By Kumba Conateh
Uncle Pa Cham as we fondly call him, was a household name in The Gambia and beyond. He left public service as the Gambia Ports Authority Managing Director, Mr OB Cham was an honourable and fine man. He loved family, neighbours and friends and his country. He was a dedicated Muslim leader at the Pipeline Mosque in his middle and old age and up to his death on Saturday night in the United States. He was an excellent and kind human being and very sociable character, and community leader, who had time for every one of his family and friends and their children. He helped many people in need, something their group of friends were known for, philanthropic and humbled, inspite of all the roles they played in the Gambian society from their childhood, a role we the children left behind all endeavor to emulate as we age. They were one of a kind and supported each other, and I doubt any of their children can do same. They left a good legacy of kindness to humanity.
To me, K, as they called me, he was not only my dad, Alagie OB Conateh’s friend and younger brother but his lifetime confident and bussom buddy, they shared the love of Cricket, among other sports, a game which they both played well while in school and at the national team level, for the Gambia representing the country all over Africa during colonial days and after independence as cricket stars the world over especially in the subregion. They would always share with me their childhood memories of the Cricket days, and Uncle Pa had a stack of historic photos, of them and their teammates playing the game that they loved so much and cherished throughout their lives. Whether in his Cape point home or ours you can always catch ‘the boys’ as I used to call them as my dads were my friends too, especially Uncle Pa, who would travel the world to see his children and his friend’s children at our respective schools and Universities, and will always show up with pocket money in those days. Uncle Pa and I share a special friendship as I did with all my dad’s boys. He took me as his own, I was frequent in his office at Wellington Street in my childhood days, and he would often visit me in my home here in the US during his trips from North Carolina with Badara, when they were visiting family in the Washington area, and Uncle Pa was the one who announced the death of my own dad to me crying more than I did, thus showing the bond the three of us shared. Today, and the days to come I will be numb again for his demise is a great loss to our extended family as he was there for us since we lost our dad four years ago. I therefore seize this opportunity to extend my condolences to his children Badara Cham, Fisco Cham, Yassin Cham, Ya Marie Cham, Ismaila, Amie Cham and Tapha Cham and all his relatives.
May Allah have mercy on him and grant him the highest place in Jannah for he was a good husband, parent and servant of the country and the Islamic Ummah. As he joins Aunty Tida who died on the same date a few years ago and all his brothers and friends, let’s all pray that Allah welcomes him and all of them in his highest Alajanatul Fidaus where they will reunite and rejoice til we meet them again.
