When Sulayman Shyngle Nyassi was busy celebrating an award he received from the ruling APRC leadership, his brother Pa Malick Nyassi was in Basse to grace the burial of a fellow opposition UDP militant, Ebrima Solo Nkurumah.
Sulayman and Pa Malick are brothers from the same father, the late Shyngle Nyassi, who was one of the founding members of the UDP. The two, however, are fierce rivals in Gambian politics.
Pa Malick, the younger brother, is a political science student at the University of The Gambia. In April 2016, he was elected into the national executive committee of the main opposition party.
In a Facebook post, he wrote: “I would like to thank the UDP congress for electing me to be part of the composition of the National Executive of the Party. The trust and confidence they have in me cannot be overemphasized, and by the grace of GOD, I will turn that trust and confidence into tangible outputs.”
Meanwhile, his brother Sulayman is one of the newest APRC converts in the Diaspora. He was on the 20th August honoured by the Gambian leader with a national award in recognition of his support for his government.
Sulayman, who was an outspoken critic of President Jammeh, dumped his late father’s party shortly after his untimely death in the USA.
In an earlier interview with What’s On-Gambia, he seemed to suggest that some UDP bigwigs in the Diaspora have a hand in his demise.
“He died mysteriously and they know what I am talking about. But [there’s] time and space for everything. So, rest assured that, the buried truth will rise again, no matter how long it may take. In fact, it wouldn't be longer than necessary. All I can say for now is that, Gambians will be very shocked to discover the absolute truth surrounding his sudden and untimely demise, by the grace of the Almighty.”
On the political divide in his family, the outspoken APRC supporter said he is not the brother that imposes his beliefs on his siblings.
“We the "Nyassi Family" are taught and trained well enough to distinguish politics from family and as a result of our political maturity, nothing will ever come between us. It has never been with our fathers nor will it be with us the children.”
His brother, Pa Malick might be the only Fonianka in the UDP national executive committee. In a chat with What's On-Gambia, he said he would never let down his father’s party.