Eulogy to Banjul

Banjul is a city with one thorough way (Denton Bridge) and it is boarded by the river with a majestic panoramic view of Barra also known as Wala deh facing north, Lamin, Mandinary and Bonto facing south. The city of Banjul is a blessed city and most soldiers of god (Sahou Oumar Futiu Taal, Mam Mawdo Malick, Sayerr Matty Bah, Maba Jahou, Mam Mass Kah) have left their imprint in the city. Most compounds in the city has alternate access points called (port) and this was done for a specific reason by the elders of the city. These ports act as social conduits to facilitate and resolve social issues of Banjul and also maintain the social safety net of the city. Sutura was the operative word in the dispensation of social duties of the inhabitants of the city.

The city prided itself with men and women of distinction in all spheres of life. The business pedigree of men like Alhagi Sulay Sarr Penda Chorro, Alhagi Alieu Jeng, Allhagi Alieu Ceesay, Lie Samba Bokut Façon, The Carrols, Mahoneys, Fosters, Oldfields could have been the issue of a case study in a any Ivy league school. Fashionistas and Socialites like Njie artist, The hip and hot crew of (Everly Brothers) with men like (Tijan Foon, Ebrima Dondeh, Ass John, Alfred Cummins & Omar Njie) controlled the social scene. The city also churned world class administrators and intellectuals that handled the affairs of not only the city but the country. Mr Erik Christensen, Sir Hardy Faye. AA Faal, Mr. Wadda, Pa Kamma Badjie, Uncle NSZ Njie were torch bearers and trail blazers of their time. Camden Vous, Kent street vous and other social clubs were breeding grounds for social reform and enlightenment in the city. A wollof adage "nopaa mak borom"is evident with my narrative. I was too young to remember but I have seen many seniors of the city reminisce about the good old days.

Banjul invokes memories of yester years that brings back nostalgic feelings because I feel like a stranger in the midst of strangers. Wish I can have the city I once knew as Banjul back. Racing my miniature boat along the canals and gutters of Banjul was a joy. A childhood that was so eventful and joyous. For starters, I consider myself a hybrid Banjulian because I was born across the bridge at Westfield Clinic and spent most of my time in Banjul as a child. My parents are thorough bred Banjulians and they made sure that my values and social orientation were deeply rooted on the Banjul way of life.

I still have vivid memories of many a good afternoon spent at the Box Bar Stadium watching legends such as Butut Joof and Biri display their talents. A stone throw from the Box Bar stadium was the Tennis lawn young basketball players like Moses Malone (Suchet), Cooper (pa boy) and others were dazzled by our nouveau Yankees otherwise called Gamericans with their newly imported Basketball moves. The likes of Ousman Sabally, Mam Essa Gaye, Remi Joiner and Bai Malleh Wadda were the centre of attraction on the hard floor. Banjul had enough past time and Pakin was one of the favorites. Kaka Rass could have given Usain Bolt a run for his money on any diamond league circuit. Ndo Secka and Sal Drammeh gave the pakins daring pursuits on the stretch of Fitzerald Street. The fan fare in the city during sporting events was not only colorful but memorable. Men like Alieu Sallah and Oye (the rattle man) added to the fanfare.

Every city has its under world and the dons of the city had their base at the coconut grove behind the market called "pool" The city mob converged at pool to show case their exploits. Georgie was a permanent fixture alongside the midget Abou Sey at this rendezvous. From pool one heads to the government wharf for a stash of groundnuts. Then off to wharfo Njago where Albert the crab king was exploiting the riches of the river for his daily sustenance with a bicycle wheel and net. From whafi Njago it was time to steal sweet potato around the Sanatorium and veer off to Sekabi in jollof town.

The late night culinary experience in the city was somehow diverse. Bange lal had great omlette with Bai Dam on the stove. Kaba at Peel Street was another good spot or Sawyer at Primet. A town will never be lively without men like Yusipha Jaiteh, kebba Buya (schoolen) and lie bamba jagne (awoh KT). I hated going back home to Fajara cos Banjul was this playground that had all the ingredients for a big screen blast. We listened to stories of the seamen. JC J of old perseverance narrated his adventures out west in the United States.

Banjulians are nice and peace loving people. Generally they are upbeat, progressive and jolly. July 1981 the inhabitants of Banjul witnessed an unprecedented carnage of epic proportions. Legends were born and myths were casted in the psyche of people for years to come. Names such as Gaddy, Ibliss Jobe and Ndo secka became household names for their exploits during the foiled revolution. Anarchy and pandemonium was the order of the day during the hot summer month of July 1981. Fully armed rascals turned outlaws were gallivanting the city of Banjul tormenting innocent souls and living a life that was imitating art. Gaddy was brandishing a Kalashnikov in the streets and alley ways of Banjul being a don without a constituent. Ndo Secka on the other hand was enjoying the life of an outlaw albeit just for a week. He became the don of the northern sector of Banjul (soldier town) with impunity. Ibliss Jobe stationed himself in the city morgue along telegraph road and he was the tomb raider that robbed the dead of their material belongings. One of the undertakers at the morgue realized that a certain corpse was always on top when new casualties of July 81 rebellion were brought into the morgue.

Fast forward to 1986 when Gambia was at the tail end of its economic depression and the IMF prescribed ERP (Economic Recovery Program) a group of young disgruntled men with entrenched social ties to the city decided to be a menace to society. A group called “Terror 18” was conceived by a brilliant yet trouble kid from Perseverance Street called Macumba Sanneh alias "Marcus Garvey". Garvey as he was fondly called by his peers and comrades was disillusioned with the status quo and the easiest target for him was the sons of the political and economic class of society whom he believed resides across the bridge and predominantly in Fajara. He organized a Posey and prominent in the posey where Sulayman Gaye of perseverance, Lamin camara alias Ltigo, Batch faye, Abu Gabarr alias colonel Ngum, Mbye Jammeh of Gloucester Street. Mbye is the son of a prominent butcher in town and he facilitated the provision machetes and knives for the assaults. This group tormented students at both Saints and GHS who were not inhabitants of the city. A rational and peace loving soul with an exceptional IQ by the name of Gabel Faal intervened on several occasions to stop the mellé that was to be unleashed by the terror 18 squad. Banjul my Banjul is dead and never to be resurrected because the people that made up Banjul have all deserted the city. Shame but we have lost our heritage as Banjulians. Time come and time passed and most of these men in this squadron are now productive members of society.

Summer months have always been interesting time in the city by the sea. Football and the rite of passage for boys (Lèël) have always been high on the city's calendar of events. The outpatient wing of the RVH hospital was always flooded with droves of young men getting circumcised. Circumcision in the city was normally conducted in numbers either by family or by neighborhood. The Selbes and Mbortal Mbaar will trek to the out skirts of the city looking for good mangrove cane otherwise called lengeh for the evening entertainment called kassack. Musa Ngum and Mbye Gaye were permanent fixtures in the kassack scenes. Dr. Henry William was also prominent in the circumcision of young men. After a month of isolation and cultural education, the “art” or Njulie were ready to be presented to society. Big ceremonies called Samba Soho were organized and the families and friends of the Njulies do gather for a colorful ceremony rich in ambiance and culture. Generally, a big burn fire is lit and people sing and chant into the night. Just before the crack of dawn, the Mbortal Mbarr leads a procession to call "maam". This was normally done in the woods behind the library or at a place called "taati park". Maam is an elusive enigma that is deeply rooted in our folklore and it invokes fear in the heart and minds of the young initiates. Musa Ngum never failed the crowd with his stellar performances. After the break of dawn, the new initiates are taken to the beach to wash off their childhood and enter the world of manhood.

Football in the city has been a uniting force that brought young people together for a common cause. The city had formal and informal leagues. Organized football had Patrons such as Alhagie OB Conateh, Pa Jarra, Pa Prom, Ousainou Njai, Charbel Elhajj, Koto Babou Ceesay and B.O Fofana. These men kept the youths of the city busy with the league games. During the summer months, aspiring young football patrons organize Nawettan leagues and teams sprung from different neighborhoods or interest groups. Some of the most prominent teams that evolved out of the city were Bob Marley, Binnets, Freezings, Tally 8, KG 5 and Hurricanes. Legends such as Paolo Rossi, Dini Boy, Ardi Fofana, Tijan Faye, Mayweya Dean, Unche, Mboteh, Fara Njago and Amadou Njie Branco burst in the sporting scene of the city. On a sunny and humid Saturday afternoon, the inhabitants of the city converge at KG 5 or Second division of Box Bar to watch the emerging talents of the city ply their trade. After the games, the youths will fill the dancing floor of oasis night club for a good blast. The soul of this city needs to rise from the dead and be allowed a new lease on life.

Ramadan is a solemn month that calls for repentance, reflection and dedication. Ramadan in BJL has always been eventful. Banjul has always been a close knit community where the have and have not’s cohabitated in harmony just like the wollofs would say... " Banjul amut hajj ak sen". Banjul as a city was culturally diverse and all the ethnic and caste groups of Banjul lived harmoniously. Ramadan in Banjul has always been a highlight. The milling machines were all busy preparing the millet for the evening porridge whilst the mortar and pestles were used for the grinding of beans for akara. Bakers such as Modou pol, Pa Barry of Independence Drive and Harris Kunda were churning out bread for the Ndogu and Hadah of the Muslim community of Banjul. Nafilaa was a major highlight in the city after the breaking of fast. The Ahmadiyas used to have a little mosque by the tourist market nestled between the state house and printing department. The Hausas had a mosque at Allen Street which was notorious for a quick Naffilaa and most people called the Imam 404 as in Peugeot 404 for his speed in completing the Nafila. Most Banjulians especially the ones residing in Banjul North performed their Naffilaa at Democracy mosque also known as Independence Drive Mosque. After Nafillaa, the kids gather under the street lights for a chit chat before heading back home for a good meal. At the break of dawn, the minarets of Banjul amplified with loud speakers issue the Adhan for people to wake up and prepare for the fast. Alieu Sallah was also notorious for using his bike and mega phone to wake people up.

The women folk start their day by going to the market to shop for the evening meals. They start by taking a taxi to the market and prominent amongst the taxi drivers were “Ndama Taxi”. Taxi fare within the city was 25 bututs per passenger. This routine was repeated until lay latul hadri when the women folk converge to cook cherreh and most of it was taken to the mosque for charity. At the independence drive mosque “Jallow Patat” and Joker were responsible for the distribution of alms with the assistance of “Bologu”. These men were notorious of keeping the best portions for themselves.

A week before Koriteh, families start preparing for the feast. Sanitation in Banjul was prided and most if not all homes were white washed with lime and the beach sand in the compounds were sieved to remove debris from the sand. Kids were taken to Aisha Banani, Paul Joseph and Bata to shop for shoes. The tailors were busy sewing clothes and most up market families went to a tailor by the name of Barham Diop at Allen Street (Willan Kunda) . On the eve of Koriteh, all the kids were eager to display their new outfits and show off at the prayer grounds next to Corren. Then come time for Salibo and yes we used to collect loads of money from relatives. We used to spend our money shopping at Sonnar Stores and Chelerams and Walls Ice Cream and Biscuiti Banana were high on our shopping list. My memories of Banjul are synonymous with Youssou Ndours song “ah maneh ah maneh mun nu ma fateh Bamako”. Banjul hasn’t change but the people of the city have morphed into new creatures that are no longer compassionate and have also been sucked into the rat race called materialism and in the process, we have lost our anchor and identity.

Myth and legend has always been part of the Banjul way of life. The elders of Banjul created myths that crystallized in the hearts and minds of the inhabitants of the city. Banjul has three distinct geographical divisions (Banjul South or Half die, Banjul North or Soldier Town and Banjul Central or Portuguese ward). Each of these sectors had distinct mythologies that lingered in the minds of the residents for generations. Soldier Town was known to have a ghost on "Talli Morgan" or Box Bar Road, it was also believed that there were some dwarfs by the Masonic lodge on the road to Radio Syd and the famous tree man "Assan Domitaal" at Haddington Street. Kids hardly venture out after sunset without a piece of charcoal in their hand. Banjul Central was rumored to have a unicorn "fassi benaa tanka" that was out on Wednesday nights. Marina Parade was opened from the British War Cemetery all the way to the old fountain at Albert Market. The inhabitants of the city enjoyed a scenic promenade. The mouth of the River Gambia on one side and beautiful sentry points of the State House on the other side. With all the scenery and colorful guards along Marina Parade, the inhabitants of the city believed that a roaming football called "kick deh nyaaka kick deh" reside on the stretch of Marina Parade and most inhabitants of the city rushed to finish their daily shopping and head back home to the North of the city using alternate routes such as Independence Drive. Half Die was known to have a Stove that chased the inhabitants at night. All of these made Banjul ripe for a big screen horror movie. Prostitution is the second oldest profession apart from politics and it flourished in the city with impunity. Mass Club, Kitimus Bar and the lodge at Dobson Street were establishments frequented by sex workers. Night life in the city was vibrant and Sahara night club and Tropical were raving spots that provided ambiance and home for Motown and funk music. Politics in Banjul was dominated by 3 men; Pierre Njie, JC Faye and Garba Jahumpa. All of these men had their political bases centering around religion, culture or social class. The flambouyant PS Njie was a "Saloum Saloum" who believed that his blue blooded Njieyen lineage gave him the devine right to rule and lead Banjulians. Reverend Faye had his base centering around religion and same as Garba Jahumpa of the Muslim Congress. By all standards, PS Njie was the political don of the city. His charisma and wit out classed all of his political rivals. Legend has it that the people of Banjul believed that he had direct access with her majesty Queen Elizabeth. The city of Banjul was made up of a working class public servants (government workers), traders and dockers. Mr Edward Francis Small and M.E. Jallow were on the fore front of labour rights and Pa Sanjally Bojang was the boss of the dock workers.

I Hate visiting Banjul today because I feel like a stranger in the midst of strangers. Wish I can have the city I once knew as Banjul back. Racing my miniature boat along the canals and gutters of Banjul was a joy.
In my spare time, I do get into deep trance and trying to comprehend what went wrong with my great city. I always hear the elders saying that "Banjul dafa am barkeh"and I want to know where this barkeh has gone. The social fabric of the city has disintegrated to the point that the mayor of the city has to cross the bridge to come to work daily and and most if not all the families that anchor the fabric of the city have migrated. Kudos to men Like Alhagi Ebou Taal, Alhagi Babou Sowe, Alhagi Gabby Sosseh and not forgetting our dearly departed uncle Ousainou Njai of blessed memory who refused to break the communal yolk of the city. How can we Dekil Banjul?