As a concerned Gambian citizen I was very proud and at ease when I heard president Barrow’s speech in Foni. With this convincing speech the President has become a unifying figure for our polarized nation and the timing cannot be more urgent.
The destroyers and saboteurs were on it for far too long and the time is always right that someone go to Foni and have a mutual dialogue with the people of Foni. President Barrow sees the urgency and importance of the situation that he deems it vital to be in Foni personally and conduct a national dialogue with the humbled natives of Foni.
The President does this not because Foni is important than the rest of the country, but it is because there are bad elements polluting and poisoning the minds and souls of the good people of Foni. Foni is part of the Gambia and the people of Foni are Gambians hence they are not a deserted island of themselves. The people of Foni should not in anyway be alienated or left alone simply because someone bad (Yaya Jammeh) came from their midst. The rest of the nation should not blame Foni or the Foni people for the wrongs of their brutal dictator son. The Gambia is a nation of tolerant people and those who are hell bent on creating havoc among us should not be given the chance to succeed. President Barrow spoke in Foni but his brilliant message echoed nationwide.The peace and tranquility that prevails in the country and among our diverse people should be jealously guarded. Whether we Gambians are aware or not the Gambia is an envy in the African continent and far beyond. We have an outstanding diverse society and our peaceful attitude and coexistence is not common everywhere in this planet.
People who go on insulting the present leaders of our nation and trying to set tribes against each other have nothing to lose and they don’t have the Gambia in their hearts despite what they claim. How on earth can someone claim to be a role model and a good ambassador for his/her country when you go on day in day out insulting your country’s leaders? This is beyond both human understanding and human decency.
Unlike Yayha Jammeh, President Barrow did not threaten anyone and did not insult anyone or use foul language against anyone during his dialogue with the Foni people. The President was honest and straight forward when he told the people of Foni that “presidents can come” and go just like former president Jawara and Yahya Jammeh and him (President Barrow) too will leave office one day. The President also talked and mentioned the proposed term limit for a sitting president which is under review and will become law. Either parliament or the people of the Gambia will surely decide that and have their own say.
Listening carefully to President Barrow’s speech from his “mutual family dialogue” as he eloquently put it with the people of Foni, one is convinced beyond doubt that we as a nation are blessed this time around with a President who respects democratic values. President Barrow believes in the principles of true democracy and he is willing to adhere to these principles.
The President told his Foni public that he is a President that listens to his advisers and hears everything. This should be a very welcoming news for all Gambians. A listening President is far more preferable than a President who talks too much but never listen or deliver on his promise. Here is a President who tells his people that “I listen to you and not only do I listen to you but I hear your concerns too because I have competent advisers around me.” These are qualities and attributes we never sure in our former self-anointed leader in the person of Yahya Jammeh.
President Adama Barrow is one of us and he is from us hence he speaks the language we understand and can identify ourselves with.
I hope the people of Foni and for that matter the rest of the Gambian people will realize the true nature of the President, and come to the final conclusion that President Adama Barrow is the President of the whole nation. His call for unity amongst Gambia’s diverse people is the testimony of our national anthem as he rightly pointed out. Nation building in the absence of national unity will be difficult and will take longer time than necessary. Unfortunately, we have among our midst those who will do everything humanely possible to derail our progress to development.
Such people will not stop even if that means (God forbids) we go into violent conflict with each other. The insults and slander we hear daily from certain quarters directed to our leaders are cl evidence of that strategy. They completely ignore anything good but instead divert attention from the call to hard work from President Adama Barrow. The personal insults that rain on President Barrow are meant for one thing and one thing only. The enemies think and hope they can break the psychie of President Adama Barrow which will never succeed. President Barrow is resolute, focused and getting stronger and stronger by the day because it is the Gambia and the Gambian people that concern him. To the President’s unconstructive detractors, ill fate individuals, die hard enemies and those who will go to the length of insults and foul language let them know we will not go as low. We come from decent homes, decent families and it is us who have Gambia and the Gambian masses at heart. Not you who rain insults, spread bad blood, fear and hate. We are in the silent majority.
Thank you very much and may God Bless you and our Nation.
Alhagi Touray
Stocholm-Sweden
Ends
What responsible leadership ar you referring to? After one year of allowing the shooting of Haruna Jatta in cold-blood by the invading Senegalese forces, after allowing the use of life bullets on innocent civilians for protesting their rights in Foni, after menacing the Foni people with the persistent occupation of the invading Senegalese forces, and knowing very well that the councillors’ elections are just around the corner, what leadership is this Barrow manisfesting? Only IRRESPONSIBLE leadership.
The people of Foni will demonstrate to him that with or without the inefficient Barrow administration, they will survive.
Babu soli , I think you failed to remind yourself that people of Foni who demonstrated against the legitimacy of president Barrow were led by rebel soldiers from the military and MFDC elements. In fact we have seen so called protesting soldiers leading the demonstration in various videos . You must also remember that Foni was a burial ground for all the human rights violations which took place in 22 years of evil dictatorship spearheaded by evil son of Foni . They supported him wholeheartedly to extend of banning opposition parties in the area . Foni is the only part of the country which has been sympathetic to tribal dominated rebellion in Cassamance. Ecomig soldiers are in the country to ensure the implementation of aspirations and verdict of the people of The Gambia. They are friendly, invited and legitimate forces send by the Ecowas and supported by international community. Only rebel elements and supporters of human rights violators see them as invading forces . Thanks to ecomig forces , The Gambia is safe and there is peace , stability and so many progressive development taking place .
Max,
I detest neocolonialists and sellouts. Those people who for the cult or selfish perpetuation of an individual condone any form of foreign intervention, military, economic, social or political. I detest those unpatriotic (non)citizens who think/believe we can’t achieve anything on our national accord, mode of living and customs. Those people like Max who see the invading Senegalese forces as friendly forces. This is the most reactionary thinking!
Wasn’t Foni the bastion of the PPP in over 31 years where no opposition to Ex-President Jawara never made a headway in political achievement? Weren’t the Foni people so loyal to the PPP government that Ex-President Jawara branded them “the constituency of the PPP most loyal supporters”?
Stop lying that MFDC rebels were among the demonstrators when Haruna Jatta was cold-bloodedly murdered by the Senegalese invading forces. Show the videos to substantiate your LIES.
Look, Max, the Gambian people are no longer interested in your venomous lies about President Jammeh. Gambians are living with reality and coming up to rejuvenate the APRC. They have seen the SELFISHNESS, LIES, CORRUPT and CORRUPTIBLE behaviours of this USELESS administration.