Bun Dawda (Sulayman Ben Suwareh) and Kebba Cham, two people connected by a remarkably similar destiny. Both gentlemen hail from Bakau and spent their formative years there. Both of them began their primary education at Bakau Primary School in the same class, and a little over a decade later, they served together in the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF). Once more entwined by fate, they were both members of the ECOMOG Gambian contingent dispatched on a peacekeeping mission to war-torn Liberia in the early 1990s.
Bun Dawda (Sulayman Ben Suwareh) and Kebba Cham possess a strong understanding and keen memory that harkens back to our Field Force era. This was due to the proximity of Fajara Barracks to where they both grew up.
In an interview with AG Radio, Bun Dawda and Kebba Cham discussed the professionalism exhibited by the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) during the first republic, under the government of Sir Dawda Jawara. Trained by the British Army in The Gambia, these young soldiers demonstrated their bravery and heroism on the battlefield in Liberia, earning the respect they rightfully deserved from other contingents of soldiers from various West African countries in Liberia.
The ECOMOG Gambian contingent in Liberia was held in high regard for their integrity and effectiveness as a fighting force, leading many Nigerian generals to prefer entrusting their security to them. Bun Dawda (Sulayman Ben Suwareh) and Kebba Cham provided a detailed account of several deadly incidents that took place in Liberia, showcasing their courageous actions and gallantry.
On the battlefield, they earned respect; however, upon their return to the Gambia, the establishment at that time failed to accord them the respect they rightfully deserved. This stemmed in part from fear, resentment, and jealousy towards them.
The men expressed clearly that some members of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) initiated a campaign of falsehoods and unfounded accusations against these young soldiers, who were deployed to Liberia, in an effort to tarnish the honorable reputation they established on the battlefield there.
The late Retired Major Maba Jobe was a key target of the state capture and its collaborators within the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF). Maba was an exceptional soldier. Upon completing his studies at the United Kingdom Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in 1984, he returned to The Gambia and swiftly advanced in his career from Platoon Commander to Company Commander. The establishment of the Gambia National Army (GNA) took place in 1985 during this period. He later finished his advanced course for Infantry Officers in the United States.
The late Maba was assigned to Liberia as part of the Ecomog Gambian contingent, which had the operational duty to uphold peace in Liberia. Upon Colonel Ndow Njie’s retirement as GNA commander, Major Maba ascended to the position of GNA Commander, as the role of Chief of Defence Staff did not exist at that time.
His time as GNA chief was short-lived due to a shift in government policy, leading to the Nigerian Army assuming control of the GNA shortly thereafter around 1992.
The retirement of Maba Jobe from the army set the stage for the junior officers of the Gambia Armed Forces, under the leadership of Yahya Jammeh to topple the democratically elected government of Sir Dawda Jawara. Bun Dawda and Kebba Cham asserted that a coup d’état would not have occurred under Maba Jobe.
Due to the envy and jealousy directed at Maba, certain senior officers in the Gambia Armed Forces believed that by eliminating Maba, they would be chosen to lead the army. This situation never occurred, as the Nigerians were brought in and they used to humiliate and ridicule some of the Gambian officers who conspired against Maba due to their envy of him. This event culminated in the 1994 coup d’état that overthrew the government of Sir Dawda.
