Gainako Newspaper

This reporter travelled through the length
and breadth of the provinces and found out
that despite the high sounding propaganda by
the Gambian bureaucracy, the country- side
is totally neglected like a forgotten territory.

The country-side of the Gambia has been
awash with a heavy down pour of rain which
came with a wild and ferocious wind that
destroyed corrugated iron roof buildings,
grass huts and uprooted trees at a time when
the peasants are engage in sowing their fields.

The down pour of rain occurred on Saturday21st June 2008
This reporter who traveled throughout the country saw corrugated roof houses and grass huts
destroyed by the heavy wind. Speaking to farmers whose buildings have been destroyed; one man
said he does not actually know what to do because as he said while he is trying to work quickly on his
fields, he is challenged by the necessity of repairing his damaged houses. Another said that while the
rain is a blessing to human beings, this kind of rain is a catastrophe to them. He expressed wonder as
to how he could repair his damaged houses because as he said his food stuff is also destroyed by the
rain.

Apart from the destruction by nature, farmers are challenged with the lack of food, the lack of
capacity to buy fertilizer or its high cost, and the high cost of renting tractors to plough one's field.
In many parts of the provinces closer to the Senegalese border, farmers are seen coming from lumos
(weekly markets) at the border on the Senegalese side with bags of rice. According to them a bag of
rice is far cheaper in Senegal than the Gambia; that a bag of rice across the border is a bit less than
2000 Cfa francs which if exchanged to the Dalasi, would amount to just about D500 Dalasi. When
asked about the cost of transport, many said they simply use their horse carts to transport it to the
Gambia. When this is compared to the price of rice in the provinces of the Gambia, a bag of rice has
gone as far as from D850 to D950 Dalasi.

Some farmers' expressed anger as to why the Senegalese Government is able to supply their farmers
with fertilizer and farming implements but the Gambia government is refusing to do any such thing for
them. The price of fertilizer in Senegal remains at D550 Dalasi across the border but cost D700 Dalasi
inside the Gambia sharing the same border areas.

In places where there are tractors available for ploughing, ploughing one acre of land cost a farmer
D360 Dalasi. Many complained of its cost but tractor operators also complained of the high cost of
fuel and spare parts.

In places like URR, there are complaints that police are affecting the arrest of those petty fuel dealers
in rural villages surrounding Basse and even those away from the provincial town, on the pretext that
they did not have license to sell fuel. One fuel dealer told this reporter that the police are taking over
two thousand dalasi from each dealer caught selling fuel in exchange for his or her release. They asked
what they could do except to accept to give the required bribe especially at a time when they have to
work on their fields.

This reporter also spoke to some people who expressed the fact that dealing fuel is more beneficial to
them as it prevents everyone from going all the way to Basse to buy few litres of petrol. They said the
URR has more motor cycles than any region of the Gambia and their major means of transaction is
done by motor cycles; that asking everyone to go to Basse to buy fuel is unreasonable and
unjustifiable. They asked for the representatives to make it an issue at the National Assembly.

This reporter went to the provinces at a time when the present crisis engulfing the whole country
because of the shortage of gas oil. He has seen drivers refusing to ply long distances but maintaining
the same fares and some increasing fares. This reporter paid D275 Dalasi from Barra to Bansang and
30 Dalasi from Bansang to Basse. One had to avoid the Sandu road completely because of its worse
state. In some places like Wuli Chamoi, transports could not pass due to the destruction of the road.
Passengers had to drop and push the transport from the ditch before it could pass. It is best described
as a forgotten country. Nothing seems to be working in the country-side.

To the surprise of the visitor, the only visible sign of state apparatus is the road blocks deliberately
placed almost every two kilometers on the high way. Over 30 so-called check points by the military,
police and the immigration can be seen between Essau and Fatoto. It is incredible how the military
insists on searching every luggage as if the Gambia is in a state of insecurity or under alert.

This reporter observed how some members of the security would move with a motor cycle away from
the established check point and create their own check points on the high way. These are the type of
security personnel who would insist on searching the belongings of especially those who are seen to be
newly arriving from abroad, all in the flimsy name of security. Infact if it were not the miniature security
check points and unnecessary and illegal searches, the movement of goods and services would have
been very swift in the North Bank of the country. The state should be aware and investigate this self
established or unauthorized check points meant only to usurp bribes from travelers who are also
Gambians like them.

To allow the security personnel to feast on the poor and ignorant travelers especially at a time when
the suffering has overwhelmed the common person is not illegal and unjust but disheartening to say the
least.

...Journalist Jaw Manneh's D-Day adjourned;
...............Dida Halake in hot soup
...................................By Yero Jallow...................JUne 23rd, 2008
Reliable sources coming from Banjul indicated that the sedition trial of
Journalist Ms. Fatou Jaw Manneh's has been adjourned to July 2nd
2008 due to absense of the defense Counsel Jobarteh and the state
Prosecutor who were said to be at a supreme court sitting.

This snail-dragging case suffered yet another set back, noting the many
adjournments observed about this case.

Our source also added that former Observer Managing Director Dida
Halake was seen at magistrate Buba Jawo's court for sedition charges.

The said charges were said to be dropped but the source hinted that Mr.Halake was escorted back in
custody for possible other charges.

At the time of filing this report, Gainako couldn't connect to Gambia's Government side, as to why
Dida Halake is still languishing in custody, now that his sedition charges are dropped.

............................Tribute to My Brother
...............MBYE BABOUCARR MBOGE
..........................By Momodou Olly Mboge, Oslo, Norway......June 23rd, 2008
Brother Mbye you are gone but you'll always be with me as long as I am alive. Rest In Peace. I love
you. The poem below by Jenn Farrell who lost a loved one resonates with the way I feel towards you.
I will never forget you.
...............................In My Mind
................................................by Jenn Farrell
........................Somewhere in my dreams tonight
..............................I'll see you standing there
............................ You look at me with a smile
............................."Life isn't always fair"

......................You say you were chosen for his garden
............................His preciously hand picked bouquet"
............................God really needed me,
............................That's why I couldn't stay"

......................It's said to be that angels
...........................Are sent from above
...........................I've always had my angel
...........................My brother - whose heart was filled with love

.....................Wherever the ocean meets the sky
...........................There will be memories of you and I
...........................When I look up at that sky so blue
...........................All I see are visions of you

..........................."While there's a heart in me, you'll be a part of me."

............Poem Available at http://www.netpoets.com/poems/death/0521002.htm

Writing a tribute to someone dear and close brings in all kinds of feelings and emotions. I am writing
this tribute to my brother with misty eyes and trying to keep back tears. My heavy heart is loaded with
sadness and my mind is in overdrive with all kinds of thoughts.

However, thanks to the fact that faith in Allah's power and guided by the light of Islam I am certain
that Mbye, you've joined mom and dad in Heaven. I am certain you are happy where you are.

You lived a comparatively short life full of contradictions yet with a light heart full of love especially to
your three beautiful daughters Adam, Sukai and Aisha.

Tomorrow will be 40days since you answered the call of your Creator. We shall do the traditional
prayers and know that the Almighty will make Jannah your final resting place side by side with mom
and dad. The Almighty was the one who blessed us with your grace and beautiful smile coupled with
your kindness, hard work and thrift, traits which I wish I possessed and he is the one who knows best
why this is the best time to be in his company.

Little did I know that talking to you on 14th May whilst you were in your hospital bed would be the
last time I will ever hear your soothing voice. You deceived me with your strength and liveliness. You
sounded like you were just about to walk out of hospital, not knowing that thoracic aneurism was the
culprit consuming you.

I shall miss your encouraging and infectious optimism whenever I was about to throw in the towel in
this worldly struggle. That very fateful day when we last spoke and I told you I had finally submitted
my Master thesis, you said to me this was just the beginning and that you hope I will top it up with
more achievements. Well, God willing indeed I shall follow it up to the end so as to be an inspiration
to our beautiful children you left behind. As you always said, it is better late and than never.

Though we last saw each other nearly ten years before heaven called on you, I still feel that you are
alive. Your sense of humour and your hearty laugh has already created a void in me and affected my
demeanour. I remember whenever I call home and asked how are things in the Gambia and you
would answer with your usual phrase 'Bro town nehut, fi moy chengolama base, waya nak santa
yalla, we are still getting on regardless'.

Mbye thank you for being Mbye and you'll dearly be missed. Rest In Peace.

I wish to thank friends and family whose phone calls and words of encouragement kept me sane and
hopeful. I must mention good people like Momodou Laama Jallow (Raleigh, NC) Pa Baboucarr Njie
(my cousin who is more like a brother)(Raleigh, NC), Youssou Mbye(Raleight, NC), Abdou Mbye,
Ous Sallah (DC), Ya Kumba Faal (LA), Gibril Faal (UK), Assan Jagne(Gambia), Haddy Faal
(Oslo), Ahmadou Kabirr Njie (Stavangar) and my other siblings Omar Mboge(UK), Fatou
Mboge(Ghana), Amie Bojang Sissoho(Gambia) and the many more friends and family at home and in
the diaspora.

I know you guys would prefer not to be mentioned in public but this is the only way I can express my
gratitude.

Special thanks to Pa Omar Faal (Damel) who is not only a brother but someone who is never tired of
my family's welfare. All during my brother's illness you were there for us and right now you took it
upon yourself to look after three daughters he left whilst I am in far away land. I just want to say

THANK YOU

......................................Essay
...........Critical Bones
....................................By Baba Galleh Jallow......June 22nd, 2008
It was a hot afternoon in dusty city. Poplin lay lazily on his couch, his
eyes closed, his mind roaming around the world from one object and
issue to the other, hoping that sleep would come soon to shut his mind
and give him some respite from all the troubles of this scheming world.
All of a sudden, an unusually loud bang sounded on his door. Before he
could ask the obvious question, his long time friend burst in, looking all
hot and agitated.

'Hey Kookah you almost broke my eardrums,' Poplin said, as he
lay back into his couch.

His friend Samba Kookah dumped his duffel bag on the floor and instead of sitting down, paced
angrily up and down the sitting room, his eyes red hot, his teeth clenched, his entire face a mask of
creases and dust-soaked sweat. Poplin had never seen Kookah this agitated before. He sat up.

'Hey what's up man? You not acting normal.'
'I don't give a damn,' Kookah fumed. 'I have to deal with this guy! I have some serious bones to pick
with him!'
'What guy? Has someone offended you? Did you get into a fight?' Poplin stared hard at Samba
Kookah, who was now angrily grinding his teeth as he paced up and down the room.'
'You know who I mean. I told you about him last night.'
'But Kookah, come on, man. What did he do to you? Why don't you leave him alone?'
'He should leave me alone! Just now when I was riding in the van he sat on my mind and made me
forgot myself and all the other passengers held their noses and looked at me. Some of the rude girls
were even laughing at me! The fucking beast!'
'You did what in the van? Oh come on. Even if something smelled and people held their noses why
should anyone think it was you?'
'It was me man - it was loud! Why should he make me do that in public?'
'Come on Kookah; you can't blame him for being in your mind. He didn't put himself there. You put
him there. Why not try to forget him?'
'I did not put him there!' Samba Kookah yelled, glaring at his friend. 'I don't want him in my mind but
he stays there all the time! When I sleep he's in my dreams. When I wake up first thing in the morning
he's on my mind. The other day I nearly cut my hand at work because he sat on my mind like a devil!
He's a fucking devil and I have to deal with him!'
'Now, okay Kookah,' Poplin said, trying to calm his friend down. 'Let's look at this issue logically. Tell
me one thing - one bad thing this guy has ever done to you or said about you. Just one thing so I can
understand why you have such critical bones to pick with him.'
'He thinks that he's better than me and everyone else!' Kookah fumed.
'Did he ever tell you he thinks he's better than you Kookah?'
'He never said it but I know it. The way he looks at me, the way he smiles, as if he knows everything
and I am a fool!'

'Now come on Kookah. I think you are being extremely unreasonable and unfair to this guy. Do you
remember telling me how he used to be so kind and helpful to you? When your wife grabbed your
neck and called you a woman because you didn't have fish money didn't you say he gave you lots of
money when you told him? And when your wife slapped you and called you good for nothing because
you couldn't pay the rent did he not give you money to pay? As far as I know this guy has done you
only good. It puzzles me why you are so hostile to him now. There must be something you're not
telling me.'

'There's nothing; nothing! What I don't understand is why he keeps sitting in my mind all the time! He's
a fucking witch and a beast and I must deal with him.' 'You really gotta be kidding me Kookah. Aha!
You remember telling me about the time you called yourself Mbota and told a lie about the chief's wife
to him and someone overheard you and the chief's police arrested him and tried to force him to reveal
your identity? Didn't you say he chose to go to jail than reveal your identity? And you know the chief
would have killed you because he trusted you so much and you betrayed his trust by lying about his
favorite wife. But this guy suffered for you and spent three days in jail rather than disclose your
identity. Should you not be grateful to him rather than making an enemy of him?'

'I was grateful to him but he thought I was a fool and he thinks he's better than me. Just because he
helped me doesn't mean that he's better than me. And that's what I don't fucking like about him and I
have to find a way to deal with him, to expose his vanity, to make him vanish off the face of the earth!
Look what he did to me today, in public, how he put me to shame?'

'Kookah, Kookah, Kookah.' Poplin was getting impatient with his friend. 'Look, you need to sit down
and have a glass of water. My final advice to you is this: stop bothering yourself about this guy. He has
done nothing wrong to you. If you do not drop this silly idea of having critical bones with an innocent
man, a man who has done you only good, nemesis will soon be your lot. Just forget about him man.'
'So you are now threatening me ha? You are now taking his side even though I am your friend! Then
let our friendship end here today! I must deal with him and I must deal with him and I do not need any
advice from you!'

Samba Kookah angrily grabbed his duffel bag and stormed out of the room, banging the door loudly
behind him. At the compound gate he missed a step and went sprawling face down into the sandy
street. A chorus of children's laughter greeted his fall as he blew the sand out of his mouth . . . He was
having a really bad day, the worst day of his life! Picking himself up and ignoring the laughter of the
rude children, Samba Kookah angrily strode away. He had to deal with that impudent bloke who
thought that he was better than the entire world! Just let him wait and see! He knew exactly what to
do!

.............................................Breaking News:
...............D-Day
.... For Journalist Fatou Jaw Manneh;
.......................................By Yero Jallow.......June 22nd, 2008
..................APRC VS. Journalist Fatou Jaw Manneh
For over a year now, Journalist Ms. Fatou Jaw Manneh has been tried
by the APRC administration for comments she made about a democratic
process online.

Sources close to Ms. Manneh's court file in Banjul informed this reporter
of the current situation about her case. According to this impeccable
source, Ms. Manneh's defense Lawyer, Lamin Jobarteh will complete a
final submission to the Magistrate Buba Jawo of the Kanifing Court on
Monday, June 23rd 2008.

Our home-based analyst noted that once that happens, the magistrate can
make a final ruling or adjourn it to another day, but all are certain that the
adjournment in this snail-dragging case left many questioning the interest
that the APRC has in Ms. Manneh's case. While many said it is scare-crow
tactics, others said Ms. Manneh's Activism is very spicy.

Family sources who spoke with this reporter hinted that Ms. Manneh is in high spirit, notably was seen
drinking green tea locally 'attaya' earlier on the day before her court's D-day .

At the time of filing this story, we called some of Ms. Manneh's friends in the US who wish her well in
this trying moment. In the past, Gainako editors has cautioned Magistrates handling this case the need
for 'due diligence' and making sure justice is truly rendered. In side line, Ndey Jobarteh and Jabou Joh
spear-headed a petition known to be the call to the international community where in collected
signatures supporting the petition were sent to different organizations with the hope of seeing an end to
this case.

Meanwhile Gainako's magnificent reminder to the APRC and the presiding magistrate is that the
international community's eye is on them; and that 'justice delayed is justice denied.'

.......................................Essay
..........A LOVE STORY
...............................................By Yero Jallow..................June 21st, 2008
The mosquito season is a time to keep under safe nets, for that it is
obvious to even those that alleged they grew resistance to the disease
-Malaria, common in many areas. That little blood suck from the
anopheles came to define a disease so weakening, so painful that you
are certain to get your 'charlit,' for it is a killer disease as well.

In this story of love, little Lillian, 35, was a victim of the blood sucker
and fell seriously ill. She puked yellowish fluid, urinated yellowish urine
and even her 'tool' was yellowish. Further, she was shivering underneath
two thick warm blankets while engulfed in-between faint and death. Poor
Lillian was rushed to the village community hospital by her daughter, Leah,
16, and upon arrival was admitted. The Doctor has diagnosed her with
Malaria.

At the time of recovery, her friends (three ladies of her standing -Zaila, Ashley and Bobo) came to
visit her at the hospital bed. One of the friends, Zaila, was notably an admirer to Lillian's husband, so
the jealousy disease will take over from the killer-malaria's pain in the end, because Lillian of might
love, loved her husband to death. Known to be a very intelligent woman, she would do it again at her
hospital bed; at least if not to heal her self, but to scare 'husband-snatchers,' like they will call them in
Nigerian comedies.

"We are here to see Sister Lilly." They sympathized.
"I am here. "Lillian responded slowly.

"When are you getting discharged?" Ashley asked.
"I do not know." She responded with a node.

"I wish you a safe recovery." Bobo cried.
"Thanks!" She responded with the offer of a smile and a node.

"So, what's wrong with you? You are so weak?" Zaila questioned.
"I am diagnosed with HIV Aids." Lillian responded.

"So, you mean your husband too?" Zaila went on.
"Yes, that's how I got it." She added with a jealous-sounding voice.

After Lillian's visitors left, Leah has challenged her mother as to why in this world did she tell her
friends that she was HIV positive when it was malaria. The poor mother responded "Zaila is a
husband-snatcher. I bet she will catch that Aids from your daddy when I die." Buzz!!

The blood-sucker!

Tis merciless blood-sucker at loose
Stationed in the mighty gutters
Penned at day and loose at night
The little mosquito flies
Sucking the blood, sucking around.

With her poisonous soft pin
She poisoned glands at vein ends
Where the hairs are growing loose
And flesh with a carcass
Sucking the blood, sucking hard.

Lillian's jealousy sounded aloud
Killing the malaria for the Aids
Indeed a choice hard to take
With the 'charlit' fears of death
But Lillian is a loving woman.

...................................................................Essay
......YOUSSOU NDOUR
.................AFRICAN PRIDE:
............................By Saihou Omar Jigo...................June 20th, 2008
Even as a sculptor of words, I struggled to cast the man in a single
sentence with destructive force: artistic, original, concise yet comprehensive.

But then, I realised, I was looking at a star beaming light too much for the
eyes to handle. The assignment will therefore change from the ''definition
of a man'' to the ''definition of a phenomenon''. Am talking about Youssou
Ndour, this grandson of Siray and the Yasinmars; hey, the most articulate
bard of Africa, please stand!

Note it from today, from this article. There are five branches to the Youssou
Ndour tree, just as there are five derivatives from the word Youssou.
Follow me:

1. Youssou The Pioneer
Before the Super Etoile of 1979. there was the Super Etoile of 1959. It was in that year that light
struck Medina Dakar, on the nostrils of the Atlantic Ocean. And it swung its laser beams with force
and reach never before registered from the people of Senegambia, communicating in the language
called Wolof, and dancing to the musical billed Mbalax. The man has arrived, definitely! Eyeing the
question again: What exactly is so trailblazing about this man so as to qualify him--among others.--as a
proud refection of a whole continent and its people.

In the beginning
Halis neeh nah, chapacholy, tap your feet and start the journey. Am actually rewinding you to the
beginning of the 80s when here-- in Senegambia --all that was 'cool' about music was Reggae, Pop,
R&B, Rock and Roll, and anything else invented elsewhere, but definitely not Mbalax, also known as
Ndaga.

Back then, it was common to brand Ndaga fans Gorrgigain (woman-like) as if mbalax was
purposefully meant for women. That invites the question: was the music texture feminine?

The twisted belief ran deeper than labels and name callings. It had something to do with a seriously
distorted thought that was disturbing and pitiful all at once. For the crime men Ndaga fans committed
was no other than falling in love with a music genre locally invented and driven.

Admitted or not, someone, something has made many people believe that in order to be sophisticated
, enlightened or civilized one has to embrace a music type manufactured from other parts of the world,
because whatever is home-grown is inherently inferior, uncultured, unworthy of celebration.

The nature and size of that ignorance was sickening. But it did not last long. For it was at the height of
that self-imposed shame, powered by sheer nonsense, that light bolted from the person of Youssou
Magigain Ndour. He became the gentleman who shattered every molecule of that notion till the bald
face lie about our inability to create anything worthy of pride, was exposed and buried.

Youssou Ndour is not the inventor of mbalax, certainly. What he did, however, that nobody else has
done-and will ever have the chance of doing - is that he became the first person to almost single
handedly lift mbalax from the shadows of nowhere onto the international stage and sold it platinum!
Mbalax, today, is popular and accepted by millions of people to whom it sounds like Chinese (but still
ok.). Yet, no matter how trendy, how fast and big it grows, there is a place exclusively for Youssou,
and Youssou only. This is because he is Mbalax's lexicographer. Youssou architectured the words
that have come to form the Mbalax lexicon.

Closely linked with his pioneering feat, is his rescue beat. This is the man who picked up, retinkered,
and re-invented what was thrown and about to be buried, and by that single stroke of faith , saved a
critical component of a whole people's culture from extinction. In a sense, therefore, Youssou did not
pick up gold from the dustbin; instead, he made gold from trash.

Youssou The Artist
Never before has much power, wealth, pride, prestige and inspiration poured from the canal of
African music as it did since the coming of Youssou with a microphone on one hand, and Afro-Cuban
improvisation on the other. He tumbled the bombs-one smashing album after the other -from 1979
to-date. The world paused to listen, for the music was not only refreshing to the soul, but it was also
wrapped in a melody and magic impossible to ignore.

In the formative years were the songs steep in folklore and praise singing so characteristic of
Senegambian griot music. That soon gave way to historical reconstruction, which also, in recent years,
matured into the generally sophisticated ballads, rich in thought and instrumentation.

Being the innovative artist he is, Youssou continuously managed to splash-in between the
ages-remakes or remixes that exploded in the charts just as loud as brand new songs. For over 25
yrs, Youssou's music flamed, delighted fans, and smashed charts with incredible consistency. The
ebbs and tides, comings and goings, ups and downs, they say, is the nature of business, the flow of
life.

But if Michael Jordan has broken the law gravity by walking on air, Youssou Ndour has defied the
order of micro-gravity by refusing to float under weightlessness. Put simply, this is the artist who
refused to go! Or relent in his success!

Through the muscle of his will or natural course of events, he declined to admit into into his career a
pause, much less a slip, in effect, slapping the rule of ying and yang (two sides to every coin) on the
face.

An eloquent African tenor voice has switched on daylight and arrested the earth on its axis, practically
denying the night entry. Anyhow you look at it there is something in Youssou Ndour, it seems, that's
so thick and tough. It refuses to bend, let alone break.

That assumption, by extension, presupposes that the man is just different or bears certain attributes
that differentiate him from other artists. From the Beatles to Bob Marley, Mariama Kebba to Elvis
Presley, Michael Jackson to 50 Cent, the world abounds with incredible voice range, tall in fame and
fortune.

There also are the prolific and multi-talented, in the likes of Baby face (Kenny Edmonds), Quincy
Jones. Phil Collins, Prince and Salif Keita, to name a few. Even closer home, one is awakened by the
wisdom spinning in Chon Secka's music or poetry in beginners such as Abdu Gitteh Secka, and
originality in traditionalists such as the versatile Gambian Maestro, Jaliba Kuyateh.

All these world-famous artists possess, in varying degrees, different strengths, but nonetheless,
arguably talented artists in their own fields. Most have the advantage of language (singing in an
international language like English) or Location (coming out of the West) or both.

Now, despite all their extraordinary abilities, one is hard-pressed to think of an internationally famous
artist who has maintained a number one position in his/her area for more than a quarter century. So,
Youssou the artist, is not merely an artist, but one with a record that's either already good for the
Guiness Book Of Records or on the verge of completing that Guiness-book-bound journey. And it
shall crest there.

Youssou The Pacesetter
The twin engines that propelled African music and Dance in the twin giants -Congo DRC and
Nigeria-have either broken down or don't simply hum with the noise they used to. The roaring rhythms
now call home elsewhere. It's Senegal.

Here they gestate, and the growth rate so alarming, so impressive that if the ratio of Senegal's
musicians to the general public equalled their economic wealth in terms of per capita income, then she
would have easily qualified for the G8 Club. Too many musicians-with genres defying
classification-are beating a sound grid that's extremely powerful and diverse. In fact, there is so much
hope in Senegal's music that even the World Bank is investing.

It cannot be that Youssou alone occasioned all that downpour of art. He must however be credited
with bulldozing the thick forest that was music, and paving a world-class highway on which everyone
else is doing 100 km per hour.

Almost everywhere on the African continent music called home to a dusty back street, peopled by
women-courting-alcoholic-nobodies! Low, was their road. And their habits so perilous that they
almost always perished after one hit album, or two, at most. Summed up, the music industry suffered a
chronic lack of dignity and future.

Consequently, it was nobody's envy. People instead sent their sons and daughters to school to study
Law, Medicine, and the rest of the white-collar gamut, but definitely not Music. In fact, word has that
Youssou himself wrestled with his Dad in order to pursue his musical career. Of course, his father
couldn't have done otherwise, for he too wanted his son to be a productive, successful citizen, and not
the drug smacking, alcoholic type.

Twenty five years later, Youssou Ndour, in reply, told his father (Elhajj Elimane Ndour) that he had it
all wrong. Sometimes tenor, other times Suprano, he flexed his voice anyhow he liked. Backed by
African percussions (tamma and sabar) and European string instruments, the music rocked, and the
fans fell for it from one country to the other, like Domino! Bingo! He proved all that need be, and
broke all the records that were. For the first time in Senegal-and Africa for that matter-someone has
achieved holistic success from music.

By so doing, he has infused new blood into music. More importantly, he managed to bleach clean the
shame and backwardness associated with music. Thus, it's now ok to go study music up to university
level or pursue it informally, even if one is not a griot.

Honour and respect finally returned to an art ever since respectable but for too long dragged in the
mud. Youssou, by way of his skills and religious dedication to work, has finally set the standards, and
he himself a world-class specimen, inevitably.

Youssou The businessman-cum Manager
Making wealth is sometimes easier than managing it. The music industry, in particular, is replete with
artists who become millionaires at midday, bankrupt at mid-night. They do forget that wealth, no
matter its size, if not managed properly, will perish sooner than you ever thought. Here too, here again,
Youssou , in his characteristic defiance hallmark, said NO to going broke after accumulating wealth .

Unlike the west, making significant fortune from music is not easy in Africa. At least, not those
overnight millionaires from one platinum album or even Single. This is mostly because of lax or
non-existent copyright laws, poor marketing and wide spread poverty in general. To that end, while
their Western counterparts make it and lose it in no time, African musicians hardly make a fortune at
all. For the most part, they embark on music for the love of it or the griot-factor. On any given scale,
they live like average or upper middle-class families. Not Youssou Ndour.

In his string of firsts, Youssou count as one of the first-if not the first-African musician to build a
state-of-the-art recording studio, producing artists under the expertise of his all-round brother, Buba
Ndure. He also wields investment holdings in Mass Media (in the form of a radio station and
newspaper, and soon to be television station, I heard), real estate, and many more that are as
rewarding as his musical career. A journalist, I was told, once asked Youssou whether he was a
millionaire. He quipped, "In what currency?" Today, it shouldn't be unsafe to vouch that he is a
millionaire by any currency!

Perhaps his business may not be as insulated as his musical career. But even if his business follows the
normal cycles of business, there is still sufficient reason to salute his astute business investments as well
as the discipline that sustains it to date. Remember this is the man who started with corner street gigs
attended by a dozen or so people, and then onto Bercy (France) where close to twenty thousand
people, from every corner of the earth, converge every year for the Grand Bal. That alone sounds to
me quite a formidable business , and as he himself once couched it bufi yem mon sah mu neeh (even
if it were to cease now, mission accomplished).

The MC hammers, the Bobby Browns, the TLCs, the Toni Braxtons and the rest of the long list of
broke millionaires� wouldn't it be worth their while to fly into Senegal and find out what is that
Youssou Ndure is doing that they not doing or have not done. Among the many currencies they will
find in his possession , I predict, will be FULLAH AK FIEYDA (serious-minded/resolve). He has a
lot of that, and they too can have it without learning Wollof .

Youssou The Immortal
"A life has no meaning except on the impact it has on other lives," so said the first black man to be
inducted into baseball's hall of fame. In my small world, that sentence is so far the best definition of
immortality.

People who touch---positively or negatively-the lives of many others do eventually die like everyone
else, but their deeds live on. There is no gainsaying that many would prefer to be remembered kindly
for their outstanding contribution towards humanity. To this group belong scientists and engineers (the
Einsteins, Newtons, Daimlers and Wright brothers) Freedom fighters (the Mandelas and Ghandis)
sports personalities and artists (the Peles, Youssous, Picassos plus Holly Wood Hall of Fame.

There also are the Abachas and Hitlers who may not be forgotten but neither forgiven, for their
wounds still fester!

Friends aside, fans out, the world-especially Africa-has reasons to celebrate and express appreciation
to God for having created an inspirational figure like Youssou Ndour. Not that he is a saint, nor do I
intend to paint a personality cult around him as if he is a weakness-free human being, but am obliged
to concur with Titi in drawing the conclusion that he is a worthy ambassador not only of Senegal but
Africa and the rest of the globe, for he has all the credentials that make him exceptionally qualified.

In Youssou we see a hero who has been to the top of Kilimanjaro not with an airplane but by crawling
(remember his crystallized success is a result of quarter century of hardwork). That in itself is a pointer
to the old virtues of patience, deligence, and perseverance.

Wah Degah Yalla (truth be told), the man is a flagbearer. A benchmark. A hallmark. A
yardstick�..of excellence in and out of music, anyhow you define it! Having won music's most
prestigious award(Grammy); got appointed by UNICEF as Goodwill ambassador; got decorated with
every medal and important insignia in his country; got his name stitched in the French Dictionary (and
that's why Youssou is no longer a mere name, but also a word) in indelible ink; got Foundations
spawning for causes designed to uplift human kind; and contributed his quota to national development
through employment and foreign exchange generation, Youssou's biography is already thick.

On the music front, there is every reason to believe that an institution such as JOLOLI will be here
long after Youssou Ndour, because it is manned by highly educated, skilled, trained and dedicated
professionals. Am not talking about other Jololi artists, but Youssou alone has already created a bank
of songs whose colours, texture, and instrumentation suffice a doctoral dissertation.
Here now lies the record. It has peaked. It's immense, illustrious, immaculate and impressive. Thus,
inevitably immortal!

TOWARDS YUSURISM
I've no idea how the French Lexicographers entered and defined Youssou Ndour. I've however, set it
upon myself to do a thesaurus of Youssou. Determining the entry formats (whether polysemous
headwords or homonymous main or sub-entries, superscripted or not) and a host of other
grammatical or linguistic issues shall be set aside for another discuss. For now, find below five
derivatives of the word Youssou, as coined by this writer..

1. YUSUISM (Noun)1. A philosophy, idea or concept based on the ideals of Youssou
2. Movement to promote the works and values of Youssou
3.Any act of succeeding against the odds, especially when
disadvantaged by language or formal education like
Youssou Ndour.
2. YUSUYISTIC (Adjective). 1. Like Youssou Ndour or in the manner of Youssou
Ndour.
2. Something that sounds like Youssou Ndour
e.g. He has a Yusuyistic voice/ what a ~ feat!
3. YUSUNOMY (Noun) The study of Youssou Ndour and his works
e.g. She majors in ~
4. YUSUIST (Noun) 1. Follower, admirer, lover, supporter or fan of Youssou
Ndour and/ mbalax
2. Believer in Youssou Ndour and his ideals
3. Someone whose role model is Youssou Ndour or wants to be like him
e.g. She is a staunch ~ or ~ will be organising a concert tomorrow.

5. YUSU (verb) ~d (pt/pp) 1. To make or do as Youssou Ndour did with Mbalax
i.e. Internationalise or popularise a local product/concept
e.g. Cheray has now been yusud i.e made popular as an
internationally packaged cereal
We need to Yusu our businesses i.e. go international
I want to Yusu i.e. go big! Be a star! A success story

Artists like Beethoven, Baach, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelango, Picasso and others are the subject of
much research and revival in tertiary institutions. Their tenure, volume and richness of work is no
different from Youssou's, except that he is non-white, non-classical (except where it means
excellence), non-western, and more importantly singing in a language that's non lingua franca (National
or international language)

If, however, we have to wait for a professor from Sorbonne to come and set up a course in
YUSUNOMY at Cheikh Anta Diop University, then am afraid we have not yusud. Youssou and his
works (as well as the works of other equally distinguished African artists) should by now be the focus
of intense scholarly research and serious product development.

Yusuism, in closing, I want to believe will gather pace in the next few years. Schools, streets,
monuments, books, shirts, buildings��will bear his name. And it won't be done to please Youssou
but for the purpose of our heritage, and inspiration for our children. Which is why Youssou must never
forget he has a continental obligation.
He must not derail, puncture or soil in anyway what is entrusted him. He is one of the few Custodians
of a whole people's pride. Let the Youssous and Mandelas rise, sanity and glory shall be Africa's.

LU YAGA DEGALA (Whatever lasts long is true) so said the Wolofs. . Science says any theory that
withstands the test of time shall be canonized as Law. This Youssou Ndour and Super Etiole story
now constitute a pivot on which others rotate, much like the centrality of Newton's Laws to Physics. If
falsified, then everything else will unravel, off the hinges!

On anyone's watch, Quarter century at No.1 spot is long enough to earn one super star. Rest the
case, Youssou Magigain Ndour DEGA LA�Come again Mbye Gaye �.DEGA LA �..DEGA LA
��True!

.............................................................Breaking News
........... Point Director
.....Pap Saine Disappoints His Journalists
.............................By Solo, Banjul correspondent...........June18th, 2008
A young sports reporter at the Point Newspaper by the name of Mr. Ebou Manneh has received the
shock of his life recently when he wrote a story indicating that the new coach for the Scorpions Paul
Put was not happy with the ministry�s plans to hire a Gele-Gele to transport the Scorpions to Dakar
ahead of their match with Algeria.

According to sources at the Point Newspaper, Mr. Pap Saine, the Point Director who was not keen
in publishing the story not only dropped the story but called Mass Axi Gai, the Secretary of State for
Sports and told him what the boy wrote; but that he Pap Saine has dropped the story.

Sources close to the Point further indicate that the Secretary of State for Sports, Mass Axi Gai later
called the reporter Mr Ebou Manneh and accused him of being used by somebody to undermine him
Axi. Impeccable sources added that he told the young reporter that he is of age now because he is
over 56 years but did not stop there. He was said to have threatened the reporter as thus,� If anybody
is trying to kill me, I will kill you,� he told Ebou Manneh.

Sources further revealed that the big man later went to the young man�s father to ask for mediation
between him and the boy; that he wants bygones to be bygones.

Mr. Manneh who was visibly shaken by the threat was said to have notified the FA about the matter.

Information circulating among the media practitioners speaks unkindly of Mr. Pap Saine as Director
who should be the protector of all the journalists especially the young ones but has instead endeavored
to put the young man�s life and profession under threat by his exposure of an internal report which was
dropped. They said he should have known better than to stoop so low.
.............................................
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