By Omar Bah
The Center for Research and Policy Development CRPD will today host Dr Saja Taal Inaugural Lecture-Democracy and Development focusing on how to build a New Gambia.
The lecture, which will be delivered by Dr Satang Nabaneh, an award-winning Gambian legal scholar and human rights practitioner, will seek to navigate the terrain of democratic consolidation while reengaging with the principles of republicanism. The inaugural lecture delves into how democratic values are recognised, restored, consolidated and preserved through constitutional change. It will also focus on what must a New Gambia do and what Gambians must avoid to prevent a relapse into “our dark years”.
“This keynote will unpack these questions and frame the way forward in shaping the destiny of republican democracy in The Gambia,” said Sait Matty Jaw co-founder and executive director of CRPD.
He said the Dr Saja Taal Annual Lecture honors the legacy of the late Distinguished Academic and Thought Leader, Dr Alieu Badara Saja Taal.
“The lecture provides a platform for intellectual discourse and reflection on democracy and development in The Gambia. As an initiative of the Center for Research and Policy Development, the lecture seeks to inspire individuals and communities to actively participate in the future of the Gambia through informed dialogue and civic engagement, ideals championed by Dr Taal during his lifetime,” he said.
Speakers
The lecture features prominent scholars, researchers, activists, and development practitioners working in areas that revolve around democracy and development in The Gambia. The speakers will share their knowledge and experience, in order to foster an informed and active citizenry.
Dr Alieu Badara Saja Taal was a renowned Gambian intellectual and senior lecturer in political science at the University of The Gambia (UTG). He was very instrumental in the establishment of the UTG, contributing to its strategic planning and curriculum development. He helped establish the UTG Students Service-Learning Association (UTGSSLA), a group of young intellectuals interested in enriching their academic lives by engaging in meaningful hand-on service to the community.
He was also a student and youth group favorite, and he was usually sought to deliver lectures on various topics of national development. The late Dr Taal mentored many students and youth activists in the Gambia, including the co-founders of CRPD. He passed on 2 April 2014.
