By Momodou Sey Alias Tha- Wordcraft
January is undoubtedly my most memorable. The month that signals the birth of a new year. But there’s more it offers. I can’t ignore its specialty as it marks my birth month; the month I’ve been shortlisted with nomenclature and a character. The month that opens the door of push-overs, successes, and obstacles. Can I say goodbye? Well, it’s early to do so because I’m praying to God to support my will of celebrating many a January to come with fortitude and strength.
Busy as it can be, one can never forget the tussling experiences it has come with. From the interesting political climate, we are enjoying, the thuggery of UDP’s case against NPP and many. With many balance by their favored ideas, celebration and saddened rhetoric recorded at the verdict of the courts was a setting of its own. To some, it was a litmus test for our sprouting democracy. All dusted, the political warfare was climaxed with the swearing-in of the president-elect for his second mandate, which was legitimately prescribed by the doctors of the constitution.
January, one may never forget the dry boyhood slapped you have given me alongside the terrible harmattan. As I file a comic flashback, which was the “mboyo” I endured with the bathed specks of dust of the soil to be my common adjective. The guilt dress code of a mini-trouser and oversized shirt was a figuring key to the identification of my character. It’s not me alone–rather, it was a uniform dress for many infant villagers.
Aside from the comic experience of the month, it has also delivered a jubilant smiling face to the citizens of the country through the overwhelming performances of the Scorpions of the Gambia at the AFCON in Cameroon. Their scintillating efforts are felt with emotional moods and tones that no one dares to question our happiness. It’s a joy for a country that is making its debut with a top-notch performance. History has been made over a wait of 50 or more years. Tears and sweat have dropped for the registration of this feat; such must be credited to the efforts of the fallen heroes like Biri Biri Njie, Alhagie OB Conateh, Hon. Omar Sey, Bonu Johnson, et al, as they waited for the arrival of this accomplishment in their lifetimes.
Finally, the month has advanced the fulfillment of a literal curse. Through a compilation of 40 Poems in an anthology dubbed “The Scorpion”, which seeks to repeal the minnow stance of the country’s authorship in the global arena of literature. It’s an embodiment of a symbolic configuration of the Gambia’s socio-cultural descriptive to sting a reposing identity. As such, the glimpse of this, can’t be overtly discussed in this article but it shall be stem in my subsequent articles.
It’s difficult to say but we must finally wave a bye to this special month.
