Brigadier General Lang Tombong Tamba, chief of defence staff of the Gambia Armed Forces, has hosted more than a dozen children who took in a radio programme during the celebration of the International Children's Day of Broadcasting.

The kids, who are now in an organised group, took charge of studio operations at the KWT Radio during the commemoration and were opportuned to have had an encounter with Brig. Gen Tamba, who took the children through his life-experience, and spent his day with his young guests at the magnificent Yahya Jammeh Joint-Officers Mess in Kotu.

The merry-making barbecue, which coincided with Christmas festivities, took off in the morning and cruised through the afternoon to the evening.

It was flavoured with a torrent of plays and a quiz competition, presided over by Brig. Gen Tamba himself. He was joined by the deputy police chief, Momodou Gaye and Nigerian Army Captain Omo, who is currently spending his honeymoon in the country at the invitation of The Gambia's army chief.

The Brigadier General's magnanimity was in full flow. His affinity with the kids was touching as he smiled, chatted and played with them. Besides a string of fun, the kids grilled him in a quiz competition, which was punctuated with funny and tricky questions. He got some right and some he had to grin to figure out the answers. There was a n abundant variety of food and drinks.

Unlike some general and phoney perceptions often held about the military by the civil population, Brig. Gen Tamba's compassion and value for human life lies in his humaness. His adored personality blew up the mysticism shrouding modern military establishments as non-sociable and aggressive. This compels many  to wonder whether he is a uniform-man or a civilian.

Sealing the day's outing with words of wisdom, The Gambia's army chief summed up this affection in five words: "I value people a lot".

"The time I spent with you, I had not even had the opportunity to spend it with my family due to my duties," he told the children.

The GAF CDS, who gave the group D1,500, encouraged the kids to be ambitious and determined in life, with discipline and respect for the elderly. He assured the children of his support at all times.

For his part, Deputy IGP Gaye advised the group to register with the appropriate authority to put their organisation on a proper footing and then urged them to unite and perform their civil duties.

"Always protect your name and your identity. Protect your family  name and be responsible citizens," he told the kids.

Fatou Mas Jobe, president of the Gambia Red Cross Society and managing director of The Dunes Resort  and Casino, expressed appreciation to the CDS for hosting the kids, adding that such generosity towards the young should be emulated by other members of society.

Amadou Korka Jallow, coordinator of the group and a staff at the KWT Radio, thanked Brig. Gen Tamba for accommodating the kids and commended him for the support given to the group.