Typography

Much Ado about Zilch

I met this woman a year ago and she had clear white skin and had the biggest...erm...eyes. She was German and later I got to learn she was an Atheist. You know; a white German atheist! In Christianity they are called “non-believers” and in Islam, “kaafirs”. It was later I would learn that the word “infidel” is actually derived from Christianity and from the word “infidelity” and should not be used to describe someone who doesn’t believe in the existence of “A God”. In Christianity, such generosity is shown by example in that Jesus dined with the tax collectors at Levi’s (no..not the jeans..The man) and in Islam it is directed as such; “‘O ye who believe! When ye go abroad in the cause of Allah, investigate carefully, and say not to anyone who offers you a salutation: “Thou art none of a Believer!” Quran 4:94.

Red Black Nonsense - An August Medley

A lazy Economy

Our economy is not designed to fail, and I will not be the little boy that cries wolf. However, how scary is it when businesses feel a need to close-shop “en masse”? In any other country, it might end up being an opportunity for new business ventures to start. In The Gambia however, with a lazy gene embedded within us, how will that ever happen? We have a monotonous business culture where one man’s success in a certain business venture does not inspire innovation but rather inspires a show of “copy cats”. It is like an assembly line at a production plant, mass producing the same product for the masses; different package, same product...sometimes even worse; same package, worse product!

We do not take risks and it has a lot to do with the culture we have. Anything out of the ordinary is frowned upon.

Red Black Nonsense - Taal len lampa yi wai

You see friends, over 200 years ago, a journey began with the creation of the Systéme International d'Unités (SI)  by French physicist Andrè-Maire Ampére whose last name is one of the most prominent for any person interested in Science and most importantly Physics. This journey which started then was one which saw the creation, dumping and recreation of ideas and concepts, theories and formulae that would eventually lead to the production and eventual commercial use of what we call electricity. It must however be realised that the research and steps of development that led to the harnessing of energy for electricity happened with the collective collaboration of researchers, governments and entrepreneurs; each playing their own part in the game of discovery and development.

Red Black Nonsense - Of Broken Tongues

Our continent, over decades uncountable has been taken over by wars of many forms. It is a reality we have been born into and one which we have grown to accept. From tribal conflicts to religious to regional, we have allowed the Lords of War to capitalize on the hunger of our people and the inefficiencies of our governments to create such an environment that breeds crime which in turn breeds unrest. Since my mind reached such maturity that could acknowledge this reality, it has been one war after another with the hope every few years that things would get back to normal. Where civil unrest in The Gambia has been almost non-existent (touch wood) our land over the last few years has been taken over by another war...of words and ideologies.

When I look at our dear nation what exactly do I see? I see a different time from now when Kings ruled our soils and different families fought for control over lands that had little to offer, if not for anything but for ego.

Red Black Nonsense - It's NOT a tongue thing

So, the Euro Cup ended with the predicted winners and defending Champions lifting the trophy, much to my dismay. Don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against beautiful football. I simply thought their reign was close to over. However, the football itself was not my entertainment. Where people like my brother Sana Sarr found certain things frustrating, I found them interesting. In fact, I preferred watching the football on our most reliable G.R.T.S rather than opt for one of the DSTV channels. Why? You might ask...Well it was simply amazing watching the Presenter (I think from one of our GSM giants) call the Poles, Polish and the Swedes, Swedish! This is not an English lesson. It is rather a lesson on research in a time where information is so easily accessible and readily available. How attentive are we to detail? You listen to a foreign person doing the commentary during the game.

Red Black Nonsense - Words Of Wisdom

I am sure you have met them; Wise men that have words of wisdom for every initiative and caress the English language with style whenever it is time to do their bit. I believe they have garnered even more than old man Albert Einstein could muster. Then again, that is intelligence and not wisdom.

So I’m at a meeting with some friends discouraged about the many happenings of life when I find out that again, I am not alone. We live and we learn, I told this friend of mine, as he explained the ordeals of his struggles. In my head, there was some absolute silence; me lost in my own thoughts and wondering how I would pull through with my ideas. There is such a thing as the Gambian system. You ignore it because you are a part of it but it’s right there eating at you and making you believe “yeup dina baakh”. Fortunately for me, I am yet to fully understand it enough to be a part of it.

Red Black Nonsense - *Male Chipu*

*Male Chipu*

When I finally came home from studies four years ago, I was surprised to notice what I can only call a dead music industry (or scene as many people would like to call it). Now don’t get me wrong, I am sure something was happening, the only trouble is, no matter how long I tuned in to any local radio station, there was nothing to show me a sign of progress in Gambian music. Sure, GRTS would feature its regular videos of Gambian artists and it was sad that the ones they chose to show the nation were what seemed like 1984 productions of rubbish.  I remember they still played Sambou Suso’s song that was featured some time in 1997 or so where she stood in front of some fugly (excuse the term) looking shrubs flanked left and right by a cultural troupe.

Red Black Nonsense - Doma Yi

I have been bit by the writer’s bug; if such a thing did not exist, I guess this new disease has decided to make me its first victim. This is my fourth essay in one week and I wonder how I have found the time to pen anything. Life is certainly not business as usual. Life is not even business as anything. Right now it is simply just life with its everyday rants and displays of thirst and disgust. I am not depressed! No, I am not even frustrated. I have tried to describe my emotions and the closest word that comes to mind is exasperation, or even better still, peevishness. If I were a woman, it would have been “that time of the month” but since I am not, I would have to dig deep to figure out what this has to do with my anatomy…or biology…if anything.

So, why the confusing emotion, you might ask. Well, I can blame it on fatigue or maybe for a better word, exhaustion. When exhausted, the human mind seeks solace somewhere else.