Tallinding
faces alkalorship crisis as two clans fight over mantle of leadership.
The
Badjie Kunda and Cham Kunda are in acrimonious duel after recent demise of late
Alkalo Ebrima Badjie. Cham Kunda has
written a petition requesting for retake of the throne.
According
to the Cham Kunda Family, they had temporarily crowned the alkaloship to the
Badjies – an allegation the Badjie Kunda refuted.
This
fracas which has been ongoing for a while has seen the intervention of the
Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), which on Friday mediated between the parties.
According
to history from the Chams, they (Chams) were the first to settle in Central
Sabiji, which is today called Tallinding Kunjang. Alassan Cham was the first to
settle in Tallinding after some time, they claimed. Then came Ndikey Manneh,
who settled at Sabiji-nding, which is today known as Churchill’s Town.
Titibaa
Cham, they narrated was one of the reasons for transferring the alkaloship to
one Famara Badjie, making Badjies to have a taste of the throne, which was
after the demise of Alkalo Babou Cham, the son Alassan Cham.
Musa
Sanneh, who spoke on behalf of the Chams, said they now wanted to collect “what
is ours,” arguing that Badjies tasted the throne through “our grandparents.”
“All
the people of Tallinding know that the alkaloship came from Cham Kunda,” Sanneh
further argued.
Being
the third most elderly person in Tallinding, Mr. Sanneh because everyone
understands including the Badjies that the throne belongs to the Chams.
Bo
Badjie, who represented Badjies Kunda said the Chams are a small clan compared
with Badjies, while rubbishing claims and allegations that the Chams
temporarily handed over to them the alkaloship.
“The
Cham Kunda clan is small compared to us the Badjie Kunda,” he said, adding that
they will not discuss with the Cham Kunda representative, alleging that the
Chams were instigated by one Musa Sanneh, known as Father-Moss.
Dembo
S.M. Sanneh, head of Administration at KMC called on both parties to give
dialogue a chance.
“There
were similar issues in Abuko, Bakoteh and Bakau and what we did was to urge
both parties into dialogue and if dialogue can’t resolve their crisis, we would
intervene,” he said.
Two
counselors of Tallinding, Bubacarr Mansally of the North Ward and Karamo Ceesay
of South Ward both urged the two parties to go in for dialogue.
Tallinding
has six clans; Touray Kunda, Cham Kunda, Sanneh Kunda, Colley Kunda, Sonko
Kunda, Saidy Kunda and Badjie Kunda. The Tourays and Saidys were the first
imams in Tallinding with the Colleys being the elders.
