The word independence means a
situation where a nation is "not dependent", or not having to depend
on any other nation for her affairs. It also means being strong and able to
survive alone as a sovereign nation. Meanwhile for a nation to be independent
means being able to take care of their own needs and to assume responsibility
for her decisions while considering the citizens and the environment in general.
In January 1891 a legend named
Edward Francis Small was born in Bathurst (Banjul) to an Aku Family a lineage
of the repatriated slaves from Britain. Small attended the Methodist High
School in Freetown, Sierra Leone after completion he gained employment in 1910
at the Post Office. He later quit the employment at Post Office for teaching in
1915 before he became a clergyman with the Methodist Mission.
Small was a brave man at a time
when majority were puppets to the British rule. In 1917 Small was posted to
Ballanghar Village on a trial period however, he was soon moved to Sukuta
following what's called the "Ballanghar Incident". He had given an
instruction for the campanile's bell to be rung to mark the yearly "Watch
Night Service", the gathering of the faithful in church on New Year's Eve.
The ringing however, annoyed James Walker a British Merchant living in
Ballanghar too. Which resulted to a
heated quarrel and ended up a fight. Later Small was being fired from the
church for standing against the injustice and neocolonialism.
Furthermore Small realized that organization
and motivation were the most useful traits for a nation to liberate from
colonization. It took Small and co. for a period of ten years of discussions,
fights and strikes before bearing fruit on the way forward but in 1930, the
first representative institution was established called the Bathurst Urban
District Council and Board of Health. The knowledge and experienced he got
motivated him in to the struggle to liberate The Gambians from the
maladministration of the British rule. It is on record that Sir. Edward Francis
Small was the mastermind, architect and one of the innovative leaders on the
struggle to Independence of The Gambia from colonial Britain misrule.
The last time I checked Hannah
Forster, a prominent businesswoman in Banjul, was among the first women who
used her earned money to fund Sir. Rev. JC Faye to form the Gambia Democratic
Party in 1951, which was the first Gambian political party in history. Besides,
Modou Musa Njie, one of the wealthiest businessmen tycoon of his time then, had
his pocket behind PS Njie’s United Party, which was also formed in 1952 a year
after the formation of the Gambia Democratic Party.
In the 1960 elections was held and the two main contenders
were the United Party and the PPP with the result that the PPP won 8 seats
while the UP also won 8 seats. This was due to the lack of provision of a Chief
Minister to oversee the various new departments of Government which resulted to
the then Governor Edward Windley as the powers bestowed on him decided to
appoint P.S. Njie in 1961 when the majority of chiefs showed their support for
him.
This as a result led to the
resignation of Jawara as the Minister of Education and triggered a political head.
The colonial government decided to assemble the Bathurst and London
constitutional conferences of 1961. The outcome of the talks was the 1962
constitution that heralded the way for internal self-rule.
It was after the 1962 election DK
Jawara went into a coalition government with PS Njie of the United Party to
form the Gambia's first independent government. Independence Day came in 1965
when The Gambia was admitted to the Commonwealth as an independent
constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II being the nominal Head of
State. This Followed on a referendum held on the 24th April, 1970, The Gambia
became a republic with Jawara's title changing from Prime Minister to
President.
A Luta
Continua!
Saidina Alieu Jarjou
Political Activist
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