By Mustapha K Darboe
A Gambian educator and passionate promoter of the N’ko script has published the first volume of his highly anticipated N’ko book. A UK-based Gambian, Abdoulie Saibou Dampha, is widely recognized for his commitment to teaching N’ko online and for making the language accessible to a global audience.
This new publication is a landmark achievement as it is the first book of its kind authored by a Gambian in the Mandinka dialects spoken in The Gambia, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau.
The book is a comprehensive guide for both beginners and advanced learners of N’ko, covering the alphabet, diacritics or tonal marks, and essential grammar rules. It provides practical exercises and detailed explanations, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in mastering the script. Dampha’s efforts aim to promote literacy and preserve the cultural heritage of the Mandinka people.
Dampha expressed pride in contributing to the preservation and dissemination of N’ko. “This book is for all those who want to connect with our linguistic heritage. It’s a tool for understanding and advancing the N’ko script within the Mandinka-speaking communities and beyond,” he said.
The second volume of the book is expected to be released early next year and will delve deeper into advanced aspects of N’ko, building on the foundations established in the first volume.
N’ko, a script devised by Guinean scholar Solomana Kante in 1949, was designed to provide a unified writing system for African languages including the Manding languages such as Mandinka, Bambara, and Dyula. It has since been adopted across West Africa as a medium for recording literature, philosophy, history, and other aspects of Manding culture.
While N’ko initially gained prominence in Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire, it has seen increasing adoption in The Gambia in recent decades. Efforts to introduce N’ko literacy have been spearheaded by grassroots educators and linguists, many of whom have worked tirelessly to promote its use alongside Arabic and Latin scripts.
With growing interest in cultural preservation and regional integration, N’ko is now recognized as an important linguistic and cultural asset for Mandinka-speaking populations.
Dampha’s work is particularly significant because it bridges a gap in educational materials tailored to Gambian Mandinka speakers. The publication of this book not only enriches the resources available for learning N’ko but also affirms the importance of Gambian contributions to the wider N’ko movement.
As interest in the N’ko script continues to grow, initiatives like Dampha’s are vital for empowering new generations to connect with their cultural and linguistic roots.