Lamin Sabally- Minneapolis, Minnesota

I am a regular delightful listener to Kibaroo radio’s weekly Natariko program being anchored by Suntou Bolong Ba Touray. My love for this program is reinforced by many factors, but chiefly, because it compellingly abundantly enriches and steadily solidifies my knowledge and comprehension of our pertinent cultural and historical issues .These include the authentic narrations of rich stories about the legendary controversial jihadist Foday Kaba Dumbuyaa, and legendary warriors like Alfa Mollow and Kelifa Sanneh and other eminent history makers and shakers like Kabu last King Mama Jankey Walley.  Particularly, the serialized conversation with the Amadou Lamin Drammeh, a man known as a dependable storehouse and databank of Senegambian history and culture  provided astounding information about genesis of some prominent clan names in Senegambia and the vivid successive conversation with the popular and iconic Senegalese Radio and TV broadcaster gave  a decisively confirmed and empirically authenticated  long-established cultural, tribal, linguistic, religious and ethnic bonds and ties between Senegal and the Gambia.

My insatiable quest and love of our cultural-enrichment programs delightfully extend to GRTS Katchaa program with Bakary Fatty, which has featured and continue to feature portable libraries of Gambian culture. These distinguished humble personalities include Alhagie Ebrima Bah of Bakau, Mamakoto who has earned for himself a national title of Gambia’s celebrated linguist and cultural repository and Alhagie Ousman Faye, an equally living legend of Mandinka language dictionary and walking cultural encyclopedia.

The latest chat, which featured Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, the Leader of the main opposition party in the Gambia, revealed more of Lawyer Darboe’s inspirational life outside of the nerve-racking political domain. It is unfortunate that in this domain, its main players are perpetually appallingly lampooned, bitterly pilloried, penetratingly disparaged and unjustifiably put under seeming erratic and overwhelmingly biased heavy flak in numerous discussion forums and pages of some newspapers. The discussion offered a very a pleasing opportunity to heard many unknowns about  a legal guru who is aspiring to be the next president of the Gambia, having failed  in four  repeated attempts to unseat the incumbent in successive presidential elections. I am sure some of the revealingly informative revelations have never been heard of or about Darboe. It will be equally rewarding if Suntou and Kibaroo team can invite other political leaders to this program, so that listeners can hear more about their inspiring non-political life stories. I am sure when politics is put aside in such frank conversations; one tends to learn adequately about who these prominent persons are. In this case, even if one does not support them politically because of difference of political ideologies,  they can still be can be gently admired and compassionately adored for some personal successes they have  solidly made before they are propelled to the political limelight.

Darboe’s non-political life story in brief as listened to on Kibaaro.

Childhood days in native Doboo Village

Born in Niani Doboo into a very religious family, Darboe narrated in those days life was very hard and referenced a weird a kind food that people had to eat then because of acute food shortages. He told his listeners how in their childhood days they used to paddle small canoes during moonlights in the river in what appeared to be an equivalence of perfect nostalgic reminiscing about young Darboe days. He revealed he read the entire chapters of the Holy Quran and to test his understanding, he had to go over Quran reading proficiency exercise 3 times. At this stage, I was put under the impression that young Darboe was being befittingly groomed to become a grand marabout, and I was made to wonder how he surmounted any pressure from his father or uncles, if there were any not to pursue the much-detested and resisted western education at the time.

For the benefit of the readers and not by way of drawing any parallel to the Darboe story, the sitting- Sheriff General of Dasilameh the venerable Sheriff Muhedeen Hydara, May Allah gives him long live, good health and continuous prosperity and guidance is my paternal uncle. His late mother and my late father’s mother were of the same blood father and mother. At young age, it was the desire for Ba Muhedeen as we call him, to get me to be under his spiritual guidance. If it were not for Allah’s decree and my father’s astute careful decline to his repeated requests, I would have discontinued my western education and become a talibe under his tutelage. By now, I would have been a fully sheriff-groomed talibe or Marabout or a personal assistant to my lovely prodigious uncle who is now at the throne of the Dasilameh sheriff caliphate.

High school days

Darboe said he attended my great alma mater St. Augustine’s High School where he did his ”O” level and later moved to Gambia High School for A level. At this time, recalled Darboe, St. Augustine’s did not introduce ´A’ level. His Banjul Guardian was the late Pierre Njie of the United Party of the Gambia. His father was a personal friend of the former Prime Minister having run for parliamentary seat under the UP ticket unsuccessfully. He narrated that he was a member of both schools’ debate teams and revealed his sixth form classmates included the late Babucarr Gaye, a doyen of Gambian Journalism and Ebrima Cole formerly of Radio Gambia and former Director of Gambia Information Services. I have the memorable pleasure of working under the professional guidance of both these two gentlemen and my academic success is partly made possible because of the discipline, training and support I received from both of these men of professional excellence and integrity.  Darboe said that among their 6th Form seniors were uncle Suwaebou Conateh , former Director of Information Department and now proprietor of the Gambia News and Monthly Magazine and Justice Abdou Karim Savage, the current Acting Chief Justice of the Gambia, recalling that they were one of the best composition writers whose papers were always displayed as excellent sample papers for the  high quality of their writings.

On Discipline during his high school days

Composition writing was a routine brutal academic indoctrination exercise; it could be inferred from Darboe’s gracious disclosures. Understandably, students had to go home and later come back to school for these rigorous composition writings. He mentioned the existence of “Scotland belt” which was used to carry out severe punishment to non-compliant students. Discipline was a key issue and it was uncompromisingly maintained as an effective means of ensuring that students were very serious about their education. Even with limited academic resources, quality of education in terms of student academic performance and teaching staff were both pronounced. English and mathematic proficiency were at best according to lawyer Darboe. Now with abundant high schools and educational resources, Darboe observed that most students are not taking full advantages of these resources for their education.

History Making Lawyer

Darboe was the first Gambian, first rural student and first African to have earned his law degree in Africa specifically in Nigeria. During those years, only students earning their degree in British schools were allowed to be called to the Bar to enable them practice their law profession. These restrictions were later scrapped. The young Darboe would later attend Canada where he earned his Master’s Degree in law with concentration in constitutional draughtsmanship

At Ministry of Justice after graduation

Darboe said he worked at the Ministry of justice as a State Prosecutor. During those days he traveled extensively to most parts of the country including rural Gambia in execution of his functions in many court houses. He later became Solicitor General of the Gambia, went for his MML in law and came back to be constitutional draughtsman.

Resignation and starting a private law firm

He alleged he was asked by his unnamed boss at the Ministry of Justice to bend the law, and as a result, he resigned and started what would have become a very successful career as private lawyer. It was during these days Lawyer Darboe emerged as the best trial lawyer in the Gambia which is profusely demonstrated in numerous high profile cases he won both in the first and second Republics. Some of the watershed trials he defended were the treason trials of former alleged accomplices in the 1981 Kukoe- led failed rebellion. Readers will recall that some of the prominent politicians charged with their alleged involvement in the bloodied coup included Gambia former firebrand opposition leader, the late Sheriff M Dibba, of blessed memory who was the leader of the then main opposition party, NCP. S M Dibba as he was known was the Former Vice President and Minister of Defense under Sir Dawda, before the two closest allies later fell out that led to the formation of NCP. The Dumo Saho treason trial was another high-profile case taken up by the acclaimed lawyer. I understand, though not very sure, that another prominent legal battle he had included QC Lawyer Batterma Cole (May be misspelt) over a land dispute between two Gambian business tycoons.

Despite being a non-supporter of the PPP government, Darboe said he still maintained his status as the designated lawyer for major corporations including the Central Bank, GAMTEL, GPA and GPTC until 1994 that ushered in the 2nd Republic under the Presidency of President Yahya Jammeh of the APRC led government.

I would like to thank Suntou and the entire Kibaaro crew for adding the required variety to their program menu. Some of us who are their regular listeners are benefiting immensely from most of these programs particularly Membey Kering and Natariko. I hope next time, Suntou and his crew will consider inviting other eminent political, religious, business and cultural movers and shakers in the Gambia to hear their personal stories like that of  Lawyer Ousainou Darboe. For now though, thanks Kibaaro for your educational and edifying programs.