University of the Gambia has been grappling with keeping good brains, confirmed sources informed Kairo News.
Our source said this development was the creation of “the irresponsible, pompous and callous leadership of the discredited so-called Professor Muhammadou Kah” whose “administration unfairly dismissed some of the finest faculty and administrative staff.”
These unfairly dismissed staff included Gumbo A. Touray, former Director of Physical planning and United Nations staff; Dr. Lamin Sidibeh, a renowned Gambian psychologist; Foday Baldeh, an author and former English Lecturer, Ms. De Alameda, Head of Gender Department at the UTG; Yusupha Dibba, a former head of Gambia Poverty Program (SPACO); Momodou Bah, head of Registration and Documentation Department and Mr. Liberty, a Nigerian Geography Lecturer with over 26 years of teaching experience in various Gambian schools.
Most of the dismissed Gambian faculty members had brought in diverse wealth of national and international experience and professional excellence into the university. They have all left behind vacuums that would be difficult to fill. One of them is Mr. Dibba. The long-established consultant was the only Senior Lecturer of Statistics at the Gambia University.
Also expelled by the Kah administration were Madam Almedia, Dr. Mariam Bouye, Dr. Fredrick Ozo the Nigerian, Prof. Samba Jobe, Prof. Lasana Keita and a Cameroonian lecturer. “Kah has achieved his goal of getting rid of anyone who poses threat to his position, which should be held by an elected official as stipulated in the University of Gambia Conditions of Service,” our source said.
While some of the dismissed stayed home others fled into safety. Dr. Sidibeh now lectures at the American International University in the Gambia. Kairo News has been informed that most of the university’s best brains were dismissed for countering “discredited professor Kah’s lack of leadership and respect for University ethics and norms.”
Professor Kah is accused of working with his cronies to run the university their own way without regard to policies. He was also accused of “appointing and promoting his incompetent relatives. “Kah unilaterally appointed his cousin brother Dr Omar Jah as Deputy Vice Chancellor and Dean of Law Faculty. What is the justification of appointing Dr. Jah as the head of Law Department who specialised on Islamic jurisprudence? Dr Jah’s own wife Amie Aidara was appointed as Director of Human Resources while his brother-in-law (Amie’s brother) Yunus Aidara is the Director of Research. Kah appointed his brother Sheikh Mass Kah and his Ghanaian friend Kofi Kofi Ofokwadu Directors of Budget and Finance, respectively. This was done at the expense of Arona John who were denied, despite being competent and qualified.”
Ends
Sad indeed. Discussion between Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Dida Halake, at the Africa Centre, Convent Gardens, London, early 1990s:-
Dida: “Any chance you will go back to your Chair at Nairobi University?”
Ngugi: “President Moi would rather have a donkey he can ride. He does not want a thoroughbred horse that might throw him off!”
Kibaki became President and Ngugi went back home, only to be robbed and his wife raped in a politically inspired crime. He visited Notting Hill in 2009 and Dida met him again – but Ngugi now educates Americans at the University of California because it is too dangerous for him to go home and educate his own fellow Africans.
I am sympathetic to professor kah. He is been too exposed!
I wonder why Dida is linking Ngugi’s case to this story. The huge difference is that Ngugi is not an academic cheat like false professor Kah who elbowed every competent person left and right. It’s not bad to link up cases but it’s always wise to link up properly.
I think brother Dida is sometimes devising tactics to soil our genuine discussions. I admire his vast knowledge of issues but he sometimes causes unnecessary distractions. Dida, you will be a Saint once you guard against that.
Anta Diop, don’t soil that great name, please!! Ngugi is mentioned precisely because he is A BRAIN DRAIN – Cheikh Anta Diop would have understood the logic even when asleep. Please!!
thanks mr dida.