What We Have in Common as Gambians Should Unite Us. We Should Discourage Tribalism & Tribal Politics:
By Emmanuel Daniel Joof (Paps)
The recent exchanges by Gambians on the online media is very troubling. Many Gambians on social media have been participating in pure and raw “tribalistic” exchanges and accusation of the Coalition government as being “tribalistic” in its selection of individuals to government positions, especially appointment of cabinet ministers and other positions. When one looks at these appointments however, the facts discredit these accusations and allegations as unfounded and perhaps based on pure perceived historical biases, prejudice and anxiety of tribal domination – no doubt some of these perceived biases are possibly historical and perhaps even based on past experiences of those making the allegations.
I am not saying that we do not have bigots in the Gambia who believe that their respective tribes are the best, finest and even supreme and therefore decreed to rule and be appointed to top government jobs. These individual bigots exist and can be found among all the tribes in the Gambia. For example, there are perhaps some Mandinkas who believe that because they are the majority tribe, they should be the rulers and that everyone should be able to speak their language etc.; likewise there are probably some “Banjul Wollofs” who may nurse ideas that they are more sophisticated and urbane than “the others” and are therefore better rulers and deserving of top jobs; similarly perhaps some Fulas may even believe that as the second largest majority tribe it is their time to rule and control the affairs of state etc. Others belonging to other tribes may also have similar demented egoistical tribal notions.
Many among us undoubtedly have our own prejudices, biases, fears and anxieties about “the others” but as a small nation where all the tribes are today interconnected through marriages and other social bonds, we should try to remove our negative attitudes towards each other based only on tribe, religion and or gender. The causes of conflicts in many African countries today are driven by tribal and religious sentiments, with one group trying to exclude the others because they believe they have the God-given right to do so because of tribe and or religion.
Gambians should strive for a society devoid of tribalism and religious bigotry. We should embrace our diversity, encourage and celebrate our achievements and that of others and reward people for their achievements regardless of their tribe, religion or gender. Finally, we should engage in open and frank dialogue and in a positive manner.
Ends
Absolutely, the tribal bigot have already started their labels . These are hypocrites who never criticized jammeh’s military dictatorship. Now that we have democracy, these idiotic citizens now started to sow seeds of tribal discords . They are helped by some elements within the coalition who failed to recognize that coalition is not a political party but alliance made with the objective to remove the military dictatorship.
People are not bigots because they advocate different coalition strategies. People become bigots or express bigoted views when they show bias towards one tribe against the rest. For example, anyone who claims that “he (Jammeh) was installed by Mandinkas and defeated by Mandinkas”, has expressed a bigoted view and if he/she continues to foolishly defend such a claim, then he/she becomes a TRIBAL BIGOT.
Quote: “….a coalition is not a political party but alliance made with objective to remove the military dictatorship.”
Someone needs to teach you about a dictatorship and what it is, because you don’t seem to know the difference between a DICTATOR and a DICTATORSHIP. A Dictator is an individual. A Dictatorship is a system that corrupts and use/misuse established state structures, instruments and institutions to exist.
So, if the alliance was made with objective to remove military dictatorship, then one has to agree, unless one is a hypocrite and dishonest person, that it (the alliance) needed to remain as it started, until the structures of the dictatorship are dismantled and the instruments and institutions adequately reformed to achieve the objective of removing the dictatorship.
Lesson 1 complete.
Bax , I can understand why you are so desperate to have the coalition in place despite your party hatred for unity . This is because no body knows about your party despite Halifa has been in politics in all of his life . With 3% support base , you are so desperate to increase your popularity. I would suggest that UDP put up a candidate in serekunda then you will see what will happen to Halifa but UDP being a pragmatic party will give him chance to get that seat he is so desperately interested.
Where in the coalition agreement do you see that they should have an independent candidates you are so obsessive with ? Give us your evidence, Halifa Sallah is obnoxiously obsessive with coalition leadership. He is control freak . He need to let go off this spokesman position he desperately hang on . No more coalition spokesman. He speak for nobody but himself .
Whether Halifa is known or not is beside the point. My intention was to expose your ineptitude for all to see. You lack the skills to understand the implications of what you claim.
If the coalition’s objective was to remove the dictatorship, it follows that (by implication) it must remain as it started until the dictatorship is removed. This would require at least two stages:
(1) removing the DICTATOR by winning the Presidential Elections (which has been achieved)
(2) dismantling the DICTATORSHIP by controlling the majority in the National Assembly to carry out reforms.
Obviously, you don’t understand this, that’s why you think the removal of the DICTATOR has completed the removal of the DICTATORSHIP.
I have heard claims by people here on Kaironews Radio that UDP did not put up candidates against Halifa and Sidia because they want them in the National Assembly. I do not doubt this claim, because I have no hard evidence to do so, but common sense tells me that if UDP is not openly calling their voters to vote for these two, or at least, abstain from voting against them, I will be very wary of their move not to put up a candidate against them, especially given the anti PDOIS rhetoric on social media, from people like you Max, who are either UDP or align themselves with UDP.
So, rather than the UDP move being a desire to have Halifa and Sidia in the National Assembly, it may actually turn out to be a cynical move to keep them out, because their voters could swing the vote in favour of the opponents of Halifa and Sidia, if they were not asked by the UDP to support Halifa and Sidia. Right now, it is hard to see UDP voters voting for PDOIS candidates, unless their party makes it a policy to support PDOIS in those two constituencies and, not only make it publicly known to their voters, but urge them to go out and vote en mass.
But like I stated above, this is all hypothesis. Time will tell what the true agenda of the UDP move is.
An encouraging piece of writing. Yes ethnic affiliations exist because we are brought up slightly differently and people tend to see people speaking the same language as part of themselves. It is an old sense of belonging and it is the way it is. A sense of belonging is a strong feelings and many people seeking protection within a wider community. The simplest of this wider community is belonging to an ethnicity characterised by shared language.
In my view, tribalism in Gambia is a byword for many problems facing us. Key among them is education in terms of national building. Our people are quite conscious but the majority is not conscious about the necessity to embrace all Gambians as their own. This lack of national enterprise, is omnipresent in all ethnic groups in the country. You can argue that it is because of the arbitrariness of the border shaping by the Europeans or the inability of the political elites to bridge the gap since independence.
Fact is , for the last 22 years, one man (Jammeh) has relentlessly put ethnic slandering on the political platform. He has used the topic tribalism narrowly to cling on to power by all means.
We will overcome this. But I fear we must acknowledge this recent past first and renew our efforts to heal the rifts cultivated by one man to still his taste for power.
Emmanuel Daniel Joof (Paps), you don’t even have to have a doubt that stumbling blocks have surfaced in the Gambia’s transition process and germinating democracy with regards to tribal bigotry. Already, the fellow pen name herein that goes by Maxs, has claimed that because Mandinkas are 45% of the Gambia’s population, entitles them “King Makers”! Disheartening too is that, he tends to categorise critics of his demonstrated idiocy and dumbness as tribal bigots, literally non-Mandinkas.
Hypocrisy is a cancerous disease in the midst of the human race that is showing chronic symptoms within walks of lives of the small country of two million people.
I wonder from where comes the statistics finding or the constitutional stipulations that, because Mandinkas are 45% of the Gambia’s population, so they are “King Makers”. Claims that Yaya Jammeh is a perfect sample of typical Gambianism hurts but shouldn’t be refuted if not cured.
Alphabetised savages like Maxs who knows not and not aware of that fact in themselves are the real stumbling blocks of the country’s transition period and it’s democratic process.
Come on Max…. roll out what you like most. Dirty writing with childish innocence. You need some counseling bro!
Bourne, I think you are either too ignorant to understand the meaning of king maker or you are a stupid bigot with an agenda . I used the term king maker to describe mandinkas majority support for any political candidate because as far as election results are concerned, mandinkas majority support with other tribes support will always determine who will win . Since you are too ignorant to understand this term , I will get the meaning for you from Wikipedia which is a popular source of information for non-academic engagement and it is not used for reference purposes by any respected academic institution . If this is scholarly debate or academic engagement, I will try to get my sources From reputable scholarly sources or references . Since you have fifth grade education, I will come down to your level in order to educate you . I dealt with stupid people all the time and I am very patient to lecture you once again. That said , here is what Wikipedia said about king maker:
” A king maker is a person or group that has great influence in a royal or political succession without being a viable candidate. King maker may have political, monetary, religious and military means to influence the succession “.
This is simple definition . Here is more examples for you to understand the meaning. I will break it down for you to have better understanding.
1, A person could be any influencial person who can help the candidate to succeed. Example , most USA media recognized and classified oprah Winfrey as king maker because of her media influence which she could use to sway her viewers to support her candidate of choice . It is this reason that most USA politicians , writers , musicians comes to her show for endorsements for marketing or political influence. Many of USA presidential candidates attended her show . Oprah had big influence in Obama’s election. Another example is David Axrold , president Obama chief political strategist and adviser . David had been with Mr Obama since his early days in Chicago politics before he appeared at national level . He had big influence on Obama . Karl Rove (not sure about my spelling about his last name ) whose was considered W Bush’s brain was also considered as king maker because of his political influence and strategy. Dick Morris who was bill Clinton chief political strategist was also considered as king maker by USA media . In other words, king makers are influencial people . In Senegal , a serign touba family or respected grand marabout can be considered as king maker. The group of elders from Brikama who had influence in the community and also convinced jammeh to contest presidential election can be considered as king makers.
2. As far as Group description of king maker is concerned, it can be any influencial organization, group of citizens with political influence. Example American nurses association can influence their members to vote for a particular candidate, like AMA ( American medical association ) , Tea party movement can influence their supporters to vote republican candidates, employee service unions like service alternative and other unions can all influence election in for particular candidate in a particular election. I have used the term to describe mandinkas majority support ( identification tag used for specific Tribe with distinct language) as an influence due to its numerical strength to enable any candidate to win . This means that mandinkas majority support along with other tribes support can influence the election in favor of any candidate irrespective of tribal origin. Again , I can also use Gambia chambers of commerce or Gpu if they are influential in politics in The Gambia but unfortunately we did not have such influence organizations or religious leadership in The Gambia. Senegal has influencial civil society groups and religious leadership which a lot of citizens listen to . This is why no Senegal president ever go against their influencial religious leaders and they usually seek the endorsement of these leaders during election. Their civil society groups are too powerful politically. Example , the transport union was very influential in last border closure because it has political influence in Senegal. Gambia’s democracy is at infancy and this is why we have long way to go . The effects of military dictatorship is division and hatred . That is the legacy of jammeh .
Bourne, I am very concerned about your lies and continue stupid allegations. Listen to yourself here in the statement below and tell everyone how you have demonstrated your inferiority complex and your idiotic efforts to characterize the whole minority population as a bigot. Here is your stupidity you exposed for everyone to see .
Bourne said ” disheartening too is that maxs tends to categorize critics of his demonstrated idiocy and dumbness as tribal bigots or literally non-mandinkas ”
Bourne, your statement above is your own idiotic imagination which you have in your tribalist mindset. I have never mentioned the term ” non-mandinkas ” in any of my statements. This is your fabrication and lies you are spreading to satisfy your inferiority complex . Bring the evidence where I stated that tribal bigots are non-mandinkas. Do you see how you have expand your lies to cover more than half of the population ? Yes you have your tribal inferiority complex but there are thousands of our fellow citizens who are proud of who they are and do not share your lack of self esteem and self actualization. so do not involve others who may not have the same bigotry mindset like you . This is the problem Yaya jammeh has and its the same sickness you are having . What has political analysis to do with your stupid generalization to refer to all non-mandinkas as bigots ? Off course it is only tribalist bigot like you who refused to accept the fact that mandinkas majority support with other tribes will install anyone in power. Will you answer this , why did jammeh lost since mandinkas majority did not vote for him as evidence by lost of election in all major mandinkas dominated areas?
Again , your another confused and demented lies is that you assumed that it is constitutional stipulation to have mandinkas 45 % are king makers. Where do you get this sick assumption from ? It is from your ignorance mindset. This is why I was warned that tribal bigots like you can used my analysis to propagate your hatred , division, bigotry and lies . You are academically very stupid and morally bankrupt if this is your thinking about my analysis. You are making a lot of things up in narrow mind and attributes them to me . Stop making things up in your inferiority mindset . Why are you fabricating things to suit your ignorance propaganda.
Here is your another sickening allegation in which you accused of being a stumbling block for the transition. How dear you lied about me as the stumbling block ? Am I having any official position in the government before you accused me of being the stumbling block for the transition. Do you see how you continue to say anything just to satisfy your inferiority complex. I am a private citizen with no political leadership position . Stop telling lies period .
Saying I have an inferiority complex as if you know my identity and all.The more you think of yourself as the one who sneaks and break into the former dictator’s ranks, the more you expose your affiliation with the deposed state of atrocities and impunity.
If you are not referring to non-Mandinkas as tribal bigots, then in contrast to which sections of the Gambian society have you entitled Mandinkas “king makers”, in your labelling games? Undercover agents know how to play “divide-and-get-yours” games and Bourne won’t just fall for such games. Your scribblings are full of self-contradiction unknown to yourself, so they can’t be taken for anything more serious than a clown in action.
Fool! you need a good counseling and the audience of your circus can’t do this for you. You must be articulate and stop the gab.. gab.. gabbling of an ignoramus. Why do you like writing too much for nothing and what made you such a swollen-headed goofy? Damn! Stop writing rubbish…Oops, hope I’m not doing the worst firing you up..
And who or what are you to take for granted I should mention what you mention?
I actually believe he needs more than counselling. He needs a neurologist to empty his brain and refill it with something else. Even cement concrete will do better than the current material in his thick skull.
I actually beleive he needs more than counselling. He needs a neurologist to empty his brain and refill it with something else. Even cement concrete will do better than the current material in his tick skull.
That is all the more why we should be careful of fake analyst who will go to any extend to profile The Gambian electorate along tribal lines when there are other profiling criterias that are more visible. They, ie the tribalist bigots, will go to any extend to argue that there are king makers in The Gambia other than the whole electorate or that there is only one race in The Gambia or that there are some problems that affects particular tribes but not other tribes. Fortunately, such bigots are not many and so they can easily be rooted out.
Samba , the biggest idiotic tribalist bigot I have ever seen in this forum and elsewhere is you . Since you joined this forum and elsewhere you have been peddling your tribalist ignorance agenda . Where were you all these years when people were fighting to remove the tyrant . You were silenced and now you are going around in different forum to instill your ignorance propaganda. If you are still referring to my conclusive analysis that mandinkas majority support for any president will install that leader in power and defeat him, let me once again to put this in your bigotry mindset that I meant if mandinkas majority support along side with other tribes ( meaning the candidate must have the support of other tribes ) , such large support will make that candidate the president. I was speaking logically but not that only mandinkas will make the person the president. An idiotic person like you have zero understanding of what is logic. Without mandinkas majority support for jammeh or any political candidate that candidate will never be president in The Gambia. Go and study . This is the statistics you need to put into stupid brain . Remember that statistically, mandinkas formed about 45 % of the population, even 35 % of mandinkas support plus the support of other tribes for any political leader will make the candidate the president. Get this in thick skull . It is only tribalist and liar like you who have problem with these statistics. Whether you are Samba P. Jallow or not , get this facts into your brain . If you are not samba p . Jallow then you have criminally impersonated samba p . Jallow and you keep peddling tribalism in many forum . I believe you are criminal liar because when I caught you lying about your identity as a fula , you quickly changed your pen name and later lied that it was a mistake . Remember some of us has been in this forum for long time , but I have never seen anyone who lied and quickly changed his identity. That tell me a lot about you a criminal liar with the objective to create tribalism in this forum and elsewhere. Bax and I had so many tense disagreement here but no one changed identity and blamed its on a stupid mistake . Everyone here maintain the same pen name. Remember that your lies will catch up with you soon . Your first comment in this forum was about my article “why UDP prefers different route ” , your comment in that posting was about the identification of your tribe which no one care about and you defended your ethnicity. At the time Morro reminded you that maxs was making an analysis based on election results of how mama Kandeh did well in minority tribes dominated areas.
I have never revealed my tribe here even though it is who I am but my analysis was based on election results which you will always see in any advanced democracy unless you are dumb , idiotic tribalist bigot .
Stop your lies and understand that this forum was created to educate each other and to contribute positively in moving our in right direction. This is why I keep writing positive comments especially when it comes to tribal issues. I have never said that mandinkas are better than any tribe or one tribe is better or superior to the other . What I have stated about the mandinkas majority support being the king makers is statistically significant to describe their biggest support based in any election. If you have a tribal problem you can go to hell .
You are a pathological liar with dangerous combination of criminality because you are either impersonating someone identity as your pen name or you are a liar with sick mind. I hope you get some help.
Maxs, You are the one who identifies people by there tribe in all fora. I identify myself as a Gambian. You are therefore the tribalist. Here you go again, just because Samba P Jallow is a fula and my name is Samba you are coming to conclusion. For your information, you are LYING AGAIN. I AM NOT SAMBA P JALLOW.
Nevertheless, who I am is beside the point. The point stupid ideology is about king makers, tribes and races. And unless you accept your tribal ideology is not helping you, you will be your own enemy.
Samba , you are the very one going around to different forum spreading your hateful tribal mindset. This is why you have make it your preoccupation to stir tribalism here . Another lie you spread in your last posting is that you claimed that someone stated that ” there are some problems that affects a particular tribe but not others ” . Where do you see that comment and who said that ? These are some of your Ignorance thinking which is why you keep ringing the bell of tribalism. Your objective is to attach your ignorance tribal label in this forum to create confusion. This is the objective of jammeh’s enablers and opposition supporters . You are an APRC supporter with an objective of creating tribalism online . This is why you have either impersonated samba p jallow or you are samba p jallow . Nobody knew about you before the election but now you are here to create tribalism and division among online Forum or Facebook . For your information Gambians are aware of your stupid tactics . Remember that you can be traced easily. People are aware of your sinister agenda just like those criminals APRC members who instigated conflict between APRC and UDP supporters in order to blame the regime . Stop your lies and criminality . Where were you before the election? You are APRC supporter with supreme objective of your spreading bigotry online to create division , hatefulness and discord . Get ready I have started my opposition research on you , by the time I am done with you , the whole country will know that you are the only one who is spreading lies and tribalism online to cause hate and division. You are a bigot because when we have been talking about tribalism, you were comfortable supporting jammeh .
How could you lied about your tribe , changed your pen name and still claimed it was a mistake? You have done that because you think people here are as dumb and stupid as you are . What an idiot you are.
Maxs, What a big fat lier you are. You are the one making reference to tribes and races in all your analysis. That has made you the celebrated tribalist. You still have not owned up to your lies when you claim that there is only one race in The Gambia, or that Only Mandinkas voted out yaya. Your stupidity is unGambian and unMandinka and that is why people are questioning your real identity.
Samba are the lies you have been saying here , listen to yourself here and tell everyone why you lied? These are our comments on different dates. I want the readership to know how you can lied happily with pride without taking any responsibility.
Samba
March 12, 2017 at 10:14 AM
Max, your this article is not only racist, but it is lso moralĺy and interllectually bankrupt. Yoour conclusipn that GDC won in Fula dominated constituencies and that his compititor in those arears will be NRP is premised on the fact the heads of these two parties are fulas. That is not only insulting to the electorate, but also dehumanizing. Your racist attitude should stop forthwith.I am a fula and I will never vote for anyone unless I believe that the candidate is competent enough. If I feel that none of the contesting candidates are competent, I will rather stay at home and abstain, even is my own father is a contestant. STOP the RACISM and be sensible.
Reply
Maxs
March 13, 2017 at 3:12 AM
Mr samba , I am sorry that you sound offended by my analysis of the pattern of voting process . My analysis was based on evidence of voting pattern in the last presidential election. Mama Kandeh’s GDC did well in only areas which are predominantly Fula or minorities areas . He has never won in any area which are predominantly mandinkas areas. This is the fact you need to understand. There is some Tribal politics In our political system though people like you may not subscribe to that idea but illiterate or educated voters in Sami may not have the same thinking .
Please don’t accuse me of racism. I am a black indigenous Gambian. Racism only apply to situation where we have different races but in The Gambia we are all black Africans . So your effort to attach a label which doesn’t fit the situation is misleading , therefore I will give you four Pinocchios – whoppers for mischievous mischaracterization . I think you wanted to accuse me of tribalism rather than racism. I am not a tribalist. I love all indigenous Gambian tribes . I am a strong advocate of Nationalism and plights of indigenous citizens irrespective of tribes .
Reply
Morro
March 13, 2017 at 9:13 PM
Samba, I want to believe that Max’s statement is based on the statistics of the election results which speak for themselves. In that respect I will not describe it as “racist.” It highlights a fundamental issue in our society that was entrenched by the previous regime which we are finding difficult to breakaway from.
I appreciate the way you approach and handle such issues by looking at competence rather than ethnicity affiliations in your voting decisions. Let us all do it that way and emphasise that message rather than the ethnic dimensions. So therefore look at Max’s article in a positive light rather than in a negative light. The country is going through tense and critical moments just now but am confident that we will overcome them and that everyone will end up assuming their natural positions.
Samba , look at your comments in the first posting above where you stated ” I am a fula and I will never vote for anyone unless I believe that the candidate is competent enough”.
This is clearly written for everyone to understand that you are a fula man .
Here is another quote below where you claimed to be a mandinka.
Samba
March 25, 2017 at 10:18 AM
Maxs the fact that people are trying to knock into your head is that even where Mandinkas are the majority tribe, whenever a candidate is voted in or out of office s/he is voted by the electrorate and not Mandinkas. But because you are consumed into your this tribalist idea, you cannot reason. By the way, how do you know that I am a fula? Is it through my first name or my last name? For your information i am more mandinka than you. I can bet that you are not a real Mandinka. Go back investigate your background.
Now within a week you claimed to be both mandinka and fula . On March 12, 2017 you claimed to be fula and march 25 ,2017 you claimed to be mandinka.
In each of these comments the author is Samba. why are you lying here with a pride on your face ? you seem not to understand the meaning of racism or tribalism which is why i explained to you we have one race in the gambia which is black . Gambia has no racism , the white people who visit Gambia are holiday makers and those who live there are insignificant in our politics.
here is another deception you did when i confronted you about your lies . you quickly changed your pen name as indicated here and later blamed it on stupid mistake . look at your criminality below and tell everyone you are a dishonest idiot
BaAmBSASSamba
March 27, 2017 at 6:41 PM
Maxs, trying to prove anything to someone from the zoo will just be a futile venture. I have never told you that I am not a fula. I asked how do you know that I am a fula and instead of answering the question directly, you copy a post written by a person with the same name. As a matter of fact, you can associate me with any Gambian tribe..I will happily take it as long as it is Gambian. Now back, to my question! Which zoo do you come from? If it is the Kanilai zoo, please let me know so that I can rest my case.
you lied about your identity and criminally changed your identity again.
Maxs, if you can claim that “…in The Gambia we are all black Africans….” and keep repeating the statement, it’s proves that you are a celebrated lier. Above all, you can try and see for your self if you can count the number of people who ahve confirmed that you are lier and tribalist. Instead of accpeting the facts, you will just childlessly turn back and point the finger at your helpers. Growup and stop your stupid racism and tribalism.
Macs, you are so consumed by your tribalism that you will say one thing in one post and deny saying it in another. Didn’t you made mention of “problems affecting fulas” in a previous post? You are so stupid that you cannot remember the lies you have been spreading in even your recent posts. Growup Maxs and stop you stupidity. EVery one in these foras despices your tribalism.