By: Saul Saidykhan
In Manding folklore, Jafuru is the trauma one goes through symbolized by nervous or emotional break down accompanied by a combination of Freudian cum hallucinatory revelations by that person. In the olden days, it’s often associated with witches that had overstepped their bounds by attacking those they shouldn’t. It’s never a good idea to pursue every prey. Watching Yaya Jammeh the past ten days, even as one who has nothing but contempt for the man, I can’t help but pity him because Mansa Jakut clearly has gone Jafuru. The sheer nonsense that still comes out of Yaya Jammeh’s mouth at a time when regional attention is focused squarely on him is mind-numbing.
Speaking to a Gambian friend yesterday, he is sure Yaya Jammeh is just Laurent Gbagbo and would end up like him. I cautioned him not to offend Mr. Gbagbo. I ‘d like to clear a few things. Yaya Jammeh does have two things in common with Laurent Gbagbo.
Both men disputed internationally recognized national elections
The winners of the two elections in the respective West African countries are from the same ethnic group. But that’s all the two men have in common!
Otherwise, Laurent Gbagbo is a first rate intellectual. He is a well-educated man who was a university professor long before he became president. Better, Laurent Gbagbo, throughout his adult life showed no regard for material wealth. There is a certain popular story among Gbagbo’s fans that is almost impossible to corroborate. But the fact that it is so enduring is telling. It goes thus: when Gbagbo entered politics and opposed Houphouet Boigny, his rival opened an account in Gbagbo’s name and deposited an amount equivalent to about half a million US dollars. Whether Gbagbo believed he was being set up by Boigny and his French controllers or not is anyone’s guess, but the fact is, from the time that account was opened by Boigny, Laurent Gbagbo refused to touch it once. He returned the entire amount of the money Boigny deposited in his name after he became president. This is particularly significant because Laurent Gbagbo at one point was almost destitute in France living on the goodwill of friends and associates. Gbagbo never built a house in his native village nor buy one in Abidjan or overseas. His biggest weakness is women and booze. He is a hopeless romantic who can’t help himself when it comes to women. He has children all over the Ivory Coast. Even as a prisoner in The Hague, he has managed to father a child with the daughter of a fellow prisoner. Go figure. His biggest mistake? He married a devil in the flesh – Simone! He would have walked away had he not married Yaya Jammeh’s sister (devil worshipper, human sacrificer literally.) The French were particularly determined to remove him because Simone was crazy enough to sacrifice a French reporter based on her oracle’s instructions and as usual, despite all the evidence supplied by French intelligence Gbagbo won’t act. Anyhow, for those tempted to compare our baboon from Cassa with Gbagbo, just understand the character and circumstances of the latter.
Sorry for the digression.
On the suicide mission our lunatic tyrant is embarked on, it is fool-hardy for anyone to try to reason with him or his closest aides. I doubt that the man wants to be locked up like Gbagbo at all. He’ll use the dumb Cassa boys around him as fodder and try to negotiate the ultimate golden parachute for himself when things get dicey in the end. The only unknown factor at this point is what the reaction of the coalition leadership would be. When he refuses to step down as he almost certainly is determined to do, will they have the courage to throw the books at him and hold him to account for all the atrocities he has committed as most of us long term activists want? When is enough truly enough?
Finally, it is imperative that ALL cabinet ministers, and army officers from the rank of Captain and up know that by end of this month, if they fail to resign their position with Yaya Jammeh’s out-going government, their names will be compiled and forwarded to international organizations and countries requesting sanctions. These sanctions might include, but not be limited to:
ban on entry,
ban on employment,
asset freezing and forfeiture.
For the UN, we’ll specifically request a lifetime ban on employment for those willing to enable Yaya Jammeh plunge The Gambia into violence.
Bottom line, those standing by Yaya Jammeh to commit treason at this point after unequivocal pronouncements by the UN Security Council, ECOWAS, AU, and the Gambia Bar Association can no longer play ostrich! There will be consequences. Some of us call both the White House and the US State Department daily.
This is a war and the Kanilai baboon and anyone who sides with him will ALL go down!
Ends