OPINION
EXPOSING YAHYA JAMMEH AND HIS NEWSPAPER OBSERVER-PART ONE
BY AN OBSERVER INSIDER



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October 11, 2005
The Daily Observer is no doubt under the control of dictator Yahya Jammeh.
He owns the paper and we challenge him to dispute our assertion. We are
aware of the secret sale of the Observer, which came as a big shock to The
Gambian community. Jammeh's boy boy Amadou Samba, posed as a front for him
during the sale.

Kenneth Y Best, a veteran Liberian journalist, also the former proprietor
of the Observer was blind folded during the sale of his paper, as he was
baffled that a patriotic Gambian business man in the person of Amadou
Samba was going to buy the observer. Unsuspecting Mr. Best took his
agent's word and went ahead to effect the sale of the paper, which was
Gambia's most critical Newspaper at the time.

Mr. Best never wanted to sell the paper at the time. Due to lack of proper
management, transparency and accountability within the Observer's
accounting office, he decided to sell the paper at a "give away price."
Best was virtually not benefiting from observer at one point. His usual
allowances stopped for unexplained reasons. We have respect for Mr. Best
and his family, if not we will go extra mile to unveil the sum involved in
the sale of the observer. We will get to that later, if Jammeh and his
errand boy Amadou Samba want to make noise. Best never anticipated that
the credible Observer, he entrusted to Gambians will be reduced to a
"gutter press" today. Best also never dreamt that his enemy Yahya Jammeh
who unceremoniously deported him from The Gambia was the brain behind the
sale of observer.

Mr. Best, if you are reading us at this time, we want to inform you that
your paper was sold to Yahya Jammeh and not Amadou Samba. Yes, records
available at the state law offices suggested that the transfer of
ownership was effected in the name of Amadou Samba. But state house
sources are saying that Jammeh provided the funds for the purchase of the
Observer. We know that you are not in the position to confirm this, but a
day will come our same sources will come in the open with documentary
evidence to spill the beans regarding the controversy surrounding the sale
of the Observer. Our sources say the sale of observer was reached at the
State House in Banjul, where Yahya Jammeh and Amadou Samba discussed
privately the need to buy the Observer. A copy of the said cheque
purchasing the observer is in the hands of our trusted source, who will
not hesitate to make it available to us for immediate publication.

Yahya Jammeh had repeatedly telephoned Observer in the past trying behave
as a maroon. He kept on asking former Editor Sheriff Bojang" do you know
who is on the line? Can you guess? Imagine a President of a Nation,
leaving his busy schedules to engage in kids fun. Jammeh will also decide
which reporter should cover the state house. He will invite such reporters
to his Kanilai farm talking nonsense.

As the Mandingkas used to say "mening menining tafal tafal,
tounyalebalabana" In short, it means the reality will prevail at the end
of the day. This is the situation at the Daily Observer. Despite their
past lies, denials and cover ups, it is now clear to all and sundry that
the Observer belongs to Jammeh. Why appointing government officials and
supporters to run the paper if the newspaper is independent, as they used
to claim in the past? Why sacking local journalists perceived to be
critical of Jammeh? Why reading front page stories to state house before
publishing them? Look Jammeh don't play with us. You owned observer and
nothing can change our mind on this issue.

A former sacked MD with the Observer, once told us that the paper received
orders from state house and any news report critical of Jammeh should be
censored. The said MD whom we don't want to name at this hour had
repeatedly pleaded with critical minded observer journalists to avoid
portraying Jammeh as an undemocratic leader and acknowledge his
development programs in their day to day journalistic work.

Honestly speaking, as an observer insider, I'm privy of certain
information, which many staffers were not aware of at the time. Jammeh
will call late at night asking Sarriang and others about stories line up
for publication the next day. Scandalous stories touching on the
presidency were usually dropped. It doesn't matter whether, observer have
went to press or not. Once an order from state house reached the MD, he
have no choice but to cancel the stories lined up the next day for
publication. Crude oil stories about Jammeh, APRIL 10 students massacres
and Waa Juwara attacks on Jammeh were always censored.

At one point, Observer was reduced to a APRC bureau, as the likes of Baba
Joe, Kuru Konjira, Buba Senhore and other Gambians cum Libyan boys spent
most of their time at the offices of the Observer discussing APRC
political activities. Jammeh's picture is everywhere in the MD'S office.
In our next issue, we intends to expose other secrets surrounding the sale
of observer, which is not known to many Gambians. Look out for part two.
The ALLGAMBIAN, your major source of news. We are here to serve you.



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