Mariama Fye & Baby Haddijatou Baldeh

A July baby or…

I don’t know how I would describe it, perhaps I would borrow the inspiring words of the Islamic preacher cum Imam, Momodou Lamin Touray when he said on the day GRTS TV launched its satellite channel May 25^th that it was the turn of the people to come and listen to GRTS. Actually, the Islamic preacher was cracking some jokes before an enthusiastic GRTS team assembled before a multitude of Gambians eagerly waiting for the launching of the country’s first TV channel. The underlining meaning here is because people are fond of inviting GRTS to cover their programmes – now it’s the turn of the national broadcaster to receive the people.

Let me now bring you back to this story of this July baby born last week Sunday 27^th June and christened on Sunday 5^th July 2009 in Wellingara. As the day edges closer to the christening ceremony, I attempted to decode the meaning of the words of the well-respected Islamic preacher and ended up confusing myself instead.

But somehow on the day of the christening ceremony, the heavens opened up around 9am and made it extremely difficult for the cooks to do anything meaningful, for the rain water had settled on the ground where they had firmly placed the big cooking pots. Despite the rain, I could see a woman in the rain, determined against all odds for the rains not to spoil the day. But who cares? It was water that we had been anticipating, after all this could make the farmers happy.

After an hour or so, the rain stopped, the imam was invited to witness the ceremony. One man volunteered to shave the baby’s hair in line with a long standing tradition, kola nuts, uncooked rice and some coos were soaked in a local jar that was specifically put near the baby. I suspect those items signify good luck and happiness for the seven days old baby.

I don’t know whether my lack of interest in Geography since my high school days haunted me but within a twinkle of an eye I needed to come up with a formula and give a comprehensive description of my place of abode. Series of calls were made, so my lack of interest in geography was seriously exposed because my description was not apt.

Guess what do you know?

Despite the muddy waters and the bad road, the turnout was just good; I was particularly impressed with the arrival of a friend and a senior in high school Bekai Darbo who came to my home for the first time. He was not the only one who had never been to my home, the likes of Samba Ceesay, a child hood friend from my native Fulabantang also turned up. The women, as always lived up to expectations by providing the much needed food to the teeming crowd of people who were there since in the morning.

I’m grateful to all those who came to attend the programme despite the fact that the road was not in a good shape and Sundays are usually flooded with programmes. As for those who could make it I know that it was meant to be that way, I have no 'heart feeling' for you as the ghetto youths would say.

Good luck.