Gainako Newspaper

January 25th 2007 was another historic moment in the history of the Gambia. Gambian
electorates went to the polls in their numbers to elect their representatives in the house
of parliament. Out of 48 constituencies, only few were uncontested, mostly in the Fonis
where current Gambia’s Administrator, Yaya Jammeh is believed to have hailed. By
early Friday morning, the oppositions captured at least six seats out of the contested seats.

Rather sad and sympathetic that big wingers like Kemeseng Jammeh of Jarra and Hamat Bah of Upper
Saloum are not returning to parliament. The duos are believed to have betrayed and wounded the political
struggle seriously by their flip-flop on political matters. During the NADD flag bearer selection, Hamat
sidelined Darboe and edged the NADD team he worked with to the last minute. Though, Kemeseng
stayed and believed to have safeguarded his seat only for a while at the time by pretending to be truly
NADD, it became clear when he shifted allegiance to the UDP/NRP coalition in a bid to regain election for
his seat. It became even clearer that the Gambian electorates are aware of such shady characters eld-bend
on self-aggrandizement, selfishness and separation of solidified coalitions by their chameleon nature. It
would have been at least nice to see a balanced house with equal representatives or at least more
representatives from the oppositions who will scrutinize and criticize poor administrators for their
mal-governance.

In Sierre-Kunda Central, big winger and gallant NADD flag bearer, Hon. Halifa Sallah lost his seat to
Parliament. Perhaps good to note another betrayal tactic from the UDP/NRP Alliance by not honoring the
“tactical alliance” which was meant to give a chance to each opposition member in their particular
constituencies to stay unopposed. Secondary to Darboe and Bah pulling out of NADD unceremoniously
amidst “mistrust” and “un-baked cake shares”, they demonstrated betrayal by sponsoring a candidate to
contest against their one time colleague, Hon. Halifa Sallah in a bid to shatter the NADD pillars more than
they did in the beginning. What is certain, Hamat Bah is believed to be using the opportunity that Darboe is
aging, and might not be contending next presidential elections to boost his political fame-by winning the
hearts of UDP supporters. The Gambian parliament will be sealed from a lot of sunshine by benching Hon.
Sallah who dearly married himself to Gambia’s political struggle, demonstrating maturity, responsibility and
patriotism. Many observers and political commentators described the big figure’s lost as a lost for the
whole Gambian nation. It is to be well noted that the likes of Hon. Sallah are not only gifted with
knowledge but gentility and wisdom which they clearly demonstrated and lived by as examples. Sources
close to the Sallah campaign indicated to this paper that the renowned sociologist cum politician will be
resting now with plans to pursue his Doctorate degree. The same source also added that a press release is
expected from the Sallah campaign, and as usual we will hear his usual explanations over where things
went wrong and right.

In Wulli, gallant Hon. Sidia Jatta is not a cheap wrestler. Early Thursday
evening, his fate was already decided, and that he returned to parliament
with a comfortable majority. Sidia, long time parliamentarian is one of
Gambia’s most valuable men who contributed immensely to national
development. It is not a surprise at all that he returned to parliament.

What is commendable the oppositions were able to pick up an independent seat in Foni which shows that
the people of Foni are sick and tired of creeping tyranny and all its pseudo-pillars.

After all, mature political analysts believe it really don’t matter which party voted you in. It is the spirit and
determination to be loaded with truly serving your country without fear or favor, such as demonstrated in
the past by parliamentarians like Hon. Halifa Sallah and Hon. Sidia Jatta. The duos went to the extent of
turning down ministerial positions from Jammeh’s current administration. Over the next five years, it would
be wise that the incoming parliamentarians wash all the mess and hazardous weeds that the outgoing
parliamentarians known as “vehicle passengers” or “Jammeh-Yes-Yes men” planted. It is important to
note our Gambian electorates are getting enlightened daily, and this will be a complete turn-off against
parliamentarians out for selfish reasons.

Over the next months and years ahead, Gainako will engage all parliamentarians in view of directing and
constantly reminding them of their duties.

................ GALLEH’S STORY EXAMINED
............................................By Yero Jallow...........................Posted January 25th, 2007

Galleh known for his satire writings is a societal catalyst who deserves all respect for being
genuinely vocal. We’ve known Galleh to be a silent guy in appearance, humble as many would
agree, but aggressive at criticizing wrong heads with the mightiness of his pen. A piece like the
one below, though hard to identify its owners sometimes, is another among the many that h
e authored as a way of firing at shady characters. At a Chicago Conference in 2006, I asked
Galleh about the appetizer “Puhus”, a piece he authored, and he replied “Who the cap fits
should wear it.” In another poem that he authored “Men of Stone” which I mistook in a
commentary as a mourning to the victims of November 11 alleged coup d’tat which after some
clear study turned out to be the real “Men of Stone” degrading the civilize world everywhere, though could also be
applicable in other situations as it fits the cap. Among the widely understood pieces he authored “Being John
Yahavich”, written straight without bends and much hiding behind the pen. The character exposed in that piece
perhaps known to all Gambians without a second guess made it all the way easy to comprehend. The language of the
mighty John Jahavich as demonstrated in the piece doesn’t leave readers guessing.

The point to note, one could be wrong sometimes in analyzing these characters. Below is a piece titled “Angry Doctor
Revisited”, perhaps written in Galleh’s most aggressive tone, as the language of the piece appeared. A study of the
piece reveals a notorious character, hell-bend on arrogance, lies and complexity- a doctor that is not recognized by
his proclaimed greatness turns his whip to punish a whole innocent society by his rather angry nature.

Readers are following, and we look forward to rejoinder parts. We also invite people to rejoin to the piece. Angry
Doctor Revisited (Culled from the GPost)

By Baba Galleh Jallow

Dr. Maafimun Norpitek, managing director of Whatyasay Enterprises, was extremely exasperated. So
extremely exasperated that he locked himself into his office, dashed under his executive desk, and loudly
wept and blew his nose and pulled his ears. So angry was he that he opened his drawer and stuffed
Chinese balm into his ears, rubbed it into his eyes and furiously rubbed finger-fulls onto his teeth. Then he
squat on the polished floor of his posh office and loudly wailed and called down curses on all those
impudent blokes who would have him dead.

Maafimun Norpitek could just not understand why people hated him so and wished him dead. He could
not understand why people opened their big mouths and told lies not only about themselves, but also about
his respectable and illustrious self. They go so far as to claim that they knew who was the first woman to
set foot on the moon, or that in fact, the Americans had taken a monkey with them on their trip to Mars,
which they called a red planet while it was in fact blue. Dr. Norpitek could not see why people told white
lies and red lies and blue lies and green lies and lies of multi-colored layers, all because they wanted to be
famous like him and would not call him Doctor. And then when he took his valuable time to do those
nonentities and the entire big wide world a favor by pointing out their errors, healing their ailments, and
mapping out the way forward for their confused thought processes, every single one of them jumps out
in their puny little coats with their puny little minds and midget ideas and try to call him fool, and liar, and
mad, and all the other stupid names their blind imaginations could suggest to them.

Maafimun Norpitek's current dilemma arose from a very simple affair. An affair so simple that he saw no
reason why he should bother explaining it, or even thinking about it. But his decent senses had just been so
severely offended that he could not keep his computer medicine brain from thinking about it and his soul of
all souls from grieving at the monstrous idea. Hirsute hell, chimney spouts, black thunderclouds! Would he
were in a position to get hold of all those impudent blokes and put them in their places! Physically slap
them in the face and bang them in the mouth, so that next time before they opened their big mouths and try
to monster him, they would think four big times! If he saw something written in the local media, something
inaccurate, something wrong, something really stupid and petty, something likely to lead the whole world
astray, something likely to make good honest folks stumble and fall on their noses and hurt themselves, was
it not only proper that he should rush to the urgent rescue? If people were dying of unknown and incurable
illnesses, was it not proper that he, the one and only one who knew the answers to all their diseased
questions, should rush to the urgent rescue? Was it not only proper that he, Dr. Maafimun Norpitek
Porohal, PhD Saachatics, MA Nebugi, BSc Pushanteh - is it not only proper that he should put aside all he
had to do and run to the pious rescue?

But then, when he took his invaluable time, his precious energy, his very special pen and paper, his book
and tree, and set his diamond brain to work and mingled with the wretched of the land and then gave a
treatise on the virtues of recognizing his talents, truth-telling and the great dangers of lying, everyone - the
whole big wide world of fools and hypocrites! – opened their big mouths and started asking stupid
questions, making illegitimate and ridiculous demands on him, as if he was the only person who ever spoke.
For months on end, big-mouthed fools and jealous midgets sent letters to the editor harping on what he
should do and what not. They wrote such stupid things as Dr. Norpitek does not seem to understand . . .
Maafimun Norpitek completely misses the point . . . Could Norpitek please explain . . .? Dr. Maafimun
with all due respect . . . Our respectable compatriot Norpitek . . . Maafimun Norpitek is an intelligent
man, but this time around . . . Maafimun Norpitek this . . . Maafimun Norpitek that!!! Maafimun
Norpitek!! Dool!! He was sick and tired of all those stupid fools making it their business to set him
straight! He was sick and tired of all those intellectual dwarfs trying to measure their flat heights against his
giant stature! He was tired of every Kumba, Pateh and Samba calling his pious name and asking him stupid
questions! In fact, he had no time to respond to any jealous midgets! He was going to keep his pious cool
and let the idiots rave and rant their sick lungs out!

Thus resolved, our great Maafimun Norpitek maintained a stony silence and all our common townsfolks
said, where is Dr. Norpitek? Why hasn't he responded to our queries? This is unlike the great guy? Little
did they know that Dr. Norpitek, alias Vulture, was cleverly perched on top of his favorite tree, patiently
waiting to swoop down and teach them a very good lesson they would never forget. Silence is the best
policy, he kept reminding himself. Yet, he could not help but fire a bombshell once in a while to cool his
pious temper. In fact, very soon, he would go out every week on a special day to show his personal magic
and tell those jealous midgets who he actually was. No more playing or hiding! Out in the open he must
go!!

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