*
It was in the month of August, and the beauteous bloom of
green vegetation everywhere was a pleasant sight. The green foliage of
the trees and the tall green grasses were strewn everywhere. Ripe juicy
mangoes dangled enticingly from tree branches. Goats and sheep, their
bellies full and rounded, grazed peacefully under the sultry and windy
afternoon. The croaking of frogs from a nearby pond pierced the quiet
and relative calm of the day. The brown cement block building was
hidden behind a cluster of palm trees, in a secluded and wooded area in
the sparsely populated part of Manjai Kunda. Inside the building
fifteen people gathered to have a meeting.
The meeting was very discreet, and the participants arrived at
the venue separately. Most of them came by taxi. The few who had their
own cars carpooled with others in the group that they knew. Most other
members of the group were meeting each other for the first time.
The atmosphere in the meeting room was relaxed, and everyone was
getting to know each other. This was the first time since the early
seventies, that a group of intellectuals had gathered to discuss about
the fate, and the future of their country. This group appeared
different from all previous groups, like the Kent Street Vous, the
Black Panthers Movement and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Foundation, in
that the participants were guided by a strong sense of purpose.
The previous groups had reached the apogee of their radicalism
during the nationwide demonstrations, when President Senghore was the
guest of honor of the Gambia's Independence celebration. He had made
unpalatable public comments about the country.There was an urban
youthful outrage, and the city of Banjul was enveloped in chaos and
wanton public destruction. Militant youths, emboldened, carried out
running battles in the streets of Banjul with paramilitary forces from
the depot in Bakau. The city was placed in a state of emergency. After
this incident, youthful militancy and unbridled radicalism lost its
edge, as the leaders of the revolutionary groups became the new elites.
They managed the commercial and public cooperation infrastructures of
the government. They became more and more alienated from the harsh
social realities and indulged fully in the parasitic bureaucracy.
“We are all gathered here today because we share the same vision
and the same ideals for our country,” Sambujang said. Sambujang was a
high school science teacher and the moderator of the meeting.
When he came back from his studies in the United Kingdom,
Sambujang was deeply involved with social issues particularly those
pertaining to youths and students. He became a high school science
teacher, and showed keen interest in his students not only in the
classroom but also in their homes. He visited them regularly and became
familiar with their living conditions. He arranged free tutoring for
students from less endowed family backgrounds, and he also coordinated
student activities geared towards maintaining a high moral standard. He
participated in social and community awareness programs. He organized
student plays to highlight the contemporary social issues that were
malignant to the health of the society.
“This is a very historical meeting,” Sambujang continued. “None
of us has ever been engaged in politics before. We have never held
political office any where in the country, and we have not belonged to
any political party. We are gathered here today because of a historical
necessity and our duty to respond to the needs and aspirations of the
Gambian people.”
“That is well stated, Sambujang,” Malanding echoed. “This is a
time that calls for sober reflection. This is a time that calls for a
serious commitment to the goal of promoting a free, prosperous, and a
dignified Gambian citizenry.”
Malanding was a political science lecturer at the Gambia
college. He held a doctorate degree in political science from a
university in Russia. He was lanky and had a propensity to be too
gregarious.
“What we want to engage ourselves in requires a lot of
sacrifice,” Mamburay asserted. “We have to be guided by a strong sense
of discipline and purpose."
Mamburay was a linguist and a seasoned educator who worked
at the Education department. He was involved with developing the
schools curriculum for the department, and was well respected as a
leading voice in encouraging the introduction of the local languages in
schools. He had recently resigned from his position in the government,
and had committed himself to work vigorously with others in the group.
Rene
,
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