(JollofNews) – Indeed, to Him we all belong and to Him we all return:
George Christensen was the composite man par excellence-everything about him hung together to create a persona that was impossible to ignore.Even when he was alive,he was already a legend in Gambia’s broadcast journalism.
I started friendship with George Christensen through which I benefited greatly by his style and example, and his encouragement and generosity. I still remember working with him together with Demba A. Jawo, Swaebou Conateh, Deyda Hydara and Jeggan Grey-Johnson to challenge the draconian media law, the National Media Commission.
We represented the media to fight for press freedom in the Gambia.We soon became fully acquainted, when I realised that he was serious about press freedom and fight against dictatorship. No one could take George Christensen for granted. His analysis of Africa and Gambia’s problems was incisive and ruthless. It could not be dismissed on the grounds of ideology, religion or any- ism. Nor did he allow his views be softened by personal affections.- ” Goor Yumboul”.
I will therefore wish to put on record the great debt of gratitude I owe to George Christensen as one can see
that through his example, encouragement and inspiration, I did not only become a journalist but stayed put in the profession of which I still remain a proud member.
His humanism – George was a man of fine mettle, always accessible and affable.He loves and cares for people irrespective of their background or social status.
George – with a personality,charismatic,constantly effusing geniality and humility,inspiring admiration and respect-had an impressive intellect and strong convictions about rights and wrong,as well as enduring courage,dedication and integrity that makes him a great thinker and master broadcasting technician.
George Christensen:
To meet him was to respect him,
To Know him was to love him
To work with him was to admire him.
I loss a good friend, you have gone physically but you still alive in spirit.
“Gorr Yumbul” till we meet again, rest in peace.
Alagi Yorro Jallow is founder and former managing editor of The Independent, the Gambia’s only private newspaper before it was banned by the government in 2005. He was a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy, a 2007 Nieman fellow and is the author of Delayed Democracy: How Press Freedom Collapsed in Gambia published in 2013.
