Quite often than not, you will find Gambians not valuing Gambians and Gambian stuff. This realisation is not farfetched. Just walk on the streets and ask random people who their favorite artist or footballer is, ninety-nine percent, if not hundred, will name you non-Gambians.
Unquestionably, this is not limited to only the entertainment industry. Ask this same question about any other field of your interest, be it religion, academics or history, they will name you non-Gambians. This does not only reveal our low sense of self-esteem, but our low level of admiration and love for ourselves. This has severe consequences on our chance of success in these various fields.
Where a people do not take pride in their selves, the chance of growing and selling such expertise is as scarce as finding a single strand of black hair on my grandmother’s head.
It is with a deep-rooted sadness, guilt, and a touch of anger, I write this article. I grew up in The Gambia, the country that has pioneered in various fields and has so much treasure to be treasured and marveled by, I grew up admiring and looking up to others. A disclaimer though; this is not a Xenophobic stance I’m taking, but a wake up call for Gambians to value what we have.
Take for instance, how much of value has Gambia given to Edward Francis Small? A man who pioneered nationalist movements in the British colonies, the man who fought for representation of the colonised at the decision making chambers(No taxation without proper representation), the man who pioneered the formation of trade unions for the colonised people to speak one voice of interest, the man who started an independent ‘check’ on the British Imperial government (The Senegambia Outlook) where he criticised, questioned, and countered the decisions and deeds of the colonial government, the man who dedicated his entire life to the service of the colonized, so much that he did not marry- What has The Gambia done to celebrate and appreciate such a man? Thanks to Baaba Sillah and Nana Grey Johnson who endeavored within their limits to give color to the life of such an important historical figure. Apart from these, what else? He only got a quarter of a page in the MoBSE Grade 6 SES book. That is more than an insult to the man who pioneered nationalist and patriotic movements in Gambia and West Africa.
Lest I forget, Former President, Yahya Jammeh recognized him and appreciated his efforts by renaming the Central Hospital in Banjul after him. Apart from these individual recognitions, Edward Francis Small enjoys no honorable mentions from The Gambian population.
Another such case is Phillis Whithly, the first black woman to make a publication. She was a Gambian and yet, she is not remembered or celebrated on any great scale in The Gambia.
Cases like this are replead in The Gambia. If not for our low self-esteem, how could names like Suwaibou Conateh die in the literary scenes of The Gambia? How would someone name himself Gambia’s Pen when he is not Philis Whithly, Lenrie Peters, Tijan Sallah, or Ramatoulie Kinteh, etc?
It is imperative, because it is time, that Gambians give value to their own. In order to succeed, we must value and celebrate our legends and furthermore, value and celebrate our current giants.
One such giant in the literary arena is Mr Abdoulie Senghore, an erudite literary scholar and teacher emeritus. A man with unflinching and unswaying demand for academic excellence… with unwavering stance on his principles. Senghore has set his name in stone as one of the most creative authors in The Gambia and Africa at large. He has proven himself to be a master storyteller through his novel; “Fate of a Concubine” and a creative poetic mastermind through his masterpiece, “The Tyranny of Bukki Mbaat” which drives its title from the exploits of the main character of the book, Bukki Mbaat who by somewhat dramatic irony becomes the replica of the very tyrannic despot he fought to remove from power. Within the lines of this book lie endless relatable lessons and revelation that one can’t help but be marvelled by.
After reading this masterpiece, the book did not just become my favorite, but Senghore too became my favorite and most treasured author on the planet. Yet, it is sad that most Gambians do not know him or his works. It is sad that he is not honorably mentioned and celebrated. It is sad that his name is on the trajectory of those that came before him. And this responsibility of correcting the past errors is on our shoulders.
We must revere and remember fallen legends but most importantly, celebrate and appreciate the living legends among us. We must speak of their works, so much that they top continental and global literary charts. If we fail to do this for Mr Abdoulie Senghore and the score of literary giants from The Gambia, more unpatriotic than us, there would never be any.
