Understanding The Mind Of Yahya Jammeh

I have stated it before, if we do not understand Yahya Jammeh’s tactics, we play right into his hands. For over two decades it has been the same tactic replayed over and over and over again. Those familiar with it will see the theory of philosopher Georg Wilheim Friedrich Hegel at work, it is known as the Hegelian Dialectic.

The technique works in three steps as follows:
Create a problem
Generate a reaction
Propose a solution
In the original work the author referred to these stages as
Thesis  - create a problem.
Antithesis - generate a reaction, usually opposition to the problem (fear, panic and hysteria).
Synthesis - offer the solution to the problem created by step one.
This solution or change could not have been implemented or imposed on the people in anyway unless they are properly conditioned psychologically to accept the change, and this is why step 1 and 2 are critical, for without them step 3 will be impossible to come to.

Let's apply this to our Gambian situation as it plays in Yahya Jammeh’s mind starting from step 3 backwards.

Step 3. Solution to the current political situation in The Gambia (Synthesis) - arrest and detain the coalition leadership, possibly kill them while in detention (death in detention).

This scenario will be impossible without a ‘just cause’. It will be unacceptable to any Gambian as well as the international community and friends of The Gambia. So how can it be achieved with minimal condemnation and resistance especially from the army? Enter step 2.

Step 2. Generate a reaction from the opposition camp and their supporters that could justify arresting them. under the justification that they were inciting violence and compromising the ‘peace and stability’ of The Gambia. This is the antithesis to the problem that is about to be conceived. So in his mind, he’s thinking what can we do to make them panic, be fearful or hysterical, because if we can get them to that stage, we can force them to react on impulse. That reaction will be enough justification of arrest under the pretext of inciting violence and compromising the ‘peace and stability’ of The Gambia. With that, Yahya can impose a state of emergency and subvert the will of the people. What better way to do that without any insinuations than get the coalition supporters and preferably their leaders out on the streets in protest to some decision or proposal…. Enter the problem; Step 1.

Step 1. Create a problem! This stage is where Yahya Jammeh has been stuck in since December 9th, and like a scratched CD, he can't proceed to the next step. This is where one owes respect to the coalition leadership and the Gambians on the ground, especially the youth, for their maturity and level-headedness.

When Yahya came on TV to announce his “rejection in totality” of the final election results as declared by the IEC a week earlier, to which he conceded defeat, he was expecting mass hysteria and  angry reactions from the people and their leadership, what he got was shock and disbelief from some quotas, even fear; but the response was calculated. The people looked to their leaders for answers and we saw the maturity that was displayed.

What follows were negotiations,and counter-negotiations and still he wouldn’t budge just to escalate it into a no-hope situation and finally get the reaction from the people. This is why he refused to listen to the ECOWAS and UN envoys as high-powered as they were, stage 2 is still not attained. The coalition leadership spoke and the people listened, he grew impatient. The  CDS on TV, the visit from religious leaders and the ‘elders from Foni’ were all a tactic to render the situation hopeless, still no reaction. Boy you’ve got to love the Gambians. What on earth could provoke the reaction sought…..

“Pull down those #Gambia Has Decided posters and put my face back up, that will dampen their spirits and the war horns will sound” he thought. That didn’t happen. It is pretty obvious that if anyone tries to bring his ugly face down again, they will be arrested for destroying ‘public property’ or some other silly charge. This arrest will inspire a show of brotherhood and solidarity which could manifest itself in some form of protest and then BINGO! That didn’t happen, cooler heads and mature leadership owned the day. By now he is fuming, summons the IGP.

IGP ‘observed that some people are moving in convoys posing risk to other road users and that henceforth all convoys will have to have a permit to ply the roads.’ With this statement/edict who comes to mind; President-elect Adama Barrow who attended Friday prayers in a convoy last week. Weekend over, first order of business: New Rule.

As many implications as there can be to this,  one thing is clear;  the people are bound to feel disrespected and angry to such bold face disregard for their rights and their choice and hence some reaction may be forthcoming. It is undeniable, that all that Yahya is seeking at this point is to get a REACTION out of the people in opposition to his pronouncements directly or through his lap dogs. Gambians though, I am proud to say are generally  not impulsive,  and that is getting on his last nerves and he is at the cliff edge right now running out of ideas. So his next move is likely to be impulsive, uncalculated and stupid, but he might have yet another trick up his dirty sleeve. He is a fool, but an informed fool with clever, slimy and conniving alibis.

But Hon. Halifa Sallah said it best; Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain... Yahya Jammeh. The leadership is capable, competent, and mature. Let’s follow their lead no matter how provocative the situation, no matter how justified our reaction to Yahya’s shenanigans may seem. All he is seeking is some REACTION, any reaction. Let's not give him the pleasure and watch him chew his fingers off in frustration.

This is why if you listen closely to Hon. Halifa’s speeches, he emphasizes the LANGUAGE COMING FROM THE COALITION LEADERSHIP. This is to tell the audience that take note, we won’t speak any provocative language; never have, and neither will we invite our followers to REACT in an inappropriate way. We are constitutional and we will abide by the constitution which means recognizing that Yahya’s mandate is still valid. They saw him coming a thousand miles away, but the fool, ndeysan….
Bob Marley said: In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty!

Stay calm people,  superior minds always prevail,  the pros are at the wheel. On that note, let us shift our focus away from Yahya Jammeh unto the NEW GAMBIA and what we want to make of it.

#NewGambia
#GambiaHasDecided

The Gambia Cannot Afford To Be Isolated

A few weeks leading up to the polls, I wrote a piece asking that you not subvert the will of the people; and in that piece I stated;

The peace and stability of the country lies solely in your hands. What you say, what you do, what you condone from your surrogates, what you order your security forces to do all have a potential to destabilize the country. Violence is always a reactionary response, always! Let peace reign, pay the price for peace; RESPECT THE CONSTITUTION AND THE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO CHOICE! It is that simple.

With the growing list of organizations, individuals, civil servants, diplomats, NGOs, international partners, states and institutions of state, as well as regional, continental and global bodies all joining the call that you respect the will of The Gambian voter while at the same time declaring their support for and recognition of Mr. Adama Barrow as the legitimate authority in the Gambia come January 19^th, you remain defiant. You still sit in the State House paralyzed as regards your state functions and refusing to retract your December 9^th rejection of the polls after conceding defeat on December 2^nd.

What this means is that after January 18^th, you can no longer act on behalf of The Gambia in any respect with international and regional partners. Your authority, which was mandated by the Gambians will no longer be recognized anywhere in the world, what then for little Gambia?

To disrespect a people that have given you so much; or should it be that you have taken so much from and they let you get away with, speaks volumes of your character; a flawed character that you managed to shield from the public thus far in your over confident, tough talking, oath taking pronouncements on how much you love the Gambia and her citizens. Lo and behold, the intoxication of absolute power and the ill-gotten wealth that you so cherish is all you’ve truly cared about.

It came as a surprise in many quarters that you’d so easily accept defeat, but you were lauded nonetheless. When you did the about face from that position a few days later, it was an aha! moment in those quarters, it was too good to be true. Some people saw through the façade that you put up of a patriotic citizen out for the greater good and saw a despot hungry for power, wealth and fame; they gave you the benefit of the doubt only for you to prove them right. A lot of theories are out there as to why the volte face after conceding defeat to the opposition in the “rig-proof” elections that you are so proud of. The excuse that there was human error in the final results declared, which in no way changed the outcome of the results is just a scheme to subvert the will of the people.

Some say the prospect of prosecution and having to face the courts to account for your misdeeds got you too scared and hence the change of position. True, there has been talk of facing justice for the numerous atrocities you have been accused of, but is that not a fair request? All those orphans, widows, and grieving parents deserve to know what befell their loved ones and to have some closure. You claimed to have upheld the law in every instance of your presidency, why then would you be scared of answering to those same laws?

As a former president, there have been talks of pardon and reconciliation in recognition of some of the achievements of your administration. That claim is a fact, we saw when Lawyer Ousainou Draboe was released he stated that he forgave you personally as did the other political prisoners you held hostage. President-elect Adama Barrow stated he has no interest in prosecuting you. Typical to Gambian character, the need for reconciliation and forgiving past errors was a very likely outcome for you, question is what of your accomplices who are not so prominent in status but are known to have acted on your behalf in committing gross human rights violations and torture? Some say they are holding you hostage to save themselves from the fate that awaits them. They don’t want to be thrown to the wolves; understandable.

We get it, the unknown can be scary. The uncertainty of what life after so much power and wealth will be like got you scared enough to take a whole nation hostage. But what powers have you to change the world’s position towards you and the Gambia you want to impose yourself on?

We know you had nothing when you imposed yourself on us in 1994; you grew richer than all 2 million of us combined but we never asked where Allah’s World Bank was. If there is an iota of decency left in you please yield to the desire of the Gambians you claim to care so much about, The Gambia that gave you so much. If you truly have a fraction of the faith you profess to have in the “Almighty Allah” let His will reign above your desire, after all submitting to the will of God is the character of a true Muslim like you claim to be. 

Whatever fate awaits you, face it with grace and dignity, don’t let us remember you as the cry baby who had to be dragged out of the State House wailing and kicking. You’ve been too tough for us to even conceive of you in that manner.

We know how much harder life gets when there is a border standoff with Senegal spearheaded by the transport union; this time around you are calling for an impasse backed not just by the government of Senegal but with the whole world, at least those who care to have any relationship with our dear little Gambia. How’d you think we will fare as a people? Any action Senegal decides to take this time around in order to put pressure on you has the backing of the regional body; ECOWAS and the African Union (AU), as well as the United Nations. 

What if; theoretically, Senegal decides to close off her air space and issue an arrest warrant for you and any member of your family or government? We all know how much Zeinab hates being in Banjul, if your actions cause her to be stranded there State House will be hell for you. If at the time of that decision being made finds her in some far flung corner of the developed world, the prospect of her enjoying your wealth without you, or the prospect of not seeing her for an indeterminate period of time, (like ever) will cause more erratic and irresponsible behaviors from you, and we certainly as a people cannot afford an erratic lovesick Yahya Jammeh.

This scenario is just to ring it closer to home; there is a worst case scenario that no one wants to delve into. All we ask is that you give us back our country. If you like tear down the entire infrastructure you built if you felt betrayed by Gambians, we’d rather be back to pre-1994 Gambia cherishing our peace than be a 2017 “Dubai” in civil strife.

On the other hand, if your drug dealing and arms-trafficking buddies are after you for chickening out to Adama Barrow, come clean and tell us where the stash is; you know never where help can come from. But please, after everything we did for you, don’t take away from us our most cherished asset; PEACE.

So please, jee. Dukareh!

Hello - A Coded Plea Bargain!

I’ve been alone with these thoughts inside my mind

And in my dreams I told myself it’s a lie a thousand times

I decided to call to see if it’s really true

Hello, are you hearing me? PARDON…

I can hear it in your voice

I can see it everywhere I look

You’re all I ever dreaded and now my fears are alive

Cos I know just what I did and I know not what the victims will do to me

And I want to tell them so much, PARDON ME

I dread the nights of solitude

I relive the nightmares I caused others time and time again

Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow

Hello, I’ve just gotta wake up from this nightmare

Cos I wonder how this happened

As the oracles told me I’ll die a king

But deep down inside I had my doubts

Tell me how you won this victory, for I haven’t got a clue

But let me start by saying, I’m screwed

Hello, are you hearing me? PARDON

These thoughts I will keep to myself

Cos I’ve acted so tough but now my chicken heart is about to show

Will you shield me?

See my back is against the wall

These generals and jungulars are scared too and they have me in a bind

I promised them everlasting immunity and now you’re here

Hello, are you hearing me? I’m just crying for help

This smile of mine is masking my fears

My hotel’s 5 star rating has been downgraded and I can’t set foot there

With thoughts of Zeinab spending all my money far away

I do not intend to be cell mates with these animals

I will settle for farming in Kanilai

Hello, are you hearing me?

Hear my unspoken fears,

I just wanna say please forgive me,

But the generals say I have to stay tough

Hello, are you hearing me as I speak of a PARDON

-Yahya Jammeh

How To Defeat A Tyrant

The Gambia, little Gambia that one of my Ghanaian friends calls “Gambia Village” has done it to the collective delight and admiration of most Africans. Determination, mass mobilization, and grassroots engagement are the watchwords. Above all, a sustained and relentless push back from the diaspora Gambians, who for the longest time have refused to be silent about the oppression in their native land. They were called ‘Cyber/Keyboard Warriors’, but through their sustained campaign, they showed that the pen (keyboard in this case) is mightier than the sword (guns in this case).

In Africa, we are accustomed to corrupt leaders and corrupt systems that are sustained by brute force, intimidation, torture and extra judicial killings. The cycle only changes with another military coup and a then the repeat button is hit again. With the exception of very few countries, we as a people do not see hope in the democratic process for instituting change. With the state machinery at their disposal, incumbents hardly ever lose elections in Africa, and so the citizens have resigned their fate to enhancing the status quo through voter apathy, but in fact people power always reigns supreme if unity is sought.

The Gambian experience is unique in that regard. Here was a man who overthrew a democratically elected government and set the stage for self-perpetuation which lasted 22 years. With the state machinery fully at his disposal, dissent was entirely suppressed, people with political capital and popularity banned from contesting elections under the guise of preventing the ‘old guard’ from assuming power and bringing back the corrupt old ways, or simply claiming age limits as a constitutional, rubber stamped by his ‘national assembly’. With the electoral commission fully sponsored by the state and the constitution reformed to eliminate term limits and institute simple majority as rule, with a divided opposition and a very short (few days) political campaign window, the stage was set for repeat wins at the polls. And so it was until this year (2016), when with immense pressure from the citizens, especially the diaspora Gambians that opposition unity was achieved.

With the odds stacked against them in every way and a total media blackout, the online radios took the airwaves, the voice and SMS call apps (WhatsApp and Viber), Facebook and Twitter, were used to set up ‘command centers’ and information exchange platforms. Calls for funding were constantly sounded and most importantly the need to not be intimidated but to get out and vote. All these efforts, coupled with the opposition caravans on the ground doing house to house calls, literally; culminated in a shock defeat for a 22 year entrenched dictator.

The Gambia was dealing with a dictator skilled at his trade. He unilaterally decided to rescind the country’s membership of both the Commonwealth and the International Criminal Court (ICC), declared the country and ‘Islamic Republic’, and was actively campaigning to wrench sovereignty from the people and reside it in himself by declaring the country a monarchy. Many observers saw this election as the last election in The Gambia prior to the declaration of a monarchy by Yahya Jammeh.

But the Gambian people, emboldened by the sacrifices of the main opposition party leader and his executive, as well as countless other Gambians, fearful of a new mandate that could see the country slide down the path to civil strife with the president’s utterances against the largest ethnic group; the Mandinka, that many saw as insults, they came out in droves to declare their dissatisfaction with the status quo. With a resounding NO, they declared their determination to end tyranny. This, with a steady, brave and united leadership saw the defeat of a tyrant unwilling to let go of power no matter the cost.

To this generation and the upcoming generation of Gambian, no one can convince them that their vote does not count. The greatest achievement of all these efforts was the unity of purpose and the political awakening of a generation. With this win, the Gambia is set to never allow any leader to overstep his or her mandate ever again, people power is real and when harnessed, it brings about lasting positive change.

In little Gambia, the will of the people shall rule henceforth, for the vanguards who fought such a hard battle are watching. The Smiling Coast smiles again and with that beaming smile, every African nation whose citizens are forced to submit to the whims of a tyrant can see hope and every tyrant should see an example of what an emboldened  people, determined to reclaim their sovereignty are capable of.

                                                                                                    

Adama Barrow - The Ordained One

Being a country of believers, be it Islam or Christianity, it is understandable that we attribute all things to God’s predestination.
Even in this election season, almost every person who has anything to say for the regime will say something along the lines of “God ordained him (current president), and when his time comes He (God) will remove him.” Even the president made such claims each time the occasion grants an opportunity; that “no election, military, or foreign power can remove me from office. I will leave when Allah says so.”

But how does Allah say so? How does God ordain a leader? These are questions no one seems interested in asking especially those who are fond of peddling the narrative. It states in the Bible;

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” (Romans 13:1)

In the Qur’an it states;

“Say! O Allah, Sovereign Lord of all dominion, You grant dominion to whom You will and You take away dominion from whom You will….” (Qur’an 3:26).

These and similar verses in both scriptures is used to back such claims. But what critical questions need asking regarding these divine statements? Who is considered an authority worth subjugating oneself to? What are their qualities? How do they exercise their authority? All these and more need answering. But most importantly, how does God establish such authorities?

He certainly does not come down and call a meeting of all the people of the land to a coronation ceremony, neither does He delegate it to His angels or anyone for that matter. Then how does He do it?

People make kings, leaders, and authority. Sovereignty resides in them. As a people of faith, we believe everything happens by design. If God therefore wills to reside authority in an individual, He fill the people’s hearts with love and admiration for that person. On the other hand, when He wishes to take it away from a person, He exposes that persons flaws and shortcomings gradually turning people away from that person, with them goes the authority and sovereignty with which the leader had mandate.

When Yaya Jammeh first came to power by subverting the will of the people through the barrel of the gun, at first some were naturally skeptical, but by the end of the second year he was overwhelmingly embraced. The mantra was; give him a chance, he’s young and brave, thirty years was long enough we need new ideas. And so began his reign.

Along the line promises were made, only to be broken; hopes raised and dashed. The anthem of transparency, accountability and probity became illegal. Dissent was not to be and so the years rolled by with no improvements in the people’s condition. Every election cycle promises alongside threats are made but still we wait. Some people started waking up to reality and turned their back on him, the love and admiration they had for him was no more, and so his dominion dwindled.

A new face emerged on the political scene and moved an entire nation. From the political elites to the ordinary farmer out in the far flung country side, everyone endorsed and embraced him. No one saw him coming which says a lot too.

When Yaya came in 1994 with promises of purging the public service of corruption and instituting a functional people led government, he sought a four year mandate to do the job, the people rejected the offer and settled for two years. Within that time, he laid out his plans to self-perpetuate. He claimed that the elders called on him and begged that he don civilian clothes and contest the elections for the whole country was impressed by his achievements. But if the tempo in the country is such that you are guaranteed victory at the elections, why ban all who ever held ministerial, vice presidential or presidential positions in the ousted regime? They were seasoned politicians, they were well known and popular and them running against you meant the end of your reign. The people by now realized that you were no soldier with a difference just another wannabe tyrant. Essentially you killed the competition and look set to rule another five years, then emerged Lawyer Ousainou Darboe to fight for a restoration of democracy. A man widely acclaimed to have won the 1996 elections, but again force and rigging denied the Gambian people their will. Ever since, he had been your target to neutralize with no success. Once again, with further waning popularity the laws were doctored to ban him from contesting by instituting age limits while eliminating term limits.

But a party as big as the UDP does not look personality centered, so all likely successors need to be purged out of the party; Shyngle Nyassi, Femi Peters (effective political strategist), Ousman Rambo Jatta, and Amadou Sanneh became targets to instill fear and weaken the party to no avail. The UDP just won’t die, so you chose to show how far you’d go to stop them by claiming the life of Solo Sandeng and then jailing Lawyer Ousainou Darboe and his entire executive. As you set your eyes on the UDP, you drove a wedge between you and the Gambian people by exposing your oppressive nature in broad daylight to which they are not accustomed. That is why when Adama Barrow emerged, a man you never saw coming, the people saw an opportunity to return the favor to Lawyer Ousainou for his years of sacrifice and to declare Solo Sandeng a martyr for The Gambian cause. And so a revolution was born.

Kolomo meng beh nyaa sorla, nyaa buka wo jeh (the eye never sees the twig that will poke it), that is a Mandinka proverb. If Yaya Jammeh and his minions had any indication of who Adama Barrow will turn out to be, he’d have been part of the sinister plot aimed at purging the UDP of any potential leaders. Even at this hour, plans to derail the people’s verdict are afoot, the tyrant is relentless in his quest to remain in power, but Adama shall be remembered as the one that got away.

“Although they plan, Allah also plans, and Allah is the best of planners.” (Qur’an 3:80). Adama Barrow has been God’s plan, the ordained one.

A vote for Adama is a vote for O.J Jallow, it's a vote for Halifa Sallah, for Sidia Jatta, for Hamat Bah, for Henry Gomez, for Mai Fatty, for Dr. Bojang, for Dr. Isatou Touray, for Lawyer Darboe, and all of Gambia's capable sons and daughters, it is a vote for The Gambia. Please go out and vote and translate the crowd into winning votes. Although God’s will is there, action is needed on our part to fulfil that will.

Battle For The Soul Of The Gambia

In the past weeks calls have been made that have only been intensified in the past days. These calls are calls for people to get out and exercise their civic duty. Anyone not in denial will acknowledge the changing tides in the Gambian political landscape.

The ball is in your court as APRC supporters to deliver the change Gambians yearn for. Campaigners and ordinary citizens alike have appealed to you in their various statements to help institute a peaceful transition of power to a new democratic dispensation.

They have appealed to your sense of logic, that is to say the same promises made to you every election cycle are the same promises being made now, 22 years of undelivered promises do not need another five year extension for delivery. That is because they were and still are insincere promises.

Your fellow citizens have appealed to your sense of spirituality and piety, that what you support is unjust and have no standing in the realm of justice. The God that you cite as having decreed the anointing of your Excellency does not condone his oppressive hand.

Your compatriots have appealed to your CONSCIENCE. They asked that you reflect on the wrongs that have been committed, the seeds of discord that have been sowed to be reaped in the future; the future of your children and my children. What future do you want for your children, what kind of country are you going to have them inherit when you are no more? Is your conscience clear that they will have a better life than you do today when they are ready to raise children of their own?

Your countrymen have appealed to your HUMANITY and your ability to empathize to stand in the shoes of grieving families and look at things from their vantage point. Children who lost their fathers in the dark of night, women who did not know if to actually go into the traditional mourning period for their husbands because the authorities are issuing conflicting reports as to the fate or whereabouts of their loved ones. Fathers who braved the hot Gambian sun being kicked from one police station to the next in every corner of the country, teary eyed and heavy hearted looking for a missing son that the authorities deny holding. Sons who are enraged by their helplessness that they could do nothing about the torture and rape of their mothers openly admitted in court.

We understand that many things draw people to a person; that we all look for what appeals to us and use that to shape our decisions about life’s choices and who we ally with. We understand if you love Yaya as much as you do, but the greatest love anyone has is that of his children and parents, but even they are set right when they misstep. Everything Yaya has done and said thus far has never earned any condemnation from his supporters; his actions always have some explanation aimed at excusing his missteps.

One thing is undeniable; these are your fellow countrymen and women who are grieving for no just cause. They felt the blunt force of tyranny and are crying out for help. They do not seek blood; they do not seek lives in retaliation. They just want the nightmare to end; the nightmare of tyranny that has them scared. Listen to their cries, invoke the sense of community that our culture, values, and faith taught us. Stand by your neighbor and help wipe their tears. Help us turn a new chapter so that those still unsure of the fate of their loved ones can have closure. We are not raised to be selfish people, we are raised to hold each other up; that is the African spirit of Ubuntu (I am because we are), it is in all of us, do not suppress it for any reason. You may be more familiar with the spirit of Ubuntu in its Mandinka version; nee botta e taanyo mang bo, al beh leh mang bo! (You are not in the clear if your companion is not). In essence it is a quality that summons our greatest human virtues; COMPASSION and HUMANITY

Have no fear either, unlike Yaya Jammeh did in 1996, APRC as a party will not be banned from a new democratic process. The party can find a new leader and join the intellectual battle to make The Gambia better. How much more is Yaya Jammeh worth to you than The Gambia?

Give change a chance please, for the sake of our collective future vote for Adama Barrow, your ballot is secret and your vote is not for Adama, it is for the soul of The Gambia that we all love!

We hope you reconsider.

Let Your Voice Be Heard - VOTE!

As the campaign officially kicks off today, it is imperative that we remind each other of what is at stake for The Gambia and her peoples. This is especially so for those inclined to maintaining the status quo.

The past five years have added to the list of victims of tyranny; families who never saw the victimization coming, worse some even denied it altogether calling people names for simply daring to speak out against oppression. Falling victim to such oppression themselves gave them a new perspective.

It used to be that the government and its various agencies would deny a certain wrong by feigning ignorance, or pacify discontent with promises to look into a situation of concern to the citizens but not follow through, or simply make up a story in an attempt to ease people’s concerns. Now we see open admission to wrong doing and criminal acts with no consequence because the state has amassed so much power it no longer holds the citizenry in any regard. It is a classic case of I did it, so what? This is a dangerous trend that should make any right thinking person stop and reflect on what such a trend could lead to. It should especially make one reflect on what future will be bequeathed to the next generation, a generation whose lives are being shaped today.

Logic and reason is needed in every human endeavor. What has been promised from July 22^nd 1994 to now, what has been delivered on and what has not? This is an assessment that is devoid of any biases and can be done by all. Instead of accusing people of tribalism, or being unpatriotic, use as a yardstick the utterances made by the state against the actions it took. You can come to your own conclusion as to the reason why there are discrepancies, but discrepancies you will find; a lot.

When the current president came to power, he emphatically stated that thirty years is too long for anyone to be in power; that was a principled statement. You could argue that he changed his position based on people’s request, but no matter the reason, compromising on a principled stance is an indication of insincerity. With a new mandate, he will be at the helm for twenty seven years by the time it legally expires, tethering on the thirty year threshold he so passionately spoke out against.

If your reason for voting to maintain the status quo is because a lot of 'developments' have been registered compared to the past administration; then there are two critical questions you need to ask yourself. What does ‘development’ mean to you and what is your measure of ‘development’. Secondly, as the president constantly likes to remind us of what a failure the previous administration was, is it logical that you compare this regime to that administration? You are effectively comparing to failure, which needless to say leaves much room for improvement. We have been enlightened enough times as to what was wrong and what needs to be done. Now the measure of success is assessing what has been attained as to what was said need to be attained.

We will be bombarded with new promises of paradise on earth, of milk and honey. There will be some tough talking and display of piety bordering on sainthood, all for a new mandate, but what’s new? Are you going to fall for it yet again? If you trick a child to come to you by pretending to hold something in your clenched fist, you’ll only succeed in doing so twice at the most after which the child will make out the trick. Fool me once…

Take your pick, electricity, transportation, sanitation, healthcare, agriculture (the promise of food self-sufficiency), education, employment for the youth, commerce, and we all know what the streets of the capital city look like when it rains talk less of the rest of the country. What has been delivered in these areas after two decades of promises? What has changed in our condition or his personality that convinces you that the next five years would be any different? We cannot keep hoping and praying that things will change when we know for a fact that there is hardly any indication of that.

It is time to turn over a new leaf; change is the only constant in life some wise guy once said. It is time to give a new dispensation the chance to restore dignity and chart a new path for us. This one has not led us anywhere. We live in fear and uncertainty in our own homes.

All this talk about peace and its maintenance is a tactic to instill fear in you to maintain the status quo or worse, be apathetic and ensure the same result. Peace is only ensured by the collective adherence to the laws of the society you live in; ask yourself whether those being accused of stoking the flames of instability have done anything to break any laws? Sincerity is the hallmark of a true believer and we as a people like to pride ourselves in our faith even though we know very little about its requirements. Whether one is of faith or not, sincerity is a most noble human trait.

Now that that is settled, go out and vote for change. If you are undecided as to who to vote for, look at the composition of the two camps and decide for yourself. Do you choose a novice who just landed on the political landscape and is running a smear campaign against the other opposition coalition instead of laying out his plans for the future, or do you vote for a coalition of the seasoned politicians that have ploughed the field for decades, refused to be silent in the face of tyranny and even lost their freedoms in the process?

The coalition has the right minds to deliver us to safer shores; their unity alone is reason enough to earn your vote. They campaign on substance and lay bare the misdeeds of the regime for you to be informed. Whatever their ideological differences may have been, they have put those aside and coalesced to salvage our sinking ship; all they need is your support in whatever capacity you can, but most importantly your vote. Give them the mandate and you will have a say in the direction your country takes for the sake of your children and posterity. 

Do Not Subvert The Will of The People

My fellow Gambians,

It is no longer feasible to stay on the sidelines and remain indifferent to the state of affairs in The Gambia. Every human condition reaches its tipping point at some stage, the time to stem the tide against tyranny and one man rule in The Gambia is now. It behooves us all to add our voice to the call to end dictatorship in our country. A mere phone call to your relatives and loved ones back home, asking them to not be intimidated but rather go out and exercise their democratic right of voting is enough. Even better, ask them to vote for the coalition of opposition parties for it is time to change, two decades is long enough for anyone to rule. Complacency is no longer an option if you truly care for The Gambia.

Mr. President,

The time for tough talking is over. The men and women in the crowds we all saw accompanying your opponents and rendering their support to those who seek to usher in a new state of affairs are Gambians, just like you.

Surely there must be something displeasing to them about how you’ve managed our affairs. Listen to them, hear their cries, empathize with them, then you may be able you address their concerns. But I believe it is rather late for that. The Gambian people gave you 22 (twenty two) years to deliver on any promises you made, that is long enough, needless to say a lot of those promises have not been fulfilled.

Whenever the Gambian people come together to exercise their democratic and constitutional rights, you take to the airwaves with threats and name calling all aimed at intimidating them into submission. Branding your opponents and those who disagree with you as unpatriotic, or agents seeking to destabilize the country won’t cut it anymore. They have the right to want things differently, your way isn’t always right and sticking to it, regardless of what those at the receiving end say, and in the face of such an overwhelming objection to it is simply arrogant. Arrogance is a trait most detested my your “Almighty Allah” whom you are so fond of. He (subhanahu wa ta'ala) detests arrogance so much so that He swore that anyone with an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart shall not enter His paradise.

You and your surrogates like to cite nonexistent “threats to national security” and making statements like “the peace and stability of The Gambia will not be compromised” at every opportunity, so much so that one would think there is indeed some genuine threat to our peace. Do these people look like people out for violence or to incite? Has any of their leaders ever made any statement deemed threatening to peace? The only threat they pose is to your rule. Their collective resolve is to inform the Gambian electorate of your failures so that through the democratic process the informed Gambian people will take back the power they entrust you with, it is theirs to start with. A person wanting their power back is no threat to peace; it is democracy, like you always say, and rightly so; power belongs to the people.

The peace and stability of the country lies solely in your hands. What you say, what you do, what you condone from your surrogates, what you order your security forces to do all have a potential to destabilize the country. Violence is always a reactionary response, always! Let peace reign, pay the price for peace; RESPECT THE CONSTITUTION AND THE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO CHOICE! It is that simple.

What the people seek is CHANGE, it is CONSTITUTIONAL, it is, POPULAR, it is the COALITION, it is ADAMA BARROW and a NEW GAMBIA! Do not stand in their way with threats.

The Gambia has always been a unified country despite our differences. You sold yourself short when you used the privileges of your office and a public platform to create divisions by singling out and insulting the Mandinkas. When you declared The Gambia an “Islamic Republic” devoid of constitutional mandate thereby making our Christian and non-Muslim compatriots feel marginalized and fearful. We cannot afford another 5 year term of anti-Mandinka rhetoric and threats of burying people so many feet deep, nor are we prepared for the witch hunt that will follow your new mandate because people decided to speak their mind in this political season. We want a unified country, one were the president; a servant of the people does not make unanimous decisions for his personal satisfaction.

Your people are in despair, oh great 'pan-Africanist' as you claim to be. Listen to them and safe the motherland. But we understand you won’t. If 22 years has taught us anything, it is that you feel you are always right and justified in your actions, no one else's views or opinions count. So here comes people power, a tornado aimed straight for you and waiting to sweep you and the entire system out of The Gambia come the December polls!

Is Pan-Africanism Dead?

Pan-Africanism, the notion that people of African descent share common interests and should therefore be unified. This of course was proposed at a time of great racial injustice both in Africa and against Africans in the diaspora. W.E.B. DuBois’s famous statement that “the problem of the 20^th century is the problem of the color line” was widely believed to be made with the clear knowledge that not only were people of color suffering in America, but even on the African continent under the yoke of colonialism.

To rid Africa of colonialism and fight for racial justice were largely viewed as inseparable. Marcus Garvey took it a step further by calling for the return of Africans back to Africa in his famous Africa for Africans slogan. Not only that, he believed that no person of color will ever have any dignity as long as Africa remained unliberated.

These ideas have picked up steam since then and eventually led to the political independence of African states in the mid-20^th century.

The idea of pan-Africanism started in the so called diaspora, of course in Africa there were individual struggles against colonialism to liberate specific territories. Names like Martin Delany, Alexander Crummel, and Edward Blyden are cited as early proponents of this idea.

W.E.B. DuBois though stands out more prominent and actually studied African history and culture, a concept he advocated amongst blacks. This gives the idea a more political and cultural outlook.

As the idea grew in popularity, so too were the supporters. The Honorable Marcus Garvey came on the scene with the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in 1919 to 1924. His philosophy was for both economic as well as political liberation, although his Black Star liner wasn’t as successful as he hoped, coupled with his troubles in America, UNIA didn’t register much success, the idea of Pan-Africanism lived on and continued. Through the 1920s and 1940s C.L.R James and George Padmore were the most prominent proponents of the idea. By this time the idea was gaining a foothold on the continent.

Jomo Kenyatta, who was influenced by the teachings of George Padmore, in fact believed to be his disciple went on to lead Kenya to independence. There was Leopold Senghore, father of Senegal’s independence. This was by the late 1940s when the ideals were receding somewhat in America and picking up steam on the continent.

The most important figure on the continent for the movement was of course Kwame Nkurumah, who fervently believed that   colonialism could be totally defeated on the African continent. To prove it, he mounted a relentless campaign against the colonial institution in Africa and led his country; Ghana, to independence in 1957, the first sub-Saharan African nation to be independent.

Ten years later, all of Africa south of the Sahara will be independent with the exception of the Portuguese colonies and much of Southern Africa as well as the island nations. All in all, only nine out of the 48 nations of the mainland will remain under colonial rule, even then, by 1975, only Zimbabwe, South Africa and Djibouti remained to be independent.

Quite a feat knowing how entrenched the institution of colonialism was in Africa. This goes to show how a well-organized grassroots movement can create an impact, exactly what is needed at this time; a well-organized grassroots movement.

The various independence leaders of Africa can all be said to have Pan-Africanist views.

During his speech marking the independence of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah said; “the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is connected with the total liberation of the entire African continent.” To this he dedicated his efforts culminating in the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on May 25^th 1963, (today celebrated as African Liberation day).

The OAU aimed to, amongst other things;

·         Intensify the fight against colonialism in the remaining territories of Africa, notably South Africa and Angola, two of the most brutal colonial outposts, and to end white minority rule.

·         To coordinate and intensify cooperation

·         The defense of the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Africa.

Nkrumah’s mantra was “independence today, tomorrow; THE UNITED STATES OF AFRICA, and he was not playing. For him it was much more than winning political independence, economic liberalization and cooperation was as crucial if not more so. Total independence with non-interference and non-alignment as well as the ability to defend African’s sovereignty were his goal. You can see why he had to go. Unfortunately, disagreements on how to go about such a union created division in the OAU which impeded success.

Looking at Africa today, we see why he made the matter so urgent, his prophetic words; “unite now or perish” stand as testament to the urgency of the matter.

So we ask, is that a fight worthy of fighting and if so, what challenges are to be expected?

We are witnessing the rise of the far right in Europe and its move from the fringes into the mainstream. With the immigrant crisis and global terrorism, it is only a matter of time before it dominates the mainstream, especially in Europe. What then in that scenario as they are heavily anti-immigrant (non-white) and often promoting white supremacist ideals? Who would’ve thought people will march in the streets of Europe, in broad daylight, with dressed in Nazi regalia and displaying Nazi symbols and slogans in 2016?

Meanwhile in Africa, we seem to have no direction and our issues are only footnotes in the global mainstream media.

The goals and approach may be different in this day and age, but without some form of unity, Africa's condition and the suffering of African women and children will never end.

When Peaceful Protest Desrves Death

Peace is only sustained by justice. Justice is ensured by the equal treatment of all before the law. For far too long have we, as a people endured under the yoke of tyranny and oppression. Each time an act of injustice took place, tempers flare and a call to arms is sounded from certain quarters, but thankfully cooler heads have prevailed and chaotic situations have been avoided. But everyone’s endurance has a limit, there comes a time when even the most cowered individual stands his ground and refuses to be pushed around. When that time comes, two things are at stake; his dignity as a human person or his freedom.

That time has come for Gambians, some would say it came and went several times. Hiding behind religion/faith and calling for peace and stability gets to a point where it becomes hypocritical. Such calls it can be argued, are borne out of cowardice, fear, insincerity, selfishness or some other human deficiency rather than a sincere call to maintain peace and stability.

This has sadly been the norm in The Gambia for far too long; whenever the powers that be abuse their power, only a few point out such abuses, the majority stays mute or indifferent, content with their false sense of security. When the excesses of the authorities become too much to bear the few that have been speaking out all along decides to take action, the silent majority comes out screaming peace. The hypocrisy on display in this scenario is that of ignoring the excesses of the tyrant and condemning the protestations of the afflicted. Even though you deny it, you are siding with the oppressor. Do you see why hiding behind religion to call for restraint is not heeded, but worse shows the hypocrisy that is being masked?

We have seen time and again, people refuting claims that a wrong has been committed consistently and endeavor to make their position seem neutral and objective. Propaganda is nothing short of manipulating facts to suit a certain narrative. Here is a system that consistently acts with heavy handedness each time their position is criticized and hides behind national security claims to justify their oppressive stance, little wonder we hear claims of “Gambians are peace loving”, “Let’s pray for peace”, etc. Peace; peace; peace. The absence of war or chaos does not mean the presence of peace. Peace and justice go hand in hand; one does not survive without the other, only temporarily.

If you are writing posts calling for peace, ask yourself the following:

What do you mean by peace? 

Is it the violence that you are afraid may ensue from people taking to the streets or the disruption of the order of society?

Is there a justifiable call to protest? 

The protesters claim is that citizens of The Gambia were exercising a constitutional right and got arrested without breaking any laws and their are claims of torture to death. Is it okay that three weeks on the government officials have so far remained mute as to what happened to the arrestees or even to confirm if they have anyone in custody. Isn't that in itself disrespectful? 

Is Mr. Jammeh or those he entrust with positions of authority infallible?  

Our belief and that of every sane person is that nobody is perfect. Despite your best sincere efforts, mistakes are always a part of human efforts. If mistakes occur, is it just that the citizens, whose lives will be affected by such mistakes, express their dissatisfaction and offer alternative approaches? That is one aspect of democracy, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION; it’s not a western concept or ideology. Because citizens demand it does not mean that they are being instigated to destabilize the country by some foreign power. Where such attempts at dissention are heavy handedly cracked down on, tyranny is the driving force behind such repression. Tyranny simply means refusing to uphold the law that guarantees the rights you fight against.

However you look at it, the opposition parties, the UDP in this case, are not out to destabilize the country. For far too long has the government treated the members of that party with heavy handedness and impunity and each time they exercised restraint, but taking the life of an innocent person who posed no threat to anyone and expecting the same level of restraint is unrealistic, even you know that. Femi Peters was jailed for using a PA system without permit, an unfair jail term; the party refrained from making a big deal of it leading some of its supporters and critics to label them as cowardly and irrelevant. Amadou Sanneh’s case is still fresh in our minds, as a top executive of the main opposition, he still languishes in jail without any protest from his party, and they respected the law even though everyone knew the law was manipulated. Kanyiba Kanyi is still unaccounted for, Ousman Ceesay was shot and killed in Tallinding during a welcome parade for the opposition convoy with no one held to account.

The list goes on and on. Each time, the UDP stood by the law to have their rights respected, where they were betrayed by the very laws they believe in, they remained faithful to the law. Even now, they are not breaking any laws by taking to the streets. The constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protest, but we all know how the exercise of this right is being treated.

Such repressive nature can only go on for so long and here we stand with the finish line in sight. It has been constantly peddled by the administration that those who oppose the current regime are unpatriotic, peddlers of tribalism, troublemakers, and agents of foreign powers bent on seizing the peace and stability of little Gambia. And the sad fact is that the supporters of the APRC buy the storyline hook, line and sinker. 

Truth is, those who oppose are citizens too, with rights guaranteed under the constitution. The peace you so cherish can only be sustained in an environment of respect and tolerance. Respect for dissenting views, accepting that we are all different and have differing views on issues. But each time such brute force and heavy handedness meets peaceful demands for reform, a little is chipped away from that peace and eventually the repressed masses will rise up and demand what is rightfully theirs – their dignity.

Whether you support the government or not, such acts of wanton disregard for the lives of individuals should be condemned by all, especially when those murdered in cold blood only committed the “crime” of daring to speak out against their unfair treatment.

It is hard to figure out what approach to take to address the issues facing our nation collectively especially when talking to the sympathizers of the regime. Do we speak to their emotions? Do we invoke reason? Do we speak from a religious pulpit? All these approaches have been tried, yet the reaction is the same – Jammeh was right, the victims were wrong. It is especially sad when young men and women, who by all accounts are smart, brilliant, articulate and holding so much promise for the future of our beloved country are the ones standing up to defend acts of repression. With so much information at our finger tips, these acts can only be deemed contemptible if not entirely selfish. One thing is for certain, they are insincere.