Papa Ousainu, My Dad

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Papa Ousainu, My Dad

Saturday, 19 November 2011 18:24

(Mailbag) - To many of you, he is the leader of the United Democratic Party. To me, he is a father, a great dad for that matter. He is also a dedicated husband, uncle, brother, cousin and grandfather to other members of my family. He is Papa Ousainu Numukunda Darboe, the guy you all affectionately call Lawyer Darboe.

I remember, in the summer of 1996 while he was in US in his capacity as vice president of the Gambia National Olympics and Sports DARBOE1

Committee, attending the summer Olympics in Atlanta, he called a family meeting to discuss with us about running for president. He told us he was approached by people in The Gambia to run against the military turned civilian, Yahya Jammeh and his AFPRC/APRC government. He had a very frank discussion with us and made it clear that running against the military junta presents lots of risks to himself and the family including being arrested, maimed or even killed but nonetheless posited that he was up to the challenge. Everyone agrees with him and supported his decision to challenge the Junta. I became one of his strongest political supporters since then.

What our country needs right now, after 17 years of Jammeh’s misrule, is a strong, responsible, compassionate, open-minded, and forward thinking president with excellent morals; someone who values people’s power and potentials. I believe my father has all these qualities.

My dad has six children but I grew up in a household where it was hard to differentiate between my biological siblings and his adopted kids. He helped educate countless children by paying for their school fees including the nieces and nephews of Pap Cheyassin Secka. He is a man of great moral character who respects and values his culture.

Growing up, he would send us to Bansang and Dobo every summer so that we could spend time with our family in the province. As a young child, I wanted to stay in Banjul but I am forever grateful to him for making my provincial visits his priority as I would not otherwise have known my immediate and extended family in Bansang and Dobo. I moved to the US as a teenager.

My dad is a very open-minded individual. He never forces his beliefs on anyone including his children. Most of my siblings are very soft spoken like him but I am quite the opposite. This made me the likely person to follow his footsteps to become a lawyer. I, however, took a different career path and pursued a degree in public health. Though he was a little disappointed that I did not follow his career path, he was always supportive of my decision. He listens to my concerns about family matters and takes no offense to anything I said.

My dad is a man who values people and nurtures relationships. He still has the same secretary, the same driver and the same house keeper since my early childhood days. I am now married with two children of my own.

Dad’s staff members are no longer workers but family members as they have been with him and our family for almost 30 years. My dad doesn’t burn bridges along the way, he builds them.

As most of you know, my dad gave up a lucrative and successful legal career to fight for the voiceless. For those who think he is a coward, I say to you “my dad is very FEARLESS”, he might not yell, he does not have an aggressive demeanor but he has spent all his life fighting for the less fortunate and the oppressed. This includes his defending of individuals charged with treason in the after math of the 1981 abortive coup and those detained under the various emergency powers promulgated by the then PPP government in relation to the same abortive coup.

My dad is a dedicated, generous, considerate, loving, and humble person. I urge you all to call your family and friends in The Gambia and ask them to vote for CHANGE and to vote for the UDP/PPP/GMC alliance for development with dignity.

In my dad, Gambia will have a relentless, compassionate and fair leader. Its citizens will not be falsely charged of crimes they haven’t committed; they will not be abused or refused of rights that are inalienable to them. Instead, they’ll have a leader who has an unwavering dedication to serve the Gambian people and one who respects and believes in every individual’s right to pursue happiness and the desire to develop their potentials to the maximum. Gambians deserve better! Gambians deserve change! Gambians deserve development with dignity!

Love you, Daddy (Papa Ousainu), and wish you all the best in your fight for liberation and development with dignity for all Gambians.

Mariama Darboe-Janneh
Taxas, USA

Comments

0 #6 2011-11-23 03:00

UDP Leader's New year message shot a bullet in someone's own feet without (them UDP) knowing it? HALIFA IS A GAMBIAN CITIZEN AND NOT SEEN AS A WOLLOF, MANDINKA, JOLA,FULA ON THIS QUOTE; OK?
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"We ask all our citizens to be an integral part of the change they seek by getting involved in whatever capacity suits them. Change is always a difficult task and along the way it is easy to become despondent, fearful, tired, angry, and sometimes be tempted to throw in the towel. But because the cause we have embarked upon is a just one that must be pursued, we must all strive harder to achieve these important goals. We however, can do it only if we come together as one and face the opponent. This cause is bigger than any individual or group of individuals."

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0 #5 2011-11-23 02:54

Quoting soope UDP:

Halifa has no children to write for him. very sad.

WHY OBSESSED WITH BULLYING HALIFA SALLAH?

FROM TACTICS, STRATEGIES AND POLICIES TO PETTY POLITICS, CASTIGATIONS, ARROGANCE AND DIRECT PERSONAL ATTACKS BY UDP MILITANTS SEEN ALWAYS? WE CAN UNDERSTAND BECAUSE HE IS NOT A UDP MEMBER LIKE YAYA JALLOW, DEMBO BY-FORCE, FEMI PETERS AMONSGT OTHERS BUT HE IS A GAMBIAN CITIZEN?

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0 #4 2011-11-23 00:01

Halifa has no children to write for him. very sad.

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+1 #3 2011-11-20 18:47

Hmm! Wonder what Miss Jammeh and Master Jammeh (Jammeh's daughter and son) would write about their dad...Ever heard Amin's children talk about their father's legacy ? To them,he was nothing but a great dad and man...Who can blame them...?

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0 #2 2011-11-19 20:18

This is indeed a master piece it now left to the Gambia if they still want to be rule by a tyrant and a dictator Jammeh. A man who doest not value human being.

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0 #1 2011-11-19 19:18

I am definitely touched afer going through this well-written piece and someone who really derserves the votes of the Gambian. I have no doubt that in Lawyer Darboe, Gambia will have a good leader who, Mrs Darboe puts it, has an unwavering dedication to serve the Gambian people with total respect an dignity.
All best of luck Lawyer Darboe

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