Madi was not only a prominent international award-winning media practitioner but also one-time president of the Gambia Press Union (GPU) and the general manager of the now defunct newspaper The Independent, a one-time highly controversial and seriously critical media entity, which was weakened and eventually closed due to years of persistent harassment.
His debut work goes by the title 'Journalism: Is It A Blessing Or A Curse?' and it chronicles his life, his journalism odyssey and the terrible maltreatment he had been subjected to under the Yaya-Jammeh-led regime solely because of his profession.
In addition to his own experience, the book delves into the broader journalistic atmosphere at the time of Jammeh, providing contexts with regards to the clash between the political interests of the regime and é journalistic obligations, leading to arrests, detentions and torture.
In an exclusive interview with The Point, Ceesay states: "I have been through a lot during the Jammeh regime and the media in The Gambia has gone through a lot. So I thought it better and wise to have a recollection of how the media operated under Jammeh and make a comparison, so that people can also learn from it and be inspired enough to know that however hard, one [a journalist] has to stick to the facts.
He thus expressed that the book is a resumé of his experience under the Jammeh regime, which includes the hurdles he faced, the bitter experiences he had undergone as well as some of his achievements during that time, which equally marked the peak of his journalistic career.
Delving into the lessons or takeaways of the book, Madi emphasised: "The message of the book is for people to learn how it was before. During the Jammeh regime, as I said before, was a hostile moment. Media personnel were subjected to torture, arbitrary arrests and even killing."
He mentioned the killing of Deyda Hydara, late eminent Gambian journalist and co-founder of The Point, as an actual instance, further saying: "Those are some of the things I highlighted in the book, so that will have the resilience and stick to the facts however difficult it is, and then that could be a learning point for young journalists.
Getting into futher details pertaining to the political atmosphere under which Gambian journalism operated, the veteran journalist said: "Look at how many times media houses were subjected to arbitrary closure."
He further talked about reporters and journalists also hauled before courts and the issue of court orders, which were very intimidating and equally humiliating.
The Serrekunda West legislator emphasised that his work not only relays historical facts but also deliberates on journalistic obligations to ensure facts and accuracy, but most importantly it reaffirms the nobility of the journalistic profession.
In addition to his going through the mill from a young journalist to a media executive, becoming the president of the umbrella body of journalists in The Gambia at some point, Madi was also awarded International Press Freedom Award and founded his media organisation, Media Agenda, a consulting firm which has also trained a lot of young journalists.
"So really journalists can learn a lot from the book," he reiterated.
