President Alpha Conde´ of Guinea has put words into action when he extended presidential amnesty to 171 convicts. Among the pardoned was a leading opposition figure, Mamadou Oury Bah, who was accused of plotting to assassinate the newly elected leader. The magnanimity comes barely a week after Conde´ took oath of office for the second term.
We laud the Guinean leader’s decision to turn over a new page and reconcile with his opponents. We expect President Yahya Jammeh to do exactly the same and release all those in detention, especially his government’s opponents. These include Amadou Sanneh, the convicted Treasurer of the United Democratic Party and the three Imams who continued to be illegally detained.
If President Conde´ can have the heart to forgive Mamadou Oury Bah, founder and the number two in the opposition UFDG party of Cellou Dalein Diallo, we see no reason why Yahya Jammeh cannot do the same if he truly believes in fostering the spirit of unity in a country deeply divided along political lines. Did he forget about what he said in Guinea that “Africans need to unite.” Since charity begins at home, Jammeh must put his words into reality before he preaches unity abroad. Any decisive or tactical act by a leader has the potential to ease or spark tension. Conde’s decision to put politics aside and unite the country to revive the economy of Africa’s biggest beauxite producer is what every smart and forward-thinking leader does. Both countries need unity and focus on resuscitating their weaked economies.
Mr. President, remember the Nigerian proverb that “a child that does not listen to elders’ advice shall follow lizards to the grave.” So you cannot say you have not been warned. We rest our case until you act like a true leader who believes in doing the right thing instead of venting anger on anybody or anything that you find threatening. Such a leader hardly sleeps, let alone have peace of mind.
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An arrogant, Mr. Know-all leader does not listen. They wait until they harm themselves. Mofa Mansa will follow lizards to the grave. It is too late for anyone to repair him, he is beyond that. Thank you Mr. Editor for ringing the bell.
Don’t even compare them. Conde is a very smart professor who knows how to deal with his people. This one is a nincompoop who will never adjust. It is either his way or the highway.
Alpha Conde’s mindset and that of Jammeh are totally different. Conde is now serving his second and last term in office and therefore is a forward thinking president caring about his own fate after leaving office.
Jammeh is a totally different animal who has to die in office. He has no exit strategy, he has no plans for any succession to replace him peacefully. Jammeh has entangle himself in a web of self destruction. In one word Jammeh is his own enemy.
Whiles Conde was elected into office, Jammeh used the gun to get into office.
We cannot compare antelopes and crocodiles.
I totally agree with Deyda on this comment, and I think president conde of Guinea Conakry has thought further than his nose that, no position is permanent, except the position of Almighty Allah. Therefore, he has done a good thing to unite the Guineans for the sake of peace and security in their country. But I do miss your friend Maxis? What happened to her? Is she too busy? Or she has accomplished her mission unsuccessfully? The Gambia is a very small country and we are all related. We are all fighting for the same cause; “Yaya Jammeh has to go after 21 years in power. Whoever peptized the snake? It doesn’t matter anymore, what is matter in the Gambia today, is how to rectify the previous mistakes in other to create peace and security for all of us. And I wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016 in advance.
Yankuba Jobe, actually I am around working on something very important. Gambian people still don’t know the tyrant who occupy the state house with his gang of criminals. There is rumors in town about the demise of general Saul Badgie. He is another victim in line in coming days, weeks and months.
Jammeh is a different animal, he will kill majority of them before they know him well.
Hydara , you are very right . An evil idiot has no exit strategy but he will be killed or captured . Those are the best possiblities . jammeh will never hand over power because he knows his fate very well . He has so many damn blood in his hands or hands are soaked with innocent blood .