By Makutu Manneh
The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice was formally launched on Jan. 29, 2026, at a ceremony marking the life and legacy of Edward Francis Small, a leading figure in the country’s early political awakening and independence movement. The new institution positions itself as a national civil society organization committed to advancing the principles Mr. Small championed.
The event brought together civil society leaders, journalists, activists, and members of the Small family to reflect on his role in organized political activism, journalism, and trade unionism, as well as his broader campaign for freedom, justice, and accountable governance in The Gambia.
Speaking at the launch, Madi Jobarteh, the founder of the center, described the occasion as a milestone in the country’s civic history. He said the institution was established to preserve Mr. Small’s legacy and to apply his ideas to contemporary challenges facing Gambian democracy.
“Edward Francis Small was not only a historical figure,” Mr. Jobarteh said. “He represented an idea and a movement at a time when oppression was normalized and silence enforced. His life reflected a commitment to courage, resistance, and collective liberation.”
“Edward Francis Small was not just a historical figure,” Mr. Jobarteh said. “He was, above everything else, an idea, a movement, and a conscience at a time when oppression was normalized and silence imposed. He chose courage over comfort, resistance over submission, and collective liberation over personal safety.”
Mr. Jobarteh urged the government and public institutions to honor Mr. Small and other national figures by naming public programs, initiatives, and spaces after them. He also announced plans to establish an annual public forum, the Edward Francis Small National Lectures, intended to foster national dialogue on human rights, accountability, democracy, and citizen participation.
While noting democratic gains made since the end of authoritarian rule, Mr. Jobarteh cautioned that progress remained uneven. He said accountability was still fragile, institutions vulnerable, and social inequality persistent, adding that the center was founded to respond to those realities.
William Small, a nephew of Edward Francis Small, expressed the family’s gratitude for the commemoration. He described his uncle as a principled and humble man who dedicated his life to defending justice and advocating for the powerless.
William Small, nephew of Edward Francis Small, expressed his family’s sincere appreciation to the organizers. He reflected that while his uncle was a humble man in life, he remained steadfast in principle, devoting himself entirely to the fight for justice and to being a voice for the voiceless.
“Edward Francis Small lives his life fighting the wrong and helping the right. A true Gambian patriot. He lived, he fought, he won, and he died penniless but with a crown of honor,” he said.
The keynote lecture was delivered by Nana Grey Johnson, a Gambian journalist and author, who spoke on Edward Francis Small: Pioneer of Civic Resistance and Democratic Consciousness in The Gambia. The lecture examined Mr. Small’s philosophy and assessed its relevance to present-day governance and civic engagement.
The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice said it would focus on human rights promotion and protection through public education, advocacy, strategic litigation, research, activism and partnerships, drawing on national, regional and international legal and institutional frameworks.
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