Following The Latter’s Comments on GRTS’ Goudi Samedi

Oko Drammeh, a Gambian music producer and special event organiser has launched a vitriolic attack on the Senegalese musician Thione Balago Seck, accusing Thione of making a statement ‘too far’ during an interview on GRTS last Saturday night’s Goudi Samedi, presented by Ansumana Drammeh.

According to the outspoken music impresario, Thione’s comment on Gambia television was out of touch and a load of rubbish, noting that he deemed it fitting to tell Thione the hard truth. He asserted that such ‘derogatory remarks’ could spark off riots and demonstrations if it was said in another country.

Oko further told The Point that he was both disappointed and totally flabbergasted when he heard Thione saying this much on the national television:  “ I am in a position to assemble,  teach  and direct the Gambian musicians so that they can play good music. At the end of my tutoring programme I will invite the head of state and minister of culture of the Gambia to sit down and present to them the result of my teachings and some recommendations for a successful musical institution in The Gambia”.

Responding to the above statement Oko said: “Although The Gambia has musical problems it is not the job of an outsider to interfere, especially when we have appreciated your music without any sort of disregard and criticisms .  In many other countries this will be considered outrageous and could cause riots and demonstrations. Many will consider this an attack on our national pride, which is our culture.

“There were days when Senegalese musicians admitted our superiority in musical arrangement and musical writing skills they regularly travelled to the Gambia to be institutionalized. When Gambian musicians were writing notation music in musical scales, musical octaves and musical text inscription, which laid the foundation for a correct musical style, Thione Seck was not in the picture.

“Since The Gambia was an educational musical institution, not only Senegal but from other parts of Africa came to The Gambia to prove their knowledge in music and to be authenticated here in The Gambia. The Music in the Gambia stopped flourishing in July 1981 when a state of emergency was declared in The Gambia and music was banned in The Gambia . Many musicians had to leave the country some travelled individually and others travelled as a music band. Some musicians went to Ivory Coast to make a living while others went to Nigeria . Others went to Europe- Germany , England and France whilst others stayed at home, unable to play music, unable to make an income , unable to maintain their families and educate their children and unable to buy instruments to maintain a steady band here in The Gambia. Some died very young and poor, leaving families behind without any trace of history or legacy.

Oko Drammeh further pointed out that it was due to such sad state of affairs that “many individuals abandoned music and took up other professions,” adding that in defence of their new work-for-food occupation, they started a massive attack on the music scene in The Gambia, which was a lame duck and could not even survive a simple test.  

He also explained that since musicians of that time were singing revolutionary and pro-socialist songs, “the system decided to compound their misery after banning musical activities in The Gambia  by refusing to hire Gambian musicians to the state-ball  on our national day, 18 February each year, other  state functions and  denying Gambian musicians attractive pay day and granting a permanent contracts on long-term basis to a Senegalese musician for all state functions.”

He charged that some Gambian entrepreneurs and the government of that time enriched Senegalese musicians at the expense of the Gambian tax payer.

The Gambia does not lack singers and musicians, saying that the artists themselves lacked organization, funding and the venues to perform. “They also lacked musical instrument shops, rehearsal studios and major pop festivals to bring out the music in us all. Most of the Gambian musicians in Europe and America are playing a different kind of music than the local Ndagga music. They need an activity agenda in The Gambia so that they can return home and work and live here. The Nadgga music is simply local drumming with Afro Cuba Salsa music . Salsa music is the main three-step  count that brings the Ndagga to the dance floor. We all started our musical experimentation with Salsa Music in both The Gambia and Senegal. The Gambia’s music has matured and become more inventive, leaving the imitation of Salsa out. Meanwhile Ndagga is still blending with Salsa flavour to survive.”

“With  the Song Gambia Zambia viva viva Africa unity,  Senegal was seeing the world through the eyes of The Gambia because we sang in wollof with an international release and the whole world was focused on the music of The Gambia.
“The varieties of music that Gambians have learnt and incorporated into their music by travelling and performing abroad, before other musicians of the sub region, combined with early contact with the British music industry, mean we were able to carve out a brand of Pan African  music. All these new genre needs to flourish is an institution and financial backing to spark the operation.

“For a colonized people it is expected by their masters and colonizers that they behave and act like those masters. Since the Slave masters loved the Salsa and Africans were not allowed to mingle with slave masters the native people were brainwashed and transformed into objects who admit that their culture is inferior. The Gambian musicians thought that the African culture was never inferior that is why we decided to sing in Wollof, Jola, Mankinka, Fula and also in Creole backed by typical African music .

“The lack of events in The Gambia do not mean that the culture is inferior. For someone to observe the lack of activity and call it under education or non-existence is ridiculous. Senegalese musicians have a lot of respect to their Gambian counterparts. This maybe because we share mutual understanding musically and respect.
“Certain comments are political and sometimes intended to lure our president into their attention. Some people (locally and elsewhere) made some wild statements and dubious demands such as land for companies and studios and also, trying to attract the President to their agenda. Many people are trying to gain financial support for their projects and to be granted favour, which has never been promised to Gambian artists and musicians.

“The Gambian is patient and because we live in small communities were rich and poor dwell together it is not uncommon to see the poor begging. In every small community pride is the pillar of any family because  WE live in a social fabric where equality binds our pride. We are too proud to beg.”