The following article from the Banjul bi-weekly The Independent was seen on
AllAfrica.com at http://allafrica.com/stories/200502250471.html . DZO


Local Alphabet to Be Launched

The Independent (Banjul)
http://www.qanet.gm/Independent/independent.html
February 25, 2005
Posted to the web February 25, 2005

Pa Modou Secka
Banjul

The Director of Nimaga African Arts Collections and the inventors of Soni
Alphabet, Mr. Kaa Bully Nimaga disclosed his plan to publish a book titled Soni
Alphabet. He said he had gone far in developing the alphabet into words and
sentences since August 28th 1998 and an increasing number of people are
learning the alphabet.

Mr. Nimaga made this disclosure during an interview with The Independent at his
shop along Kairaba Avenue near Latrikunda Upper Basic School. He pointed out
that he had put forward his idea of setting up a school in his native village
of Kumbija in Upper River Division. This, according, to him will allow him
teach more people.

He further revealed to this reporter his desire to set up branches of the school
in Basse and Serrekunda.

"I have a vision, a vision of light for the world and it will be a gift for the
next generations in Africa," he stated.

Mr. Nimaga went on to emphasise the need and importance for Africans to have
their own homegrown written languages that would not be based on borrowed
alphabets. He however said he had taken it upon himself to do something towards
that direction from a dream. He expressed that almost 90 percent of his native
villagers could now read his Soni Alphabet, which he promised to spread across
the country out of his eight years experience abroad. Mr. Nimaga who is
preparing to travel overseas to publish the book on Soni Alphabet is urging the
government to emulate and support the local alphabetical language for The
Gambia and Africa at large.

During the interview with the reporter, he lavishly displayed the progress made
on his 28-letter alphabet with a draft of the book he produced on the Soni
writing.

"The idea of the alphabet came to me through a dream which I took at the right
time, right place and the right person," he said.

Meanwhile, he disclosed that he set his mind at work and translated the dream
into reality. Sounding like a philosopher, he spoke of his invention as a
vision from God that would serve as light to the continent.

According to Mr. Nimaya, beside the basic religious teachings he received in his
childhood at home level, he had never attended any formal education. He
described his invention as a gift from God.

He invited people from government, NGOs, individuals to support him in the form
of ideas or otherwise to enrich the invention. Mr. Nimaga who is forty-seven
has travelled widely across the world collecting and dealing in African
antiques and art crafts products.

He was born in Kumbija village in Upper River Division (URD).

According to Mr. Nimaya, his numbers and 28 letter alphabet would be taught and
spread out to the people across The Gambia so that with time he hopes Gambians
and Africans would be able to read, write and count in their own language and
in writings developed by their own people.

"I want to ensure that I leave something behind before I die that will be
beneficial to the people," he philosophically stated.

Kaa Bully is a businessman who deals in African antiques and other art products.
He mainly operates in America where he took part in many exhibitions.

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