An interesting history of two great Gambian entities....

This book is a celebration of two great Gambian political entities on whose foundation now rests the two modern states of Gambia and Senegal. Using oral traditions as told by authentic Gambian and Senegalese griots, the author, compiles the story of greatness, valour, statesmanship which characterised the rise, greatness and fall of the states.

The book is significant for many reasons. First, it is based entirely on oral traditions, a source of history for most of Africa, but which was for many years seen as a suspect source of history by Western historians. Indeed, it was not until the publication in 1956 of Kenneth Dike’s Trade in the Niger Delta based entirely on oral sources, that Western scholars started to treat oral sources as a dependable, scientific and authentic spring for African history. Most African societies did not keep written annals, or even if they did, these have not survived the numerous upheavals that beset the continent such as the slavery wars and inclement weather. Also, slavery robbed Africa of its scribes such that courts did not have the capacity to record historical episodes.
Thus the word of mouth becomes the major repository of African history. The griots of Senegambia are indeed the major exponents of oral history. Using the inimitable collection of oral materials available, Sidibe has painstakingly reassembled the rise, glory and twilight of the two most important Senegambia states of Kaabu and Fuladu. This commendable attempt has decolonised the history of these two states; in other words, their rich story is now being told by Africans.

Second, the book also ably reconstructs the career of the famous warriors Musa Moloh, Fode Kabba, and other African resistant leaders to colonial rule. Western writers such as Gray portray them as warlords, slaver raiders and misogynists. In Sidibe’s book they come out as statesmen, loyal to their people, kind, protective of their rights and good farmers.
Musa Molloh ably played the French and English for decades, supporting one against the other when it suited his peoples’ interest. His style of diplomacy was indeed non-aligned, pragmatic and development oriented. He fought many wars against the European intruders, and against rival African leaders, but he also made peace when it suited his empire’s interests. As ruler of Fuladu he built a strong army, well equipped with arms cleverly bought from Europeans, but many were made by his corps of engineers. He bought arms from the Europeans and used those same arms to secure rights and privileges from European powers- British and French.

This is ace African diplomacy!

Moreover, the author is singularly qualified to write a book such as this; he pioneered oral tradition documentation in the country, was founder curator of the National Museum and has written widely on the pre-colonial Senegambian states. This book bears witness to his scholarship on Gambian history and culture.

As long as people have access to their own history, however, either in its traditional spoken form, or in written form such as this book, they will be exposed to the traditional virtues and strengths, and will be encouraged to apply them to the situations they face in their daily lives’. This conclusion by the author is indeed apt.

The book is an excellent introduction to pre-colonial Senegambian history.

Available at Timbooktoo. 4494345