By Zackline Colley
Yaya Sillah, an award-winning Gambian writer, has recently unveiled his latest publication titled “The Great Marabouts of Senegambia.”
In a recent interview with GRTS, Sillah mentioned that he spent the last five years conducting extensive research in The Gambia and abroad to gather accurate information about Marabouts and their influence in the Subregion.
This new book by the globally acclaimed author delves into the culture of marabouts and their profound impact on the Subregion. “The Great Marabouts of Senegambia” offers an insightful exploration of the emergence, lives, and contributions of marabouts, whose influence continues to shape advancements in West African society.
Sillah emphasizes that the Marabout institution is the only entity that survived the transatlantic slave trade and European colonialism in Africa. He highlights the significant contributions made by Marabouts in Senegambia, particularly in the areas of teaching and guiding the masses towards spiritual enlightenment.
The book encompasses a wide range of topics, including pre-Islamic Africa, the advent of Islam, 18th-century jihad, as well as the influence of Marabouts in Europe. This latest work follows Sillah’s previous publication “The Future is Now,” making it his second book of the year and the ninth in the past decade.
