By Omar S. Saidy-Khan, Louisville Kentucky, USA
The idea that Terri Kaffo was ever a Mandinka equivalent of the often named Banjul Mafia is so erroneous. I am compelled to remind my friend Mathew K. Jallow, who is about my age and of similar background. We both attended Yundum College in the mid to late sixties.To tell the truth, I cannot tell of any influence that any group of provincials that you could refer to as engaged in a systematic Mandikanizing existed and the same was true of a conflict between them and theBanjul Mafia; it was non-existent.
The Banjul Mafia (BM) existed in various forms and colors but their influence and effect was and is as pervasive and corrosive as ever.We must not over look or under estimate the effect this has on the psyche of the people and Banjulians in particular.The BM were the middle men(metlankolu) and weight-clerks (baskili kongkong lalu), and at these positions the farmer was at their mercy.
They doctored the scales and assessed false loans to the illiterate farmer who becomes beholden for the rest of his productive life while these rats built big houses for their families in Banjul. This practice continues under the present regime as it did under the PPP. The reference Banjul ndongodingo does not bring reassurance to many provincial people because of the history of cleverness and out right cheating they have experienced whenever you deal with Ndongo Banjul.
On the other hand , Terri Kaffo (TK)is a group of provincials devoid of any tribal influence.I can safely say it began in the very late sixties. Among the founding members were Musa I. Jallow, Seni Ceesay, Kekoto Manneh (deceased) and many young and not so young provincials who found comfort and refuge from the Mafia's schemes at frustrating their every effort to play any significant role in the development of their country.There is abundant evidence of rampant nepotism both in the civil service and the secondary education systems to buttress my contentions.In the Civil Service, qualified provincials were frustrated by their inability to land jobs at the same pace with Banjulians with inferior certificates. In secondary education the case of Armitage School (where I graduated in 1965) was an open secret. Early in the sixties the BM assumed several acting Princpalships and during this period they filled every vacancy with their relatives and children of friends. Mark you, I came to know several of these and even became close friends, and I believe they deserve the education they got but how many Oumorto, Koina, or Essau School boy or girl missed the same opportunity?
I know M.I. Jallow was not a part of any Systematic Scheme to Mandikanize the civil service.Would M.I’s name not betray Mathew's contentions since they bore the same name? History and common sense will show as clear as day that influence, which is what we are talking about,was and is still wielded by the B.M. The pervasive nature of this influence spared no community in the country.
They played Jawara and the PPP government like a fiddle.In this process, almost all the so called perpetrators of a systematic Mandikanizing project married into Banjul families. Some abandoned their Mandinka connections and nurtured the BM as new friends. Jawara chose to appoint and dismiss one Vice-president after another not considering the succession problem. Any deligent person knows that African leaders' propensity to remain in power indefinitely has stricken our former President and he was shrewedly pitting aspirants to succeed him against each other.Within this fold, we must remember S.S.Sisay, the infamous S.M.Dibba, Assan Musa Camara, Bakary Bunja Darbo and eventually, Saihou Sabally. The numerous camps that this scheme achieved went not to create a mafia like Systematic Scheme To Mandikanize any Civil Service but to fracture the provincial potential to take control of our lives. And guess what? The BM took advantage by manipulating many of the half-baked politicians by the sycophancy we see blooming fully under the present regime.
Jawara’s plan has worked well.Where is he now after betraying his country and members of his government who have been subjected to hardship, though not comparable to the ordinary Gambian? He is still in his gated mansion guarded by the treasonous Security Services .
We must resist and desist the temptations to make easy and sloven analysis of our situation.Gratuitous refrences that go to mar credible citizen’s names and character will in no way move us forward. The attempt to even try to compare the BM to Terri Kaffo is not only false; it can be reffered to as criminal.It is like comparing the human rights foibles of the PPP to the terroristic APRC government. Yes, we accept Jawara failed and gave his ear to the sycophancy that divided people engendered patronage instead of qualification, we cannot still compare the two governments. If we are going to measure the two groups by the same barometer BM is not a TERRI KAFFO.
Therefore, comparing TK, a group of educated provincials, for that is what the group was e.g M.I.Jallow, Dr.Momodou Lamin Sedat Jobe, K.B.A.S Manneh, L.K. Janneh etc, in a feeble effort to alleviate the mass disadvantages that they found themselves in, thought it best to join forces to try to address the disadvantages that almost all products of the provinces face in the daily navigation through a crocodile infested Civil Service ,which was and is the main employer.There has to be a more substantial evidence than you have presented for the TK to be convicted with BM.
I know you know that in a democracy numbers matter.The plurality of Gambians are Mandinka and any attempt to ignore that fact leads to a falsehood the consequences of which is unfathomable in the long run.To give credit, you have never de-emphasizedd this reality and I have found it always in sight in all your postings- but some of your detractors have accused you of tribalism ,which is utter nonsense.
Mathew, You must take stock of the prevailing conditions at independence. Yes, the Banjulians were in a position to fill all the significant posts of influence, my problem is, have they perform with honesty and candor, for if as I attest that they were totally lacking after all these years in all areas.Given the callousness and deceitfulness they resorted to corruption.I would call on you to make a deeper, more research and you will come to the same conclusion that Terri Kaffo was small fish in the scheme of things.You will also assess all the blame to Banjul Mafia for the predicament we are in. They have held our dear country hostage too long. So Please Turn Your Sharp Pen on The Criminals.