Authors: Momodou Ndow and Saffie Jagne
By Baba Galleh Jallow
To say that The Mischievous Mosquitoes of Banjul is a fascinating little book is an understatement. This is a book that can be read, cover to cover, in ten minutes or less. But as we will see in this review, it is a book that contains profound lessons on the dangers of human negligence, environmental degradation, public health issues, and the human capacity to restore what is broken through sheer determination and coordinated effort.
Full of funny episodes and mischievous swipes at human vulnerability, The Mischievous Mosquitoes of Banjul effortlessly teaches and entertains, while encouraging readers to think critically about some of the social and environmental challenges they face and what they can do to overcome these challenges. The story has a way of inspiring imagination and combining it with real life social challenges, making it at once entertaining, sobering and relevant in our current affairs. Written as a fictional story for children, this small book mostly describes real life situations relevant to readers of all ages, especially those of us living in The Gambia. The beautiful illustrations add more fun to the reading experience.
The story opens with two smart little boys sitting in a front yard of a compound in Banjul. One of the kids looks around and wonders why there are so many mosquitoes in Banjul and just where they came from. The second boy, incidentally called Momodou, proceeds to tell his friend the story of the mischievous mosquitoes of Banjul.
The genius of the authors is that in just a few pages, they deliver important lessons on the environmental history of Banjul, social life in the city, how human neglect can lead to environmental degradation and the spread of mosquitoes and illness, and how people are capable of, and must ensure that they a clean environment in order to live healthy and happy lives.
As the narrative proceeds, we learn that Banjul started as a town then grew into a city as people moved in from other parts of the country. In its early days, Banjul was a clean and healthy city. It had simple but elegant architecture and while it suffered from the famous blackout syndrome we all are so familiar with, it was a well-kept environment. It had health inspectors who made regular rounds inspecting residences and making sure the environment was kept clean and that the open gutters were well-kept and capable of draining rain water out into the sea. However, human neglect slowly gains ground. The health inspectors stopped making their rounds and the people threw all kinds of objects into the gutters. In time, the once clean gutters turned into stagnant pools of murky water, creating the perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes. As the mosquitoes multiplied, they spread malaria among the city’s population, causing widespread pain and agony.
Armed with mosquito spray and coils, as well as their hands, the residents of Banjul tried to eliminate the mosquitoes. But no amount of mosquito sprays and coils could contain the relentless onslaught of the mosquitoes. On the contrary, the human onslaught got the mosquitoes talking, mobilizing and organizing themselves into a formidable biting force called The Mosquito Forces of Banjul.
It soon becomes clear to the reader that the mischievous mosquitoes of Banjul are no ordinary mosquitoes. They are mosquitoes with a difference. They are mosquitoes with attitude. They are mosquitoes with a voracious appetite. And they are here to stay. They think, strategize, give and receive commands, and execute their plans with admirable precision. Having organized themselves into a formidable biting force, they proceed to select “a young and confident leader” whose nickname was Cheeky Boy, because he liked to bite people on the cheeks. I hesitate to mention the mosquito leader’s name because it hits too close to home and sounds too familiar. Other members of the mosquito forces leadership team include Lamino from Sukuta and his Wife Nyancho, also from Sukuta. Then there is Cheeky Boy’s assistant Njol, the blind mosquito, alias The Drone. The fact that the authors could imagine a blind mosquito speaks both to their fertile imagination and their capacity to jolt the imagination of their readers. The idea of a blind mosquito is certainly uncommon, but here we meet Njol, the blind mosquito who, we are told “was as humble as a lamb” but as hardworking “disciplined as a commander should be”!
As the mischievous mosquitoes intensify their attacks on the residents of Banjul, malaria spreads in the city, suffering increases, and daily life is disrupted. Here, the narrative emphasizes the connection between environmental neglect and public health, and sends a clear message that if people want to live healthy and happy lives, they must take good care of their environment. One of the best ways of fighting mosquitoes is not the use of mosquito sprays and coils, but making sure that the environment is clean, that gutters are covered or rendered clean enough to allow drainage, and that pools of stagnant water are removed. And this is eventually what the residents of Banjul do.
It is instructive that the clean-up exercise that leads to the depletion of the mosquito population and the decline in malaria cases is initiated and led by young people. Here, without even trying, the authors deliver a brilliant lesson in youth empowerment. Children and young people are not and should not be passive bystanders and onlookers in the fight against environmental hazards. They are and should act as active agents and problem solvers in the fight for decent human survival in an environment threatened by unclean spaces and harmful vectors. This message is delivered with few words and very easygoing and funny language that allows the lesson to emerge naturally and clearly from the narrative.
It is another mark of genius on the part of the authors that they have written a small children’s book that introduces young and curious minds to basic ideas and concepts of social hygiene and human responsibility. The Mischievous Mosquitoes of Banjul teaches basic lessons in environmental science and public health that children can easily, almost effortlessly understand and put into daily practice. Its language is simple, lively, age-appropriate, and jovial – perfect for curious young minds. But the messages and lessons it teaches are profound and relevant to all members of our society.
Let me end this review by saying that The Mischievous Mosquitoes of Banjul not only teaches simple lessons on the importance of environmental cleanliness, but also reminds us that while human neglect and small acts of carelessness such as indiscriminate littering can have serious consequences, collective and intentional human action, especially when taken by young and energetic people, can bring about positive and transformative changes. The book is highly recommended for use in Gambian schools, and should be made available in our libraries and used in community sensitization programs on responsible citizenship, public awareness, and youth empowerment. For parents who get the book for their children, please take a few minutes to read it too. You will be happy you did.
