By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
The Gambia’s media fraternity is mourning the demise of two journalists Pa Momodou Faal and Musa Ndow who worked for the Ministry of Health. Pa Modou (as he is fondly called) and Musa Ndow died along with another health worker named Kawsu Bayo in the early hours of 17th January 2022 from a car accident in Jarra Soma.
An update on the funeral arrangements of both journalists indicates that Pa Modou will be laid to rest today (Monday) while Musa Ndow will be laid to rest tomorrow (Tuesday). Pa Modou is a journalist who is well known for supporting and mentoring young journalists. He provided support to Gainako’s Yusef Taylor since 2018.
Pa Modou is a veteran journalist who was arrested in 2009 as an Executive Member of the Gambia Press Union (GPU). Pa Modou has formed a number of initiatives from his early days where he started the press club at Muslim High School and later on helped to form the Association of Health Journalists. Pa Modou died as the lead Communications Officer for the Ministry of Health.
Reacting to the news, GPU President, Muhammed S Bah highlighted that “Pa Modou served the GPU in several boards including the Sheriff Jnr executive. My condolences to everyone in the media fraternity and the families” of both Pa Modou and Musa Ndow.
A statement from the Sports Journalists Association (SJAG) highlighted that “the Executive Committee and Members of SJAG extend its condolences to the Faal family and to that of the families of Musa Ndow and Kawsu Bayo”.
The SJAG statement noted that “Mr Faal is remembered for his humility and passion for the profession and sports development in the country. He had worked for several media outlets, including The Point Newspaper and the defunct Daily Observer Newspaper. He will be really missed!”
Pa Modou Faal’s TRRC Appearance – Biography
Listening to the late Pa Modou speak at the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) revealed a lot more about him and his work. Pa Modou was born on 26th April 1972 at Half Die Banjul. Speaking about his educational background Pa Modou explained that he was enrolled at St Peter’s Primary School in Lamin from 1984 to 1988. He proceeded to Fatoto Primary school in the Upper River Region where he sat his Common Entrance examination in 1989.
During his cross-examination with TRRC Counsel Horejah Bala Gaye, Pa Modou explained that he went to Banjul Secondary Technical school from 1990 to 1994 and then proceeded to Muslim High School. He then sat for his O-Levels exam at Muslim High School.
At Muslim High School he formed the Press Club and became the President. Asked why he was into press matters Pa Modou responded to say “while I was going to school I have the passion to become a journalist. So, we formed this press club at the school and normally what we do, we do read by then during assemblies, the newspapers. By then it was Foroyaa, the Point Newspaper and the Daily Observer”.
Speaking about what ignited his passion for journalism Pa Modou recalled that “sometimes also if we have extracurricular activities if we visit other schools or we go on excursions, we’ll come to the school and read the news. So, we started it in school. My journalism career started in school”.
From Muslim High School Pa transferred to ICE High School where he completed his A-Levels in 1998.
Speaking about his profession Pa Modou said he still writes at the time for Gambia Daily and is also a media consultant. Looking back at the beginning of his career Pa Modou explained that he began his career at the Gambia Daily in 1998 after completing his A-Levels he approached “Uncle Alieu Sanyang” the editor in chief of Gambia Daily then.
Pa Modou recalls that he started as a Sports Reporter at Gambia Daily where he worked briefly until the late Omar Barrow approached him to join Suud FM in 1998. This means that Pa Modou has been a journalist for almost 24 years.
Arrested in 2009 for Standing Up For Deyda’s Death
Journalist Sanna Camara took to social media and noted that Pa Modou worked for the Independent Newspaper in 2001 and later moved to the Point Newspaper and the Daily Observer.
According to Sanna “we maintained comradeship through the Association of Youths in the Media (AYM), where so many young ones of the media on those days enjoyed the mentorship of the veterans (Deyda, Jawo, Sangria, the two Jallows, Sey, Christensen, etc.)”
Interestingly enough Sanna Camara’s statement highlighted that Pa Modou “was among those executive members sent to prison in 2009 as a result of a rejoinder the GPU sent to media houses in defence of honour and integrity of murdered journalist Deyda Hydara.”
“Pa Modou was also a founding member of the Association of Health Journalists in the country. Through that association, he became instrumental in bridging gaps between health officials, NGOs and the media”.