SHABA
Shaba used to work in ‘Yellowman’s Restaurant’, which was on the beach between Palm Beach Hotel and restaurant ‘Kunta Kinteh’. He was doing all kinds of odd jobs there, but in this way Shaba did have a job and he was highly pleased with that. Unfortunately, the government decided that the little restaurant must be torn and so he was ‘down and out’ from one day to the next.
One of his friends, who sold postcards on the beach, gave him part of his merchandise so that Shaba could make some money, because in The Gambia no job equals no money! At a later stage, Shaba – whose actual name is Omar – expanded his business with rings, necklaces and other small trinkets in order to earn a living. He always refers to himself as the ‘Mobile Aldi’, because – like the supermarket store chain – he has a lot of products at very low prices. Shaba is definitely someone who is clever enough to get a better job, but he sadly lacks education and a starting capital. But maybe some day he will be lucky enough to meet somebody who believes so strongly in him that he will be given a chance in life ….!