I would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to the staff and publishers of The Point newspaper, the Gambia Press Union, RSF, AFP, the Deyda Hydara Foundation, International Pen, CNN, NABJ. Others include the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), West Africa Journalists Association (WAJA), Free Voice, Action Aid The Gambia and all other organisations which have showed continued support to our family, both morally and financially, during these very trying times.

Special thanks go to Aloa Ahmed Alota and D A Jawo for all the hard work they have undertaken to publish Deyda’s memoirs, which will be released to the public early next year. We also thank the very few people who bravely contributed their knowledge about Deyda in furtherance of the objective of publishing the memoirs.

To us he always will be the best husband, father, brother, grandfather, uncle, friend and colleague who fought bravely and readily for what he believed in. His murder has left a void in our lives that cannot be filled, and to think that his killers are still at large makes it unbearable.

We believe that Almighty Allah will see us through and we will one day bring to light those who are responsible for this dreadful deed, even if in the Hereafter.

I could not have got through these past years without the strength and love my children have given me. The pain has been unimaginable but the support from family and friends also played a part in making me cope better.

How distressing it is to lose such a good man through violence!  Despite calls from every part of the planet for justice for Deyda, his killers are probably still lurking in the streets of Gambia without a worry in their minds because someone somewhere is perhaps protecting them, watching us suffer untold agony.

Deyda believed in Justice and Democracy at any cost. Deyda was a hugely popular and respected journalist, with great talent, and integrity. He was generous and kind and fought hard for press freedom in the country. His murder has weakened the media fraternity in The Gambia. He was a massive asset to his profession, who was never scared to take on new challenges. His ability and dedication have been exhibited in the contributions he made to journalism not only in The Gambia, but all over the world. He devoted his life to his work, which culminated in his making enemies of the wrong people in the right places. But this never deterred Deyda, as he was never scared of writing and saying exactly what he thought needed to be addressed.

There is no greater joy in the world than having had you for a husband, for you were everything good; which is what makes this the hardest thing ever to deal with in my entire life. Without you in our lives it would have been hard to deal with even if you were lost through natural causes, but at the hands of savage and reckless beings, that ordeal is cruel and unforgivable.
 
You brought so much love and happiness to so many people in all walks of life. Your only mistake was judging others by your standards, for it cost you your life.

You were a superb journalist who would be remembered for the endless campaign for press freedom in The Gambia.

You will always be with us, as your memories will live on forever, though we did not have time to see you off properly, which leaves a feeling of helplessness and sometimes we can’t sleep without worry.

Despite all these traumatic experiences your killers remain unpunished and for these reasons we are denied not only justice for you, but the chance of the peace we crave to see. When these cowards get what they deserve, so we can come to terms with losing you. It is three years now and the trail to your killers is still cold. Which is difficult to believe. How much more of this can this family take?

As Deyda believed and fought against injustice, we are left with the belief and confidence that the truth shall prevail and we will get justice for a man we so loved and admired on account of his talent and abilities, which he demonstrated beyond measure by dint of his profession.