We are glad that you made it here with your delegation to represent PPP in this very important conference. As we all know, PPP is a signatory to the MoU and your participation in this conference is key to help us forge ahead. I’m assuming you are here to partake in the surrogate trade negotiations?

OJ: Well, thank you very much Mr. Sabally! First of all, I would like to apologize on behalf of PPP to you, my peers, and the audience for arriving late to the conference; we were experiencing car troubles. Unfortunately, we did not bring any of our surrogates with us to this conference. Saul Mbenga and Sainabou Phall could not make it from the United States for the conference. I called them both and left a message but haven’t heard back. Ndey Mbergan and Ndey Ngoneh are new to PPP and don’t know our inner-workings yet, and Bai Tama is my new pal.  We are just here to observe, and as stakeholders to the MoU.

GDC has been in attendance from the start but they seemed to involved in some internal squabbles. In fact, they arrived earlier right before the doors were opened, but they were yet to be acknowledged by Sabally and they were getting impatient. As the leader of the delegation, Ebou Jallow decided to call for Momodou Sabally’s attention:

Ebou: Exchuse me, Mr. Sabally!!!

Sabally: Did someone call out my name?

Ebou: Yes! My name is Captain Ebou Jallow and I’m here with my colleagues on behalf of GDC, but you have yet to acknowledge us.

Sabally. Sorry, Mr. Jammeh! Oh I meant Mr Jallow. I was under the impression that you guys were here as part of the audience since GDC was not part of the coalition and are not signatories to the MoU. However, go head and introduce yourselves.

Ebou: Well, my name is Captain Ebou Jallow and I am here with Saihou Mballoh, Lieutenant Colonel Lamin Gano and MC Cham. Mama Kandeh could not make it because he had to make an urgent trip to Dakar for donations. We were tipped off about this meeting by Pa Nderry Mbai and he was tipped off by his main “sauce”, The Soldier. Wa kissi kissi, wa lohatti. (Lakki Ginay)

Sabally: Thank you, Mr. Jallow! And why is Lamin Gano in a military uniform? Is he hired back into the army by Masanneh Kinteh? Last I saw him he was holding a "potti ndal" (jibida poto) for our hero doctor as he claimed to cure AIDS patients.

Gano: No, Mr. Sabally! I didn’t get a chance to do my laundry and my old uniform was all that was available for me to wear. And you know, once a soldier always a soldier.

Right then, there was some commotion in the back as Otita Cultural Group came in led by Foday Jawla who was jumping for joy telling everyone that he in fact saw Barrow peeking through the curtains and they shook hands. The UDP delegation was disgusted with his eccentric ways. Did he have to bring Otita with him some mumbled? Well didn’t OJ come in with Bai Tama some responded!

Sabally: Hey, stop the dancing and singing. I am the moderator of this conference. You guys dance only if I dance first. DJ hit me!!

The DJ played Big Fa’s anything anything and the place went deadly silent.

Sabally: Well since we all stand for something here, let us continue unabated. So Halifa, you won’t accept Seringne Bamba Manka Mass for Sulayman Bokarr Bah and you still insist on having Pata but Ousainou said Pata isn’t going anywhere. How about if they add two people, one from Mai Fatty’s party and the other from Henry Gomez’s party plus Seringne Bamba Manka Mass and you give them Sulayman Bokarr Bah

Halipha: Sabally, kanang Yap!! Do you know anyone that belongs to Mai Fatty’s party or anyone from Henry Gomez’s party? These are one-man parties!

Mai Fatty: Halipha, don’t talk about my party. You know nothing about the GDC, I mean GMC.

A shouting match ensued between Mai and Halipha for a few minutes. Halipha was heard telling Mai at the end that he was a young man and needs to self- restrain a bit and learn a thing or two from him. A few people in the audience were recording the incident with their phones, and the video will probably be making its rounds on WhatsApp soon.

The conference was called back into order by Sabally after the uproar, but before he could ask Halipha to specify what exactly it would take for him to release Sulayman Bokarr Bah to UDP without getting Pata, a loud voice was heard come from GDC’s direction; it was Saihou Mballoh.

Saihou: Mr. Sabally, I always talking when I’m on Freedom Radio, but you have not given me a chance to talk here since we started. I know how to talk on behalf of GDC and I represent well. You can ask Pa Nderry Mbai or Mama Kandeh.

Sabally: Well, Mr. Mballow, this is not Freedom Radio and I have no interest in asking Mama Kandeh. Besides, didn't Captain Ebou Jallow say that Mama Kandeh had to make an urgent trip to Dakar for donations? Look, like I said earlier, GDC is not a party to the MoU and you are welcome to observe, but you will not be participating in this surrogate trade negotiations!

That's when MC Cham called "bullshit" on Sabally, and another commotion ensued. Out of left field, Foday Jawla, Otita Cultural Group, and the APRC dancers bulrushes the center of the conference hall. Otita Cultural Group was singing their new single "Sayri Boyo" with Foday Jawla and the APRC crew dancing feverishly. Within seconds, a good number of the UDP supporters also joined in. The dancing crowd was building up fast! Ndey Mbergan and Ndey Ngoneh looked at Bai Tama and gave him a signal to hit them with a "raygin tass" rhythm, they were ready to show Foday and his crew how it's done. Unfortunately, Bai Tama realized that his "banti tama" was not in his pocket and that he had left it in OJ's car. Standing there with a dejected look on their faces, Ndey Mbergan and Ndey Ngoneh just shook their heads. Their plan to "tay-yah" Foday Jawla until he collapsed was not going to materialize. They really wanted to teach him a dancing lesson!

Meanwhile, Halipaha was seen shaking out of anger; he could not believe his luck with these conferences. The first one had virtually unraveled and the second one didn't even conclude. Fuming mad, he took off his "white Haftan" and threw on the floor, then walked out of the conference hall with his delegation in his "gensor." He was heard saying under his breath "I don't think I what to be a president any longer, a parliament member will be just fine!"

Ladies and gentlemen, we have another impasse in our hands. Luckily, the ECOMIG Troops are still here to intervene if the need arise.        

THE END

The Post Victory Conference – A Political Satire

To challenge Goloh and have a fighting chance, the opposition parties came together and formed a coalition.  A Memorandum of Understanding was drafted and willing parties signed on. This was their only factual chance, and it worked! Goloh was defeated and sent packing. The freedom clouds rolled in and they ranged from dark gray to light gray, with fifty other shades of gray in between. Freedom is a must and gray is the color. But under the clouds of freedom, the MoU was unraveling, fast too!

There were rumors and accusations regarding cabinet appointments, and the noise kept getting louder.

And yes, as usual, Halipha Sallah held a press conference and hit the online radio circuit to clear the air. In typical Gambian style, the press conference set off an online storm instead. There was more darkness than light, and things kept escalating. With the MoU virtually scrapped and party surrogates running wild online, it became apparent that a "post victory conference" was necessary, not to ease the tension, but to balance the scales a little bit. After all, UDP is the biggest party in the entire wide world. This, my friends, is what necessitated The Post Victory Conference July 2016. Momodou Sabally was selected to be the moderator extraordinaire.    

Momodou Sabally: Ladies and gentlemen of the great people of The Gambia, I am the moderator of this conference. My name is Honorable Momodou Sabally. I was your best presidential affairs minister under our hero, Jammeh. Due to my intelligence and being the Pen of the Gambia, I have managed to wriggle my way into the current government and hence my role in being the MC of this august body. I have Champion DJ Lamin Cham on sounds and the dancers on the stage to my left are some of the other APRC rejects trying to join in this new government led by Suku Signateh. Congratulations to Fatim Badjie and the honorable sister in New York. Masanneh Kinteh will make sure everyone is safe. Champion Sounds, hit me with music!

Halifa Sallah: Hold it right there. This is a conference and not a musical jamboree. President Jammeh is no longer here! Before we get started, as usual, I am the coordinator and the most powerful one here. Please make sure all the blinds are closed because President Barrow is not here and we don’t want him peeking and not saying anything as usual!

Mai Fatty: Barrow can peek all he wants! What is your issue Halifa? I am in charge of the internal security of this $55 million conference hall. I say when the blinds are to close or not. Not you!

Halifa: Anyway, like I was saying, according to our memorandum of understanding and the provisions of our constitution that I helped draft and convince doubters on..Oh sorry, this is a conference on the way forward.  Sorry I digressed. I had the age limit on my mind.

All the political parties and their various leaders feel aggrieved by some issues and we thought we should meet to hash them out. This relates to our online presence and the personalities involved. Therefore, we have agreed that we will be swapping some of our surrogates for better equilibrium. The uproar online keeps snowballing and the scales keep tipping.  We have here Pata Saidykhan, Fangbondi Jatawuleng, Foday Jawla, Bamba Mass and Lamin Jammeh otherwise known as Badibu Mansa. They represent the UDP, AKA Coalition Defense League. We also have Modou Nyang, Sulayman Bokarr Bah, Papa Ousman Lowe and Modou Nyan. They represent the ideals of PDOIS. The GDP is ably represented by Saihou Mballoh, Ebou Jallow, Lamin Gano and MC Cham. The APRC has no one here because they insist they can’t take any decisions in the absence of President Jammeh. Hamat Bah doesn’t trust anyone else representing NRP in this conference and so he is representing himself. Henry Gomez and Mai Fatty have no one else in their parties beside themselves so they will be speaking as a team.

The PDOIS therefore proposes to adopt Pata PJ Saidykhan as a PDOIS member. Pata is the most charismatic of the bunch, a chicken wing lover, lives in Nebraska where he is the only Gambian and he wears an oversized cap. Pata also sports an earring and speaks with an American twang. Not only is he enigmatic, he actually presents his arguments in a sensible manner. Oh and here is the coolest part, rumor has it that he licks his new tennis shoes before he wears them; how spectacular is that?  We know he is ripe for plucking and will be welcomed in PDOIS. We will give the UDP Sulayman Bokarr Bah and take Pata. Mr. Sabally, PDOIS formally requests to take Pata from the UDP

Momodou Sabally: Well UDP, you guys have power. Please notice how I run this conference and I want to know how you feel when it’s all said and done. I have a leadership academy and we are accepting donations. We teach the science of sycophancy. Anyway, UDP what do you say?

Ousainou: Mr. Fatty, where is Pata from?

Mai Fatty: I believe he is from Jara but you know some of the Saidykhans also live in Sanjally Kanikunda. But let’s go with Jara.

Ousainou: What about that guy dancing in the corner in the all yellow outfit with the haphazard haircut?

Mai: Oh that’s Foday Jawla Sir. I have a dossier on him right here.

Ousainou: Halifa, will you accept Foday Jawla? I heard he is a thorn that is on a continuous prowl of the internet looking for the word “government” or UDP. He is unrelenting and quite an intellectual, you will not have a more active and impudent warrior. He lives in a basement in Germany that’s equipped with a strong Wi-Fi connection and is online 21 hours a day.

Ousainou whispers to Mai: What is wrong with Foday? Does he ever get tire of dancing and singing to himself? Or is there something wrong with him?

Mai: He is just an enthusiastic supporter of yours sir, but I heard that he is also missing two French fries to make a complete happy meal as they say in Nebraska. Pata taught me that..hehehehe.

Ousainou: Halifa, Foday is all yours if you will give us Momodou Nyang.

Halifa: I’ve invested too much in Nyang. I can’t swap him for a dancer. You can have Momodou Nyan and not Nyang but I want Pata!

Sabally: Mr. Bah, do you have anything to say? I noticed that you are staring at the window and seem to be zoned out.

Hamat: Oh, sorry! Look, I don’t have much to say. My dream was to be a minister and I’m happy how things turned out. I’m in the cabinet now and waiting for the churai gonga to start smoking. My main focus is to make sure there is no “hemosexualism” in The Gambia and to bring back the backway boys to marry as many of our single women as they can. By the way, the salad we ate in Saudi Arabia was extremely delicious, still licking my lips. I wonder what type of salad dressing they had on it. Mr. Sabally, can you not ask me any other questions please? I don’t want to say much and jinx myself. Thanks

Sabally: Ok Sir! You can continue gazing at the window. Mr. Henry Gomez, we are yet to hear from you. Do you want to chime in before we proceed any further?

Henry: Gambia, forlen tek President Adama Barrow? Fee! Fee fee fee! Suma boysi Germany yee, forlen tek President Adama Barrow? Fee! Fee fee fee! Cheppeh yee yen nak? Fee! Fee fee fee! Ken munut si anything, anything anything. Yes man! Champion sound, hit me with music!

Halipha: Hold it right there! I have already said this; we are here for a conference, not a musical jamboree. Mr. Sabally, can you please expel Champion sound so that we can focus and have a productive conference? I am afraid someone is going ask them to hit them with music again.

Sabally: Mr. Sallah, I am certain Champion sound gets the message now and will not honor the request of those asking. But before we proceed, it has just registered that OJ and PPP are not in attendance. Does anyone know what the issue is there?

Ousainou: Rumor has it that NRP "punked" PPP and took their blue flag, and PPP is pink now. So I guess OJ is too embarrassed to come matching in here waving a pink flag!

Laughter erupts

Mai: Mr. Darboe, I didn’t know you had such a wicked sense of humor, Sir. And I can't believe you know about the term “punked.” Where did you learn that term?

Ousainou: I am on Facebook and Whatssap, remember? And besides, I hail from Niani and we have a brutal sense of humor there. I don’t joke much, but when I do, it’s on fire…hehe

Halipha: Mr. Sabally, can we get back to our order of business please?

Sabally: Yes we may, Mr. Sallah.

Halipha: PDIOS rejects Mr. Darboe’s offer for Foday Jawla! I just received a text message alerting me that people are blocking Foday Jawla online in droves; and if that is indeed true, he may not be useful to us regardless of his 21 hours a day online presence. My phone does not have internet capability, but I have a 1980 macintosh computer at home and will dial up the internet to confirm when I get home. In any event, we reject Mr. Darboe’s offer! Mr. Darboe, we are willing to offer UDP Sulayman Bokarr Bah in exchange for Pata, and this offer is firm.

Sabally: Mr. Darboe, any objections to Mr. Sallah’s counter offer?

Ousainou: Listen, Mr. Sallah, UDP will not release Pata to any of our political rivals in a billion years and that’s written in stone. He is a "ride and die" Lieutenant. However, we are willing to trade Bamba Seringne Kadimu Rasul Mass for Sulayman Bokarr Bah.

Halipha: Bamba who? I am told that he has been massing up my name and dragging my “white haftan” in the streets of Facebook and I do not appreciate such behavior from him. My “white haftan” is supreme like the constitution and should be respected. My Nokia cell phone is game but my “white haftan” is not!

To be continued

The Narrative

We all despised Goloh (except for the APRC knuckleheads), he was a brutal dictator and a thief. A dark soul and a misfit if you will! He had Gambia in a choke hold, and the oxygen was running out fast. It was this extreme urgency that finally compelled the opposition parties to come together to form a coalition and challenged Goloh and his APRC government in last December's presidential election. 

Every decent Gambian who wanted to end the dictatorship, regardless of their geographical location, supported the Coalition under the leadership of Adama Barrow on all fronts. The Coalition came up with a MOU and we all campaigned for them. Ink flowed out of pens and Facebook was buzzing, microphones amplified and the airwaves were blazing, text messages flying and whatsapp was vibrating, money transmitted out of wallets into GoFundme and Benachin was being served; all in an effort to get out the vote and have the Coalition elected as Gambia's transitional government. 

I'm sure we all remember the election? The tension, sleepless nights, anguish, and anticipation. Waiting for the results to be announced felt like a lifetime. And when they were finally announced by the ICC and in favor of Barrow and the Coalition, the jubilation was short lived. With a bruised and battered ego, Goloh accepted defeat just to turn around and totally reject the results of the election in its entirety. This was the genesis of the now infamous "impasse."

When all the negotiation tools and tricks for a peaceful transfer of power failed, Barrow was lifted out of Gambia for safety reasons and Halipha Sallah moved in to man the post. He was the spokes person he gave numerous press conferences challenging Goloh and laying out for him the consequences of his actions if he failed to hand over power after January 18th. Goloh's defiance continued and President elect Barrow had to be sworn in at the Gambian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal. It finally took fighter jets, military tankers, and boots on the ground in the form of ECOMIG to send Goloh into exile. 

President Barrow's welcome was epic! Gambians had ushered in a new dawn by the ballot, not by the gun, and the excitement was palpable. The airport was filled to the brim and the streets were overflowing with people, it was Wee Barrow time. This was Gambia's highest moment in a long time, and it was profound and moving. Gambia was all over the news, admired and praised by the rest of the world for defeating a dictator without a single bullet fired or an ounce of blood spilled. A new democracy was born, Gambian style! And this spirit carried over into the Independent/Inauguration celebration on February 18th.   

Money was now flowing in. The EU pledged 225 million Euros to lift Gambia out of “virtual bankruptcy” after two decades of dictatorship, stealing, and wasteful spending, of which the EU delivered 75 million Euros. The deal was signed and seal! “The sky takes on shades of orange during sunrise and sunset, the color that gives you hope that the sun will set to rise again”, but inside the Gambia, things were now going from GRAY (the Coalition’s color) to YELLOW, BLUE, PINK, WHITE, and BROWN. The National Assembly election had been scheduled for April 6th and partisan politics was now center stage and parties were courting APRC National Assembly Members to run under their party colors. The focus had now somewhat shifted away from the Coalition government’s initial agenda and the tactical games began.

Despite the enormous security challenges Gambia is facing after two decades of brutal dictatorship, it didn’t take long for complacency to set in like rigor mortis, and the new administration started appointing former APRC government loyalists to key positions of power, like Masaneh Kinteh and Abdoulie Bojang to name a couple. Security is paramount for any country, and certain key appointments can either strengthen or compromise a nation’s security. We are all aware of APRC’s BURNING desire to regain their glory days of ruthlessness, and they will not stop at nothing to accomplish their goal. Kanilai is smoldering as we speak. 

Leadership is more than a title or a designation, and it cannot be outsourced. President Barrow should address the nation in a unifying manner;  there are too many burning issues and his voice needs to be heard.

What Happened to Banjul? My Story - Part V – The Final Chapter

I hereby take the liberty to speak on behalf of all Gambians: “we want a better Banjul and a Banjul that works!” Whether you have lived, never lived or currently live in Banjul, I’m certain you will all agree with me on this. Banjul is the capital of The Gambia and the city should reflect that. It does not have to be the “Dubai” of the region, but it should be functional and relatively clean; not depressing, desolate and environmentally challenged. A capital city is supposed to be a hub and buzzing with activities; full of culture, history, innovation and ambiance, especially if it’s a port city. Proper city management, decent cafes, restaurants, parks and ample night life are essential to making a city come alive. They define a city and help make it unique, vibrant and functional. What Banjul lacked in architecture, it had in character and charm, but not anymore. Banjul is now on life support and the ventilator is constantly running out of power supply, thanks to NAWEC!

It is no doubt that Banjul has continued to deteriorate over the years, but all is not lost. There is still hope for Banjul. My goal in starting the Banjul series was to highlight the plight of the city due to mismanagement, poor planning, and constant neglect. Moreover, I wanted to start a conversation about Banjul in the hope that the powers that be will act accordingly, to make Banjul whole again. It would also be lovely to bring back the lost glory and the character the city once had. Since Banjul is one of the smallest capital cities in the world (households 6,744, population around 35,000), it should have been easily managed and immaculately run. As a deeply rooted and proud son of Banjul, I can’t help but advocate for the city, not only for myself, but for every Waa Banjul in particular, and Gambian in general. I’m not sure if I will ever live in Banjul again, but I would still want to see the city flourish. I have a mountain of memories there, and will not be very happy if they get washed away by the flood waters.

Before I go any further, I want to touch back on the previous parts of the series. I’m not going to bore you with any details, just a quick recap. In Part I of the series, I underscored the gutter stagnation problems and the breeding ground it created for “The Banjul Mosquitoes”. In Part II, I explored the perfunctory job executed by SOBEA (the French connection) in constructing the sewage system and how it added to Banjul’s continuing environmental troubles. Sidi Sanneh generously contributed Part III while my head was buried in other things, reminding us that the current government will not do anything to revive the city, and urged residents to start a gentrification movement of their own to save the city. And in Part IV, I gave “The Banjul Mosquitoes” their own story, deservingly so too. They've earned their rightful place in Banjul’s history and deserve to be in the books. My focus in this piece (part V and the final chapter), is on ideas on how to take Banjul off life support and provide it with a chance for a healthy and productive future. In writing this piece, I must not come across as suggesting, even remotely, that I’m an expert in urban planning or have all the answers for Banjul; nonetheless, I do have some ideas I would like to share. 

For any city to excel, appropriate management is required. As far as I can remember, Banjul has
always been poorly managed. Poor management is one of the main reasons that cities fail. Ask Detroit! I don’t believe any of Banjul’s Mayors and City Council Members (both past and present) have ever had a credible strategic plan of action or a blue print for how they envision Banjul to look like in five, ten, or fifteen years. Lack of vision and long term planning has immensely contributed to the city’s decline. I have always considered Banjul Mayors and City Council members as tokens, especially in recent years. The last Mayor of Banjul, Samba Faal, posted a video on YouTube in August 2011, discussing plans to construct new drains in Banjul and clean existing ones with a goal of creating passages for the heavy rains. Not sure if that plan materialized or not, and if it did, it was imaginary. As of this rainy season, the floods waters in Banjul have reached higher heights; and the gutters are still stagnant and full of debris. By the way, does the city still employ health inspectors? But above all, the biggest problem in terms of infrastructure relates to inadequate electricity supply. Power outages are chronic and widespread.    

City Council

In compliance with sections 193 and 194 of the Constitution, The Gambia adopted a policy on decentralization of the local government system. Currently, local government legislation provides for the self-administration of local governments by an elected City Council. Banjul City Council (BCC) is the decentralized city government system headed by a mayor and deputy mayor, and composed of the councilors elected from Banjul's nine wards. Since a city council is the legislative body that governs a city, the structure in which they conduct business should reflect their status. The Banjul City Council office needs to be in a more physically attractive structure, not the lackluster building they currently reside in. I would highly recommend that the city council either relocate to a more attractive building or renovate the present one they occupy, if they want to reflect their status. As the city’s main authority, it is vital that the city council conducts business in an environment that is presentable and elicits pride. What the city also desperately needs is committed city council members and a visionary mayor – a mayor who is able to independently govern the city without any outside influences. Since the election of Banjul’s current independent mayor, Abdoulie Bah, he’s yet to reveal the official short term/long term visionary plans he has for the city. And if he did, I missed it and would like a copy. I hope he’s willing and ready to fight for the city and deliver his campaign promises. If not, he risks the same faith as the last mayor, Samba Faal, and every mayor before him. 

In March of this year, Lord Mayor Bah (never knew they call him "Lord") unveiled major infrastructure projects for Banjul that include the following: New Council Complex, Concrete Roads for Banjul, Center of Excellence for youths, a new Car Park, and a new Abattoir (slaughterhouse). Have any of these projects broken ground yet or will they be yet another perfunctory job? After all, Lord Mayor Faal did discuss a plan to construct new drains in Banjul and clean the existing ones back in 2011. To serve as a city mayor with no achievements to show for at the end of your team is truly a disaster, by any standard. Being a mayor is more than just working around Banjul wearing a suit or kaftan and being called Mr. Mayor. The City Council and Mayor's primary role is the management and provision of basic urban services, but there is hardly any in Banjul. Is Mayor Bah still independent or dependent?

Solid Waste Management

I’m certain Banjul has environmental policies (the NEA exists after all!!); nonetheless, their implementation is almost nonexistent due to the lack of proper and regular overseeing of the implementation process. The environmental issues are evident. There is garbage all over the place and empty plastic bags and newspapers flying everywhere, especially on windy days, racking up frequent flyer miles they will never be able to redeem. There is no reliable solid waste system to speak of, not from the Banjul City Council or the private sector. This has now forced the desperate and irresponsible to dump their solid waste into the gutters and at the “Tan” (where the gutters around the city are supposed to empty into), thereby causing even more gutter blockage issues. A good number of the gutters have also collapsed with others missing covers. Banjul’s drainage system was constructed during the colonial days and linked to three pumping machines which aided the evacuation of storm waters during the rainy season.

Due to poor or lack of maintenance however, these machines are no longer effectively functional, and the pumping system is dilapidated. Unless the city gets flooding after a heavy rain to wash away the debris, the gutters are almost always stagnant. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water that is stagnant, shallow and high in organic matter. They complete three stages of their life cycle in the water (egg, lava and pupa) in about 4 to 14 days. As a result, water must remain stagnant for a minimum of four days in order to support the mosquito’s life cycle, and you can find that in abundance in Banjul. No wonder the city is a Mosquito breeding heaven! The Banjul sewage system has had issues for decades due to the lack of regular maintenance. The solid waste materials that found its way into the system have caused frequent blockage and overflow of sewage into the streets. Just by the lack of proper maintenance after all these decades, I am convinced that the system has also suffered some serious structural damage and some of the pipes may have stopped working years ago. Banjul sewage and gutter systems are an essential component of the city’s infrastructure, so it is critical to have a comprehensive inspection, maintenance, and repair program. For any city to remain habitable, maintaining a healthy sewage and gutter system is paramount!

Tanbi Wetland

Ask any Gambian who grew up in Banjul or frequented the city about “Tan” and they are likely to have been there or heard of it. It used to be a fighting arena where students sometimes go after school to settle their disputes in a fist fight during the dry season.  Still? I was never involved in a fight there but I remember watching a couple. It is the piece of wetland located behind the Lasso Wharf Market and extends all the way to Bund Road. Tanbi’s importance to Banjul’s ecological system is immeasurable, but it is now under serious threat because of the neglect and solid waste dumping. There is also massive encroachment taking place, with people building makeshift houses (mbarrs) at the “Tan” with no government control. There is serious illegal dumping of waste on both sides of Bund Road, with evidence of waste burning, including discarded tires. With Bund Road being a vital part of Banjul's infrastructure, it needs to be protected. It serves as a flood control levee for the city and it is the main road for commercial trucks heading in and out of the Banjul Port Area. Regardless of its urban surroundings Banjul has a number of areas that are of importance to preserving the country's ecological diversity, and Tanbi is one of them. Banjul's extensive mangrove swamps and mudflats make suitable breeding and resting estates for a large number of Palearctic migrant bird species. If you like bird-watching and live in or frequent Banjul, then Tanbi is your spot. It is very accessible and attracts a large number of birds. A bird-watching heaven! So it is crucial for Tanbi to be preserved and government should crack down on illegal solid waste dumping and the massive encroachment taking place there. It is important to note that Banjul is already below sea level and is at risk of going under water as sea levels rise as a result of climate change; so it is acute to preserve the mangrove forest and swampy areas that are very much a part of Banjul's ecosystem.           

Port Authority 

Ports are known to function as important gateways of international trade and, therefore, they tend to be seen as major contributors to local economic development in the age of globalization. Established in 1972 and as Gambia's one and only port, the Gambia Port Authority (GPA) is located in Banjul (latitude 13° degrees 27° North and longitude 16° degrees 34' West), and there is no doubt that it is a vibrant component the country's economy. Positioned at the mouth of the Gambia River, it is on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. The port is the entry and exit point and accounts for almost 90% of the country’s import and export trade. In addition, the port also serves as a lynchpin and 60 or 70 percent of that freight goes on transit to landlocked neighboring countries by road. As a result, GPA's has seen a steady revenue growth. According to the Observer News Paper, revenue grew from D748 in 2013 to D1.009 billion in 2014 (minus bribes). This amount represents a 35 percent revenue increase. Given this backdrop, it is reasonable to expect that Banjul (as the host city for the port) to tremendously benefiting from the economic impact generated by the port's activities. But that's not the case at all! According to Business Standard of India, Gambia was extended a line of credit by India to expand and upgrade the Banjul port’s infrastructure in 2014. This was in addition to a $45 million credit line The Gambia had already received; and prior to that a $38.58 million was extended by Export Import Bank of India for other projects. India had also extended a line of credit worth $16.88 million for the construction of the National Assembly Building Complex. While the port has been expanded over the years at various times and is now flourishing and relishing a greater revenue surge, Banjul (the city) has been left for dead in the dust for years. One can argue that the city itself has never really directly benefited from the port's economic success over the years. Despite the port's expansion, business growth, and subsequent revenue increase, Banjul still remains in the Intensive Care Unit.  Three quarters of the roads in Banjul are unpaved and the paved ones are flimsily made. A good percentage of these roads were excavated in the mid 80's during the laying of the sewage pipes and telecommunication cables. Since then very little road restoration or construction work has been done. It is also evident that the heavy rains and nonstop overflow of sewage water, coupled with traffic, has further accelerated the collapse of the roads. The eighteen wheeler trucks that transport cargo in and out of the port have also immensely contributed to the destruction of Banjul's fragile roads. As it stands, Banjul City Council gets most of its revenue from the central government to add to the sporadic compound rates and taxes it collects, and government's contribution has served as a control mechanism for Jammeh. "Vote for my party or else." And Waa Banjul voted for his party and the city’s health is still failing.  APRC holds all three Banjul parliamentary seats. Nothing but empty promises! As the host city for the port, I would argue that Banjul should instead get a percentage of the port's revenue earmarked for the city's gentrification and maintenance, and not rely on the central government for a contribution. This will prevent the total control the central government has over the city's mayor and other elected officials. It is crucial for Banjul to be independent from total central government control, and the idea of the city directly receiving a percentage of the port's revenue will act as a form of "separation of powers." The city needs to have some level of autonomy because of its unique role as Gambia's only port city accounting for almost 90% of the country’s import and export trade.  Of course, the central government can then audit the city to ensure that there is transparency. Misappropriation of funds has always plagued the Banjul in particular and Gambia in general.    

In sum, Banjul has come a long way since our independence on February 18, 1965, and sadly, not for

the better. From a relatively clean and well maintained to a depressed, desolated and environmentally challenged city. The electricity was the first victim on November 1, 1977. Then the Department of Health (formerly the Board of Health) became more and more lax in their inspections and enforcement of the health codes, and that’s when Banjul’s decline began. Excavation of the roads in the mid 80’s to lay the sewage pipes and telecommunication cables and the issues caused by the perfunctory job done on these projects accelerated Banjul’s decay. To say that the city has been failed by both governments and mayor after mayor would be an understatement. Banjul is not just a city, it is the capital of the Gambia and deserves better; and for its size, it is hard to comprehend how the city degenerated to what it is today. 2011 was an election year and Banjul’s then mayor; Lord Mayor Faal, unveiled a plan to construct new drains in Banjul and clean the existing ones. 2016 is also an election year, and Lord Mayor Bah has also unveiled major infrastructure projects for Banjul. But regardless of what happens in these upcoming elections, gentrifying Banjul should be made a priority. The city needs a new lease on life. There is too much history in Banjul for the city to be persistently neglected and left for the dead.

Off The Record with Momodou Ndow