# The Daily Observer > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Daily_Observer > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Daily_Observer.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daily_Observer > Source revision: 1340128463 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Gambian newspaper For other uses, see [Daily Observer (disambiguation)](/source/Daily_Observer_(disambiguation)). ***The Daily Observer*** is a [newspaper](/source/Newspaper) published in [Bakau](/source/Bakau) in [Banjul](/source/Banjul), [the Gambia](/source/The_Gambia).[1] The paper, Gambia's first daily newspaper,[2][*[self-published source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability#Self-published_sources)*] was founded by Mae Gene and [Kenneth Best](/source/Kenneth_Best) in 1990.[3] Kenneth Best had previously managed another paper called the *[Daily Observer](/source/Liberian_Observer)* in [Liberia](/source/Liberia), until the [First Liberian Civil War](/source/First_Liberian_Civil_War) caused him to relocate with his family to the Gambia.[2] In October 1994, following [Yahya Jammeh](/source/Yahya_Jammeh)'s [military coup](/source/Military_coup), Best was expelled from Gambia on 30th October 1994,[4] although the newspaper was allowed to continue. Ebrima Ceesay, who was a journalist with the Observer at the time, became the editor of the Daily Observer newspaper after the deportation of Kenneth Best to Liberia. Ebrima Ceesay, who now holds a PhD in Political science, is a Senior Research Fellow at the International Development Department, University of Birmingham, UK. It was eventually shutdown by tax authorities on 23 August 2017 for non-compliance of its tax obligations.[5][6] In the early 1990s, the paper ran its *History Corner* on its weekend supplement (the Weekend Observer). The Gambian statesman and historian [Alieu Ebrima Cham Joof](/source/Alieu_Ebrima_Cham_Joof) "pioneered" this column (the *History Corner*) in 1993 before asking the paper's resident journalist Hassoum Ceesay to take over the column. Ceesay took over it in 1996.[7] Some of the topics covered during the tenure of Cham Joof included: - - History Corner with Alhaji A. E Cham Joof, *Diamond Jubilee of Scouting in The Gambia, Senegambian Scouting Joint Committee Senegalo/Gambian Katibougou old Scouts* (Weekend Observer, 29–31 March 1995. p. 9 (Gambia)) - History Corner with Alhaji A. E Cham Joof, *The History of the Banjul Mosque*, (Weekend Observer, 5–7 May 1995) ## Ebrima Manneh case In July 2006, *Observer* reporter [Ebrima Manneh](/source/Ebrima_Manneh) was reportedly arrested by state security after attempting to republish a [BBC](/source/BBC_News) report criticizing Jammeh shortly before an [African Union](/source/African_Union) meeting in [Banjul](/source/Banjul);[8] his arrest was witnessed by coworkers.[8] Though ordered to release Manneh by an [Economic Community Of West African States](/source/Economic_Community_Of_West_African_States) court, the Gambian government has denied that Manneh is imprisoned.[9] According to [AFP](/source/Agence_France-Presse), an unnamed police source confirmed Manneh's arrest in April 2009, but added he believed Manneh "is no longer alive."[9] [Amnesty International](/source/Amnesty_International) considers Manneh to be a [prisoner of conscience](/source/Prisoner_of_conscience) and named him a 2011 "priority case."[10] The [Committee to Protect Journalists](/source/Committee_to_Protect_Journalists) has also called for his release.[8] - [Gambia portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Gambia) - [Journalism portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Journalism) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** "[Contact Us](http://observer.gm/contact) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110721033054/http://observer.gm/contact) 2011-07-21 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)." *The Daily Observer*. Retrieved on 28 February 2009. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Williams_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Williams_2-1) Gabriel I. H. Williams, *Liberia: the heart of darkness*, Trafford Publishing, 2002, p.333 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Liberia: Daily observer turns 37 tomorrow"](https://allafrica.com/stories/201802150592.html). *All Africa*. February 15, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** W. Joseph Campbell, *The emergent independent press in Benin and Côte d'Ivoire*, 1998, p.19 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Daily Observer Closed Again"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190709111329/http://foroyaa.gm/daily-observer-closed-again/). *Foroyaa Newspaper*. 2017-08-24. Archived from [the original](http://foroyaa.gm/daily-observer-closed-again/) on 2019-07-09. Retrieved 2019-07-09. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Daily Observer closed again"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170826221749/http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/daily-observer-closed-again). *thepoint.gm*. [The Point](/source/The_Point_(the_Gambia)). August 24, 2017. Archived from [the original](http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/daily-observer-closed-again) on August 26, 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Daily Observer, *Alh. AE Cham Joof, a great Gambian historian* (tribute) by Hassoum Ceesay, (Friday, April 15, 2011) [archive](https://archive.today/20130213171328/http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/article/alh-ae-cham-joof-a-great-gambian-historian) 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CFP_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CFP_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-CFP_8-2) ["Gambia must account for missing journalist Ebrima Manneh"](http://www.cpj.org/2009/04/gambia-must-account-for-missing-journalist-ebrima.php). [Committee to Protect Journalists](/source/Committee_to_Protect_Journalists). 14 April 2009. Retrieved 18 April 2011. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AFP_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AFP_9-1) ["Missing Gambia journalist is dead: police"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090420053701/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5izABjky1HY0Bz47DUuc3V3SaNLGQ). [AFP](/source/Agence_France-Presse). 14 April 2009. Archived from [the original](https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5izABjky1HY0Bz47DUuc3V3SaNLGQ) on April 20, 2009. Retrieved 18 April 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Ebrima Manneh"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110429082908/http://www.amnestyusa.org/individuals-at-risk/priority-cases/gambia-ebrima-manneh/page.do?id=1361052). [Amnesty International](/source/Amnesty_International). Archived from [the original](http://www.amnestyusa.org/individuals-at-risk/priority-cases/gambia-ebrima-manneh/page.do?id=1361052) on 29 April 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011. ## External links - [The Daily Observer](http://observer.gm/) [13°28′30″N 16°40′34″W / 13.475°N 16.676°W / 13.475; -16.676](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=The_Daily_Observer¶ms=13.475_N_16.676_W_source:dewiki) This African newspaper-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Africa-newspaper-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3AAfrica-newspaper-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Africa-newspaper-stub) This Gambia-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Gambia-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3AGambia-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Gambia-stub) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Daily Observer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daily_Observer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daily_Observer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.