Nice review of Ya Arret Ace. My father used to recount stories of Ya Arret to me and uncle Sidia was one of the many who benefited from Nkrumah's wisdom and grace in Ghana. Very good Ace. I think you should consider writing biographies of our Great Gambians. One Gambian I'd like to hear more about is Pa Alagie Gaye - Primet or Perseverance st. Sulayman Gaye's father. Do you know anything about him? And Oustaz Ceesay of Kent street.

Haruna. He waited till Ramadan was over to serenade us!!!!!! Kambians.


-----Original Message-----
From: oko drammeh <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wed, Aug 15, 2012 7:32 am
Subject: [G_L] Fw: Woman Power
















  
 
 
  -
  
 






  
 





Ya Arret Mboge:
 Lady of The Gambia renaissance






Friday, August 10, 2012

One of thegreatest Gambian female Socio-political leaders of the century is Ya ArretMboge. She was said to have played an important role in improving the lot ofthe Gambian people. 



She placed great emphasis on Culture and the Arts andhelped to cement Gambia as one of the culturally dominant countries in WestAfrica and laid down a clear moral and practical basis for extending human andpolitical rights to women and children. A true pioneer in the struggle forfemale inclusion in the affairs of the Gambia; her life style left asignificant legacy. She was a campaigner for social justice, advocate ofwomen's rights and member of the Gambia Muslim Congress Party responsible forsocial affairs.She also activelycampaigned for Gambia’s independence. 



Ya Arret Mboge came fromBanjul-Dingareh.She was born inthe early 1910’s in Banjul south, daughter of Matarr Mboge and Rose Joof.Her grandfather was Samba Joof thetrader with the thirty one sailing boats. As a boat owner he used to sail allthe way to Morocco. Ya Arret was married to Pa Kebba Landing Drammeh, a CivilEngineer at the Gambia Marine Department at Wilberforce Street in Banjul, nowthe Gambia Ports Authority.


 She is the Mother of Ebou Drammeh, Pa Drammeh,Pindo Drammeh (Sajoro), Ousman Drammeh (O Drammeh), Fatou Kinneh Drammeh, Oko Drammeh and Salieu Drammeh(Sal). She was the Iron lady behind the Gambia Muslim Congress and steeredGarba Jahumpa to become the first Mayor of Bathurst. Her husband Pa KebbaDrammeh runs the matrilineal Grand Place at Hagan Street for Gambia MuslimCongress party politicians. 



Pa Kebba was the secretary and cashier (El-Amen)called thetrusted one for theBanjul community and the Gambia Muslim Congress which included late Pa MassJobe, Abdoulaye Samba, Pa Gibou Faal, Mustapha Bittaye, Pa Assan Sagnia, PaOussou Kah, Pa Salifu Ceesay, Alhagi Basiru Jagne, Pa Tuntu Joberteh and manymore Banjul elders.


Devoting her life to the service ofBanjul, the poor and dispossessed,she became an icon for selfless service to others through her home at22, Hagan Street of Charities. She personally cared for over 1000s of youths inher time and sending many to school and provided accommodation for manychildren from the country side, the Kombo region of the Gambia and from theUpper River region as well as professional working tribe’s men and women fromSenegal and all over the Gambia who had no home in Banjul. 



Her home in Banjulwas the central youth gathering were food, water and clothes were provided foranyone including the homeless, sporting youth and social clubs all in this onecompound. The spirit of the Soto Koto Tree at 22, Hagan Street can bear witnessto this. This popular Soto Tree is the Soto Koto Youth Club and the Soto KotoBand, a United States African based music band which derived their names fromthis sacred tree.


Ya Arret was an organizer of communityevents, social functions, political rallies, cultural program and festivities.Most of the public meetings of the Gambia Muslim Congress were usually held ather house, the Gambia labor union meetings also were held by Dodou MassannehCeesay at her place and occasionally the Gambia workers Union under M.E.Jallow- Jallow were held at her gate front. The compound were Ya Arret livedwas a center of political activism for young and old.


She was known as, the "Yayi compinof Banjul”, a wollof word meaning a community and social class leader. She wasan inspirational leader and also had a male Club as well. Ya Arret Mboge waswidely loved by the ordinary people of the Gambia. She nurtured many ladies aswell as supported their marriage and the discipline system of good conduct andmended differences in the community.


Shecampaigned tirelessly for both the poor and for the extension of women’sinclusion in politics and social affairs. It was in front of her compound gatewhere you had the Hyde Park Vous which included members like the late lateMatarr Sarr, Tamsire Jagne, Kabba Jallow, Nurainu CarewPe’ngu George, Dodou Sankere, Dr. LaminNdow, Alieu Kah, Abou Denton, Fisco Konateh, Babou Mbye, late Saul Samba, MamBarra Taal, Hatib Janneh sr, Ousman Sillah, Pa Cham, Seedy Jow, Pierre Mendy,Uncle Amadou Samba, Modou Jaiteh, Arona Siki Badlin Jallow, and supervised byDr. Peter Ndow (Dr. Ndow). 



Later the Soto Koto Vous, under the stewardship oflate Pindo Drammeh was formed there, as well as F.A. Championship winnersDingareh Football FC and the young ITC football club. Ya Arret was one of themost innovative and fashionable woman of her time with designers garments andwas instrumental in defining cultural feminine style and dress during her timeas social event organizer. 



Her ideas were revolutionary; in particular sheoften took authentic ancient tribal clothes and redesigned them for the benefitof younger women. Her lifestyle was an aura of glamor and sophistication,unconventional. She helped redefine traditional views of women’s role insociety. 



Shecontested against the decisions of the white Governors of Banjul which were notfavored by the people. She faces the white establishment face-to-face onmatters affecting the community. She was a liberator and received manymagazines and newspapers for public information in her name from numeroussources through her connections with I.M. Garba Jahumpa i.e: the Voice ofAfrica from Ghana, the Palisario, China pictorial, Gramma from Cuba ,Shechabafrom Azania, SWAPO, ANC, Oromo Papers from Ethiopia, SWAPO, etc. and manypamphlets including the collection of Kwame Nkurumah books and writings. Therewas a saying that whenever Garba Jahumpa leaves the Gambia, the West wouldworry. The West never wanted Garba Jahumpa to lead the Gambia. They feared thathe would hand it over to the Communist Eastern bloc. 
Ya Arret was a cultural Ambassador forthe Muslim Congress who introduced many activities in the capital city ofBanjul, then Bathurst including the grand Sabarr fetes, Makalo-Sara (thedancing masquerades), Fanals and Lanterns. These Lanterns and fanals were acatalogues of the boats and houses that were to be built in coming years aftersuccessful trade seasons designed on request of the elite traders. 



Each traderwould have his new boat designed by an architect and made in a miniature withbamboo “tara “, sticks, pim-pim-bamboo pins and florist paper, graphics coloredwith Tai-Nyapa (soft colored papers) to give the miniature boats and houses thepaint and lightening system the boats and houses will be fitted with. Thefanals would parade onChristmasweek and visit all the boat owners and society elites and display the work ofart design in boats and lanterns accompanied by drumming and singing crowds. Atthe end of the Christmas week, the boats will be handed over to the personswhom the boat carry the design of his boat and same with the lantern houses. 



The fanal builder for Ya Arret was a blind man by the name of Omar Fofana, thelate Omar Gumbo Fofana of Buckle Street. Omar was made to meet with QueenElizabeth II on her visit to Banjul. Omar also worked on the many Arches thatwere built around Banjul including the Grand Arch on Hagan Street on the Queensvisit in 1958. All these arches were supervised by Ya Arret Mboge. Ya Arretmeet Queen Elizabeth II at government house in Banjul.


Ya Arret had a popular annual ritualSimba feest (Man-lion theater) a traditional wollof folk theater masquerade andperformed by Abdoulaye Jobe, a Butcher at Albert market. He was the real lion,with red eyes and mascara and acted as a lion, chased people and scratched themwith his finger claws. The show is real fun for all in the family andaccompanied with the taming songs and narrations carrying traditional codewords and lamentations known in the tribal wollof language as (Djaat)), that isonly known to be thought to the wise of the Simba Circles. 



Ya Arret also brought to the Gambia thelegendary drummer Aly Gaye of Senegal who was the godfather of wollof drummingin the 1950’s and 60’s in the sub region. Although, she favored drummer wasBatch Samba Nying, the father of Nyaw Nying, Sira Beyay Nying, Late AlhagiNying, Pa Nying and family. Batch affectingly known as the drummer of theCongress Party while the other master drummer in Banjul Malick Mbenga who wasthe drummer of the United Party under Pierre Njie. 



They were the two Masterswollof drummers of the Gambia in the early 50’s and 60’s. There was only oneTama Drummer in the scene that time and that was Dodou Mboob, the father ofPercussionist Musa Mboob.AlY Gayewas brough to Gambia to celebrate the much anticipated election victory ofJahumpa against Pierre Njie which Jahumpa lost.


Ya Arretwas an accomplished organizer of political rallies for IM Garba Jahumpa’sGambia Muslim Congress Party. She explored all avenues of protest includingpublic demonstrations and strikes. Her political enterprise proved immenselysuccessful and later in life she used her enormous influence to supportcharitable goodwill and gesture in the field of education, art and health whichshe provided to anyone in need . People come from Basse to Banjul in search ofYa Arret’s goodwill and she would stand up for anyone who is unjustly treatedand your eyes are red. She would wipe your tears, cloth you and feed you,embrace you until you are fit to go. 



she depended heavily on a group of trustedadvisers led by close friends like Ya Fatou Mbenga, Ya Amie Faal-Fama, Aji YaMuNdow Jobe, Marie Samuel Njie, Sosseh Jagne, Aji Mam Peul Janneh, Ya PendaBittaye, Ya Ida Jallow and male advisers like Master Sillah, J.C Faye, Dr.Ndow, Sam Goddard, Horace Monday, Uncle Arthur Johnson (husband of MaryArthur), Tamasa Jarra, Alassan Ndure, Pa Dodou Matar Njie, Pa Omar Gaye Nyang,Pa Sulay Mbaye, Pa Ousman Secka and Alhagi Baboucar Jeng. 



Presiding over one ofthe largest organizations ever seen in the Gambia, Ya Arret was at the head ofsocieties for most of her life. She became synonymous with the periodsymbolizing propriety and cultural values and this heightened her mystique. YaArret sought to gain an influence in Gambian politics whilst remaining alooffrom tribal party politics.


One of her first moves as Party femaleWing leader was the establishment of a youth club of the party. She wasreligions and supervised the mosque at her compound, of which she became thefacilitator as a prayer ground for anyone who needed a place to pray. ThisHagan Street Jaka and Saweh (Compound Mosques) later evolved into many oftoday's greater Banjul community Mosques. She was consulted by influentialpeople of the time.


Educated in Arabic, beautiful and highlyarticulate, Ya Arret Mboge influenced the politics of the Gambia Muslimcongress party and of the Gambia at large through her alliances and influenceover her affiliations with the Gambia intelligentsia, a progressive Newspaperstarted in the Gambia by intellectual elders like Mr. Pierre Ngossi Single andJohn Essie Williamson Kuye and Bani Foster.sr which was established in theGambia in 1890 and later taken over by Sam Silver and the Gambia communistparty in the 1920’s and had a branch in the Gold Coast and later became the CPP, the party that was formed by Kwame Nkumarah. The Convention Peoples' Party(CPP) was formed in 1949 during the struggle for independence.


Its founding father was Osagyefo Dr.Kwame Nkrumah Ghana's first president. Kwame started his party with a Gambianparty President Mr. Kofi Crabbe, a Gambian from Primet Street in Banjul, andwith other Ghanians such as Kofi Baku, Akwa Aje, Eric Hayman, John Tettega, J.BDanquah, John Badema, Krobo Eduseh, Madam Asene Lansana.


Ya Arret together with Garba Jahumpawere responsible for sendingEighty Four Gambian youths to Ghana for training and indoctrination asthe Pan African youth Pioneers who will campaign through teaching to mobilizethe African youth and youths in the Diaspora to embrace Pan Africanismi.e:Palanding Drammeh as groupleader, Lamin Janha (lived with Nkurumah till his death), Musa Bittaye,Junkunda Daffeh, Koro Sallah, Sulayman Ndow, Mrs. Joana Jahumpa, Mrs. Bin Corr,Samba Gai, Njuga Cham, Denny Cham, Goumbo Touray, Badou Ceesay, Boli Cham,Badou Jasseh, Laye Sagnia, Bai Janha and many more dynamic African youths to studyin Ghana at the Kwame Nkumarah Leadership school in Accra together with otherAfrican students from Somalia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and the blackworld thinkers as well as African minds including George Padmore, Dr.CaselyHayford, Dr. Henry Clark, John Huggins, Richard Wright, Philip Randall , JamesBaldwin, W E B Du bois and many African intellectuals, to teach leadership toour youth for the unification of Africa. 
Thesestudents were going to be the disciples and architectures of the African renaissance.This was a continued work of the WASU. The West African Student Movement(WASU), 7 August 1925, a case of a young African students who managed toorganize themselves in face of the urgency of Africa's future problems.Students such as Lapido Solanke, Kusimo Soluanda, Olatunde Vinncent, EkuudayoWilliams, M.A. Sorinola Siffre, B.J. Farreira from Nigeria; J.B. Danquah fromGhana, Otto Oyekan-During from Sierra Leone, W. Davidson Carrol, KushidaRoberts from the Gambia wanted from the 1920s to create the United States ofAfrica as a prelude to United Africa for all the people. 



It is the Renaissanceand there is no Renaissance without unity. Alioune Diope (1910-1980), ofSenegal, has the exceptional merit of being the first in the Francophone world tooffer the African intelligentsia in both Africa and in the Diaspora a platformfor literary, prose, poetic, critical, scientific, philosophic and religiousproduction. Followed by Frantz Fanon 1925 – December 6, 1961 was aMartinique-born French-Algerian psychiatrist, philosopher, revolutionary andwriter whose work is influential in the fields of post-colonial studies,critical theory and Marxism. 



Fanon is known as a radical existential humanistthinker on the issue of decolonization and the psychopathology of colonization.Fanon wrote his first book, Black Skin, White Masks, an analysis of thepsychological effects of colonial subjugation on people identified as black.Fanon is best known for the classic book on decolonization ‘The Wretched of theEarth’.


Pan Africanist Kwame Nkrumah brought tothe Gambia, the King of Hi-Life Music E.T. Mensah to perform at the K.G 5Parkand at the Atlantic Hotel inBanjul singing “Ghana-Guinea-Mali Africa is now a Republic”. Ya Arret was incharge of the visiting Ghana music band and managed the band well and afterthat visit to the Gambia E.T Mensah penned and nipped a Number one Highlife hitsong called “All for you” which made him an international superstar. Late E.TMensah is an African music legend from Ghana and played through out West Africato popularize Pan Africanism. 



The Gambian Muslim Congress togetherwith Kwame Nkumarah’s CPP Party collaborated with Abdel Gamal Nasser Presidentof Egypt. Garba was instrumental for the niece of Nasser, Madam Fathia to marryto Kwame Nkumarah and they had a son called Gamal Nkurumah. Together theyworked with, Sekou Toure of Guinea and Modibo Keita of Mali for the Union ofGhana, Guinea and Mali leading to the total unification of the Africancontinent. I M Garba introduced the Muslim Clergy Bai Nyass and a SenegaleseMathematician Sulayman Nyang together with I.M. Garba Jahumpa to writeCONSCIENCISM, a book that dealt with the subject of Pan African or Communismfor Africa.


Ya Arret was involved in interminablepolitical machinations seeking always to increase the power of her favoredpolitician I.M. Garba Jahumpa. Garba Jahumpa and the Gambia Muslim Congressinvited the Socialist first Prime Minister of Senegal and his entourage tovisit I.M Garba Jahumpa in the Gambia, Prime Minister Momodou Jah, togetherwith Waljojo Ndiaye. On their return to Senegal Momodou Jah was overthrown byimperialist forces and Leopald Sedar Senghore was sworn-in as the President ofSenegal.


Ya Arrethad a role in the cold war between the East and West and that was because hesupported President Nkrumah's action in supporting Abdel Gamal Nasser the PrimeMinister of Egypt who blocked the Suez Canal and declared war on Israel, UK andthe West. I M Garba Jahumpa was considered asocialist and sidelined by Britain not to rule the Gambia forever. The GambiaMuslim party was broken into pieces and that's how former President Jawara waspicked to rule the Gambia instead of Pierre Njie an out spoken lawyer and firstChief Minister of the Gambia who was anti establishment and anti British.


Ya Arret was at the forefront of Gambianpolitics, Women and children’s rights, workers rights and the citizen rights. As Gambians put to the task of theGambia Renaissance, we must be assured, confident and have faith in ourcapacity to think and act. If we continue to alienate ourselves emotionally andintellectually, success will always remain remote from us. 



Gambian politicians in particular willbe more respected if they work for the interest of the Gambian people. The Gambian Renaissance is the awakeningof the giant sleeping in the conscience of every Gambian, for the work toaccomplish, the mission to carry out and the destiny to reach.

Author: Oko Drammeh










Media Actions

Email to a friend



See Also







Arts | Agriculture | Bantaba | Business and Finance | Book Review | Courts and Law | Diplomatic Suite | Editorial | Education | Entertainment | Environment | Health | History Corner  | Love Lines | Obituaries and Notices | Opinion | Religion | Sports | Top Stories | philanthropist / Recap / Story Story / Youths / Tourist / Fiction / Aid / 






© Copyright Observer Company Ltd. All rights reserved.
    Administered by Aboubakarr Jeng



Home | Archive | Contact the Daily Observer



Website created with Lara by Geographical Media




 
 
  



 
 
  



 
 
  



 
 
  



 
 
  
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interfaceat: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html
To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-lTo contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:[log in to unmask]¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
 


¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html

To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤