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ECOWAS FIRST APPROACH TO THE NIGER CRISIS IS IN ITSELF A FAILURE

By Sulayman Lecturer Darboe 


ECOWAS FIRST APPROACH TO THE NIGER CRISIS IS IN ITSELF A FAILURE

Foremost, I want to express explicitly that I am not in any way justifying the Military Coup in Niger just like I heavily frowned at Alpha Conde's constitutional coup in Conakry. However, one expects that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as a regional entity under the leadership of Nigeria's unsettled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would use  better and productive approaches premised on  conclusive analysis of the Niger crisis in order to establish a decision that is of its interest, the sub-region, and Niger in particular. But sadly, just few days after the pronouncement of the Military Coup, the seemingly toothless dragon—ECOWAS, met in Lagos and swiftly settled with launching a military intervention on Niger should the Junta insist to respond to their demand of reinstating the outed President Mohamed Bazoum. What actually was ECOWAS thinking that it swiftly arrived at a such decision without deeply analyzing the Crisis to understand what happened and what is at stake?

Strongly, I firmly believe this was where ECOWAS got it all wrong because a region with rich history of Military Coups in the past with little or no efforts of forcefully reinstating past outed presidents by ECOWAS can only have such a detested trajectory changed through domestic and local strategies such as respect for term limits, introducing policies and programs that do not feed outside at the expense of the impoverished people especially around resources, dialogues and mediations etc, but not through the use force. Furthermore, It is equally important to clearly express that force is not the solution to ending Military Coups in Africa and ECOWAS in its genuine bid to reinstate  President Basoum do not have any guarantee that with force, he will be reinstated. Instead, ECOWAS intervention will destabilize the sub-region and may even lead to the death of Basoum in the hands of  the  Military. 

It may sound irrelevant, but all indications are fast-appearing that ECOWAS is leading Africa to a proxy war between the West-backed ECOWAS  and Russia-backed Junta  forces in brutal classes over the reinstatement of President Basoum and the  restoration of their defined so-called democratic civilian rule under which mass exploitation and puppet governance has arguably characterized Niger as firmly believed by the Niger's Military Junta.

It is important for ECOWAS to revisit its decision of Military Intervention in Niger because there's absolutely no form of aggression or need for such. What should even make ECOWAS take another route to this crisis is the fact that with deep analysis, one will understand that there will be no winner in the end and Africa will be faced with more political, social and economic challenges and severe insecurities plus rise in militia and terrorist groups.

Therefore, ECOWAS must see the Military Coup in Niger as an internal problem and all that should be done is to help push for strategies that will force the Junta to peaceful transition to civilian rule as soon as possible. That ought to be the interest of ECOWAS, the subregion and Niger and not any so-called Military Intervention capable of killing the outed himself and civilians.

A JOINT REFLECTION ON THE SOCIO-HISTORIC STUDY TOUR AND RESEARCH TRIP TO BISSAU

 A JOINT REFLECTION ON THE SOCIO-HISTORIC STUDY TOUR AND RESEARCH TRIP TO BISSAU

BY FABACK GIBBA AND LAMIN MARENA

On July 23rd, 2023, under the tutelage of DR. Ensa Touray, we departed for Guinea Bissau formerly known as Portuguese Guinea in our quest to obtain and learn from a plethora of valuable socio-historical facts and people within the particular West African Country, but solely within the capital (Bissau).

Pictorials of our departure

The endeavor which is, of course, a customary and consistent summer activity under the guardianship of Dr. Touray of the University of The Gambia History Department often introduces University of The Gambia students to various social and historical realities of different countries (Guinea Bissau, Mauritania and Senegal) through similar visits.

After going through southern Senegal, we peacefully and happily arrived at our base in Bissau on the very night of July 23rd, welcomed by one of our tour guides and sole host, Samba Antonio Mendes. For many, this was their first step in Guinea Bissau.

The following day, July 24th was purposely utilized for all the entourages to rest and settle down after a tedious but joyful journey. This was a day many of us had seen Bissau during the day, and it was also the moment we started registering the multiple socio-cultural similarities and differences between the two African countries (The Gambia and Guinea Bissau).

The truism in the Mandinka mantra “Africa beh killing” (African countries are the same) overtly manifested as we vividly observe the movement, interactions and behaviours of various people in the host community. If not the language barrier, it would have been tough to spot out the differences. This commensurate with the fact that our differences (greater Senegambia region) are man-made through the crafting of national boundaries and colonialism.

Contrary to the widely held perception of many Gambians, we found out that Bissau’s infrastructure and drainage system are arguably developed than that of Banjul albeit the development challenges both cities faced. Roots of colonialism are highly characterized through the existence of various historical or colonial buildings. We also observed that the people of Bissau cherished and give attention to Guinea Bissau based artists cum musicians and their songs compare to The Gambia which is a hub for many foreign songs. Notwithstanding, songs produced by Gambia’s Jaliba Kuyateh is one of the rare foreign songs that gained prominence in Bissau. The West African capital (Bissau) is also bustling perhaps due to the existence of many bars and other business activities.

On July 25th, we visited Fortaleza D’amura (Fortress of Amura) in Bissau. The fort which was built in 1753 by the Portuguese forces as part of their military strategies is the host of Bissau’s military museum and various Mausoleums and tombs of legendary figures (Amilcar Cabral, Nino Viera, Kumba Yala, Malam Bacai Sanyang and Titina Sila). Notwithstanding, it is noteworthy that the forts were built before the erection of the present which itself has undergone series of renovations.

Standing at the gate of Amura Fort waiting for an escort

Fortunately, we were led by senior military personnel who patiently and graciously took us through the history of the fort and the historical items present on or in it.

Erected with a decorative glass structure with white walls is the Mausoleum of Amilcar Cabral, a Pan-Africanist, agronomist, theoretician, poet, revolutionary and the undisputed architect and sole leader of PAIGC whose achievements and contribution to the struggle of independence in Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde gained an unmatched recognition.

The influential personality and the coiner of “tell no lies, claim no easy victories” did not live to witness the political independence of his home country; the land he selflessly strived hard for with sheer determination.

Like Sylvanus Olympio, Juvenal Habyarimana, Anwar Sadat, Cyprien Ntaryamira, Samuel Doe, Marien Ngouabi, Muammar Gaddafi, Patrice Lumumba and Thomas Sankara, he was assassinated on January 20th 1973 (eight months before Guinea Bissau’s independence) by some disgruntled militants of his own party. The guilty Inocencio Kani, the sole assassin of Cabral is heretofore believed to have been working with Portuguese agents.

Beside the large and decorated mausoleum housing, the remains of the widely celebrated Amilcar Cabral, is a plethora of brass plaques portraying the graves of his fellow compatriots.

Senior military officer narrating histories of various former leaders of Guinea Bissau


Inside the mausoleum of Amilcar Cabral

Built next to Cabral’s mausoleum is the triangular-shape mausoleum of Joao Bernardo Nino Vieira, the former president of Guinea Bissau who ruled the country from 1980 to 1999 except on the 14th May, 1984 to 16th May, 1984. He also served as the President of the country from 1st October, 2005 to 2nd March, 2009 after his return from exile.

Faback Gibba standing at the door of Nino Vieira's mausoleum

The one time military ruler was assassinated in the early hours of 2nd March, 2009 by armed men who were believed to be members of the country’s arm forces, setting a record as the first Guinean President to be assassinated while serving.

Lies rightly next to the mausoleum of Nino Vieira is the tomb of another former president in the person of Kumba Yala who served as a President, starting from 2000 until his disposition in 2003 in a bloodless predawn military coup led by General Verissimo Correia Seabra.


Faback Gibba and Alieu K Darboe standing beside the tomb of Kumba Yala

From the Mausoleums and tombs, we visited the military museum situated in the same fort; embedded and well-kept in various rooms and outside the rooms are pictorials of various events, people, and concrete weapons and other items that were used during the revolution for independence. However, the fort also hosts some recent military weapons as it currently serves as a military base for the army.


Amilcar Cabral's car

It was an hour-long educative and interactive session we had at the fort albeit the existence of language barrier by dint of the efforts employed by our hosts and our sole interpreter.

Progressively, July 26th, 2023, we visited the headquarters of the mighty Partido Africano da Independencia da GuinĂ© e Cabo Verde (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde) abbreviated as PAIGC. Amazingly, the busy political building is closely built around the Presidential palace. The visitation is necessitated by the fact that  the party and its founder's  efforts are historically significant and well tied on the objectives and aspirations of the party since its formation by the iconic Amilcar Cabral in 1956.


Some militants of the party including some of the top brass wholeheartedly welcomed us at the entrance of the headquarters. There was a moment of introduction and some few narrations by some top brass of the party.

Upon our entrance, we toured parts of the political building and interacted and share with the hosts. We were honoured to be introduced to the attendees of the ongoing meeting or conference-like convergence at the time as visitors from the University of The Gambia. Additionally, we were given a platform to address the convergence which was brilliantly done by Alieu K Darboe on behalf of the entire group. Apolitically speaking to the gathering, he urged the party militants and the people of Guinea Bissau and Africa in general to promote unity, pay less attention to the political and tribal differences, and work closely together to achieve the collective objectives of all Africans. He also sent a congratulatory message to the party and their various victorious candidates of the recently concluded parliamentary election and wished them well for their ensuing endeavours.

We later on proceeded to having a seminar with some of the key inspirational figures of PAIGC in our quest to gain more insight or understanding of issues with historical leaning. Notably among them was the living legendary figure, General Foday Gassama who is honoured and recognized for his consistent patriotism, honesty and dedication to the curse of Guinea’s liberation struggle and their development in toto. A former military general who witnessed the revolution is also believed to partake in series of peacekeeping missions solely within Africa. After an hour long seminar, other forms of interaction and photo session followed.


General Foday Gassama and Faback Gibba

In front of both the Presidential palace and the PAIGC headquarters is the Portuguese made monument standing at the centre of a famous roundabout. The black star on top of the famous monument symbolizes the victory of Guinea Bissau over their erstwhile colonial masters.

 



Amusingly in the following two days, we had series of activities including football matches, internal seminar and random visits within the city.

The football match which was played at the nearby mini stadium was a match between two teams that were carved from the entourage. Named as Rain United F.C. and Anti-Rain United F.C. respectively based on a special and jovial reason, the two sides had an entertaining moment. However, the scoresheet frowned at Anti-Rain as they suffered from a 6:2 humiliation from Rain.

The night seminar which was moderated by Faback Gibba gave platforms to five brilliant individuals whose discussions were centred on very interesting topics. One after the other, Muhammed S. Bah spoke on the importance of discipline in the education system; Lamin Tamba made a deliberation on the topic “what kills intellectualism in Africa”; Omar S.H. Drammeh spoke on “culture as a form of identity.”; Wula Jatta also highlighted “the role of science and technology”; and Lamin Marena finally gave an account of “why nations fails.”

On the early hours (00:30) of July 29th, we left Bissau for the Gambia through Cassamance. Reaching at the Guinea Bissau and Senegal border at approximately 6:00 a.m, we got the chance to pray Fajr prayer at a mosque around the border before having the greenlight to continue with our journey. At 10:45 a.m. we reached Baila village in Cassamance where we met a stiffed roadblock. We learnt that the masterminds of the roadblock places logs on the road solely as a protest against the perceived maltreatment of Senegal’s opposition leader, Ousman Sonko of Pastef. After helplessly and desperately spending several hours around the “untouchable” logs waiting for either the custodians of the logs or the Senegalese arm forces to discard the logs for our passage, we luckily gained the support of the arm forces that removed the logs and escorted us away from the zone. After a few minute drive, we dismayingly discovered another roadblock. Perturbed to the core as a result of missing the trio meals of the day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and spending unnecessary time on the way, we also felt that we would remain helpless and stagnant on the lonely highway as no signs of aid were waving at us. There was an absence of a party to negotiate the possibility of our passage with. The situation further instilled in us fear, desperation, anger, hunger and thirst which gave birth to a risky alternative to the mayhem we were facing.

With a revolution-like mind-set, the ladies among us were urged to stay in the buses while the men forcefully remove the logs from the highway albeit the rain showers at the time.

We bravely removed the logs till we met the last and the biggest heap. Furiously and violently standing there with their jujus, cutlasses, knifes, petrol and match box were the custodians of the very sacred logs we forcefully removed. To their surprise and in our quest to avert the worst which was potentially going to happen at that dangerous juncture, it was unanimously agreed for Dr. Touray, under whose tutelage we were under, to negotiate and explain to the armed men what our overall objectives were.

Dr. Touray posited to them the rationale behind the removal of the “untouchable” logs and put to them the multifaceted relationship between the people of Senegal and the Gambia. This position and the ensuing ones by the senior History lecturer, initially remained futile as the men were hell-bent on punishing us for our rare action they perceived as trespass and disrespectful towards their pursuit.

To my surprise and perhaps for many as well, I saw a lone woman in the midst of those armed men holding a bucket of petrol and showing a gigantic determination to light up fire. Facilitated by the shock of seeing an African woman with zero mercy, I made a rhetorical position by asserting “is this woman married?” The act of hers is not typical to a common African woman.

After series of extensive negotiations, we were allowed to leave with our buses minutes after allowing all other vehicles in the queue (front and back) to leave. This was at 8:30 p.m. exactly. At that unstoppable and hungry state, we thankfully proceeded with our hectic journey home.


Despite some challenges, it was an educative, interactive and joyful experience from the start to the end of the journey. We wish that students of the University of The Gambia are given such opportunities to explore and be introduced to valuable facts and experiences.

THE UNFATHOMABLE WOE

 


THE UNFATHOMABLE WOE

In Africa, a President who probably has no land prior to their presidency will personally own over 280 lands and uncountable large assets and services during their presidency and still have the audacity to preach about equal distribution of state resources and changing the lives and livelihoods of the poor people. Sadly, their successors(s) who seems to be worst will seize those assets and sell them under the pretension that it's for the state interest while they induce transparency to sleep in broad daylight.

Some of us who do not care about the actions and inactions of our leaders will opt for blaming slavery and colonialism by the colonial masters. However, little did we realize that the core of slavery and colonialism and the actions of most of our leaders are 'exploitation'. Both exploit us for their own interest.

How can a leader of poor people gather such an indefinite amount of assets and wealth that they cannot even remember the location of some? Yes, assumedly they can't, because they are numerous!

Some of us unfathomably hail them as great men. How on earth can a professional thief be celebrated? No wonder corruption is a major sport played here by our own socalled servants!

Our problem in the 21st century is primarily and gravely due to poor leadership, not colonialism and slavery, and collectively we, are the great accomplishers.

THEMES IN FATOUMATTA BAYO’S SORROWS OF A STEPMOTHER



THEMES IN FATOUMATTA BAYO’S SORROWS OF A STEPMOTHER

Theme refers to the main or central idea that are embedded in a literary work. There are more than one theme in most of the literary works depending on the author’s choice. Importantly, themes are more overt than others. In other words, some themes are clearly portrayed with much evidence in the text to support their existence.

However, themes realized or spotted from literary works are usually done by the readers or viewers who in their rationalization feel a particular idea is central.

In Sorrows of a Stepmother, there are series of themes that are very overt. These includes but not limited to theme of early marriage, love, molestation, regret, and forgiveness.

 

THEME OF EARLY MARRIAGE

The focus of Sorrows of a Stepmother is on Vivian and her first marriage. Vivian at 17 years has been morally induced by her mother to marry Buuba who is married to two and blessed with four children. This marriage due to Vivian’s age has attracted a lot of discomfort on Vivian and extensionally and reflectively on the Drammeh family. Ironically, Vivian who already achieved wifehood surrenders to her co-wives as if she is their daughter. This is due to the age gap between Vivian and her co-wives.

Vivian’s friend, Lili also married at a young age (19 years) to Ibrahima. Unlike Vivian, Lili married to Ibrahima out of his own volition. She believes it is the right thing to do thereby encouraging Vivian to follow the same trend (marrying at a younger age). The marriage experience of Lili is parrel to that of Vivian. The former is lucky to live harmoniously among her new family while the latter seemingly met the worst in her marriage.

THEME OF LOVE

Love in Bayo’s Sorrows of a Stepmother is outstanding and multifold. The three forms of love that stands out are affectionate love, familial love, and romantic love.

As a loyalty driven love, affectionate love is plainly portrayed in various relationships in the play. There exists a firm affection between Vivian and Lili. This led to Lili owning a new house from Vivian and her husband. The duo has been friends before and during their marriages albeit their marriage hindering their friendship to some extent. Affectionate love exists between Usaay and Umi (wives of Buuba). But this is induced by their common hatred against Vivian. The presence of Vivian serves as a catalyst for their unity, a unity they utilize to constantly turn the world to a hell for Vivian.

Romantic love is visible in all the marriages highlighted in the play. But it is more visible in the marriage between Vivian and Os. From the time of Os' proposal to Vivian to the end of the play is highly characterized by romance. There is an open romantic statement in every conversation between Vivian and Os. In fact, the last words from Vivian and Os at the tail part of the text is “I love you”. There is also a bit of romantic love between old Buuba and the young Vivian before the tragic end of their marriage. This is evident in the aftermath of their fight caused by Usaay and Umi.

Familial love is also central in the text. This can be seen in all the families in the play but promoted by different reasons. The familial love among Buuba Drammeh’s family was vividly promoted by their shared hatred against the innocent Vivian. Ibrahima Ceesay’s family too initially had the same set-up, but later convinced by the “chat” (youngest in the family), the bold and adamant Fatima to tolerate the presence of Lili in the family. Unlike Buuba’s family, this effort by Fatima triggered more peace in Ibrahima’s family.

 

THEME OF MOLESTATION

Molested in the play is only Vivian, and the molesters are all the family members of Buuba Drammeh including Buba himself. However, it is relevant to highlight that Buba’s single molestation against Vivian materialized because he was tricked by Usaay and Umi with the pretence that Vivian is outside home for her stubbornness.

The rest of the molestation that Vivian endured was met on her by the sextet (Usaay and Umi and their respective children). She endured so many forms of molestation except that of sexual. It can be insinuated that the title of the text “Sorrows of a Stepmother” is carved from this theme. This is because Vivian as a stepmother had a sorrowful matrimonial experience in his first marriage (with Buuba). In fact, the whole play revolves around this theme. Without the molestation Vivian will not meet Os and the Buuba’s family may not also experience the curse.

 

THEME OF REGRET

Regrets are the offspring of some valuable lessons. Many lessons were learned by various characters in the play, causing regret for some of them. Most of the regrets come from the mistreatment of Vivian especially by the cursed family of Buuba.

Buuba as the first to regret his action against Vivian was timely. This is so because he was lucky enough to realize the truth, apologized to Vivian and then avoided further maltreatment of her.

Adama, Vivian’s mother and Lili, her friend all regret for encouraging Vivian to a marriage where he endured abundance of suffering. They proposed the best for Vivian, but Vivian unluckily met the worst. Their actual dream was for Vivian to be happily married and make her mother and the community proud, but that hope was assassinated by Usaay and Umi with the help of their children.

The worst regret is the regret of the naughty sextet (Usaay, Umi and their children). Out of their volition they inflicted a lot of suffering on Vivian before and after the death of their husband. They reached to the extreme of sending Vivian away from the home in a gruesome manner. Their regret is not merely due to a reflection on their actions, but a perceived curse due to their actions. While Usaay and Umi had their regret at the last seconds before their death, their children suffered for so long before completely understanding their curse and subsequently to their seeking of forgiveness from Vivian.

 

THEME OF FORGIVENESS

I brought this theme last because it is always the last thing to do in any reconciliation process: accepting mistakes, apologizing to the victims and forgiveness. It also happens always at the tail end of plays or other literary works like it happened in the Sorrows of a Stepmother.

Fatoumatta as a creative author, did not only unveil wickedness, but also reveal positivity. All actions that were regretted were forgiven by the endurer (Vivian). Vivian, a patient, committed, hardworking, romantic and a humble character do not hesitate to forgive all those who made mistake against her regardless of the extreme nature of their cruelties.

The main character, Vivian forgives her husband for being tricked to beat her. She also forgives her mother and her close friend for pushing her to marriage at a tender age to an old man resulting to her sufferings.

The children of Usaay and Umi also enjoyed the forgiveness of Vivian leading to the nullification of their curse. She even has the heart to allow them to eat in her house at that juncture of reconciliation.

Lili also forgives her co-wives who were initially hostile to her. This was possible due to Fatima’s efforts in ensuring that Lili is accepted in the family. Lili would have faced the same scenario as that of Vivian.

Vivian’s story had an influence on Binta who according to herself often fight her own stepmother. She promised not to fight her stepmother again because of the fear that she may be cursed like her friend who together with her siblings are believed to meet their worst because of maltreating Vivian.

 

NOTE: The themes discussed above are the perspective of myself as a reader. It does not in any way contains the direct assertion of the author.

 

TOLERANCE-CUM-PANACEAN


TOLERANCE-CUM-PANACEAN

Like so many contested terms, it is obvious and much safer to understand that tolerance has no universally accepted definition. Diversely contextualized, defined, described, illustrated, and subsequently understood by scholars and non-scholars alike, the concept and processes of tolerance is chronologically ternary: accepting, respecting, and appreciating differences. These differences may be political, religious, racial, tribal, sportal and so forth, and they can either be on a temporal or permanent basis as well as naturally or socially constructed. The core is the truism that differences exist between us (humans), even among twins.

One of the beauties of tolerance is its recipelike nature for peaceful co-existence. We cannot live in the same society or space without acknowledging our diverse differences that give births to opinions, perspectives, and behaviours. It is vital for one to display their difference, but it is more vital and safe to allow a display of other people’s differences _ this must induce one’s ego to retreat. This is justifiable by Kofi Annan’s position that “tolerance, inter-cultural dialogue and respect for diversity are more essential than ever in a world where peoples are becoming more and more closely interconnected”.

Tolerance is neither Eurocentric nor it is Afrocentric, and it not peculiar to any society. It is a universal panacean. It is also significant to understand that the idea of being tolerant is humanely rather than perceiving it to be carved by certain group of people who may deliberately contextualize the idea of tolerance purposely to justify and serve their own interests.

One of the interesting things about tolerance is the fact that all major groups including religious groups, racial groups, political groups, and sportal groups in the globe preach for it. Despite this reality, we still witness chaos, wars, and all forms of conflict. This oxymoronic reality poses a rhetorical question: “why?”. Bewilderingly, various groups consider their perceived opponents as intolerant, but none accept their own intolerance. If confession will be the determiner of intolerance, then there will be no intolerant person or group in existence.

Perceiving that those in academia are immune to intolerance is a grave misconception. Intolerant people are visible in all facets of life. As a mental disease, it does not discriminate. However, patience is an effective antidote against it. We have seen number of people in academia being intolerant to their colleagues, students, lecturers, or any of those they work with in any form. This is evident in how students sometimes treat the questions of their peers. They sometimes ridicule and insult others for asking question that they think is useless. This is because they assume that others should know and understand the same way that they do, forgetting that the brains they use are different. Here comes one of the features of an intolerant person. Their intolerance does not stop at their peers or those within the academic fraternity. It extensionally reaches to those that are outside academia who are even more different from them. This commensurate with Robert Chambers assertion that “What is perceived depends on the perceiver. Outsiders have their own interests, preferences and preconceptions, their own rationalizations, their own defences for excluding or explaining the discordant and the distressing.” He uses outsiders as an umbrella term to include but not limited to the academicians. Like my own argument, the core argument of his is a highlight of how some so-called educated people ignore the differences with the pretence of being smarter than others. This is why Hellen Keller is right in his position that “the highest result of education is tolerance.”

Ultimately, for the world to be a perfect hub for all, all ought to accept, respect, and appreciate the differences of all.

A MOMENT TO BE JUST

 


A MOMENT TO BE JUST

Do not allow your desire for position turn you to a denigrator and a deceiver. Denigration and deception are rarely permanent for lies are unsustainable, critical and burdensome on its host. We have seen temporal lies and propaganda that stood for decades or centuries but only to be mind-blowingly unveiled as fictitious.

Notwithstanding, a lie may be temporal but the consequences may be permanent. Therefore, let us be truthful to those whose mandate we seek, for there will be absolutely no development in the absence of truth and genuineness. Covert and unrefuted lies often put people to slumber thereby silently cutting the pace of their development.

Be truthful to your masters or potential masters (those whose mandate you continually seek). Do not mislead or divide them to gain an easy ride in ruling or “serving” them. Using “divide and rule” as an instrument in achieving an objective is gravely detrimental to the user due to its bouncebackable natural quality.

Essential to development is a competition that is primarily anchored on realistic ideas. Leaders and aspiring leaders especially in the political arena should be bold enough to compete based on their ideas, ideas that are development oriented. In competing, opting for dialogue and debate are key. Being a monologist deliberately is a sign of weakness cum devoid of ideas.

 

Faback Gibba (Jenggibba).

A REFLECTION ON THE SOCIO-HISTORIC RESEARCH TRIP TO SENEGAL (DAKAR, GORRE & CAYTOU)

 

A REFLECTION ON THE SOCIO-HISTORIC RESEARCH TRIP TO SENEGAL (DAKAR, GORRE & CAYTOU)

I was one of the University of The Gambia students who on the 07th of February 2023 under the tutelage of Dr Ensa Touray and Mr Baboucarr Mboob of the University of the Gambia left for Senegal in our quest to make a socio-historic fact finding with the theme CHEIKH ANTA DIOP: PAN AFRICANIST IN ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP.




On the first day, as planned, we had a night rest at Diourbel, the capital of Diourbel region situated in the east of Thies. Relevantly to the theme, Thieytou, also spelled as Thiaytou, Tiahitou or Caytou as the birthplace of Cheikh Anta Diop and a place well known to be the host of the mausoleum of Cheikh Anta is also located in Diourbel. The village is 154 kilometres away from Dakar, the capital city of Senegal.

On the following day afternoon, which was the 8th of February 2023, we visited Mausolee de Cheikh Anta Diop (the Mausoleum of Cheikh Anta Diop) in Thieytou which was inaugurated exactly 15 years ago at the time of our visit by the then Senegal Minister of Culture, Par Monsieur Mame Birame Diouf. We were hosted there by a relative of Cheikh Anta Diop in the person of Modou Mballow and he chronologically narrated to us what he knows about Cheikh Anta Diop.

 



According to Mr Mballow, Cheikh Anta was born in 1923 and died in 1986 as captured on many documents. He also posited that Cheikh Anta completed the Quran at an early age before attending the conventional French school, and that he was from a religious family background. He further went on to narrate the relationship between Cheikh Anta’s grandfather and the famous Serign Touba, and the unexpected meeting of Cheikh Anta and Serign Touba.

Contrary to what we were later told by Professor Dem of UCAD history department during a seminar at Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD), Cheikh Anta was buried in Thieytou because his children asserted that while they were going through the files of their father, they saw Cheikh Anta’s diary on which he chose Thieytou to be his burial place.






Mr Mballow further narrated to us the relationship between Cheihk Anta and former President Leopold Sedar Senghor of Senegal and France as the most influential country over Senegal. From him we learnt that despite all the brilliant works and achievements of Cheikh Anta he was deliberately marginalized and given no space to properly utilize his sharp inventory ideas in Senegal due to Senghor and France’s selfish interest. According to him, Cheikh Anta was also not given the permission to lecture at the university of Dakar in Senegal, a university which was later named after Cheikh Anta Diop himself in 1987 (months after his death). However, Cheikh Anta was later given a small store in University of Dakar (now Cheikh Anta Diop University) which he turned to a laboratory.

During his work at Cheikh Anta Diop University (University of Dakar by then), Cheikh Anta still suffered from heavy marginalization as potential aids, partners and friends all chose to distance themselves from him for the fear of either losing their jobs or to be put in the red book of the government of Senegal and France. His wages too were cut off purposely to frustrate and reduce his pace, but he still worked on his dreams. It was an armless fight against Cheikh Anta Diop in his quest to see a better Senegal and a better Africa.

It was indeed a poignant moment hearing from Mr Mballow about how Cheikh Anta Diop was fought for reasons parallel to the interest of his own country. Senegal was never lucky to effectively benefit from the brilliant ideas of Cheikh Anta which was one of the greatest lost in the history of Senegal. This proves the truism that some parts of history are bitter. In fact, it is widely believed that the truth about Cheikh Anta and his works were well known after his demise.

According to Mr Mballow, the entire life of Cheikh Anta Diop was not about leaving luxury for his children, but to educate and share knowledge especially in anthropology. After answering the questions that were raised by some of us (students), Mballow concluded his narration by thanking us and encouraging us to read the books written by Cheikh Anta Diop for more information.

Considered as the greatest historian in the absence of racial biases, Cheikh Anta’s famous written books include: Civilization or Barbarism, Precolonial Black Africa, and The African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality. In these books, he challenges the authenticity of the Western version of black history and gave convincing evidences to substantiate his claims against the European versions of Ancient history. In his book entitled The African Origin of Civilization, he posits that “Ancient Egypt was a negro civilization. The history of black Africa will remain suspended in the air and cannot be written correctly until African historians dare to connect it with the history of Egypt. The African historian who evades the problem of Egypt is neither modest nor objective nor unruffled. He is ignorant, cowardly and neurotic. The ancient Egyptians were negroes. The moral fruit of their civilization is to be counted among the assets of the Black world.”

However, it is noteworthy that Cheikh Anta’s works were written in French and translated to English.

As we were set to depart from Mausoleum of Cheikh Anta, a lady (Haddijatou Gueye) and a man (Nikos Nyorr) were introduced to us as young Pan Africanists that have strong admiration for Cheikh Anta Diop. According to them, they travelled all the way from Dakar to Thieytou by foot to pay homage to Cheikh Anta Diop on his anniversary. The duo claimed that it took them six days to reach Thieytou by foot (from 1st February, 2023 to 6th February, 2023) covering a distance of 154 kilometres. We were perplexed to know that initially it was an individual who did paid homage to Cheikh Anta in the same fashion, but the number now rose to more than 50 people from different destinations according to Mr Mballow. The duo during their speech encouraged us to be united as Africans and promote oneness among ourselves while they frown at the poor integration within Africa.

 




After spending over an hour and a half at the Mausoleum of Cheikh Anta Diop, we then left for Dakar. Unfortunately, we arrived in Dakar late due to mechanical challenges along the way.

 

On the 9th of February 2023, we paid a visit to University of Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) where we specifically visited the library. As one of the biggest libraries in one of the biggest Universities in West Africa, it is also well equipped with both printed and digital equipment. Named after the historian, physicist, anthropologist, Egyptologist, politician and writer, Cheikh Anta Diop, the University of Cheikh Anta Diop is one of the most populated universities in Africa.

 







On the same day, which was the 9th of February 2023, we had a seminar with three Professors from the University of Cheikh Anta Diop history department in the persons of Professor Dem, Professor Secka and Professor Faal and Dr Ensa Touray of the University of the Gambia. The panellists presented on the biography of Cheikh Anta Diop, the context of his work and the Senegambia integration. The seminar which was attended by students from both the University of the Gambia and the University of Cheikh Anta Diop was conducted in English and Wolof. Questions and comments were made by the various students during the seminar.

 


On the 10th of February 2023, we visited Le Monument de la Renaissance Africaine (The African Renaissance Monument) which was designed by Senegalese architect Pierre Goudiaby and built by Mansudae Overseas Projects from North Korea. The two years long project (2008-2010) was inaugurated on the 3rd of April 2010 by President Abdoulaye Wade whose initiation it was. The statue is 52 metres tall made up of bronze on a hill known as Collins des Mamelles in the Quakam suburb of Dakar depicting a man, woman and a child emerging from a volcano. In defence of his initiation, Wade posited that the statue symbolizes the triumph of African liberation from centuries of ignorance, intolerance, and racism, and he believe it will rival the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower in Paris as a tourist attraction centre.

 



The monument led to a huge controversy emanated from the oppositions of Abdoulaye Wade at the time of his presidency. The oppositions frowned at the cost of the project, the style, and the direction of the generated revenue. Built at a tune of 27 million US dollars, was criticized by a one time deputy opposition leader, Ndeye Fatou Toure who betold the monument as an “economic monster and a financial scandal in the context of the current economic crisis”. The statue which is a semi-nude was also criticized by various people for its nudity. Opposition figures have also criticised Wade’s efforts in claiming intellectual property rights (35%).

 

On the 11th of February 2023, we visited Gorre Island, a place described as “a small Island with a big history” by Muhammed Mboge, a native and a tour guide at Gorre Island. The famous Island is 900 metres long, 300 metres large, 8000 kilometres away from the United States of America with a population of about 1500 people. The buildings at the Island were erected by the Portuguese, English Dutch and French at different periods using basalt. The Portuguese were the first to land in the Island in 1444.


Source: Africa Unite Zone (Facebook)









The source of water and electricity in Gorre is in Dakar according to the tour guide (Muhammed), highlighting that it came via pipes albeit the presence of a big generator on the Island. The Island also host the first Catholic Church in Senegal which was built in 1444.

 

The island is famous for being a former hub of slave trade for four hundred years. Slave-holding warehouses were built on the island for keeping slaves for the arrival of slave ships which comes in every three months. According to Mr Mboge, approximately 20 million left Gorre Island to the Americas as slaves, including men, women, and children and 6 million died along the way. As an unchallenged fact, the conditions of these innocent souls considered as slaves were always inhumane as they await a more inhumane journey to South America, the Caribbean and North America. Humans (slaves) were poorly chained and shackled by their fellow human beings and put in small rooms paying zero attention to their humanity. These slaves who were always naked except for their private parts were allowed to go outside the cells only once a day to attend to their limited needs. Some of the people (slaves) who tend to stand against the maltreatments on them are punished in “punishment cells” which are obviously characterized by discomfort and cruelty to weaken them.

 





The most poignant and notorious door in the island is “The Door of No Return”. Any child, man or woman who went through the door of no return never returns to their homeland. Small it may be the door represents one of the worst barbarisms in the history of mankind.

 




Another attractive thing worthy of catching the attention of tourists and researchers in Gorre Island is the big cannon which was owned by the French in their quest to have a full control of Gorre Island and Dakar. The cannon which was believed to have the strength to shut as far as 14 kilometres was once used by the French against an English ship.

 







We peacefully came back to the Gambia on the 12th of February 2023.

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