By Madi S. Njie
Dr. Cherno Omar Barry, President of the Writers Association of The Gambia (WAG), has lamented people’s attitudes towards reading, saying “reading culture is dying” in The Gambia.
Dr. Barry, who is also the Executive Secretary of the Gambia’s new National Human Rights Commission, made remarks at a recent session on Reading of the book entitled:”Risky Paths to Success”, authored by Ramatoulie O. Uthman, WAG Treasurer.
Dr. Barry told the gathering at the American Corner, along Kairaba Avenue, that the reasons why people read is to increase their knowledge, widen their understanding of the world, and grammatical baggage.
“If you do not read, you will not have excellent reading and writing skills. Reading makes you to be tolerant. If you don’t read you perish, you become emotional.
“You don’t have to be intelligent or hold a BA to write books. Reading inspires you,” Dr. Barry, who also speaks French langauge, averred.
Mr. Hassoum Ceesay, Historian and the longest serving Curator and Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), also emphasized the importance of reading, opining that some people hold BA degree etc., but writing “a normal letter is a problem” for them. He said the same thing “affects the newsrooms” in The Gambia, reasoning “that is why reading is good”.
Commenting on the book authored by Ramatoulie Uthman, the historian believed “the lesson learned is that, we have to make our country livable; we have to build our homeland”. He explained, among others, that Madam Uthman portrays that “we can make it at home, without risking our lives through irregular migrations”.
The author, Madam Uthman, told her audience that she was motivated to write her book after having experience working with the Social Welfare Department, through which she met broken and traumatised families, which compelled some family members to risk their lives through the “back way” {irregular migration} to Europe.
She revealed that her book portrays how Alasan was abused by his Uncle after taking him from the provinces, which compelled him to go through the back way, but later returned back home, unsuccessful. As could be deduced from her synopsis of the book, Alasan found the colleagues he left home were successful.. he later learned skills and developed himself upon his return, and eventually became successful; but those he left behind were ahead of him.
The female author argued, “I explain how you can rise above your level in my book.” She used the moment to call on the elders to transfer their knowledge to young ones.
Mr. Modou Lamin Sowe, Secretary General of Gambia Writers Association also spoke at the gathering.
