By Nelson Manneh and Yankuba Jallow
On Friday 22nd December 2017, a book entitled ‘‘Memoirs of an African Woman on a Mission’’, was launched by the Vice President, Mrs. Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang, at the Ebujan Theater hall in Kanifing.
The Book is authored by Mrs. Oley Dibba-Wadda, the first woman to head the Pan African Institution ADEA (Association for the Development of Education) in Africa. Mrs. Dibba-Wadda was also awarded ‘Inspiring Woman of Excellence’ in The Gambia in 2012 and by the ‘Women Leadership Award’ in Mauritius in 2013.
Dr. Nana Grey-Johnson during his review of the book said, the ‘Memoirs of an African woman on a Mission’, shows all the critical issues that it takes a book, to be called a book; that the book contains the life history of Mrs. Dibba-Wadda from childhood to the stage she is in and the challenges she went through.
“The book shows a sense of comfort, determination, personality and growth. It also shows the struggles that one may go through to realise her dreams,” he said. He added that in the book the author shows that parents punish their children not because they feel like doing so, but to correct them; that the book explains the strict warnings that parents give to their children, especially when it comes to night parties.
“In the book of Peters it said that the stone that the builders refused becomes the head corner stone. Some parents beat their children just to say I love you,” said Dr. Grey-Johnson; that page 81 of the book shows how a father and his daughter forgive each other face to face. Dr. Nana Grey-Johnson recounted how education can be a solution to one’s problem.
Mrs. Oley Dibba-Wadda, the Author of the book said her ambition is to share with the youth, all that she is or has. “My life is to give and share all that I am and all that I have to humankind. I get my inspiration from the longing for love, the search for knowledge, gratitude for all that I am and my compassion for the living,” she said.
Mrs. Dibba-Wadda said during the time of writing the book, the more she writes, the more ideas come to her like a dream; that the only difficulty she faced in the process of writing the book was during editing; that the book portrays the way she, her mother and the rest of their family members, lived. “The book takes me to places where I have been. Some young girls always inspire me and always tell me that they want to be like me,” she said. As the author of the book, she said she did not write it to look for money but to share her blessing with the readership.
The Guest of Honour, the Vice President of the Republic, Madam Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, said The Gambia is one family and anybody who lives in this spirit, lives a happy life. “I always feel very happy if I am reached for help, as I am in this world for a mission,” she said
The VP added that as a field worker before and gender activist, her ambition is to promote gender equality and to support the youth especially young women.
She said in life every human being needs to be honest and open to people; that no mission is completed until the day one dies.
Mr. Bai Malleh Wadda, husband of Mrs. Dibba, said the book took the author a weeks to write and describes his wife as a coach to society who is always ready to share her experience with others; that his wife is a responsible woman who always grips any opportunity that comes her way; that together they have gone through a coaching training course and their ambition is to guide the youth of the country especially young children, on how to make headway through their lives.
