Thank You Samsudeen Sarr       

By TIJAN NIMAGA, Bronx New York

I was completely overwhelmed when the man who almost always does things right came back to apologize to many whom he may have offended. I have always had enormous respect and admiration for Samsudeen Sarr. To me, he has been and will always remain a great pioneer in Gambian literature and for such a man to face such disputed tribal issues was quite disturbing. Samsudeen Sarr I unreservedly accept your apology and I hope all those affected will also do the same thing. When this argumentative and disturbing debate began, I always had the feeling that someone will come on the platform of the debate began by Col. Samsudeen Sarr and Suntou Touray not to blame any of them for their personal opinions and traditional believes, but to convince them to stop it all together. Tribal issues are always difficult to discuss especially, in The Gambia where almost everyone is involved in intertribal marriages. However, some of the people who came forward in an effort to stop it, which include Lamin Darboe and Sulayman Saidykhan all failed to establish that effort because they too continued to repeat the arguments began by Suntou Touray and Col. Sam Sudden Sarr. I won’t comment on any word or words uttered by Col. Sam Sudden Sarr, Suntou Touray, Sulayman Saidykhan or Lamin Darboe because if I do, it will just exacerbate the pain for both Wollofs and Mandinkas.

I have lived with every member of the various ethnic groups that make up our nation’s population and I have witnessed numerous tribal issues highlighted by both Col. Samsudeen Sarr and Suntou Touray but those days are gone and now we must come together to build our nation and talk about what can be done to rescue our country from its ailing economy.

   I was born in Kuntaur in the MacCarthy Island Division of mixed parentage then brought up in Soma in the Lower River Division. I spent almost all my childhood with the Fulas, Mandinkas, Wolofs and the remaining members of the Gambian ethnic groups. That unique kind of childhood made me a champion among my friends. My individual ability to speak Fula, Mandinka and Wolof even much better than my native Sarahule made things easier for me.  But as time went by, I struggled to speak Sarahule and thank God am now equally if not more fluent in my father’s language than any of the others languages.

 That is the case with many of us in The Gambia. Among my numerous childhood memories is the nationwide fear about the seductive powers of Fulani meals. Some of my friends used to warn me not to drink any kind of milk from the Fulas lest they give me N’yarm Jodoh (eat and settle meal); a seductive meal believed to be a combination of herbs and roots with very strong supernatural powers and ingredients. At first I did not believe the taboo but when two of my family members went to the Jimara areas for the annual groundnut harvest and never returned and even ended up marrying Fula girls, my family reminded me of the inherent powers of N’yarm Jodoh and insisted that the boys were seduced. When I tried to tell them to return home they won’t even listen. Some years later, they would travel to Banjul via Soma but would not even stop to visit us. Several members of my family passed away but these two guys would rather send delegates than visit Soma. Based on his analysis, I know Samsudeen Sarr does not believe in these things, but is high time that Sam takes N’yarm Jodoh with seriousness. The thing is real and no one can convince me to think otherwise. I strongly belief in the supernatural powers it has. May be, our Associate Editor Mathew K. Jallow could tell us the real supernatural power N’yarm Jodoh is laced with.

Finally, I am asking Col. Samsudeen Sarr, Suntou Touray, Sulayman SaidyKhan and Lamin Darboe to peacefully end this debate. I want Sam not respond to any more comments and likewise Suntou Touray, Sulayman Saidykhan and Lamin Darboe. Compatriots please let it be the be all and end all here. Thank you for your cooporation and hopefully this is the end of this debate. Cheer up Sam and the rest of our compatriots and please remember there is a lot of work ahead in rebuilding our country.