Gambia College Students Returns from Bissau

Year II S.E.S Specialists students of Gambia College recently returned to the country from Guinea Bissau where they went for an excursion trip.

The team which comprises of 48 students, a lecturer and two drivers left the Gambia with two coasters to Bissau.

The team traveled through Cassamance region of Senegal and was provided with an escort to the capital city Bissau thanks to the efforts of the Gambia's diplomatic mission in Guinea through the able leadership of Mr. Gibriel N.T. Secka, the acting head of Gambia's mission in that country.

The team was warmly received by the English specialist of T' chico Te' Teaching Training College headed by their lecturer Madam Mariama Camara, head of English department. Shortly after their arrival in Bissau the team had a brief meeting with the Gambia's diplomatic mission.

Speaking on the occasion, Omar Sanneh, head of S.E.S. Department the GambiaCollege brief the gathering on their mission; "We are here to see the places that we read on books with our naked eyes because seeing is believing," he said.

On the team's second day in Guinea, they visited Baa-faata with the head of the Gambian mission and in a short speech before their departure, Mr. Secka reiterated his delight and happiness for the trip. He promise the team a happy and safe stay in Guinea. On his part, Mr. Pascal da Conha, sub-director-T'chico Te' College spoke at length on the importance of good relationship between Bissau and Banjul. He hails the importance of such a visit. "All the places you want to visit are within our country but we never visited there but now I hope our students will take you as a role model. We only read them from books as well."

The Gambian delegation was received at Baa-Faata by Abdoulie Jallow, the Baa-faata Region Governor, his assistant and the Alkalo of Baa-Faata town, Alassana Jallow in a short session with the Governor. "You are sitting where your president once sat. He sat here with me and our late president (Viera) to discuss the future of the two countries. Jammeh is a Pan-Africanist and I like him" he concluded.

He went on to lead the team to the Baa-faata River where he explain what name Bafata means, "Bafata is a Mandinka word which means the river is full. The team also visited the Portuguese old colonial home and Boma the main water source of the town. The visit ended at the A'milcar Cabral memorial, a nationalist leader built in the centre of the town, in 1976. The Governor invited the team to lunch.

From Bafata, the team left for Kaabu, which was a long journey. The team was received by Governor Pedro Embalow of Kaabu, Ansumana Manneh, the Kaabu youth leader. The team spends the night at Kaabu town. In the morning the team visited the youth Bureau where they found a gun, which is over 500 years old, weight over 50kg, used during the Kansala battle between the Fulas and the Mandinkas. The team arrived at Kansala's the capital of the former Kaabu empire at 12hours mid-day.