The Myth of Shrieff Njie"Capi".
by Oko B

The Real Ndongo
Shrieff Njie Captal lived at  2 Hill Street in Banjul.The coumpound were
the musician  Mam Tamsire Njie was born and lived. The father of Capi
was the famous man of the people, Pa Dodou Njie Kara. His brothers
included Max Njie (not the footballer), Alieu Njie (Leewen) and Jabel
Njie.His cousin is  the much talked about Jodi Laity Banga Fye (when the
judge say) .Shrieff Njie Capi is also related to the late legend Pap
Touray and the great Gambian Salsa superstar Laba Sosseh. He was a
friendly person and had shared his life and his youth leadership with
most young boys coming out of Banjul.He was shot point blank in the back
1981 in the attempted coup and he never recovered fully since then. He
lived in Norway for years and later relocate to Banjul. He was an active
youth, a real hustler. He had this white suite from Norway and the big
Superfly hat with a tobacco leaf tie as his dress code.He stayed in the
Gambia permanently and lived his remaining days in Banjul.

Tough life
He lived not too far from my house. He was my hero and one of my many
mentors. He did great things that we learned to be survivors. He was a
progressive gang leader and would stage street fights trainings at
KG5,beachside and at the Pabeh of Hagan and Hill street.He favoured
Njie-Sasu as his main man.He even made Njie a Judas and threw him to sea
at Meurel and prom. Capital, Ngaga Poh and Joto were  the inspirator of
the poor go getters. He was anti -establishment and was in odds with the
law at all times. He was a gate crasher, and have ways and means to
upset security.He organised night dog round- ups and  dawn  fruit
hunting raids. for plums,manderines,Mangoes ,sukurr kaleh, etc. He had
no nerve for fear.He would distribute all these fruite during daylight
and all the ghetto youths would share the fruits and wealth of the
previledged and the isolated rich. He was the Robin Hood of our time"to
take from the rich and give to the poor".

Wharfi Compainge
He spent his early days at the French company wharf, like many muslim
school drop outs called"Whafi - Compainge". He worked part time as a
dock worker and later full time. Capi was the king of Grass Madi. He
would dig the beaches of Banjul especially at Sofi Walterr for old
coins, precious metal and iron bars to sell at Lasso Wharf. He would
lead a team of Half-die boys from Whafi Meta, to UAC wharf, Meurel and
Prom, Whafi Sanjali and spend the afternoons at Compaingeujnder the big
tree. He was a philosopher, a storyteller, a comic character  a joker
and a teaser. He is the real teaser and a mockery specialist. He was all
fun by it self..I called him the Gambian Eddy Murphy.Capi attracted many
school leavers to his circle of life at Compainge. He was not the
founder of the Compainge because his elders brothers were there before
him. But he brought many Soilder town boys like Dodou Njie (Heavy),Lamin
Coma Scout, Jerico,Wolf, Abdoulie Ndow, and many of the youth who were
the vangaurd of popular protest and  strike support for the workers.
They were the youth who were brave enough to face the police battons and
tear gas.

Brave Youth
Infact Capi was a peaceful man. He was a leader and was never in fights
but people would seek his brave advise and connections. He can provide
you with anything you need within 24 hours. He was the mentor of Lie
Chokerr and many half-die boys including Pa Jabel Sosseh, Dodou Manneh,
Ebou Saly,Pa Awfa ,etc He once told the story that Jimi Hardin slapped
Ryco Jazz guitars Beceau during a guitar solo at a Club dance at the
Tennis Lawn in Banjul. He was the news bringer of funny stories and he
was loved by everyone.

Grass Madi
The port of Banjul was a busy trading port  for hundreds of years. There
ware many abandoned ships and a lost of lost treasure from ships and
marcharts and Pirates. The Gambia was a busy port in History. Banjul
boys who were beach boys made their living from Grass Madi. It is like
Diamond mining. You have to fight daily to protect what was yours.
Brother Capi was like a Don at the beach side. These guys had the money
from digging mud at the wharfs and shuffle the dirt and came out with
the antiques and rare coins.Either at Whafi Metta or at Government wharf
,they would dive 10 feet or more deep into the deep sea for munites and
'Tiba' dig some precious medals from drops by wealthy ship owners and
anchore boats like Tina one and Tina two, The Lady Daneham and Queen
Mary , HMS Puma and HMS Britania.On every boat visit to the government
wharf these guys would enter the ship at night to bring us Nyami-Tubab
and many toys and precious items. Most of the wood at the Albert market
for boat building, house funiture and bench making were thrown over
board from cargo ships and sold for use in the Gambia on the way to
England from other ports. Wood was in sufficient supply in Banjul in
thoes days and was easily aviable to all.

A Full life circle
Capital was a very social and sharing person. He filled us with joy and
he sent all his time inspiring the ghetto youths of Banjul.He would
inspire people daily with his rhyms like Hale bu Tikiss, Hale bu Gorr,
and foer the ladies it was Tikiss Kumba-Hale bu Gigain. He is not a
Kombo guy. So when he moved to Sere kunda he could not spend the day
time there,.... only nights. !!!!

We will miss him dearly and may his soul rest in perfect peace.

Oko Drammeh
Ndongo Life

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