Mr Ebrima Ceesay,
"EETAA MUROO-EETAA SUBOU" says the mandingko.
The idea you have put before us is a great one and could be a fruitful one too.I hope you would put Katim Touray`s great thoughts into consideration inorder to do justice to all qualified Gambians who would be willing to be a resource bank for references in their fields or profession.
Incase you insist on the usage of your 2 keywords"progressive and intellectual",then it would be good to define what that means to you,so as not to offend other Gambians who might feel qualified,but left out.
Personally l feel that "Progressive" is a honourable word that needs to be handle with care,inorder to secure its loss of meaning.To be highly certificated does not necessarily make one progressive, nor does one become progressive because of an international appointment.There should be a clear cut criteria with documented proof to justify one being called progressive and likewise intellectual,while a colleague with the same qualifications is left out.
Please consider Asbjorn Nordam`s suggestion of including Gambian artist and craftswomen and men.
I wish you all the best and you can count on my support.
Praises are due to our Ancestors!!
Landing Alkalo Sanyang.
-----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
Från: ebrima ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
Till: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Datum: den 7 juni 1999 17:58
Ämne: Directory of Progressive Gambian Intellectuals
>Gambia L,
>
>The purpose of this write up is essentially two-fold:
>
>Firstly, to inform you about my plans to produce/edit a directory containing
>the names, contact addresses, occupations, publications, of as many
>progressive Gambian scholars/intellectuals as possible.
>
>The aim is for the directory to serve as a reference book, where students,
>researchers, among others, can find the names and contact addresses of
>active Gambian scholars/intellectuals - their different expertise and
>research interests.
>
>Secondly, I would be most grateful, if some of you could send me names and
>contact addresses of progressive Gambian
>scholars/intellectuals/international civil servants you may know, anywhere
>in the world, at home and abroad.
>
>However, before expounding on the idea, let me give you a backgrounder, so
>that you can have a sense of what has given rise to the idea of publishing
>such a directory.
>
> BACKGROUND
>
>In June 1995, I was among a group of 13 "Young African Leaders", selected by
>the US State Department, to study conflict resolution in the USA, in order
>to help avert, or minimise, the many conflicts gripping the African
>Continent.
>
>As part of the programme, we had to meet with the then Secretary General of
>the United Nations, Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, at his office in the UN
>Headquarters in New York. And each member of the group was required to
>introduce herself or himself to the then UN Secretary General.
>
>Now, while other members of the group introduced themselves, the former
>Secretary General never uttered a single word, but once I introduced myself
>as a Gambian, the then Secretary General had to break his silence.
>
>He interjected me by saying, among other things: "Oh! there are a few, but
>very competent Gambian staff working for the UN system. In fact, some are
>even based at the Secretariat here. Also, one of the assistant Secretary
>Generals, Wali (Ndow) is from your country"...
>
>When the then secretary General acknowledged the competence of his Gambian
>Staff, I felt not only proud of myself in the midst of that group, but
>thought about the idea of producing a directory, listing the names, contact
>addresses, occupations, publications (if there are any) of as many
>progressive Gambian intellectuals/international civil servants as possible.
>
>Having been inspired by the remarks of the former Secretary General, I
>thought, for posterity sake, it was necessary to document, in the form of a
>directory, the names, contact addresses and works/materials/publications of
>those active Gambian intellectuals/scholars in the UN and outside the UN,
>who have been flying the flag of the Gambia high.
>
>Of course, during this period, I was already aware of the immense
>contributions scholars like Professor Sulayman Nyang, Professor Lamin
>Sanneh, Dr Tijan Sallah, Dr Abdoulaye Saine and others, have been making to
>the academic world.
>
>Furthermore, while in the US, I visited the Washington DC studios of the
>Voice Of America (VOA), and the first thing I was told by one of the
>Executive Producers who received me was what a good political analyst Dr
>Amadou Janneh was/is!
>
>During the transition period, the VOA African Service used to contact Dr
>Janneh for his perspective vis-a-vis political events in the Gambia.
>
>Therefore, against this background, I then saw the need to author a
>directory, to be titled "A Directory of Progressive Gambian Intellectuals",
>which will serve as a reference book, where students, researchers etc can
>find the names of our progressive intellectuals - their different expertise,
>publications and research interests.
>
>I became more determined to produce such a directory, when I visited the
>Ivory Coast in November 1995, at a time when the African Development Bank
>(ADB) was retrenching its staff.
>
>Knowing that there were Gambian staff at the Bank, I requested for an
>interview with the Bank's President, to find out whether Gambians were to be
>redundant.
>
>The President of the Bank was unable to grant me an interview, because he
>had a busy schedule, but a spokesman of the Bank, speaking in an official
>capacity, had told me: "Mr Ceesay, this retrenchment exercise is going to be
>a massive one, but only two Gambian staff, Ebou Taal and M.L Auber, will be
>affected, and this is due their age - they are over aged. For your
>information, our Gambian staff are among the most competent staff of the
>Bank"....
>
>Prior to all this, to be precise in 1991, Senegal successfully hosted the
>summit meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), at the
>imposing Hotel Meridien in Ngor, Dakar, and every participant at the summit
>was impressed with the efficient way and manner in which Senegal hosted this
>big meeting.
>
>But while the delegates were commending Senegal for the efficient way in
>which it hosted the summit, the Senegalese government itself was praising a
>Gambian staff of the OIC in Saudi Arabia, one Momodou Sosseh, for the
>instrumental role he played in making sure that every thing was in place, so
>that the hosting of the summit would be successful.
>
>I later discovered that Momodou Sosseh was assigned by the OIC, with the
>challenging task of the organisation and coordination of the Summit, and he,
>of course, carried out the task with diligently and efficiency.
>
>Should I forget the performance of Ebou Khan at the Summit. Of course, I
>wouldn't. He is my star!! For those of you who do not know him, Ebou Khan, a
>Gambian who once worked at the UN headquarters in New York and the OAU
>secretariat in Ethiopia, is one the world's most competent and most
>respected interpreters, when it comes to simultaneous interpretation from
>French into English, on any subject.
>
>Also, his friend and partner, Malick Sey, a Senegalese, is one of the best
>interpreters in the world, when it comes to simultaneous interpretation from
>English into French, again on any subject.
>
>In fact, throughout the world, when the need arises for simultaneous
>interpretation, from English into French or vice verse, of certain technical
>subjects, or specialized areas, say, aeronautics, you have to acquire the
>services of Ebou Khan and Malick Sey.
>
>Also, I could still recall the standing ovation Halifa Sallah received at a
>conference in Dakar, Senegal, in May 1996, for his "brilliant contributions"
>to the meeting, which was hosted by former Senegalese Government minister
>Gibou Ka and friends, and attended by renowned African scholars,
>politicians, lawyers, journalists, professors etc.
>
>Dr Ebrima Sall, I know you are a very humble person, but your contributions
>to the academic world are also well noted by people like me. If the
>Francophone world recognises you, then why shouldn't we do so? Dr Sall, also
>a Gambian, is the Programme Officer for Academic Freedom, at the Dakar-based
>Social science research Institute, CODESRIA. Sorry, if my comments offend
>you.
>
>Recently, at Ndey Jobarteh's wedding party, I met a Nigerian journalist, who
>thought Peter Da Costa, a well known Gambian journalist, was/is one of the
>best feature writers in world. Peter is now the Senior Communication adviser
>at the UNECA office in Addis Ababa.
>
>Just three day ago, I met an Australian Journalist, who is based at the UN
>headquarters, and he was telling me how impressed he was with Baboucarr
>Blaise Jagne's contributions to the UN security Council.
>
>Here I must say that while I have my reservations about Ambassador Baboucarr
>Blaise Jagne, I must acknowledge the fact that he is well read, and seen in
>many quarters, especially within the francophone circles, as a seasoned
>diplomat.
>
>Anyway, to cut a long story short, Dr Tijan Sallah, a Gambian Economist with
>the world Bank was in London last week, and we had a lenghty chat on the
>phone, touching on number of subjects.
>
>Among other things, Dr Sallah told me that Dr Siga Jagne, of the Women's
>Bureau in the Gambia, had recently published a book; that he himself had
>also published a book, some time ago, on the Wollof's proverbs, or something
>of that nature.
>
>He then mentioned how impressed he was with Dr Abdoulaye Saine's
>presentation, during the Washington DC conference, which was held some time
>ago. He also talked about Dr Saine's clarity, calmness etc.
>
>Furthermore, he informed me that two more Gambians Dr Jabez Ayo Langley,
>former Secretary General, and Dr Mohammed Kah, now teach at Howard
>University in Washington DC.
>
>It was at this point, that I told him that I once thought about the idea of
>publishing a directory of progressive Gambian scholars/international civil
>servants around the world, but had to abandon the idea, because of lack of
>time to do the necessary research.
>
>I then told Dr Sallah that following our conversation, I was again inspired
>to revitalise, or revive the idea of publishing such a directory, now that I
>have the time and facilities, to do the necessary research for such a
>project. In reply, he thought the idea was fine.
>
>Therefore, as I already stated at the onset, let me reiterate that the
>purpose of this write up is to tell you about my plans to publish such a
>directory, and also to seek information about names, addresses, publications
>of those progressive Gambian scholars/intellectuals you may know, be they
>those in the UN and other world bodies, those teaching in universities and
>colleges, those in Gambian civil society etc.
>
>I remember Dr Fatma Denton, telling me that when she was doing her doctorate
>degree at the Centre of West African Studies, University of Birmingham, she
>had to go to the Gambia for her research, but she said she was so impressed
>with the depth of knowledge and clarity she discovered in people like TGG
>Senghore, Abdou Njie and many ordinary Gambians.
>
>Anyway, your comments are most well welcome!
>
>Ebrima Ceesay,
>Birmingham, UK.
>
>PS: Sidibeh, Katim and others,
>
>I am on record as having said that I would always welcome objective
>criticisms. Your comments were very genuine and they are, of course, most
>appreciated. In future, I'll be very careful with what I post to the L.
>Normally, I do exercise a very good editorial judgement which would, in
>fact, explain why I survived Jammeh's reign of terror, during the transition
>period, despite my many critical BBC reports and commentaries.
>
>In fact, I am tempted to comment, right now, on the sacking of Demba Jawo,
>the news editor of the Daily Observer, but the good editorial judgement in
>me is telling to wait until the dust is settled, so that I can be more
>objective and fair.
>
>Once again, let me repeat that I'll be very careful, in future, in terms of
>what I send to the L.
>
>
>
>
>______________________________________________________
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>
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