Foday Makalo was once labelled by the ex-Gambian President Sir Dawda Jawara as “Foday Mmee kalan lon” meaning, Foday it is hard to describe you in a political rally. Foday Makalo, a fire brand opposition parliamentarian of the National Convention Party (NCP), was described as a hard-hitting and uncompromising opposition.
After the 1994 coup, Makalo later briefly worked with APRC, but later fell out with them and went into exiled. He is survived by his children, some of whom lives abroad. People have fond memories of the first Republic MP. The bitter rivalry in parliament and the camaraderie outside it is reported to have created a formal relationship between NCP opposition politicians and their PPP colleagues. Foday Makalo lived a quiet life in exile, with reports that, he secretly enters in and out the Gambia to see relatives. He will be fondly remembered.
On behalf of the entire Kairo News team, from our Executive Editor Musa Saidykhan, who is currently in Europe on a trip, to the senior Editor Yaya Dampha, Editorial Consultant Mohammed L Sillah, to Imam Ceesay, and my humble self Suntou Touray, we extend our hearlt felt condolences to the Makalo Family of Badibou and beyond. Our special regards to ASN editor-In-Chief Sulayman Makalo, sorry for your loss. May the departed soul rest in peace.
Curtsey of our sister paper, American Street News, the exiled Gambian politician Foday Makala,
“Foday Makalo, the exiled former member of parliament of the defunct opposition National Convention Party (NCP) has died. He died today, Sunday, October 26, 2014 in Dakar, Senegal where he was receiving medical treatment at the age of 67.
Mr. Makalo who is a one-time administrative secretary of the ruling APRC, escaped The Gambia about 15 years ago in dramatic circumstances. Mr. Makalo escaped following an advanced attempt by Dictator Yahya Jammeh and his regime to kill him. Shortly after his escape, reports were rife that he might have been killed and buried in a secret location. One of such conspiracy theorists was then opposition leader and member of national assembly, Hamat Bah, who advanced a report that Foday had been killed and buried in the garden belonging to then Niumi Chief Alhagie Tabora Manneh.
Shortly afterwards, Mr. Makalo’s official car was retrieved by the police and parked at the Barra police station. Little has been heard of Foday Makalo since then except for a one-tine report by The Independent newspaper about his secret visit to his family in Baddibu. His family and close associates later reconnected with him. He mostly lived in Mali where he sought refuge until his recent illness when he moved to Dakar, Senegal.
Makalo was a prominent Gambian household name both during the first and second republics. Foday is survived by his wife and several children and grandchildren. The family is currently making arrangements for his burial.
Foday Makalo is the elder brother of our Editor-In-Chief, Sulayman Makalo. ASN extends our condolences to Sulayman and his entire family for the loss.”
http://americanstreetnews.com/news/gambia-foday-makalo-is-dead
Sad!!
May his soul rest in peace.
Thanks
Rest in peace Foday. Sad loss.
may his gentle soul rest in peace you really try hard for your country ,you will be remembered,and your names were in the list of our political heros.
RiP