WATCHMAN RESPONDS TO A SCANDALOUS ACCUSATION!!!!
WATCHMAN RESPONDS TO A SCANDALOUS ACCUSATION!!!!
WATCHMAN RESPONDS TO A SCANDALOUS ACCUSATION!!!!
 
Dear Mama Njie:
 
I wish you could have e-mailed me privately to voice your concern about my alleged “disrespect” for Mandinka women but since you aired these concerns in public, I hope you and other readers get to see where my perspective comes from. Let’s begin with your first assumption, that I am a Mandinka man. This is totally not the case. Since I am very averse to tribal politics, I won’t divulge my background but I can tell you this: it is a mixture of all Gambia has to offer. My experience as a Gambian is very unique in that I lived with everyone  and traveled the length and breadth of the country thus enabling me to bond with individuals far from my comfort zone. Frankly, I was expecting some back lash and/or misunderstanding about my opinion on this matter and the fact that it took this long shows the understanding most readers have about my insight.
 
Please let’s not indulge in sensitive objections to presumed bias. I don’t understand what your definition of “disrespect” is but I love Mandinka women. My take on Ismail Sambou’s former spouse was just a snapshot of one individual not a sweeping stereotypical judgment of women of an important and proud part of Gambian society that Mandinkas are. If you read my articles carefully, you’d see I have an overarching theme of Gambian unity every time the subject of intra-national differences is broached. I am no Samsudeen Sarr explicating the virtues of one group against another. As a matter of fact, it my unique travels as a kid from Banjul to Basse, Mansakonko, Bansang, Kerewan, Farafenni, Basse, Soma, Barra and so forth that have made me extremely comfortable in my skin when I’m among my fellow Gambians.
 
If you were to ask me, the biggest source of unease between Gambia’s various groups is a lack of exposure and co-mingling to and with each other. Underneath the tensions is great potential for understanding because as a matter of habit, Gambians are generally easy going. In fact, my most recent piece on “Famara the Gambian Rebel” expounds on all the factors that have led to and still haunt Gambian relations on matters of self-identification and affiliation. The “problems” between Mandinka men and women is a microcosm of the misunderstanding between the sexes in general and should not be used to attack anyone assumed to be promoting one tribal gender against another.
 
Speaking of the disconnect and furor between Gambian men and women, your attitude towards Mandinka men is really disturbing. Have you carried a sample poll to validate your overall assessment of the inter-personal skills of Mandinka men vis-à-vis their personal relationships? Are you sure your passions are not inflamed by the fact that you have had friends who did not fare well in their encounters with Mandinka men? How many women report to you on a daily basis about how they have been maltreated by Mandinka men? The fact that you are Wolof does not entitle you to be arbiter of what kind of persons Mandinka men are. Ms. Njie, if you allow me to, I have to say that’s a pretty condescending view. I’ll have a more elongated take on Gambian women in a forthcoming article.
 
On a personal level, did you know that on some days, when I was a troublesome kid, I was sent to stay for a few hours with a Mandinka lady who smoked a tobacco pipe and was pretty adept at spanking and other techniques of child discipline? Did you know I have a Mandinka friend who lived with me for most of my childhood, now resides in Germany and called me on the day the US was attacked on 9/11 to see if I was okay? Did you know this Mandinka friend of mine is no longer deemed a friend but even more than that, a brother? Did you know I have Mandinka friends who are all over the world and who keep regularly in touch with my mother who is not Mandinka but can speak the beautiful language as much as any born Mandinka? Did you know that any time there is a death in my family or theirs, my family and our Mandinka neighbors mourn as if one of theirs or ours was gone? Do you even know my sister-in-law is Mandinka?
 
I have to commend you for speaking up. It has and will lead to more meaningful dialogue. It’d help if you exercised objective restraint instead of hurling unwarranted epithets. More so than that, Ms. Njie, I detect your fierce sense of independence, intelligence and dedication to a free Gambian society. Your letter ignited something in me I’ve harbored for quite some time: a crush on all Gambian women, especially if they’re Mandinka.
 
Respectfully,
The Watchman.

Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 (Archive on Tuesday, May 13, 2008)
Posted by PNMBAI  Contributed by PNMBAI
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