Oops,
Story will read well if -
famous ifang bondi becomes  famous Super Eagles (para 1 sentence 4)
absence of instructure becomes absence of infrastructure (para 3 sentence 1)


Malanding Jaiteh wrote:

> Brother Oko,
> Once again thanks for that piece of history. My first encounter with 
> the Pap Touray/Super Eagles/Ifan bondi was at the village some three 
> decades ago. I remember peeping through the kriting fence of a "ball 
> pouserr" (too young to be allowed in)  with one accomplished fellow 
> demanding that Super Eagles record be played. Did not learn the lyrics 
> but went something like..."Baila Touray, Super Eagles......". A few 
> year later around 1975, I remember a big brother of mine preparing for 
> the return of Ifang bondi. Of course I did not know who they were but, 
> someone said they used to be famous Ifang bondi. Although I was too 
> poor and too young to attend their evening dances,  I managed to crash 
> a few of their shows at Odeon Cinema. While Dei Maga may have been 
> their most remarkable creation my favorite of their songs is "Yai 
> Set". Not only for the beat but the lyrics. For me "Nit ku neka lulla 
> neh Nga mel...."  is perhaps the best interpretation of the the 
> meaning of democracy. I still find myself using that line.
>
> I later had opportunity to know Pap Touray in person about 1979/80. 
> One of my friends was his next door neighbor at his Hope Street 
> residence. Although my friend and I were young, we did had great 
> access to Pap and he seemed to quite enjoy our company. I found him 
> very open, friendly, selfless individual who spent all what he earned 
> on others. He constantly "Pejjeh" us attaya. His favorite lines of 
> advice- focus on our study;  and  keep away from girls and drugs.
>
> As for the "Big let down". Perhaps it was deliberate, but I see the 
> problem as more than just lack of government support. Development of 
> Arts and Music like any aspect of Gambian life suffered from lack of 
> critical mass (small and generally uneducated population) and absence 
> of instructure (institutions with adequate resources including human) 
> to noture and direct talent. Compared to our big sister Senegal,  
> University of Dakar (though not a creation of the Government of 
> Senegal) role in pushing Senegalese art and Music cannot be ignored. 
> Also relatively large urban Senegalese population over 1 million in 
> the 1970s (compared to less than 100,000 in the Gambia)  provided the 
> customer base needed to artists to stay home and not go abroad (as in 
> case of Gambians). You would recall that in the '70s the Gambia could 
> only offer no more than 2 good shows per year to  stars like Youssou 
> Ndour. Even now with an urban population of no more than 700,000 and 
> only one city (over three quarters of of whom are not earning a pay 
> check), it is hard to imagine how many big bands can co-exist in the 
> Gambia.
>
> I believe our success would depend on how well we develop our only 
> resource (human) and facilitate for them to go out there (the world) 
> and make a living and be proud to return home with their hard-earn 
> money to invest in the country without the fear that someone will mess 
> up with them.
>
> Malanding
>
>

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