Inna lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Rajihoun.

My profound condolences to the family, the Gambia media fraternity colleagues, the PDOIS executive and party supporters, and the editorial board of FOROYAA newspaper on Comrade Abdoulie Dibba’s passing. 

I am mourning the incomparable Comrade Abdoulie Dibba, whom I had the great privilege of working and interacting with many years during my stint with FOROYAA. 

Aside from his spectacular dedication and memorable moments to the country, he was a true democrat, patriot, and original: compassionate, charismatic, irrepressible, and wise. May Allah grant him Alannah Firdausi.

Death can be cruel, in Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech (to which I paraphrase), sometimes life is as hard as crucible steel and unfair. 

However, as a faith and hope, death is just a footnote that opens the door to everlasting life! Comrade Abdoulie Dibba died young, while he held a promising future in his hands and heart. 

Death is a shadow that always, ALWAYS follows the body. A universal, inevitable phenomenon that picks the weak and the strong, the rich and the poor, young and old. 

“Every man must do two things alone; he must do his believing and own dying” (Martin Luther – not the King). Yes. All that lives must die. It is a debt we must pay. 

In the words of Hilaire Beloc, “Death is what even politicians fail to bribe or swindle, bully or blackmail.” 

Fare thee well, Comrade Abdoulie Dibba: a man’s ability may be great or small, but if he has this spirit, he is already noble-minded and pure, a man of moral integrity and above vulgar interests, a man who is of value to the people. 

If you live for many years, death comes in every day. However, you live forever if you value and contribute to culture, art, science, knowledge, art, and wisdom. 

Abdoulie Dibba lived an accomplished life of service to humanity. Therefore, he will be lived forever. If you just ate, worked, bred, and died, you die forever. 

Comrade Abdoulie Dibba lived a life of sacrifice and commitment to the upliftment of people. 

Furthermore, in death, he was honored. Many people die the latter; they die dead. Comrade Abdoulie Dibba.

To die doing what you love is not to die!

To die saving another life is not to die!

To die a patriot is not to die!

To die a martyr is not to die!

Comrade Abdoulie Dibba did not die!

He heeded a call that was beyond himself!

He transitioned after knowing transcendence!

Fly away, bold soul!

Merge again into the nothingness of primordial being!

Be one with the evolving universe!

Return to be one from whence you came!

To die saving humanity is not to die!

Abdoulie Dibba is alive in spirit.

May Allah grant him Aljanah Firdaudi.

By Alagi Yorro Jallow