By Olimatou Coker
A Gambian migrant activist Musa Darbo has on Friday launched his first-ever book on his journey to Europe entitled “The first drop” at a launching held at GTHI in Kanifing.
It is co-written by Musa Darbo and Francisco Moglianesi an Italian author and cinematographer. The book talks about Musa’s migration journey to Europe. It catalogs his journey from the sandy district of Kiang manduar in the Gambia to the Sahara Desert from the horrors of Libya ledges to the flooded port of crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
In Italy, the experience of homicides journey into a story of integration, hospitality, and acceptance marked by a strong commitment to voluntary work and the social life of a town in the La Masia region.
This is a 157-page book that contains 21 chapters. The book also preaches contentment and worship.
Speaking, Famara Fofana, writer, and communication expert, who gave an overview of the book, describes it as one of the best stories he had ever read.
Dr. Ansumana Darboe, an academic researcher, an elder brother to Musa, said: “The book launch is not just a book publicity event, but an important academic tradition there is an academic mantra publish or perish, which represents the significance attached to publishing books of all forms, academic papers of all forms.”
He said in academia publication is assorted with several privileges in that when you publish, and the more you publish, the more privileges you get, and the more you advance in the field. “For lectures, it gives you tenure, it gives you grants. It also gives you accolades.”
He added that today’s event stands on those strong academic traditions, academic traditions, from ancient civilizations to modern times, public gatherings are held to celebrate new discoveries and breakthroughs in all facets of education.
Also speaking, Musukuta Komma Bah, the country director of Childfund International the Gambia, said the voice of the voiceless needs to be heard and the book gives a voice to the voiceless migrants.
“Millions of migrant men, women, and even children live their lives in shadows, unable to access services that we take for granted and focus is their right to hear their voices,” she said.
Musa Darbo, author, explained his relationship with his co-author Francesco, and how the idea of the book came about. “The story between me and Francisco, we get to know each other in February 2021. It has been a long journey.”
He said the book was originally written in Italian. “So by then, I’m concerned. I’ve tried to do all that I could to share my story, with the Italian community in Italian, even though I know Italian is not my mother language. But I have tried to write what was needed for me to be able to present my masterpiece to people publishing office, so when I get to know Francesco.”
While talking about the book, Francisco Moglianesi, co-author, said the idea of a translation of the book, has always been in their plans since the first step of the writing.
“We were aware that the English language would potentially open many doors. But the door we cared about the most was one of the houses in a small village logical man. So every word of our book was written with the aim of reaching that house to bring a mother and the father, which is mine, the coal Raj and yoke that shaped their son’s incredible journeys, and we did it. Together Musa and I transform a personal story into a universal narration,” he said.
The first drop is a novel that gives those who like the rainy season waits for art with the promise of life. Musa is now living in Sweden, where he intended to resume his studies to become a lawyer.
