Oko D!

Advocatus diaboli? I take that as a compliment. Many thanks for your reply; 
and the more you write, the more exciting I will find the L. Political Talk, 
in case you fail to notice, is virtually dead. Thanks to the monstrous 
success of our opposition politicians, first in creating a coalition, then 
razing it to the ground like a sand castle. Such a success in destructive 
creativity is the stuff of exquisitely plotted fiction! But it was no 
fiction; and my friend Bass will tell you..."bee, ken musu ko giss!!"

So the cultural discourse here, is an exceedingly welcome diversion! 
Miserable depression in one realm opens up the possibility of other issues 
assuming some unspoilt purity of their own. Let us not mind other 
compatriots who are busy inventing new pessimisms through which to channel 
uncontrollable furies intended for Jammeh Jilang!

I am glad that you and Buharry agree on one thing!. Gambia's culture complex 
is in the hands of a cabal of feudal lords and an elite sporting confused 
identities: what else are "tribal drums" that beat for absolute"waanehs"? 
Your double recommendations run like this: train Gambians with culture 
skills, invest in culture, supply productivity incentives, exercise 
intelligent protectionism, market the cultural product, and reward star 
performers. In other words bring our culture into the modern capitalist 
boardroom. But the Gambian elite, representing a government that governs 
absentmindedly, is not itself sufficiently capitalist! So our culture 
remains feudal by a great margin!

Monsieur l'Ambasadeur Oko D, despite your very useful work, that brought 
your international experience from Delft to Hollywood, into service for the 
nation, your office was neatlty folded (what a word, my brother!) when Yanks 
the Yahoo was first unceremoniously tucked away from the ministry before 
being even more ceremoniously rehabilitated! (Gambia has the fastest rate of 
personnel transition from nonentity to royalty in the world). I bet the 
minister never even read your evaluation! Or did he? What then was his 
verdict?

But you amaze me, brother Oko. Even before the dust settles off your feet, 
you are on the move again with all your lights and mantles, selling us the 
idea of a festival of festivals!. I should have loved to live a cultural 
life that posesses some regenerative continuity. But a nation that lives 
from episode to episode, from haware to haware, may simply be postponing the 
death of what little is left of its identity. I salute you for your tireless 
efforts, OKO!

Respect,
sidibeh 

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