Old Man Musing

A short tribute to the late Pa Nderry Mbai, proprietor of Freedom online radio and Freedom Newspaper

Today 22 November is 2 years but we still remain deeply saddened by the sudden and untimely passing away of anchorman journalist, Pa Nderry Mbai.

Nonetheless, the key thing that we will continue to remember about Pa Nderry is not only was he an outstanding online radio and print journalist, beyond that and more important than that, he was just an amazing guy, controversial, funny, kind, sympathetic, genuine and committed.

In all fairness, Pa Nderry was the trailblazer of Gambian online radio journalism.

He was the icon that many of those in the diaspora involved in or sympathetic to the Gambian struggle looked up to, over the past years, for up-to-date information and indeed inspiration.

I personally had never met him.

Those who had been close to him have intimated that he was a pleasure to spend time with in or out of work.

But what I think I was most impressed with was the gentle yet firm and intelligent way he had always approached the often complex matters thrown at the role of the journalist, that he indeed was.

His eminent role in the Gambian struggle to uproot the Jammeh dictatorship and, notably, in exposing the concomitant atrocities and abuses of human dignity would never be forgotten.

In all truth, he could be rightly credited for energetically defending an independent press and the importance of press freedom in The Gambia.

Indeed, we have lost a truly dedicated and illustrious journalist, running both his online Freedom Radio and at the same time, his Freedom Newspaper; Pa Nderry was always a delight to listen to and to read; very knowledgeable and inquisitive at the same time.

In his prime, we have lost him painfully.

Who will, once again, speak for Gambia as a true Gambian?

No matter what, countless number of Gambians loved him, still do and will always.

My heartfelt thoughts and fervent prayers are his dear wife, children that he left behind and who remain his true legacy.

May the Almighty overlook his shortcomings and grant him an enviable place in His heavenly and blissful Al Jannah.

Hassan Gibril