Ebrima:
What a coincidence that you would mention Professors John Wiseman, his
illness and Arnold Hughes' retirement. This is because earlier today, I
received a card from John asking me to review a book for the Journal of
Modern African Studies, for which he is Book Editor (the third I have
done for him). I just sent him an email and some material on The Gambia,
when I saw your posting. While I knew he had gone in for some tests, I
did not know that the diagnosis was positive. Also, a couple of days
ago, I sent material to Professor Hughes who has agreed to publish my
article on "The Gambia's Foreign Policy."
As you correctly put it, these scholars (Englishmen) have contributed
immensely and devoted a considerable part of their scholarly lives to
the study of The Gambia. Professor Hughes' work in particular, spans the
entire pre-Independence to the present and continues to provide
scholarly leadership in our discipline. His works have appeared in the
top journals of our discipline as well. His Volume, The Gambia: Studies
in Society and Politics(1991)remains ground breaking in Gambian Studies,
especially because of his account of the 1981 attempted coup, the best I
have seen. Professor Hughes also ran the Centre for West African Studies
at Birmingham University for many years.
In the case of Professor Wiseman, his contribution to Gambian studies
span a similar time period. He has also spent a lot of his scholarly
time looking at the AFPRC/APRC Governments. Wiseman's contributions,
however, go beyond The Gambia and Botswana, a country he has also
studied among others. He has, in my humble view, impacted the
literature on "democratization" in Africa more than any scholar of his
generation, with five books on Africa, and numerous articles appearing
in top journals.
Although I have never met these scholars, they have indeed helped shape
my understanding of Africa, The Gambia and my scholarship. There work
resonates with love and genuine concern for The Gambia and Gambians.
Through there scholarship and friendships with Gambia and Gambians, they
continue to serve as shining examples, examples that students of
African/International Politics , and Gambian Studies in particular, will
strive to emulate.
Let us keep both men in our prayers. John for a complete and speedy
remission and Arnold's continued health and scholarly leadership.
Thank you Ebrima.
Abdoulaye
ebrima ceesay wrote:
>
> Brother Saiks:
>
> I hope you are now okay! Long time no see! Anyway, with regard to Wole
> Soyinka, I have come to the conclusion that each one of us is entitled to
> his or her opinion about him, and perhaps we should just leave it at that.
>
> Within the last two hour or so, I have contacted, by phone, activists and
> some professors in the UK who know him (Wole) in person, and really the
> opinion has been divided, or in other words, it is a mixed one.
>
> Some spoke favourably about him, while others did not. Some refer to him as
> a "progressive person", while other call him a "proud Yoruba man who is
> pro-Southerners in relation to Nigeria politics."
>
> I was given references of scholarly works very critical of him, but equally,
> I was told about references of works in favour of him.
>
> One agreed with me and said: "Wole Soyinka definitely has a pro Yoruba or
> pro South bias. In fact, he has said before that it was about time a
> Southerner also governed Nigeria. He said Nigeria is not just owned by the
> Northerners (who are mainly the Hausas)"....
>
> For your information, most of those who ruled Nigeria from Independence to
> now, have been Northerners (the Hausa Fulanis), who are from the Northern
> part of Nigeria. However, the present day leader, Obasanjo, is a Yoruba; and
> the Yorubas mainly live or come from the South. Saiks, Nigerian politics,
> really, is interesting but a very complex one: some times very, very diffult
> to understand!! Next time you are in London, we'll continue the discussions.
>
> Another one says to me: "Soyinka is very proud, but an honest person. He is
> both genuine and progressive. And he has always fought against repression in
> Nigeria and elsewhere"....
>
> So, saiks, really, with regard to Soyinka, I think the best thing is that
> each one of us should be entitled to his or her opinion about him. Like I
> said before to brother Latjorr, you believe what you believe and I believe
> what I believe. Frankly, for me, I have already made up my mind about him.
>
> All the same, if you are interested in the references I mentioned earlier
> on, I can give them to Ndey for you. In fact, Muhammed Faal, has the
> references of works critical of him (Wole). So I can ask him to give them to
> Ndey directly for you.
>
> There are also references of works in his favour, which I can send to Ndey
> once I've received them by post some time next week.
>
> I must take the opportunity to say that I am very sad, or down, right now,
> because one of these professors I contacted, who has written a lot - very
> impressively - on the Gambia, had this say to me, when I called him....
> "Ebrima, I have a very bad news for you and my Gambian friends. I have been
> diagnosed with a neck cancer; and, unfortunately, it is a malignant one."
>
> "I am very open about it and please feel free to tell people about it.
> Sadly, it is a malignant cancer, not a benign one, and that is why I am
> already losing my speech; by the way, I hope you can hear me a little bit",
> he added.
>
> Yes, two doyens of Gambian studies are leaving the scene. One has retired
> recently, and now the other one who was supposed to continue holding the
> forth, is diagnosed with a malignant cancer of the neck.
>
> It is really a sad day for me! I'll be paying tribute to these two men by
> sharing/reviewing on the L, some of their great piece of works on the Gambia
> from 1966 to now, and we shall give them credit where they deserve it and
> take issue with their interpretation/analyses if we have good grounds to do
> so.
>
> Dr Saine, be ready to take over the mantle from these two good people
> (laugh). Actually, you have already taken over the mantle from the two and
> you too are doing a good job on the Gambia.
>
> Ebrima
>
> PS: Latjorr, my sincere apologies to you if you feel offended by my last
> posting. You are a good guy, and I know you mean well. Saiks, equally, is a
> great guy and I know that both of you mean well. Some times communication
> via the internet, as said by Halifa some time ago, could be difficult. I
> have great respects for the two of you and do keep up the good work you are
> doing!!
>
> Latjorr: Let me in fact bring some fun into it! Do you remember when you
> came from Banjul, to play for SAF football club in the serekunda West
> Nawettan? This was when Edu brought you and Gerry I believe, from Banjul, to
> play for SAF FC in those days. But in the end, you were disqualified from
> playing in the Nawettan, because you had lived in Banjul and not Serekunda
> at the time.
>
> Actually, I never mention this to you, but I remember you very well. Edu
> mother's in Senegal used to live in Sicap Amities trois, or Sicap Baobao in
> Dakar, and I used to visit the family regularly, in the mid to the late 80s.
>
> And the last time I visited them, this time in the 90s, your sister I
> believe, the bilingual secretary who was working for the OMVG in Dakar, was
> in fact living there at the time. Just thought I should mention this to you!
>
> ______________________________________________________
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