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Current Feed ContentSenegal Has Big Players But… Coach Paul Put
Friday, October 10, 2008 Gambian Coach Paul Put has expressed his view that though Paul Put, who was asked as to expectations about the most awaited derby match between The Gambia and Senegal slated for tomorrow Saturday said, “Senegal have a team that have already gone to the world cup and African Cup of Nation. So they have advantage. They have big players who are playing in the highest competition of According to Coach Put, the For Paul Put, he has been working in for the psychology of the players since the day he arrived in the He added that “what I have been seeing against the matches with He finally said that he will be travelling with 20 players and they will be leaving today The Author: Ebou Manneh Source: Pictures: Coach Paul Put(1) and Scorpions FC(2) A brief history of RamadanMonday, September 29, 2008 For obvious reasons, most Moslems are much more familiar with the history of the five daily prayers than the history of the most sacred of months on the Moslem calendar. Who amongst us does not know that these five daily prayers were originally fifty but subsequently reduced to only five after a series of tough negotiations by our Holy Prophet (pbuh) at the end of his seminal trip to the seventh heaven at the Sidratul Muntaha, the virtual head office of the Divine himself ? The History of Ramadan is no less important though. For it was in Ramadan that the Holy Prophet was first informed of his prophethood; and it was in Ramadan that the holiest of scriptures, the Qu’ran, the primary source of law in Islam was first revealed to the Holy Prophet; and it was in Ramadan that the first formal military confrontation took place between the idol worshipers of Mecca and the Moslems in Medina; and, last but not the least, it is only in Ramadan that you could find the most powerful night of the Moslem year, the Night of Power, a night more important than one thousand other nights combined. All of the above make it all the more compelling for the average Moslem to understand the historical development of this most important month in Islam. The word Ramadan comes from the Arabic root Ar-ramad which means extreme heat or dryness. But over the years the word came to signify a burning desire to drink water or consume food. That is at the physical level. But at the spiritual level, it’s the process of burning away ones sins by being hungry and thirsty for the sake of God, or that observing the fast of this month with absolute faith and unpolluted intentions will confer remittance of all the earlier sins of the faithful. Fasting is also, according to some prophetic traditions, a powerful tool of defeating Satan’s schemes of tempting the believers to sin. Before the Hegira (flight to medina) and throughout the Meccan period, there was no such thing as Ramadan. The only kind of fasting that the Holy Prophet and his Meccan companions performed during that period was the ancient form of fasting that had been enjoined upon all the prophets that had come before him namely, to fast three days in each of the twelve months of the year. Says the Qu’ran (2:183):( ….Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who came before you that you may learn self-restraint). And immediately after the Hegira and settlement in Medina, the Holy Prophet added Ashura (Tamharit), the 10th day of Muharram, the equivalent of January on the Moslem calendar, to the list of days that Moslems must fast in the course of the year. The significance of this day is that it was the day the prophet, Moses (pbuh), and his people were delivered by God from their tormentors, the Egyptian pharoah and his military henchmen. Ramadan proper, however, was formally prescribed as a pillar of Islam in the Qu’ran during the second year of Hegira, thus rendering all the other forms of fasting that preceded it optional. And like all lifestyle changing legislations in the Quran, Ramadan passed through a number of stages before it became absolutely obligatory on every able bodied Moslem adult. Most doctors of Islam agree that the monthly three days fasting done by the prophet and his companions throughout the Meccan period and in the first year of the Medinan period is considered as the introductory phase of Ramadan for the Moslems. This initial stage, whilst not mentioned in the Qu’ran, is evidenced by prophetic practice and example. And even when fasting was first prescribed in the Qu’ran (2:183), it was obligatory upon only those who thought they were physically and mentally strong enough to do it. Says the Quran (2:184): (……..For those who cannot do it, it is a ransom,the feeding of someone who is indigent). And this, the doctors agree, was clearly the second stage in the Ramadan legislation. This phase also included permission for the aged, the traveller and expecting women and women with tiny babies not to keep fast until their situations change. The situation of the aged, of course, will never change, so they will always have to feed the indigent in lieu of eating during Ramadan. As for the women and the traveller, they will pay the number of days they eat at a later date. The third stage came when the Qu’ran made fasting obligatory upon any Moslem adult who has seen the crescent at the end of Shaaban, the month that comes before Ramadan. Says the Qu’ran (2:185):(… .So everyone of you who is present in his home during that month should spend it in fasting). It was from this day on that fasting in the month of Ramadan transitioned from being an optional pillar of Islam, just like the Hajj, to being obligatory on all able-bodied Moslems. The permissions granted to the aged, excepting women and travelers still stand, however. The Qu’ranic verse that was sent down to finalise legislation on Ramadan came to correct a specific problem that many of the Companions of the Prophet found especially difficult to deal with, namely the amount of time available for eating and enjoyment between breaking your fast for the day that has just ended and beginning your fasting of the next day. This may sound strange today, but it is a fact that during the initial Ramadan, fasting began everyday immediately after the last prayer at night, the Ashaa prayer. And this means not only that people had less than three hours to eat and replenish the energies they had lost in the course of the day, but also that people went to bed fasting. And understandably, there were countless instances in which some of the companions accidentally slept with their wives or that some would collapse as a result of dehydration the following day simply because they had not had enough time to replenish the liquids they had lost the previous day. Says the Qu’ran (2:187) : (Permitted to you, on nights of fasts, is the approach of your wives. They are your garments and you are their garments. Allah knoweth what ye used to do secretly amongst yourselves; but He turned to you and forgave you; so now associate with them and seek what Allah hath ordained for you; and eat and drink until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast until the night appears…). And with this verse came the culmination of not only of Quranic legislative process on fasting in Islam, but also of a unique fasting format now known universally as Ramadan. So, in a nutshell, just like the prohibition of alcohol went through a number of progressive stages before it was completely prohibited to all Moslems, fasting the month of Ramadan also went through a series of stages, four to be specific, before it became an obligatory pillar of Islam on all able-bodied Moslems. All the doctors of Islam agree that it is a sign of Allah's infinite mercy on this Ummah that anytime He legislates on complex lifestyle issues that would be difficult to change or abandon, He does it gradually and incrementally until the vast majority of the believers have gotten used to the changes, then He would finalise it, and that was precisely what happened to the history of Ramadan in Islam. Bassirou Drammeh Deputy Imam Latri Kunda German Author: DO The fight against povertyMonday, September 29, 2008 Poverty is not a new phenomenon; it is as old as human history. While we can not divorce natural causes from it, there are convincingly enough reasons to argue that manmade causes of poverty largely account for the increasingly deplorable conditions of the world’s poor people. There is so much in the world that it is unacceptable to see others go hungry, or not being able to attain the basic necessities. However, addressing the issue of poverty goes beyond merely enabling people to acquire these needs; it also calls for attitudinal change, on the part of both the haves and the have-nots, of course. It is a common thing to see that among the privileged few of society there is the tendency of complaisance, such that we tend to take life for granted. There is the issue of the unwillingness to share, and there is also the issue of exploitation and wastage, mainly caused by the unrealistic feeling of the real impact of the scourge of poverty. The role of poor people themselves, as can be seen in our part of the world, also counts as much as the influences of the above mentioned factors. The culture of blaming other people for our predicament has more or less become a popular pretext for those of us who find life difficult to bear. This, in a way, serves as an obstacle for some of us to forge our way through. It is important to note, however, that we cannot make a desirable world if we continue on this trend. Global discourse on poverty reduction strategies therefore ought to feature these issues prominently if we are to realize our goals. Author: DO Tourisphere: Gambia’s tourism down to our history of peaceWednesday, September 24, 2008 The Gambia River, better still River Gambia, has marked the lives of the 1.7 million residents of this tiny nation. Hundred years ago, slave traders used it to access the fortress of James Island. Today, with new bridges and dams planned, the River has another meaning: modernization. But perhaps it’s most important contribution? Tranquility. The Gambia River is a dominating feature of life in The Gambia. This great West African river stretches from the country’s Atlantic Coast 186 miles into its interior, dividing residents into north or south bank inhabitants. Steamers can navigate the river for 140 miles inland, which, for the first 80 miles, is fringed with mangroves-covered banks, later giving way to red cliffs topped with green vegetation. Dotted with ferries, fishermen in dugout canoes and cutters loaded with groundnuts, the river offers the occasional glimpse of hippopotami and crocodiles surfacing, and baboons playing along its banks. Alex Haley, who wrote the American novel ROOTS, said that it was the Gambia River that helped him to trace his ancestors. Of the new African words passed down in his family, Kamby Bolongo had survived. He discovered that bolongo was a moving water, or river, in Mandinka, the language of The Gambia’s main ethnic group. Later, when he traveled to Juffure, a village on the north bank of the river, his theory was confirmed. The mandinka language does not have a ‘g’ sound; the river is thus pronounced KAMBIYA rather than Gambia. The tranquility of the river is reflected in the peaceful nature of those who reside along its banks. Located around the flood plains of the River Gambia, and occupying an area roughly half the size of Maryland is Africa’s smallest nation. Geographically surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for its 50 miles of Atlantic coastline, the Gambia is one of West Africa’s most peaceful nations, and according to the World Economic Forum, one of the top three least corrupt countries on the continent. The nation’s love for peace extends beyond its borders. The Gambia has played an important role in regional peace processes-it recently hosted the African Union Summit, and President Yahya Jammeh, who was re-elected for his third term in 2006, has been actively involved in mediating the Guinea-Bissau peace process and ensuring stability in the Senegalese region of Casamance. President Jammeh once reiterated that peace and stability are indispensable pre-requisite for human development without which we cannot move forward. If we live according to tribes, there is bound to be conflict; and if we live based on races, there’s bound to be racism. Our diversity is colour and culture is the strength of humanity, and as far as we are concerned, religion should be a unifying factor rather than a dividing factor. The stability that has reigned in The Gambia since President Jammeh assumed power in 1994 has allowed the country the freedom to achieve significant economic progress. Today, The Gambia boosts a liberal, market-based economy, a growing tourism industry and a thriving re-export trade built around its port. Growth has been above 6% for the last few years, infrastructure has been strengthened and continues to be expanded, and the country is open to foreign investment. Bold steps are being taken to ensure the country’s goal of achieving developed status by 2020. The Gambia hopes to achieve Vision 2020, but it must ensure that our citizens acquire the skills required through quality education. That is the strategy. It is not just about reaching Vision 2020 but sustaining it. Next, we must create an environment conducive to development, an atmosphere that gives investors confidence, and one in which the private sector is the engine of growth. For the private sector to be competent and realize its potential there must be a transparent relationship with the government. Whatever we do in this country is in partnership with the private sector, and the private sector is indispensable in the achievement of Vision 2020. The Gambia has always been cited as the smallest country on earth. However, good things can come from small countries like ours. My vision is to make The Gambia one of the best countries in the world. If a small country like Singapore can do it, why not The Gambia? My hope is to make the smallest country on earth the best country on earth. To this day, that is the vision that I have. Author: by Momodou Camara Focus on African ArtFriday, September 12, 2008 This week, Arts and Culture brings to you an indepth analysis and history of arts and culture from the African perspective courtesy of African Art. African Art is an edition which focus on arts and culture in Africa and the world at large. African Art constitutes one of the most diverse legacies on earth. Though many observers tend to generalize "traditional" African art, the continent is full of peoples, societies, and civilizations, each with a unique visual culture. The definition also includes the art of the African Diaspora such as the art of African American. Despite this diversity, there are some unifying artistic themes when considering the totality of the visual culture from the continent of Africa. Emphasis on human figure. The human figure is the primary subject matter for most African art. During the historical period involving trade between Africa and Europe, the introduction of the human body into existing European pottery and other forms of art can be reliably taken as evidence of contact with African cultures. In the fifteenth century, Portugal traded with the Sapi culture near Ivory Coast in West Africa, who created elaborate ivory saltcellars that were hybrids of African and European designs, most notably in the addition of the human figure. Visual abstraction African artworks tend to favor visual abstraction over naturalistic representation. Ancient Egyptian art was naturally depictive and it makes use of highly abstractive and regimented visual canons, especially in painting, as well as the use of different colors to represent the qualities and characteristics of an individual being depicted. Sculpture African artists tend to favor three-dimensional artworks over two-dimensional works. Even many African paintings or cloth works were meant to be experienced three-dimensionally. House paintings are often seen as a continuous design wrapped around a house, forcing the viewer to walk around the work to experience it fully; while decorated cloths are worn as decorative or ceremonial garments, transforming the wearer into a living sculpture. Performance art is an extension of the utilitarianism and three-dimensionality of traditional African art. Much of it is crafted for use in performance contexts, rather than in static ones. For example, masks and costumes very often are used in communal, ceremonial contexts, where they are "danced." Most societies in Africa have names for their masks, but this single name incorporates not only the sculpture, but also the meanings of the mask, the dance associated with it, and the spirits that reside within. In African thought, the three cannot be differentiated. Area of influence. African art has a long and surprisingly controversial history. Up until recently, the designation "African" was usually only bestowed on the arts of "Black Africa", the peoples living in sub-Saharan Africa. The non-black peoples of North Africa, the blacks of the Horn of Africa, as well as the art of Ancient Egypt, generally were not included under the rubric of African art. Recently, there has been a movement among African art historians and other scholars to include the visual culture of these areas, since all the cultures that produced them, in fact, are located within the geographic boundaries of the African continent. The notion is that by including all African cultures and their visual culture in African art, laypersons will gain a greater understanding of the continent's cultural diversity. Since there was often a confluence of traditional African, Islamic and Mediterranean cultures, scholars have found that drawing distinct divisions between Muslim areas, ancient Egypt, the Mediterranean and indigenous black African societies makes little sense. Finally, the arts of the people of the African diaspora, prevalent in Brazil, the Caribbean and the southeastern United States, have also begun to be included in the study of African art. To be continued Author: by Sanna Jawara Brief history of Western Education in The Gambia (PartII)Thursday, September 11, 2008 Introduction The aim of the author in this article therefore is to bring out facts and activities that led to the introduction of Western Education in The Gambia in years 1455-1661. The second article (part 2) will then follow. The years 1455-1661 The Portuguese - 1455-1588 Evidence is given that some Portuguese missionaries from Portugal and Cape Verde Island occasionally came to this settlement and taught the settlers and their descendants in this Church School to read and, write so as to plant the seeds of Christianity in them. This is evidenced by the fact that a Spanish who was at Foni Kansala in 1686 reported that most of the original Portuguese settlers were the descendants of Jews who had been driven away from Portugal or fled to The Gambia to avoid the attentions of the inquisition. Others said that they were banished men or fugitives who committed serious incestuous acts. For many years the missionaries made several attempts to preserve their nationality and bring them once more in touch with Europe and Christianity. Yet it is doubtful whether the indigenous people were taught to read and write in Western Education. At any rate, we are told that they learnt a great deal of boat-craft and seamanship from the Portuguese who were the leading navigators of the world. It is also reported that the indigenous people acquired a lot of skills of making weapons, cooking pots (iron pots) form the Portuguese. Also the Portuguese imported may useful economic crops into the land including orange, lime and paw-paw from Brazil. They also introduced the cultivation of groundnuts into the country which is the present day most staple product and principal source of revenue in The Gambia. The foregoing information has some implications for th process of technical and agricultural education ran by the Portuguese in The Gambia during this period. One can say without doubt that the Portuguese (during this period) not only attempted to establish Christian eduction in The Gambia but also attempted to introduce technical and agricultural education as well. The Portuguese missionaries did not find their task easy at all in The Gambia. It should be noted that when the Portuguese left The Gambia in 1529 for the Gold Coast, the school was closed and that ended their educational activities in The Gambia. The British 1580-1622 Thus, the British interest was killed in The Gambia. In all these expeditions, they, unlike the Portuguese, never attempted to establish missionary education in The Gambia. The Courlanders 1622-1661 It is said that the Duke's intention was not only to trade in The Gambia but also to establish a permanent settlement of his own subjects on St Andrews Island. For that matter he sent married people there with a pastor to look after their spiritual needs. He was instructed by the Duke to see that their souls were brought to a true and a right understanding of God. Thus, the Courlanders were the second Europeans to send missionaries to The Gambia to establish Christian education there. Thus was the coming of the Orthodox Church missionaries to The Gambia. They built a small church outside the fort where reading and writing were taught. The Courlanders'’ attempt in The Gambia was a failure. Sickness and death among the settlers as well as the mutinous character of the crew retarded the prosperity of the settlement. The activities of the courlanders were further arrested by the arrival of the English again in The Gambia. The Courlanders were therefore forced to leave the country. Thus their church school was closed. By 1668 a new English company was formed known as The Gambia Adventurers. They took over all the royal adventurers’ forts and ports and established their trade along the river, Kombo, Barra and Gassani. The Gambia Adventurers made by effective attempts to claim a monopoly of the trade in the country, and the king of Gassani called Magro allowed English, French, Dutch and Portuguese alike to trade in his country (Gambia). The period (1455-1661) in The Gambia experienced some attempts by some European nations in establishing Christian and western education in The Gambia, but failed in its tasks to make real achievement. Only few converts could be got, and literacy in the field of western education can be regarded as nil. There were several factors contributing to this. Factors contributing to the arrest of the growth of Western Education One of the factors was the hostility shown by the chiefs coupled with the rising of Islam in the country. During the period there were a number of Muslim traders in the country who came before the Portuguese, and who were slowly but surely planting the seeds of their faith. The Christian missionaries therefore found it hard to fight against the rising of Islam. Most of the chiefs, if not already Muslims, were being introduced to Islam. It should be noted here that it was not only the moors who were Muslim traders but some Mandingoes as well who were Islamised in the empire of Mali, and after the fall of the empire a large number of them came to settle in The Gambia and became the dominant tribe in the country. They even ruled over the indigenous people in some parts of the country. They therefore saw that Christian missionary education had only come to undermine their Islamic religion. They won most of the chiefs to their side to fight the efforts of the Christians missionaries. Another factor was that the Portuguese settlers and their descendants in The Gambia during this period showed very little interest in Christian faith and at the same time they and their descendants were disappearing during the course of the tribal warfare in the latter part of the 18th century and they ceased to exist in The Gambia as a separate race. The European groups were fighting each other in the country. For instance, in 1618 Thampson under the British flag left for The Gambia and reached Gassabu where he left his ship, the Catherine, and went further up-stream with a few men. During his absence a number of Portuguese and their descendants who were being instigated by Hecto Numez, killed all the Englishmen at Gassani. In 1570, a French Trading Vessel for the first time entered The Gambia. When the Portuguese Vessel saw it they swooped down upon it and drove it away with a loss of thirty crew. We have also seen that in 1661, the British resumed their expeditions to The Gambia with the old memories of the gold mountain in the country, and when they reached the country and met the Courlanders, who had already settled at St Andrews Island they attacked them, took the fort and drove them away. Thus, the courlanders with their missionaries left the country. We have also noted that when the Dutch arrived in The Gambia they instigated the natives to cooperate with them and fought the newly established English settlement at James Island. This state of affairs in The Gambia at that time did not at all encourage the establishment of Western or Christian education in the country. Sickness and death also contributed to the retardation of the establishment of Christian and western education in The Gambia by European nations. For instance, the Portuguese missionaries could not stay in The Gambia because of the unhealthy condition of the banks of the river. They stayed at Cape Verde Island and only came to The Gambia as visiting priests. We also remember Briqueville’s expedition and that of the Courlanders, all became the victims of sickness and death. The other factor was the lack of interest shown by some of the European nations tradition in The Gambia. Even the two European nations - Portugal and Courlanders - which attempted to establish Christianity and western education in the country did so only to provide education for their settlers. They and other European nation came to The Gambia only to trade. It was this trade that formed the focal point of their interest o activities in the country. We have seen that the Portuguese during this period dropped their projects in The Gambia for their new conquest in Brazil and Asia since the reported mineral wealth of The Gambia proved illusory. The English in 1631 turned their attention from The Gambia to the Gold Coast which proved capable of yielding more immediate and more profitable return than The Gambia. Yet in 1661, they took up The Gambia trade again because they had heard of the story of the gold mountain at the headwaters of The Gambia. To close this part 1 of the history of education in The Gambia, the author is tempted to say that except for the Portuguese who left the crumbs of their technical and agricultural education in the country, no other European nation had been induced to make her influence felt in the years 1455-1661 due mainly to their own fantasy in the gold trade in The Gambia. What should be noted here is that after the closure of the two church schools in Bintang and St Andrew's Island in The Gambia, the country had to wait for about seven hundred and sixty-four years for the re-birth of western education in The Gambia, (this time in Bakau) in 1823. Author: DO Rufisque municipality pays homage to KMC Friday, August 29, 2008 In what can be described as another important moment between the two municipalities, the children of the workers of Rufisque Municipality in Senegal, paid homage, on Monday, to Yankuba Colley, the mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council. As a long tradition of fostering the cordial relationship existing between the two cities, the initiative is deeply rooted in the common values shared by The Gambia and Senegal. In his welcome remarks, Mayor Colley expressed delight with the visit, noting that the two countries are bound together by a common history. Advising the children to desist from certain social vices and be respectful and obedient, he urged the group leaders to take great care of the children and promised to visit them at their camp. For his part, Yusupha Sanyang, the deputy mayor of KMC, gave an insight on how the municipality generates funds and the budgetary structure for the council’s activities. He also advised the children to be obedient and respect. Amadou Tambedou, the head of the delegation, expressed delight and satisfaction at the hospitality accorded to them by KMC. He then noted that their stay in The Gambia has been exceptionally memorable. Other speakers at the meeting included Modou Jallow, who expressed similar sentiments. Author: by Bekai Njie WRSC Embarks On Weeding Exercise Wednesday, August 27, 2008 Saturday 23rd August 2008, marked another history in Western Region as the Western Region Sports Committee embarks on a massive weeding exercise at President Jammeh’s rice field in Sifoe Kombo South Western Region. The weeding exercise was attended by over 400 youths from across Western Region. Speaking to Pointsports, the chairman of Western Region Sports Committee, ASP Lamin King Colley, said, “ sports is not only about kicking a ball but also about being involved in farming as President Jammeh is a fan of Gambian sports, particularly football.” He said that the Western Region Sports Committee would continue to do more and more weeding exercises in the future, stating, “ as brothers and sisters of Western Region we would love to give a helping hand whenever his need arises.” He further thanked the manger of President Jammeh’s farm in Sifoe, Mr. Karapha Sanneh, for giving them the necessary needs and support during the exercise. Mr. Colley then urged other sporting associations to emulate the Western Region Sports Committee. Author: By Lamin Darboe Source: Picture: Lamin King Colley Brief history of Western Eductaion in The Gambia (Part I)Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Arguments have been made and evidences given by students of History of Education that Western Education in The Gambia did not start in 1823 by Hanna Killham in Bakau, but in 1455 in Foni Kansala by the Portuguese settlers in this part of The Gambia. The aim of the author in this article therefore is to bring out facts and activities that led to the introduction of Western Education in The Gambia in years 1455 - 1661. The second article (Part II) would then follow. The years 1455 - 1661 It was in their quest for wealth - mainly mineral wealth in The Gambia that some of the Europeans made attempts to establish settlements and Christianity or Western Education for that matter in the country. However, they found it extremely difficult to sow the seeds of their western culture in The Gambia. The Portuguese - 1455 - 1588 There were series of organised expeditions to the River Gambia in the 15th Century and finally in 1455 they a found settlement in The Gambia. It has been reported that they settled some twenty miles up the Bintan Bolong, closed to the modern village of Foni Kansala. It was here that they built their first Church school in The Gambia. Evidence has it that, some Portuguese missionaries from portugal and Cape Verde Islands occasionally came to this settlement and taught the settlers and their descendants in this Church school how to read and write, so as to plant the seeds of Christianity in them. This is evident in the fact that, a Spanish who was at Foni Kansala in 1686 reported that most of the original Portuguese settlers were the descendants of Jews who had been driven away from portugal or fled to The Gambia to avoid the attentions of inquisition. Others said that they were banished men or fugitives who committed serious incestuous acts for many years the missionaries made several attempts to preserve their nationality and bring them once more in touch with Europe and Christianity. Yet it is doubtful, whether the indigenous people were taught to read and write in Western Education. At any rate, we are told that they learnt a great deal of boat-craft and seamanship from the Portuguese who were the leading navigators of the world at that time. It is also reported that the indigenous people acquired a lot of skills in making weapons, cooking pots (iron pots) from the Portuguese. Also the Portuguese imported may useful economic crops into the land, including orange, lime and paw-paw from Brazil. They also introduced the cultivation of groundnuts into the country which is the most staple product and principal source of revenue in The Gambia. The foregoing information has some implications for the process of technical and agricultural education ran by the Portuguese in The Gambia during this period. One can say without doubt that the portuguese during this period did not only attempted to establish christian education in The Gambia but also to introduce technical and agricultural education as well. The Portuguese missionaries did not find their task easy at all in The Gambia . It should be noted that when the Portuguese left The Gambia in 1529 for the Gold Coast, the school was closed and that ended their educational activities in The Gambia. The British 1580 - 1620 Another expedition was sent under Chevalieu de Briqueville in 1612 with number of ships to erect forts on the riverbanks to establish a colony. Unfortunately, a large number of them died from sicknesses and the remaining ones returned home. In 1621, Richad Jobson was sent to The Gambia. When he reached most of his people died of sickness. The Courlanders 1622 - 1661 The Duke of Courland was interested to hold a land in The Gambia. He then purchased Andrew’s Island from the King of Essau. He also purchased another plot of land at Juffere. He purchased Banjul Island from the King of Kombo. He also obtained another plot of land up the river at Gassani. It is said that the Duke’s intention was not only to trade in The Gambia, but also to establish a permanent settlement of his own subjects on St Andrew’s Island. For that matter he sent married people there with a pastor to look after their spiritual needs. He was instructed by the Duke to see that their souls were brought to a true and a right understanding of God. Thus, the Courlanders were the second Europeans to send missionaries to The Gambia to establish Christian education. Thus, was the coming of the Orthodox church missionaries to The Gambia. They built a small church outside the fort where reading and writing were taught. The Courlanders’ attempt in The Gambia was a failure. Sickness and death among the settlers as well as the mutinous character of the crew retarded the prosperity of the settlement. The activities of the Courlanders were further arrested by the arrival of the English again in The Gambia. The Courlanders were therefore forced to leave the country. Thus their church school was closed. By 1668 a new English company known as The Gambia Adventurers was formed. They took over all the royal adventurers’ forts and ports and established their trade along the river, Kombo, Barra and Gassani. The Gambia Adventurers made no effective attempts to claim a monopoly of the trade in the country, and the king of Gassani called Magro allowed English, French, Dutch and Portuguese alike to trade in the country (Gambia). The importance of this open-trade was that, the local people had a full contact with the Europeans and later would accept some of the European values and culture. The period (1455-1661) in The Gambia experienced some attempts by some European nations in establishing Christian and western education in the country, but failed in their tasks to make real achievement. Only few converts could be got, and literacy in the field of western education could be regarded as nil. There were several factors contributing to this. Author: by Omar Sanneh The History Of GPA Football Club Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Following a string of poor performances in the GFA first division league this season, the 2007/8 Gambia Football Association Super Cup Champions, GPA, will be playing its football in the GFA second division domestic league next season.The results came as a result of bad performances in the first division league this season. The Gambia Ports Authority was established in 1973 and the core of their players were snatched from Real De Banjul. It became one of the best clubs in the country with players like Goalkeeper Saho, Alhaji Sarr, Head Coach of Seaview, Kabba Ceesay, FIFA Player Agent to name a few. In around 1988/9, the club ceased to exist and in its place came Waterside FC which was the club feeder team. In 1996, Falcons FC, which won the Banjul Nawetaan, was transformed to GPA FC. The team gained promotion from the 3rd division while coached by Ebou Faye, who also doubled up as player. He scored a brace of goals that secure the clubs promotion to the 2nd division. He coached the team until it was on the threshold of gaining promotion but then left for further studies and Kabba Ceesay took over as the coach. After two seasons, Modou Lamin Fofana (Faraba), the current Caretaker Coach, took over as the coach. He won the championship in 1998/9 season and FTI trophy. In 2001, Demba Ramata took over for a season before Ebou Faye took over again for three seasons. Alhaji Sarr, took over in the 2005/6 season and this period could be described as the golden period of the club as they won the league in his first year. They followed this with the Super Cup and FA Cup in his second season. His abrupt departure to Seaview created a vacuum that was difficult to fill. Analysis of the season: GPA F C This is the saddest chapter for someone who has the team in his heart. The club had everything but did nothing. two wins, 14 draws and six losses tell the story of a team too inconsistent to be in the premier league. Ultimately, GPA were not good enough. The players did not have the heart for the fight. They looked like the 11th best team in the league. Hardworking, but without the quality needed to survive. The league table doesn’t lie. The points total shows that they were not good enough. Over 22 matches they didn’t do enough to stay in the 1st division. End of story. It feels like the end of the world but it isn’t. They have to regroup and get on with life and they should. Football is about character and resilience. It’s how you bounce back. In all honesty, GPA FC cannot have too many complaints. Any team with a record of just 2 wins in 22 games and more defeats cannot hope for too much in a league where competition is now honed to cut-throat proportions. It’s just difficult to identify a single major reason for the team’s poor performance as I believe there were a comedy of errors and misjudgment analyzing it from the outside. The club Management’s failure to monitor and intervene at the right time was a factor. Sacking the Head Coach, Ebou Joof was a big mistake as the intended objective was not achieved. The club management should always analyze when to sack a coach as it is bound to have a ripple effect on the players. Another problem, I think, is management paying higher allowance to squad players than the so-called ordinary players. This was a destabilizing factor. As squad players normally play less matches than the ordinary players who are always much more committed to the team. This affected the team spirit and created the lack of courage, motivation and character to grind out results when it mattered. The GPA board must look into this question and find a solution to make sure that the team is back into first division football next season. Some pertinent questions are: The GPA board must look into this question and find a solution to make sure that the team is back into first division football next season. Some pertinent questions are: The GPA board must look into this question and find a solution to make sure that the team is back into first division football next season. Some pertinent questions are: 1 Why is the team not winning games? 2. Has the departure of Coach Alhagie Sarr adversely affected the team in its performance and morale? 3. Are the players totally committed? 4. Is the sacking of Coach Lukeh the solution? 5. Is there any difference in the dressing room? These are all questions that the board of the team need to ask themselves to make sure that the team can make it back to first division football. Analysis made by Ebou Faye Analysis made by Ebou Faye Author: By Ebou Manneh Source: Picture: GPA FC |
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