Monday, 06 July | Famara Badjie |
Edward, common by the name Edu, is a mentally imbalanced man who spent ages at the Gunjur market.
During our childhood days, we will frequently visit the area in which he was based and continuously be calling his name, Edu, Edu, Edu……and he will respond until when he got tired, he will chase us. When we ran away, he will laugh.
Those are fun memories for him and for us.
A mentally unstable man who seemed to be acting more modest and hardworking than many. Edu saw the need for the thorough sanitation of the market. He will clean the market on a daily basis, collecting rubbish from various locations within the market, and carrying it to the dump side. An unpaid job he has been doing for decades.
Little did his people know about his whereabouts, and little did the people of Gunjur knew where the honest Edu came from. He was almost a Gunjurian, one of the most useful personnel in that market.
Amid his mental condition, I could not recall him assaulting or threatening anyone. Not even women who were close to his area.
He was calm and hardworking. Edu never got fed up of cleaning the market despite the daily littering. His body language during the cleansing, indicated he loves doing it.
Edu’s death was announced a few weeks ago, something that caused grieve among many Gunjurians. That signifies how much his contribution towards the development of Gunjur means to the Gunjurians.
Tributes were pouring on the social media and over a thirty thousand dalasi was raised as a charity for him by the Gunjurians, which was delivered to his family on behalf of Gunjur.
He may perhaps be considered ‘useless’ by his family. But he was useful in Gunjur. Even after his death, Edu’s moral conduct benefited his family. A lesson for many.
There is more to learn from Edward’s death, than say grief and paying condolences.
REST WELL EDU.
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