Gutter press Observer takes its turn in the dictatorship's hire and fire spree

Lamin M Dibba, a journalist working with the Banjul-based pro-government newspaper organ of the ruling APRC party, Daily Observer, has been reinstated for the second time in a year.

Mr Dibba was earlier this year sacked with his colleague, Ebrima Jaw Manneh, by the newspaper for allegedly distorting the facts in their reportage of President Yahya Jammeh's witch-doctorial cure of HIV/Aids. The President who owns the paper and uses it as his mouthpiece, was said to be enraged following the publication of what he deemed as a ploy to undermine his 'mystical' ability. The two journalists were apparently left jobless but due to the timely intervention of Health Minister, Tamsir Mbowe who is a personal friend of Manneh, they were reinstated.

But the tale of the proverbial walker in the dark, soon lurked when Mr Dibba fell into a ditch a few months later by supposedly committing the same perceived crime again thus seeing the exit door of the Observer once more. He was left jobless for the ensuing months until the same Health Minister and the speaker of Parliament, Fatou Jahumpa Ceesay pleaded on his behalf. He has resumed work at the newspaper.

According to insiders at the Daily Observer, Lamin M Dibba is visibly embarrassed of his hire and fire predicament and hardly socializes with colleagues these days. “He hardly creates the jokes he used to do and is always bowing his head down. I am sure it will take him time before he recovers from this shame. I don't know why he cannot have dignity to respect himself than allow to be humiliated in this manner, as if there is no life after Observer,” an insider at the paper told our reporter under condition of anonymity.