Religion, as can be seen today, is at the centre of global debate, mainly because of the controversies surrounding it (thanks to the level of misinterpretation) and not because of the genuine love between man and his creator.

Today, if there is any single issue that is closest to the heart of the majority of the world’s population, it is the issue of religion. This is not some thing bad though; what is unfortunate, however, is that this man-and-God relationship is being exploited to the discomfort of the human race, contrary to the divine purpose.

The world over, religious leaders command tremendous respect from an enormous spectrum of societies. While this influence has been used in some quarters for the advancement of humanity, for others, unfortunately, religious influence means propagating chaos and destruction. Today, a number of analysts prefer associating any possible World War (III) to religious causes. And to a large extent, the predominant occurrences of our day give this prophesy a fair level of credibility.

In most cases you will find out that religious unrest arises as a result of disorganization, which gives room for the proliferation of all sorts of cults. The result is what we can see in some parts of the world– wanton destruction of life and property, and desecration of holy cites; all in the name of the very God mankind claims to be serving.

As a predominantly Muslim nation, with a number of minority religious groups, The Gambia can boast of  peace and stability. And this we can not detach from the influence of religious leaders. But this peaceful atmosphere needs consolidation, and more work.

 As President Jammeh succintly put it during the inauguration of the new headquarters of the SIC, the council owe it to Gambians to ensure the continuation of the prevailing tranquillity  in this country; to ensure that issues with the potential to unravel disorder are regulated.

Religious authorities in The Gambia have never received so much attention as they have been getting since July 1994, a move that has been born out of a deliberate attempt by the APRC government, which is aware of  the importance of religion in the maintenance of peace and stability. Religious leaders have a great role to play in restoring hope to the hopeless, in settling disputes, and even in fixing political misunderstandings. At the grassroots level, this is what it has been like in countries like The Gambia.

Muslim people look onto their religious leaders as representatives of the divinely guided prophet of Islam. The same thing is true of Christians, to whom Jesus is a perfect divine model, and so for all other people of genuine faith. Therefore, the followers of these religions are inclined to abide by the commands of their religious leaders.

The government of The Gambia has no doubt played its part, as expected, by not only empowering the council but also ensuring that it is behind it all the way. There is the need for reciprocation from our esteemed religious leaders.

The Imam Ratib of Banjul, Alhagie Cherno Kah and other Imams and Muslim elders in Banjul, last Sunday, conducted  special prayers at the Independence Drive Mosque ahead of the July 22nd celebration and the rainy season.  

The aim of the worship (Ibadat) was to invoke Allah’s blessings on President Yahya Jammeh and the nation for successful observation of the 14th anniversary celebration and a blessed rainy season.

Speaking at the gathering, Alieu Mboge, committee leader of Banjul Muslim Elders said, "we are here today to pray for the commemoration of July 22 celebration and the 14 years of revolution.  The importance of this prayer is to ask Allah to bless President Jammeh and his government for maintaining peace in this country”.

For his part Dr. Ebou Samba, vice chairman of Banjul Muslim Elders said "what we are doing here is to pray for President Jammeh and his government, because the peace we are enjoying here is not prevailing in most other countries in the world". He said that they will continue to pray for peace to remain in The Gambia for ever.

Present at the meeting where hundreds of Muslims in Banjul, including Abdoulie Taal, chairman of Banjul Muslim Committee.

Darusalm Koranic School in Banjul recently held its 17th annual Quaranic recitation, at the school ground at Albion Place, Banjul.

Speaking to the Daily Observer, the head teacher of the school, Imam Ousman Nyang, said that the school was established in 1984 and he started teaching in the school in 1985, under the founder Alh. Alieu Cham Joof.  He further revealed that, they started with one class room and 15 students The number has now increased to 150 presently he said.

According to Imam Nyang, over thousand people passed through the school who are holding very important positions in the society. The subject we taught the children in the school are, Al.  Quran, alphabets, hadiths, shariah and other Islamic subjects, he stated.

He added that, this quranic recitation is an annual event and this year is the 17th “tarim Al Quran”  of the school.

Imam Nyang, thanked the chairman of the school, Alh. Alieu Cham Joof the adviser, Alh. Sering Alieu Saho Qadi Muslim court Banjul, his deputy, oustass Abdoulie Sowe and his staffs, the PTA and others in helping in the smooth running of the school.

“Imam Nyang called on the fellow muslim Ummah to come and assist the school towards the development of the school environment and their classrooms, which will be greatly appreciated’ he said.

The Ansaar Agency, comprising of young muslim men and women, is expected to embark on a sensitization campaign, according to its founding members. The  Agency, bearing the Arabic word for helpers, ‘Ansaar’, was established on January 12, 2008, by some concerned muslim brothers and sisters.

Their campaign, according to the members, would take them to Government departments, NGOs and the society at large.

It will take the form of radio and television talk shows and press conferences, in a bid to sensitise members of the community on their aims and objectives, mode of operations, mission, entry requirement and other issues concerning the Agency.

Speaking to the Daily Observer, Dodou Jah, an Executive member of the Agency, said his Agency was registered, as a charitable organisation, on February 27, 2008, and that it was approved by The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council on the 19th March, 2008.

He said that his Agency had long and short term project proposals, citing Education as one. He revealed that they intended to set up an earlychild development institute, a Social service system, eg. the Janaza service; and Arts and cultural projects all of which are geared towards bringing the youths together,so as to change their attitudes.

Mr Jah further dwelt on other activities intended to be embarked upon, such as Fund raising, which would take the form of selling ‘ebbeh’ to school children, Membership dues collection, among others.

For his part, Alieu Addo, another Executive member of the Agency, said they have over 64 registered members.

According to him, membership is divided into three (3) categories, namely; Associate, Support and Honorary memberships.

“Our office is located along the Coastal Road in Kanifing, opposite Aji Sukai Ndateh Senior Secondary School.  Membership is open to all muslim brothers and sisters and the forms are available at our offices”, Mr Addo remarked.

“Our main aim,” he went on, “is to cultivate understanding and unity in The Gambia and also to work towards improving vulnerable lives in the country and the world large. This will benefit people physically, mentally and spiritually,both here and hereafter.  

Of course, people have to understand that all these will be done through the comandments of Allah (SWT) and the Sunnah (the way of life) of Prophet Muhammed (SAW).

Mr Addo however complained of financial constraints, citing the burden of having to meet the annual rental fees of their office as an example.

He called on Government, Charitable organisations, and other philanthropists to support the Agency in the course of Islam.

Mariama Manneh, also an Executive member, called on her muslim sisters, to join the Ansaar Agency. She said that at the female wing, some of their main responsibilities are the ‘Janaza’ service and the cooking of ‘ebbeh’ for school children.

Any one interested in helping the Agency, can contact them through email: doudou1979@excite.com or basambams@yahoo.comor mobile; 7712663/9827254/9916176/7538193.

When it ended, the battle of Kansala, a battle fought between Muslim Fulas and animist Mandinkas ended just as it was predicted by the Nyancho ruler Mansa Janke Wali in “Turubang” which means: total annihilation. The battle ended in the total destruction of Kansala by the Fula and with it the collapse of the Kaabu Empire.

According to the traditions when Janke Wali, the Kaabu emperor, was told about the advancing Fula army towards Kansala, he sent out scouts to assess the Fula army. These scouts were said to saddle their horses and rode for eight days without sighting the rear of the advancing army because of their large numbers. When the Fula army arrived they surrounded Kansala but for three days neither side dared to fire the opening shot.

According to the traditions the reasons for not fighting for three days on either side were based on marabout advice. The Timbo marabout, Abdu Khudus, had warned the Fulas not to fire the first shot at he Nyanchos for they can destroy the Nyanchos only when they allow them to fire the opening shot.

At the same time the marabout Fode Barika Dramme had warned the animist Mandinka, “Don’t fire at the Fulas until they first shoot at you. If they shoot first, you will drive them back to Futa”. This Fode Barika Dramme was a Jahanka. Although the Jahankas were Muslims they were also mandinkas and sometimes work for the Nyanchos.

Time passed at the Nyanchop fortress in Kansala and finally the Nyanchos became angry and felt insulted by the Fula armies. Over their wines they complained to Janke Wali who reminded them. “both our Jalang and our marabout have warned us not to shoot at them first. “But that is cowardice” the Nyanchos protested. So the Nyanchos fired upon the Fulas first and the battle of Kansala had started.

The Kaabunkas at first were able to cut off the heads of many of the Fulas who attempted to scale the walls leading to the Nyanchos fortress, but the Fula persisted in greater numbers. Finally when the Nyancho women saw the Fulas beginning to jump into the fort, the first Fula who had ever come into the fort unbound, they knew the worst was near. The Nyancho women of Kaabu began to jump headlong into the wells preferring to die rather than become slaves of the Fulas. At this point Janke Wali told his war captains that his fort was now truly named “Turubang”.  Turning to his griot he said “you must leave and tell my story to my grand children. When a man’s rule is about to die he should die with it.” Are you mistaken or is it cowardice that makes you ask me to do this? Asked the griot. “I can never serve any other master.”

Janke Wali called his sons, and said to them, “put fire to the seven gun powder stores”. When six of the powder houses had exploded the battle of Kansala had ended. Kansala was totally destroyed and  lay in ruins. It was only after the destruction of Kansala and the death of Janke Wali that the other towns of Kaabu became aware of the Fula invasion, but it was then too late to save the empire.

The Legacy of Kaabu

Senegambian griots still sing of the battle of Kansala, many of them describing it as Pyrrhic victory of Futa Jallon over the Nyanchos. They maintain that it was a victory that was as bad as a defeat of the 25,000 men in the Futa Jallon army it was pointed out, only 4,000 returned home.

At the battle of Kansal, the Nyuanchos showed themselves to be the proud and recklessly brave descendants, of Tirimang and Balaba. This point is illustrated by the story of how the Nyancho, Faramba Tamba of Kapentu, was so incensed at the idea that Fulas should are to take up arms and come against Nyanchos as men and equals that he refused even to draw his weapon. Instead he took a stick and went out to meet the Fulas on foot, and was trampled down by their horses.

In the years after the fall of Kansala Fulas replaced Nyanchos as rulers of most of the former Kaabu states. In some states such as Pachensi and Bajare where the Mandinkas were the majority, Nyanchos still retained leadership and autonomy in return for a nominal tribute to Futa Jallon. However, after the death of Janke Wali none of the Nyanchos was capable of pulling Kaabu together again. The Almamy of Timbo then directed that Kaabu be divided into two major Fula provinces Kaabu and Fulladu both to be tributaries of Futa Jallon. The newly-formed province of Kaabu, the heart of the old empire,  in what was to become Guinea Bissau, was divided between clans of pure Fulas, the Mballo’s and Jao’s.

Fulladu, composed of the northern and northeaststern states of the old empire, mostly in what is now Senegal and the Gambia was given to the half Mandinka, half Fula Baldeh family who, on the Gambian side, remain chiefs in the area up to this day.

The Kingdom of Fulladu Rise of the Kingdom

The kingdom of Fulladu was established in 1870 after the Fula overthrow of the Kaabu Empire. One of the men who figured prominently in bringing about the fall of Kaabu, as we have seen, was Alpha Mollo, Baldeh. Originally known as Molloh Egge Baldeh, ghe received the title “Alpha” and the rulership of Fulladu from the Almamy of Timbo as a reward for his leadership and assistance in the Fula campaign against Kaabu.

During his reign, Alpha Molloh divided the 48 small mini states which comprised Fulladu into five major provinces and placed four of these provinces under chiefs of proven valour. These chiefs served as regional governors and also acted as judges.

One of these chiefs was Alpha Molloh’s brother, Bakari Demba Baldeh, who governed the province of Jimara. Alpha Molloh himself assumed direct rule over Firdu. The other provinces of Fulladu were Mambua, Patinkuta and Kamako. During his rule Alpha Molloh invited several marabouts to Fulladu in order to spread Islam in the kingdom. Alpha Molloh did not rule for long. After consolidating his power he died in 1874 at Dandu in mordern Guinea-Bissau.

Fulladu under Bakari Demba

According to the oral traditions, when the great Tukulor marabout of Futa Toro, Alhaji Omar Taal, first visited Alpha Molloh’s house, Kumba Wude, Alpha’s wife, had greeted the marabout most hospitably. Alhaji Omar was said to predict to Alpha Molloh that her son, Demba Kumba Wude, later to be known as Musa Molloh would be king. Both Alpha Molloh and his son, Musa, expected Musa to succeed to the throne of Fullady because of Alhaji Omar’s prediction.

However, When Alpha Molloh died the religious elders of Fulladu met to choose a new leader and their choice fell on Alpha Molloh’s brother, Bakari Demba who became king and established his capital at Korop in Jimara.

Musa Molloh reluctantly agreed to accept his paternal uncle as king, but only on the condition that he would continue the policies of Alpha Molloh. However, once Bakary Demba took power, he threatened to dismiss the chiefs and become sole ruler of Fulladu. He drove several marabouts out of Fulladu and tried to return the country to animist beliefs and practices.

Bakary Demba governed Fulladu for 12 years during which time he had the cooperation of Musa Molloh as well as his son Dansa Sajel and Dikori Kumba who was Musa Molloh’s brother.  In the 13th year of his reign, however, Bakari Demba became increasingly aware of Musa’s opposition to his policies. Meanwhile, Bakari Demba was now facing growing opposition from several client kings of Fulladu including Alpha Mbuko of Kolda Karantaba. Alpha Mbuko was a pure Fula. Together with other pure Fulas they objected strongly to mixed Fulas being the sovereign of Fulladu. This opposition merely strengthened the Baldehs who decided to march on Kolda Karantaba and suppress the revolt.

However, when Musa Molloh was ready to go to Kolda Karantaba at the head of an army, Bakari Demba and Musa’s brother Dikori Kumba refused to join him. Musa’s warriors had told him that Bakari Demba and the others intended to betray him by deserting him in the heat of battle. Musa’s warriors advised him to see the help of Sheikh Sadibu Haidara of Sahel. Sheikh Sadibu sent his son, Sheikh Mafju, to respresent him. He promised Musa victory. Thus feeling reinforced, Musa Molloh marched on the Kolda Karantaba accompanied by his cousin, Danso Sajel. After six days of hard fighting both armies ran out of gunpowder; the defenders of Kolda karantaba made a break for it. The Baldeh army pursued them and soundly routed these pure Fulas.

After other battles with the forces of he Mandinka war chiefs Fode Kaba Dumbuya, Musa Molloh returned to Fulladu determined to eliminate all opposition to his prophesied kingship. He first got rid of his own full brother Dikori Kumba. With Dikori Kumba out of his way Musa then marched on Bakari Demba’s town, Korop. Bakari Demba’s town fell to Musa’s forces but he was able to escape to Niani, where he was exiled until Musa later gave him permission to return to Fulladu. He died at his village, Bakari Demba Kunda located between Kosemarr and Bakadaji.

The only man left from among Bakari Demba’s followers able to challenge Musa’s authority was Bakari Demba’s son, Danso Sajel. However he offered Musa his allegiance which Musa accepted for a shortime. However, with rumours that Dansa Sajel was planning to go to Futa Jallon in order to raise an army against him, Musa ordered the captains of his army to assassinate him. With Dansa Sajel’s death, Bakari Demba’s reign had come to an end and Musa Molloh Baldeh became the king of Fulladu.

Musa Molloh Baldeh king of Fulladu

At the height if his reign, just before he migrated to the Gambia, Musa Molloh through wars and conquests claimed control over some 45 small provinces in what later became parts of Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Senegal and the Gambia. Fulladu’s territory lay between 14 degree and 15 degree west longitude, bounded on the north by the river Gambia.

To he south, it extended as far as the Cacheo River and at some points continued on to the Rio Geba in modern Guinea-Bissau. Musa Molloh was a warrior king and a leader of the Fula independence movement in the Senegambia area of the late 19th century.

Profiting from the grievance of the Fula living under oppressive Mandinka rule and by the vaccurn of leadership Fode Kaba’s raids had created on the south bank of the Gambia river, Musa Molloh and an army of 20,000 men swept through Tumana, Jimara, Europina, and Niamina and then south into Portuguese territories on the Casamance. Returning to the Gambia in 1879 he crossed the river in alliance with the leaders of the two large Fula states flanking the upper river valley, Bakari Saada of Bondu and Alpha Ibrahima, Almamy of Tinbo abd together they conquered Kantora, Wuli and Niani. Most of the Mandinka population of these areas fled before Musa Molloh’s forces and his Fula followers occupied the land which henceforth became known as Fulladu.

Government of Fulladu

By the 1880s Musa Molloh had imposed a complex administrative superstrcture over tradtional authorities from Jarra to Kantora on the south bank of the Gambia River. The territory was divided into districts administered by his principal followers and members of his family who now included not only Fulas but also Mandinka Serahule and Wollof. Musa Molloh received the title of Modibo and the district leaders that of Lamdo Tokosel. The district chiefs were responsible for divisions of this army, recruited within their areas.

When Musa Molloh went to war, all territorial leaders had to accompany him. Musa held supreme military as well as civil authority Village chiefs in Fulladu continued to be chosen by their local village councils but held office with Musa Molloh’s approval. They were responsible for collecting taxes and settling minor disputes, although serious cases like cattle stealing were heard by Musa himself.

Alongside the territorial hierarchy was an organised network of Musa’s personal agents, responsible to the Modibo alone. Fula tax collectors gathered the taxes from the local chiefs for him, and large numbers of slaves and freemen were employed as spies and messengers through out the districts of the state.

Dr Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy, vice-president and secretary of state for Women’s Affairs on Friday, received Archbishop Cardinal Theodore Adrien Sarr of Senegal in her office at State House, Banjul.

Accompanied to State House by Patrick Robert Ellison (CSSP), the Bishop of Banjul and Pierre LM Sarr, liaison officer between the government and the Catholics in the country, Cardinal Sarr’s visit was meant to celebrate with the Gambian Catholic family of his nomination as Cardinal by Pop Benedict 16th, on 24th November, 2007, in Rome, Italy.

Speaking to journalists soon after his audience with Vice-President Njie-Saidy, Cardinal Sarr expressed deep appreciation at the warmed welcome accorded to him by both the Catholic and the Muslim communities in The Gambia. He stated that his visit is also meant to join the Gambian Catholic family in celebrating and thanking Allah for such a gift through Pop Benedict 16th.

“During my nomination as Cardinal, both Catholics and Muslims in Senegal, The Gambia and the entire West Africa were deeply touched. This manifested that we are the same, more particularly The Gambia and Senegal. I honoured the invitation of Bishop Ellison to visit The Gambia and celebrate with the population, as well as thank Allah as Cardinal is very important in the Catholic faith,” he said.

He then called for Muslim-Christian cordial relations, saying “we should be united, ensure peace. This is what God needs”. He then highlighted some issues in his discussion with Vice-president Njie-Saidy, including nurturing the continuous excellent Muslims-Christian relations.

For his part, Patrick Robert Ellison (CSSP), the Bishop of Banjul, described the visit as important to the Catholic community, noting that being a Cardinal is very important and a special privilege.. He stated that there are only 120 Cardinals in the whole Catholic church around the world. “So if an African and a Senegambian is nominated by Pop Benedict 16th as a Cardinal, both Senegal and The Gambia should be proud of it,” he said.

He then highlighted the relations that Cardinal Sarr has in The Gambia and described the visit as not only because he is a Catholic, but as a member of the Sarr family whose immediate family are also in The Gambia. He then stated that the visit will greatly strengthen the faith of the Catholic community, saying “Cardinal Sarr is a man of God, faith and deep conviction and someone who has great concern for Muslim-Christian relations”.

During his four-day visit, Cardinal Sarr was hosted to a reception, celebrated a mass at St Peter’s Church in Lamin, where he confirmed 60 young Gambians into the Christian faith. He also met the elders of the Supreme Islamic Council last Saturday and attended a celebration at the Cathedral Church in Banjul on Sunday before his departure yesterday.

Its rulers were ordained into office by the king of Manding, but as the Manding Empire declined during the 15th century the Kaabu Empire became autonomous. 

Among the "estern Mandinka who inhabit Senegambia, the Kaabu empier was second only to Manding in glory and importance and its ruling dynasty, who bore the title of Nyanchos, were better known, more respected and more jealous of their heritage than any other of the western Mandinka dynasties. In the days of the empire Mandinka civilisation reached a very high point. This period saw the introduction of the famous kora musical instrument and the perfection of older Manding instruments like the Balafon, Kontingo and the Bolombato still used by Senegambia griots, important masquerade dances like the Kankurang, the Maano and the Tintirinya are all said to have originated from Kaabu.

The heart land of Kaabu lay in the hinterland of modern Guinea-Bissau and the are of the Upper Casamance River in Modern Senegal. It stretched from the Gambia River in the north to the borders of Futa Jallon in the Repoublic of Guinea in the south. The Gambia River traced Kaabu’s eastern Boundary, though its influence extended across the river into the Mandinka ruled areas of Tenda and Niokolokoba. Kantora, Tumana and Jimara, across the river from Wuli in the Gambia were all part of the Kaabu Empire. Other  Kaabu states were Sama, Sankola and Wuropina. Kaabu was once the centre of trade from the Senegambia interior to the south bank of the Gambia River, as Wuli had been for the North Bank.

The Kaabu Empire was founded as a result of Mandinka migrations from Manding during the reign of Mansa Sunjatta Keita. The leader of that migration was Tiramang Traore.

Tiramang Traore

Mandina oral tradition related that Tiramang Traore came "West" in order to exert reprisals against the Burba Jolof. Burba Jolof, it was said, had seized some horses belonging to Mansa Sunjatta Keita and had issued an insulting challenge to the king of Manding which could not be ignored. Tiramang Traore was chosen to lead the military mission against Jolof because Sunjatta admired his courage and loyalty. Tiramang was said to have regarded war as sport and was willing to fight "anywhere at anytime".

Tiramang conquered Jolof, sent the Burba Jolof’s head back to Mansa Sunjatta, crossed the Gambia River southwards as far as the kingdom of Damantang situated in what is now the regon of Casamance in Southern Senegal.

Prior to the coming of Tiramang a number of Mandinka migrants had already settled in the Kassa region and had intermarried with the original inhabitants such as the Konyajis, Mansuankas and Fulas. The Mandinka new comers first settled among the Konyajis, then gradually moved west conquering the indigenous groups and constantly pushing them back towards the Gambia and its Atlantic Coast.

The  Manding immigrants still retained important aspects of their culture, such as language, but many of them adopted important indigenous cultural features such as the use of maternal rather than paternal surnames for their children and the inheritance of kingship through the female line. The descendants of these immigrants became known by local surnames such as Sane and Mane.

According to oral tradition, the Sanes were a prominent Mandinka famil who were either ruling in Damantang or were very influential there when Tiramang arrived. Tiramang is said to have settled at Damantang, where he married a daughter of the Sane family and had several children by her. Tiramang together with the Sanes drove back or subjugated the indigenous people and establish Mandinka ascendancy. At this point in the formation of the Kaabu Empire Tiramang was recalled to Manding by Mansa Sunjatta but died on his way home in the Upper River Division of The Gambia. However, he left behind him in Kaabu children claiming descent from him and the Sane family. These together with the Manes, a sub-branch of the same family were the maternal ancestors of the Nyancho ruling class.

The Kaabu Nyanchos

As the ruling classes of the empire of Kaabu, the Nyanchos claimed Tiramang as paternal ancestor but much more importantly they also claimed as supernatural maternal ancestry. According to oral tradition, the creation of the Nyanchos as a class of men and women with special qualities of power and bravery came through the marriage of a Sane with a mysterious woman named Balaba, whom the Sanes found by accident. It was Balabas descendants, reckoned along the maternal line, who came to be known as the elite warrior class of Kaabu, the Nyanchos and it was Balaba’s descendants only who were eligible to become legitimate rulers of Kaabu.

The story of Balaba in Kaabu history is akin to the story of Ndyadyane Ndyaye in the Wollof Empire. In both cases we find a powerful ruling class caliming descent from the world of the spirits and combining religious and political duties.

According to one main version of the traditions, Balaba was a mystery woman who lived in a cave in a forest near village Mampetion for far from Kunkandi in Fulladu who came out of her cave only at nights. One night a hunter found the cave and, thinking it was a porcupine den, lay in wait nearby until dawn, when he saw a woman appear and go into the cave Frightened, he went away but came back the next day to witness the same thing. He went to the ruler, a Sane and reported the incident. A witness was sent with the hunter who came back and told the same story to the ruler. A second witness was sent with the hunter who came back reporting the same story making the king believe the story of the mystery woman.

This time the king called on the smiths to consult their fetish in order to find a way to capture the cave dweller. The smiths advised the king to give out-charity and to play the drums near the cave on a Thursday night when on that day they played until dawn, the woman appeared, dressed in white, with a white pagne over her head and holding a calabash spoon in her band. She sat down outside the cave and allowed the griots to take her away to the Mansa.

The mystery woman, Balaba, was taken to Medina in Wuropina where she was placed in a house all by herself. A young Sane "manp-saringo" secretly went to sleep with Balaba at night until she became pregnant. Balaba’s union with Tiramang’s descent resulted in four daughters: Kootalama, Nyani, Birani, and Balaba. The mystery of Balaba’s origins evoked many legends about her. Some peolple said that she had been captured as a baby and brought up by a jinn who passed supernatural powers on her. These people believed that Balaba had passed those same supernatural powers on to her daughters and their descendants.

According to the traditions, Balaba’s first daughter was given to the Mandinka ruler of Jimara, a Sane, the second daughter went to the ruler of Sama, another Sane, and t he third went to the ruler of Pachana, a member of the Mane family. It was from these three original Nyancho houses that the rulership of the Kaabu Empire was rotated. The four daughter of Balaba was given to the Wollof ruler of Saloum at Kahone. All the sons and daughters born of these four women were called Nyanchos in Kaabu and Guelewar in Sine-Saloum. It was the children of Nyancho women, not Nyancho men, who became automatic Nyanchos. They were regarded as the only ones to inherit all the supernatural attributes of Balaba and they alone could become emperors of Kaabu.

Balaba was supposed to have bequeathed certain supernatural qualities to the Nyancho ruling families which no other Mandinka families were believed to possess. The Nyanchos were considered to be part spirit and part human who had nothing to do with Islam but  practised their indegnous religions through the Jalang. Their hallmark was bravery and they fought continuously to prove their  courage. Death to them in battle was better than defeat or the unthinkable label of ‘coward’. A Nyancho would often kill himself rather than face the prospect of slavery, torture, or any other  form of humiliation, especially at the hands of those he considered his inferiors.

The Koringos

In addition to the Nyanchos, there was also a second type  of ruling family in Kaabu. These families notably the Sanyangs and Sonkos bore the title Koringo and followed beneath the Nyanchos in the ruling hierarchy of Kaabu. Koringos were noble families who were eligible to rule in the individual states of Kaabu but not eligible to become emperor. The Koringo group came from two main sources. One group consisted of powerful Mandinka families who had been allied one way or another to the ruling families of Sane and Mane, mostly through marriage. The second group to fill the Koringo class was the children of Nyancho men by non-Nyancho women.

Even the descendants of the emperor became Koringo unless their mother was also a Nyuancho so that even some Sanes and Manes became Koringos.

A child born of a Nyancho mother only was considered just as much a Nyancho as the child born of a Nyancho mother and father. The only difference was that the double parentage gave one claim to a ‘purer’ line of birth

In Koringo families the title was hereditary for both male and female, with inheritance passing along the paternal line. A Koringo, of course, could never become a Nyancho. But like anyone else his child can aspire to become one if, by being an outstanding ruler or warrior, he can attract a Nyancho woman to himself.

Some Nyanchos who had no opportunity of becoming rulers as well as some Koringos who were not content with being mere sub-rulers, moved out of the empire and founded their own states. This desire to found new states was largely responsible for the growth of smaller Mandinka states in the Senegambia area most especially along the Gambia River.

Nyanchos and Fulas

Kabbu was surrounded by Fula states and kingdoms, the leading ones being Futa Toro, Bundu, Masina and Futa Jallon. Throughout the centuries the Kaabu states were infiltrated by Fulas who were nomadic pastoralists. The Kaabu region was fertile and well watered and many Fulas had migrated to the Kaabu region even before the Mandinka arrived.

The Fula concentrated in the Upper Casamance, Jimara, Firdu and in the states in the area of modern Guinea-Bissau. Fula population continued to increase in the area and by the mid 19th century it was estimated that they formed the largest single ethnic group in the area. Despite their numbers, however, the Nyancho remained the dominant ruling classes. The Fula who were nomadic lived in widely scattered settlements without any centralised political authority. In contrast the Mandinka were a settle agricultural people with a long tradition of strong political authority under a ruling warrior class.

From the time of Mandinka conquest the Fulas and the Kabunkas had begun with the understanding that as long as the Fulas paid a yearly tribute of one bull per head, they would be left alone. However, when the Nyanchos became strongly entrenched they began to make harsh exaction’s upon the Fulas. Instead of one bull the Nyanchos would now exact ten bulls per head a year. When Nyancho women ‘wanted to chew tobacco, they would sometimes cut the Fulas millet and burn it to get ashes used for chewing tobacco. Tradition has it that when a Nyancho wanted to punish a Fula  one way was to tie straw around him and then set him on fire, and as he danced women and children would clap in time to his movements and sing "Trintirinya; Tirinya; Tintirinya; Tirinya", until he fell or until they poured water on him.

Meanwhile heavily populated Fula areas were getting restive under what they considered Nyancho oppression,. One such area of the empire was Firdu, Alpha Molloh’s state, which was almost entirely Fula with Nyancho ruling families. While Alpha Molloh was growing up, the people of Firdu suffered under Nyancho tyranny. No Fula, for example, could keep a fine horse because if any Mandinka wanted it, he simply took it. The Fula’s fattest cows were liable to seizure at any time. Yet conditioned by centuries of living in fear under Nyancho domination, the Fula perhaps needed external assistance if they were to free themselves from Mandinka oppression.

The people of Firdu under Alpha Baldeh were to find such assistance, and assurance, from the rising power of Islam in the area. Alpha Molloh first received assurance for help against Nyancho oppression from the famous Tukulor Muslim Jihadist Alhaji Omar Taal. Omar Taal was a jihadist who waged wars against pagan rule in the upper Niger and upper Senegal rivers. When he visited the Senegambia he encouraged prominent Muslims like Maba to wage holy wars against pagan rule.

When Alhaji Omar visited Alfa Molloh he was treated with great respect by the hunter and his family. Alhaji Omar listened sympathetically while Alpha Molloh complained about the Mandinkas oppressive rule. Alhaji Omar urged Alpha Molloh to begin a revolution promising victory for him and prophesying kingship for his son if he would wage a holy war against the Nyanchos.

Meanwhile the fula inhabitants of Kaabu watched with interest as raiding parties from Futa Jallon, a powerful Fula empire founded on the southern border of Kaabu in the early 18th century, began raiding in increasing numbers and frequency into the very heart of Kaabu. The Muslim leadership of Futa Jallon had developed the dual ambition of Islamising the Kaabu empire and of substituting Futa Jallon leadership for Kaabu leadership of the Senegambia valley.

In the early 1860’s Futa Jallon armies in a bloody but successful battle defeated the Kaabu armies at Sankolla at the fort of Berekolong. This success encouraged the Kaabu Fulas who, under the leadership of Alfa Molloh Baldeh, were now ready for a major campaign against the Nyancho rulers of Kaabu.

Apart from the Fulas of Kaabu, Alpha Molloh was also able to gain  the support of the powerful Muslim District of Kabada on the southern border of Kiang and Jarra. The pious elders of Kabada had advised Alpha Molloh to ask the ruler of Futa Jallon, the Almamy of Timbo, for help. The Almamy of Timbo was said to contribute 25,000 men in the Fula army. These forces were also joined by those of Bokar Sada, Almamy of Bondu. These forces together with Serahule of Manda were to be led by Alpha Molloh Baldeh against the forces of Janke Wali, the reigning king of Kaabu, to the famous battle of Kansala, a battle still sung to this day by the griots of Senegambia.

A foundation stone for a new mosque at Brufut Lower Basic School was recently laid by Alhagie Kebba Sheriff Hydara, Kaliph of the Hydara families in The Gambia.

The mosque, with a dimension of 11m by 10m, is a self help project initiated by the school through its Islamic conferences and donations organised by the staff and students of the school.

Speaking shortly before the laying of the foundation block, the Kaliph of the Hydara families in The Gambia, Alhagie Kebba Hydara, used the occasion to pray for continued peace and stability in the country. He urged the muslim Ummah to be united and work as one family, noting that islam is a religion born with tolerance and obedience.

He described unity as a fundamental principle of islam. He then prayed for progress and prosperity of the project and seek for Allah’s blessings it.

The ceremony was attended by the Alkalo of Brufut, Alh Yunusa Sano, religious leaders, as well as members of the Brufut community. The food vendors of the school provided the feeding during the ceremony as part of their contribution towards the event.