Open Letter To President Jammeh

Dear Sir,

May I express my prop in my distress for witnessing your long and painful rule of our beloved nation, which has lost its fabric and grandeur of freedom, democracy and the rule of law at your invisible iron hand?

Mr President, the wind of change that currently blows across our continent or the world at large, is that which fans the people cold with freedom, justice, peace, democracy and rule of law with a high sense of liberalism and uncompromising fundamental human rights which we cherish our state to be a benefactor of as an integral part of a whole than an isolate. The main disuniting facets in our continent ie tribal and sectionalism which you selfishly but smartly use to be your tower of strength and security at the expense of national interest will surely have boomerang consequences on you in a not too distant future.

Mr President! You persistently batter the peace and freedom of your people whilst making a sensational smile to the victims and their kinsmen, yet you claimed that you are their saviour and choice of leader. This is not acceptable even before the birth of ancient civilisation or an era, which marked the peak of brutality by leaders to their subjects in the Roman Empire for the security and safety of its kings at the expense of its people.  It was out of this phenomenon, that, Niccolo Machaevelli, in his monumental work “The Prince” advised the ruler to use iron hand or fist on to his subjects in order to maintain his position. In other words, if you cannot be loved and feared, choose to be feared! Certainly this is what inspires almost all dictators including you, choosing to use brutality on its people so as to continuously cling on to power.

Mr President, your usurpation of power is more of a deception than a wolf being in sheep clothing as the euphoria and optimism which we found ourselves on post coup era disappears in the worst of illusion and nightmares. Thus the hope you filled us with is that of a false confident beguiled by a man who in reality lives on spider webs whilst he perceives to be in a fortified fortress.

Your decision to kill our illustrious sons, daughters, brothers and sisters just because of love for power is a manifestation of your unfeeling and ruthless character, which you will regrettably pay the price. I wonder why and how you command people to be committing multiple macabre to your own subjects and be ridiculed by the spill of their blood!

In cold blood Koro Ceesay, Daba Marena, Deyda Hydara and countless patriotic soldiers died under your leadership. Your right hand colleagues and aides such as Baba Jobe died whilst in prison. Lamin Jobarteh, Pa Harry Jammmeh, Njogo Bah etc are now behind bars. You once mentioned that, Essa Badjie was your best Inspector General of Police ever but you have finally betrayed and put him behind bars. Mr President, who would you spare or are you the one who is always right and all your victims are wrong? On the economic perspective, you have derailed and shambled the future of our economy by not only personalising and monopolising state assets and businesses but by transporting our meagre resources to Morocco, as your second home.  Mr President because of your allergic nature to criticisms, you censored media like news papers, radio stations and journalists for their open criticisms. Furthermore, your attempt to buy Daily Observer was meant only to control the flow of information that has to do with your dubious practices, so as to keep your flaws hidden from the public.

In order to remain unquestioned and unchallenged at the national assembly, you used money on illiterate populated voters and kicked out thinkers, like Halifa sallah etc who would not condone your personal guarded or draconian laws and let only the “yes sir members” to retain their seats, hence turning the national assembly into your rubber stamped institute.

Mr President, may I advise you to hand over government to the civilian elites, since leadership is meant for enlightened men and women as propounded by Plato in his inspiring work “The Republic”, where he buttressed the fact that, if there is to be an ideal state, then our philosophers must become kings or those who are already kings must be genuinely and adequately philosophized. In other words either, our educated or enlightened men and women rule us or we educate the already rulers for better leadership.

In lights of above facts, it is important for you to note that you have catapulted us from the highest to the lowest rung of human ladder by spilling so much of our of blood, making us shed a lot more tears, seized our freedom and letting us cash strapped and hungry. I therefore hope you will either change for good or become bold and content enough to relinquish power to the civilian elites for the interest of all Gambians and none Gambians alike.

By A Badjie