By Isatou Alwar Cham Graham
(legal Practitioner)
Background
Alh Baboucar Wadda, born in 1887, at Sidone Sanneh Kunda, from Muslim parents, his father Issidore Wadda hailed from Gloucester Street, Bathurst and his mother Mallen Sanneh belonged to the Nyancho ruling class and descended from Janke Waly Sanneh, the last king of Kaabu. His father pursued Quranic and Islamic studies at an early age at Ndiassane and subsequently in Ndar St Louis under the Tutelage of Khali Ndiaye Sarr, who Islamised his name to Ismailia. After completing his Daara studies he returned home and was encouraged by his mother Mary Sam Kennedy (a petty trader), to venture into trading. He established his trading post at Sindone Sanneh Kaunda, Cassamance, where he made a substantial fortune as a groundnut and palm kennel trader. In returned of his valuable services to the community, he was appointed as “Sef De Cantone” of Sindone, Sanneh Kunda. However his matrimonial union with Mallen Sanneh, was blessed with the following children: Alh Baboucar Wadda, Lala Wadda and Jorjo Mallen Wadda.
Lala married Tafsir Momodou Kebbeh, a Quranic teacher at Daara Hydara Kunda, Daarusalam, Cassamance, their youngest sibling Jorjo married Abou Sey aTouculour from Colobane, they had two daughters Suwardu Sey and Mariam Sey Issidore had another wife called Mbulleh Njie (daughter to Laity Njie and son to Ndiougu Njie of Kawone), they had a son called Mustapha MBulleh Wadda. Since fate always come with a twisted turn, Isadora’s dreams were cut short by a brief illness which claimed his life.
Family origins
Alh Baboucar Wadda, fondly called Mam Bayou, was raised at an early age by his grandmother, Mary Sam Kennedy (daughter to Jay John Jiwoh Sarr and Vessel Master Samuel John Kennedy), Mary was spouse to Jeggan Wadda, who hailed from three prominent families namely; the Wadda’s, of Walo, The Faal of Kadior and direct descendant of Mahawa Bathio Faal, mu Latsukabe Ngone Dieye Faal, the Sarr of Garth Sarrene at Athou Ndagalma, Baol. On his maternal side he is a descendant of Ndiaga (Jarja) Malick Ndiaye of Kadior and on his paternal side descended of the renowned Almoravid scholar, Abu Wahab Wadda, who travelled from Waddan in Mauritania to Walo; spreading Islam where he latter settled and found a family and one of his sons Muhammad Mbagne Wadda, rose to prominence and became the 2nd Barak (king) of Walo. Mbagne had a niece called Faduma Mayiego Wadda who was spouse to Barkka MBou., maternal brother to the renowned Ndia Ndian Ndiaye. Further Jeggan’s mother Mam Mbachu Sarr, hailed from the prominent Sarren family of Ngarth Attu Ndagalma in Baol.
Daara & trademan
Mam Babou did his Quranic studies at Daara Cherno Adama (Bathurst) and completed the memorization of the holy Quran at the age of ten years. Which coincided with the reconstruction of the Independence Drive Mosque, his role together with those of his peers was to fetch stones for the ongoing construction.
Trademans & occupation
Shortly afterwards his paternal uncle Mam Yuhu Faal of Ndiarem, sent for him to come over at Ndiarem to learn and acquire essential skills in wooden box and chest box making. Upon arriving at Ndiarem his health started deteriorating as result of dust particles emanating from the wood Accoring to him that was the era when Ndiarem, witnessed a great cultural shift in the social stratification of occupations initiated by Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba which was beyond comprehension. Bamba elevated Mam Momodou Mbeugere, a cobbler by occupation and caste to that of a Islamic cleric, and gave him the hand of his daughter Sohna Fatou in marriage. In the same breadth Sheikh Ebrima Faal a noble and descended of the Damel ‘s of Kadior was relegated to the position of a Loabe and assigned to cut trees and fetched fire woods. Farmers, fishermen and other notables were not spared from Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba, changing of occupational roles to metallurgy or wooden box making. In hindsight many are of the opinion that Sheikh Ahmadu Bamba saw the rise of global industrialisation as the new world order.
Mam Babou returned back to Bathurst and after regaining his health, a gold & silver smith jeweler who befriended the family advised his grandmother to allow him to pursue the art of jewelry making, which was a lucrative business under the colonial era; the Europeans had an obsession for filigree jewelries. As fate would have it, his request was granted and he learned the craft with outmost commitment and dedication. He used to take pride of his unblemished tracked record of honesty, and genuine in discharging his obligations. Furthermore his products were up to standard in value, weight and worth.
Social obligations & medal award
Mam Babou was a firm believer in pre-colonial community based mechanism of collective solidarity of human needs, which made it possible for the marginalised in society, such as the physically challenged, the sick, the needy including and those quarantined for health reasons to benefit from the labor inputs of other. To this end he used to share the warmth of his home with strangers, elderly talubehs, (from Guinea) the sick, needy and those languishing in jail; to the extent of providing surety for their release. In the same vein he would assist high school student in dire need of financial aid, by referring them s to his son Mr. Mustapha B Wadda for his kind support.
These humanitarian acts was brought to the attention of former President Jawara, who invited him to State House and thanked his personally, Subsequently he was conferred with a national medal of honour around the late 1970s together with Mam Baboucar Faye of 75 Dobson Street, renowned Court Interpreter among others .
Community service
Mam Babou was an important and respected figure of the Banjul community, and dedicated himself in serving his community at various level. He initiated the process of acquiring a mosque for the James Senegal Community and the Co Founders of the said mosque as stated in the Lease Document vide S/R N9 C25/(1963 are: Alh Babouca Wadda, Alh Momodou Fye and Alh Njagga Jah. Added to which he was the one paying the yearly rates, water consumption and electricity of the said Mosque throughout his life, He also contributed substantially in 1987 during the construction of the mosque second floor for Quranic school or Daara.
Accomplishemnt & legacy
Another great accomplishment of Alh Baboucar Wadda is the decision to appoint Cherno Kah (as he then was) Imam of the James Senegal Mosque. Which came into effect when he wrote a letter to Serigne Alieu Kah informing him about this intention to appoint his son Cherno Kah, as Imam of The James Senegal Mosque, the request was granted and it became the building block that paving the way for the learned and erudite Imam to be elected in his present position as Imam Ratib of Banjul.
Alh Baboucar Wadda unwavering honesty and resilient transcended to his son Mr. Mustapha B Wada who in a nutshell held various high ranking positions as: First secretary Gambia High Commission in London (UK) (1965),Commissioner McCarthy Island Division, Permanent secretary Public Works department, permanent Secretary Office of The President. Establishment Secretary P M O, Gambia High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Ag Secretary General (during the time of Dr Jabez Ayo Langley), First permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence´”He is said to have built the Gambia National Army” Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service, Speaker of The National Assembly, He successfully retirement from service after serving one term.
