Mr. Sidique Abou-Bakarr Wai, President and National Spokesperson, United African Congress
40 Exchange Place, 3rd Floor New York 11208.
Monday September 25th, 2017.
Dear Organizers of the Historic Adama Barrow Town Hall Meeting on Saturday September 23rd, 2017 at the Harriet Taubman Center, New York City.
Please allow me to commend you for a well-produced, masterful and professionally executed program on behalf of the Gambia Diaspora constituencies around the world. What started as a small proposal from both Ms. Sggga Jagne and Mr. Chernoh Bah, in seeking my assistance to secure three United Nations passes for their delegation to attend and hear President Barrow address the United Nations General Assembly session ( with the hope thereafter) of presenting him with a policy paper with recommendations for the President’s consideration, was transformed into an event that even by the President’s own admission was the “largest gathering of the Gambia Diaspora anywhere in the world”, since his election as President of the Gambia.
I can vividly recall the three way conference call I had with both Sigga and Chernoh in which I recommended that both of them consider organizing a Gambia Diaspora Town Hall meeting that I opined, would put them in a much stronger position to present their paper to the President for his consideration. In doing so they could consider including my long-time partner and good friend Mr. Lamin Drammeh and another good friend Ms. Maimouna Ceesay. Both Sigga and Chernoh saw wisdom in my proposal and sought to contact both Mr. Lamin Drammeh and Ms. Maimouna Ceesay with the understanding that they will seek the support and leadership of the United African Congress along with its coalition partners to assist them secure a suitable venue to host the event. After consulting with the leadership of the United African Congress and its coalition partners about the Town Hall meeting idea, they were all unanimous in their recommendation that they would agree to co-sponsor and provide technical and logistic support to producing the event on condition that the event have a national character devoid of any political, tribal or ethnic divisions. This same sentiment was shared by both Sigga and Chernoh, which was an important consideration throughout the planning and implementation of the event.
With that understanding and agreement, I proceeded to seek the assistance of the Honorable Gale Brewer, the President of the Borough of Manhattan in writing to co-host the event. As gracious and kind the Borough President has continued to be to the African communities and constituencies in the City of New York, she made available the resources and prestige of her office by pulling every stop humanly possible to produce this historic event on Saturday, September 23rd, 2017 at the Hariette Taubman Center in Manhattan. Her personal attendance and contribution to the production of the event, along with inscribing into the annals of New York City history books by proclaiming “SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2017 AS GAMBIA FREEDOM DAY”, shall forever remain memorable for Gambia in New York City. I salute her!
Mr. Sidique Abou-Bakarr Wai, President and National Spokesperson, United African Congress p2
May I also extend our most personal thanks and gratitude to especially the Manhattan Borough President Hon. Gale Brewer and her able and conscientious staff Mr. Alassane Diop and Ms. Athena Moore for putting in so much human personal time and energy in making sure that the event attained the level of success that is befitting HE Adam Barrow, the democratically elected President of the Gambia, their first after the 27 years dictatorship of the former President Yayah Jammeh.
My other gratitude and thanks goes to those selfless Gambian Diaspora organizing committee members that spent their time, moneys and endless hours and nights in meetings to negotiate and promote national consensus and unity amongst themselves in helping to produce a first class event. Thank you most sincerely for the Award, which I will forever treasure as a token of your friendship and our collective struggles as the fearless sons of the continent of Africa. Needless to say, it was both an honor and a pleasure for our collective leadership as friends of the Gambia in contributing a very small and insignificant part in welcoming your President HE Adama Barrow, during his first official visit to the United States, especially in the great city of New York. I along with my colleagues in leadership look forward to working with you in the MADA 2018 program that we hope produce next year.
In closing, please allow me to start from where we started during this incredible journey with a simple recommendation and words of wisdom from a pioneer grassroots organizer in words he taught me during my own career as a grassroots organizer on the streets of New York.
He said;
“ When you as a leader set out to change behavior of people in a group, accept criticism but always stay focused on your mission and passion to get to the finishing line. When you get distracted and respond to every query, the energy you need to think and move the agenda with speed will most certainly be affected. Always maintain your composure by remembering the ONE SHOT ONE KILL instincts”, he concluded.
Therefore the new Gambia that you all wish cannot and will not come singularly from President Barrow and his cabinet. Instead, it will come from him partnering with you the Gambia Diaspora, the people of Gambia at home, including the friends of Gambia.
The event you all produced on Saturday despite its kinks and challenges was a great success. Hold your heads high and love and learn to trust and respect each other. When you do, we your friends will embrace you and continue to work with you along the challenging road that lies ahead. May Allah Bless you all for caring and sharing.
Respectfully,
Sidique Abou-Bakarr Wai. President and National Spokesperson, United African Congress,
On behalf of your friends in the struggle.