More than a thousand of people paid their final respects to Baboucarr Gaye, a monument of journalism, who passed away on Tuesday morning after a short illness.

The burial ceremony that took place at the Old Jeshwang cemetery, was attended by a large number of people, including prominent religious leaders, such as Imam Kah of Banjul, Imam Baba Leigh of Kanifing East,  and Imam  Muntaha Faye. Members of the Gambian media fraternity, private and public sectors, civil society, also joined the concregation at the burial.

Although his demise has provoked a big shock on people's minds, there was a sense of pride in the media fraternity : the sad event was a clear indication that what makes our life meaningful, is the legacy we leave behind for posterity.  In other words, our determination to carry out projects that give our life a meaning.

In the case of Baboucarr Gaye, he had shown strong qualities of professionalism and dedication to the profession of journalism. By setting up The Point, New Citizen and Citizen FM, he has contributed a lot to the advancement of democracy in The Gambia.
As a seasoned journalist, he understood that the freedom of expression is inextricably linked with the duties of a journalist to inform. Consequently, he was always trying to fullfil that sacro-saint mission.  In fact, being part of a higher purpose gives de facto our life a meaning.

The sympathy shown to him, indeed  contradicted the French Philosopher's thought as stated in The Myth of Sisyphus, that life is a punishment.
Baboucar Gaye re-echoed  the thought of Jean Paul Sartre, a prominent existentialist philosopher in the seventies, who said that ''we are condemned to be free'' (in L'Être et le Néant).

As such, he was emphasising on the necessity of  human being to give a  positive meaning to life, by being part of a higher purpose.
Narrowed to a journalistic perspective, this point means that we should be proud of our profession. It provides us with the opportunity of exercising our liberty in pursuit of public interest.