Former Observer MD Pays Tribute To Absconded Editor Kemo Cham!!

Greetings Gentlemen,

Here is a piece on Kemo Cham - sad they all have to run.

London Letter: Daily Observer Chief Editor Kemo Cham - Good, Gifted & Gambian.

 15 Nov 2008                          

 Nothing gives me more pleasure than to applaud good Gambians. Those who can remember my full page features in the Daily Observer will recall “Pride of The Gambia” features when I highlighted the achievements of the likes of London’s Lawyer Ousman Mbai (the son of Fafa Mbai) and footballer young Jaiteh in Norway (the son of Banta Jaiteh). We also published many excellent intellectual pieces by Gambians, including Kebba Dibba of GRTS (who unfortunately preferred to keep a low profile – because he was a thorough-bred horse following a donkey to whom he had to defer!). But now I must praise my own thorough-bred Gambian.

 Cham

Kemo Cham, the excellent Kemo Cham, Acting Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Observer is my very own. I claim him because he came to me during my first week as MD at the Daily Observer and said “Mr. Halake, those people at Today Newspaper are messing me about. Can I come and work for you?”. “Of course”, I said and handed him a well-paid contract as a reporter. A month or so later, he was a senior editor and by the time I left, six months or so later, he was one of my Deputy Editor-in-Chiefs. I think Kemo’s was the fastest promotion in the history of the Daily Observer, and Kemo Cham absolutely deserved it.

 I met Kemo at the University of The Gambia when I came to share the podium on a symposium on Robert Mugabe. Kemo was the UTG student President. He impressed me as a most intelligent and well organized individual. When I took over at the Daily Observer I was determined to promote and develop good Gambians (and dispense with the useless ones who were there simply because of who they know – and I didn’t care who they knew!).

Kemo Cham earned his meteoric rise up the ladder purely on merit. Educated by Gambia’s own University, he is an example of good, gifted, Gambians who are not just passionate about filling their own pockets (and there are many of those). He is passionate first and foremost about the development of The Gambia. Kemo is the kind of intelligent, educated, young Gambians the country (and Africa) needs and I wish him well from the bottom of my heart. Well done Cham, God Bless and keep it up.

PS. I hear Kemo Cham is now, 12th August 2009, "on the run". Very sad and I wish him well and pray for his safety wherever he is.

Yours Truly,

Dida Halake,