Abdou Karim,
If you
recall, you and I were talking over the phone - about four weeks ago - during
which you told me that you did come across the impressive writings of one
Senegalese film Scholar, Dr Mbye Cham. In reply, I told you that Professor Mbye
Cham is actually a Gambian and not a Senegalese. Mbye Cham is the current Chair
of the African Studies Department at Howard
University. Professor
Mbye Cham is in fact the leading authority on African Films/cinema and writes
more on Senegalese film and fiction. He speaks French fluently, having studied
the French language at universities in Dakar, Besancon and North America.
Well, I have got good news for you. The eminent film scholar, Professor Mbye Cham, has produced/made a film - The Gambian “Ghana boys”, in which Lamin Janha is featured prominently.
The Gambian “Ghana Boys” is a 90 minute documentary film on the
folks that the late Ibrahima Garba Jahumpa
sent to Ghana, in the early 60s, in order to pursue higher education in
Ghanaian universities. The late Garba Jahumpa himself had arranged/negotiated
these scholarships directly with Kwame Nkrumah and some of those who benefitted
from these Government scholarships included Lamin Janha, lawyer Musa Ngary
Bittaye, the late Pa Jallow, former Director General of NSS/NIA, Bala Gaye, Tamsir
Jallow and many more.
In 2004, Professor Mbye Cham was working on a documentary film on this and I remember him telling me some time ago, that the Gambian “Ghana boys” film project had been finished. I have not seen the film myself but in it, Mbye Cham had an extended interview with Lamin Janha about his Ghana days. Mbye also told me that he did manage to interview many of the Gambian “Ghana boys” for the film and that their stories were quite interesting/fascinating. Mbye Cham came all the way to England in 2004 to interview Tamsir Jallow for the film. Tamsir was, at the time, Deputy High Commissioner at the Gambia High Commission in London.
I would be
writing to Mbye Cham this week to find out HOW we can get hold of this 90
minute film on the Gambian “Ghana
boys” - Lamin Janha, Tamsir Jalow and co. Be rest assured that if I get hold of a copy of the
film, I’ll let you know.
From a very disappointed Arsenal fan. I am going to bed early tonight. Hamjatta, you have had the last laugh. Your Chelsea boys played well tonight – Nicolas Anelka was outstanding/destructive.
Regards,
Ebrima
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