Most of these veterans are still here or had to come back here
because of unfavourable conditions back home . I was back
home for sixteen years and had no intensions of coming
back to the states to stay,but after supporting the change
in the Gambia in 1994 and it turn out to be hopeless,I decided
to be back to return someday.
Pa Jeng
-----Original Message-----
From: ebrima ceesay [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2000 11:22 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Where are you?
Habib: It's a small world!! I do know your sister, Amira, and
her good
husband Tamsir Jagne! In fact, I did interview her twice when
she was
running an NGO, whose name, unfortunately, I now forgot. Anyway,
thanks for
the confirmation.
Jabou: I really enjoyed the discussions on the above captioned
subject. I
have always admired you - without even meeting you in person -
and
certainly, the more I read you, the more my respect for you
grows.
I have received a lot private e-mails myself, some even coming
from some of
these "USA veterans", in which they told me how much they were
also enjoying
the discussions.
Hopefully, when my work load diminishes a little bit, I'll work
on a story
out of it, and then send it to the L and all the newspapers in
the Gambia,
as well.
In fact, just yesterday, someone sent me, in private, more names
of "USA
veterans", including Bai Matarr Drammeh, a Sheikh Mboob (a
younger brother
of Saul Mboob of FAO), a Ransford Cline-Thomas, who I
understand, had worked
at Radio Gambia and one Ida Ndure. I suspect this Ida Ndure
should be the
one who was at Curriculum.
Another one told me that he and Baboucarr Mbye of Customs were
together in
the US, many years ago. In the first place, I didn't even know
that
Baboucarr Mbye of Customs was also in the US.
So the exercise, Jabou, has been a very useful one, and all of
you need to
be commended for sharing those nice memories with us. I must
also commend
one of you who mentioned/reminded me of Saihou Njie of Stanley
Street, who
had worked as Photographer, if I remember well, with the then
Senegambia Sun
newspaper, edited by Baboucarr Gaye.
Sidi: Regarding the proposed discussions on the state of the
world economy
and Africa's role in it, I'll get the article I mentioned when
the mid-term
holiday is over. Right now, my access to a free internet (laugh)
is very
limited; but I'll soon write regularly once the vacation is
over.
By the way, let me also take the opportunity to say to those who
sent me
urgent private e-mails that I cannot reply them, as quickly as I
had wanted,
because of the fact that I am presently on vacation. But I'll
surely reply
all these private letters some time next week, by the grace of
God.
Rene Badjan: Thanks for your useful comments on the
Mazrui/Soyinka piece. I
must say that I also do read all your contributions and needless
to say, I
have always found them quite pensive and instructive. You should
keep it up
and write more if time permits you!
Our future, despite all the enormous hurdles that need to be
crossed first,
certainly looks bright in my view. Africa's task ahead, to be
realistic, is
immense and a challenging one for that matter, but it is
"doable" or
achievable.
There will soon emerge, a new leadership in Africa that will
confront the
Continent's many challenges headlong, and deliver the goods at
long last! It
is going to be a long and vigorous struggle, but it is certainly
doable.
I was in London the other day, and met, by chance, some young
Gambians at a
friend's flat; and my world, come and listen to the brilliant
ideas that
were coming from these young people who were in their late 18s
and early
20s.
And another thing I have observed, nowadays, is that some of
these young
Gambians, especially the women, are so articulate/eloquent that
sometimes
you wouldn't even believe your ears when you hear them talk or
address the
issues.
Some time ago, I met a young Gambian woman at Gatwick, who was,
I believe, a
high school student in the Gambia as recent as 1993 or 1994. But
when I met
her at Gatwick airport, and had a discussion with her, I
couldn't believe my
ears, in terms of her maturity, clarity, eloquence, and, more
importantly,
the very brilliant ideas that were coming from her. This person,
I believe,
is one of Solo Darboe's daughters.
I was in fact obliged to ask her about her educational
background, and she
said she had just completed a Master's degree in Economics or
Financial
Management. That is not even the point, but I thought I should,
nonetheless,
mention her educational background.
Anyway, having listened to her talk on the issues, and I can bet
that she is
in her early 20s, I said to myself "yes, yes, Africa's future
and that of
the Gambia in particular, is definitely going to be bright."
Thanks to all
of you once again!!
Ebrima Ceesay
>From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Where are you?
>Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2000 23:43:19 EST
>
>Ebrima,
>
>This discussion has also been very interesting and rewarding
for me. I have
>received a lot of private email from young members of the list
who have
>expressed their appreciation for us older folks taking them
down memory
>lane.Some have said that this has actually served as an
inspiration for
>them,
>as well as a glance into some of the years that their loved
ones our age
>had
>spent abroad, and that is nice to hear. It has therefore been a
double
>treat
>for me as i am sure it has been for the rest who contributed
such nice
>memories to this discussion. Thanks Sidi, Habib, Daddy Sang,
Prince Coker
>and
>all those others who we did not manage to coax out of the
woodwork, as well
>as Ebrima Ceesay for initiating it.
>
>Jabou Joh
>
>In a message dated 2/21/00 4:40:55 AM Central Standard Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
><< Sidi, Jabou, Habib and others:
>
> This is a very interesting topic indeed, and as I already
stated the
>other
> day, I am enjoying every bit of the discussions; By the way,
I am still
> waiting for the bill to be sent to me for these interesting
revelations.
>
> I couldn't write yesterday because I was in London.
Interestingly, I
> received over three private mails from some of these "USA
veterans" in
>which
> they informed me that they were/are also enjoying the
discussions on the
> above captioned topic.
>
> Jabou and Habib: Just curious! Is this Amira Diab the same as
Mrs Amira
> Jagne?
>
> Ebrima >>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to
the Gambia-L
>Web interface at:
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the
Gambia-L
Web interface at:
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
