Oko,
Thank you very much, for these words of wisdom you have labelled the Gambia.
This was exactly the Gambia of yesterday, which I can understand that many
people are longing to get back. Our parents trained us to be people with
conscience, peaceful, sympathetic, respectful and generous towards people. I
remember my late brother Alh. Kabir Fye ( the nearest man to late Serign Bai
Niasse ) , who once told me that " our father ( late Sheikh Omar Fye ) use
to say that, when you stretch your hands to give out to the poor people, you
will automatically get Allah ( SWT ) reward of getting more from HIM ".
Giving out "Zakat" is one of the fundamental pillars of Islam, and most our
parents were helping people to get Allah`s ( SWT ) reward. These rewards has
guided us up to date, and we are seeing the benefits. I can refer you to
SURAH AT-TAUBAH ( Verse 60 ) in the quran. They were doing exactly what is
said in the quran. Thanks to the good job of our parents! Let us pray to
Allah ( SWT ) to bring us ( Gambians ) back to our senses to avoid
bitterness against one another. Gambia is a blessed country! The prayers of
our ancestors are still with the country and with us. Nobody will ever get
away peacefully, with evil done to Gambian people in the Gambia!

Elhajj.

PS.
Yes, I remember Foday Baa. He was often coming to Fayen. I know you have a
good memory and you don`t forget ( laugh ).


----- Original Message -----
From: "Oko Drammeh" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2003 4:00 PM
Subject: Re: OBITUARY ! ( OKO )


> Elhajj, AH LAN,
>
> " THE GAMBIA IS FILLED WITH ALL FRUITS SWEET JUICES. HONEY  AND SWEET
DRINKING WATER,
>  WITH NO TRACE OF BITTERNESS......" IT IS LIKE PARADISE" ,...........,
ONLY THE PEOPLE HAVE A
> TASTE OF BITTER. '
>
> The Gambia is a compact village. All Gambians are somewhat related by
profession ,trade or my
> tribe. When I refer to Banjul often in my postings, I use it as an example
of cross cultural mix
> of tribes ( the salad mix ) of vital ingredients of the family tree in the
colony that time .. At
> your compound and at my compound there were the extended families from
Koina to Serekunda living
> in Banjul.
>
> Banjul was the economic  professional capital suitable only for the
colonial subjects.So the local
> Gambians would have representatives in the capital who will plant the
seeds for future
> generations. There was a task asked to pass your exams and progress to
high school go go abroad
> for further studies or secure a job in the colony and resettle youe entire
family to the economic
> zone of the colony.
>
> Many of the best Gambian doctors and educated professionals from up
country lived with my family
> at Hagan Street. My mother assisted over hundreds of students form up
country who later serverd
> the country modestly.Your coumpoun was a unique center for migrants to
Banjul. Many tradres with
> trading posts up river also adopted many young Gambians , and through
business and family
> relationships and gave them the opportunity to live in the capital and to
expolre the resources of
> the British empire which was not aviable up country. It was like a
cultural mass movement,no one
> pays rent or food money .
>
> Everyone in the colony has an extended family up country and thoes in the
capital also colony  had
> families in up country. The migration to the finiacial and opportunity
zone of the Gambia have
> seen many families including your noble family played a major role in the
familly tree of the
> Gambian fruits of life
>
>
>   All fruits and sweet juices in the Gambia are sweet , nothing better in
the nature of Gambia,
> except the people.
>
> Still work to be done !!!
>
> Oko Drammeh
>
>
> P?S . Do you remember Foday ba "Bakary saybata - Min do ne serasi"   ????
>
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