The family lives in the safety of Mali's urban area with the children going to French schools but the country saw violence in the post coup days before the elections. Moses Coutinho recollects how he had told Yeah that "you better take care of my daughter" and Yeah had assured him that she was "in safe hands".

September 2-8, 2013
The Mali Connection
Gita Krishnan


When your kid flies the coop, you are entitled to dream big dreams. Perhaps she will make a path-breaking discovery, or find a cure for cancer or build striking architectural marvels. Becoming First Lady of a country rarely, if ever, makes it to that list.


Post elections in the West African country of Mali, the Goa-born, Bahrain-bred Marissa Coutinho Samake is no longer a contender to the title – at least not for now. But a few weeks ago it was a very real possibility and it could well turn into a reality in the future of the land-locked sub-Saharan country.
Marissa’s father, Moses Nobert Coutinho and mother Margaret Mary Coutinho, who continue to live and work in Bahrain are now blasé about the unusual role their daughter has taken on in a totally alien world. But it was not easy initially to reconcile to the brave decision the baby of the family had taken, says Moses.


When Papa's pet Dotty (as Marissa is called by her doting parents), then an undergraduate student at Brigham Young University in Utah, announced in 2004 that she wanted to marry Niankoro Yeah Samake, it was a 'jolt', admits an emotional Moses." I will be happy with the man I am in love with," Marissa assured her parents. And happy she is today as mother to Keanen, 7, and Carmen, 4, and wife to Yeah, a loving husband and father and above all a passionate patriot wanting the best for his country.

The family lives in the safety of Mali's urban area with the children going to French schools but in a country that saw a lot of violence in the post coup days before the elections, the Coutinhos quite naturally worried for the safety of their daughter and family. Moses recollects how he had told Yeah that "you better take care of my daughter" and Yeah had assured him that she was "in safe hands".

A doting father

Moses with Marissa SamakeMoses, a loquacious and cheerful 60-year-old who has lived in Bahrain for 36 years, becomes misty-eyed as he confesses he misses his daughter. "I have told her to come to us if ever she has any problem. I am a friend first, father later and my doors are always open for you," Moses has told his Dotty. Margaret and Moses have a son, Mervin, who is an engineer living and working in the US.

The Samakes visited Bahrain last July, staying almost a month with the Coutinhos and that is when Moses got to know his famous son-in-law better. They were treated to a guided tour of Bahrain and the grandparents got to bond with their grandchildren who thoroughly enjoyed being spoilt silly. Yeah, Samake came visiting as a special political envoy and met top level officials in the Bahrain government. The Coutinhos hope the Samake family will also one day visit Goa, where they have a home in Parra. Their roots in Cuncolim, Salcette, of course means that Marissa has had regular visits to Goa growing up, speaks Konkani and loves Goan food and music.

Marissa has learnt the Malian language and immersed herself in her husband's culture, campaigning tirelessly for him and voicing his dreams hopes through the electronic media.

Meanwhile, like all parents, the Coutinhos pray for their child's welfare and wait for the next visit of their grandchildren

(Gita Krishnan, a former Mumbai journalist, is currently a freelance writer in Bahrain where she's also a community worker actively assisting migrant labourers )