By Janko Camara
Re:GMC Leader Blinks
Thank you Bax for your intellect and good sense of reasoning. As a keen observer of Gambians both at home and in the Diaspora, I have come to the sad conclusion that Jammeh’s leadership still has steam to go on well beyond 2016. What I see and hear every day makes me feel that 1) Gambians are either not yet ready for a change and/or 2) we have not suffered enough to initiate one. This is because, after “twenty years of suffering”, we continue to exhibit the following:
1) Egocentricity: – it is either my (our parochial) interests or nothing. When a nation reaches this level of decadence, salvation becomes a dream far-fetched. Our egocentrism is often cleverly concealed in actions and/or words made to appear as if they represented the national (collective) interest. The current debate about “Reconciliation” is nothing but a façade beneath which lies the “struggle” by individuals and/or groups to achieve their narrow interests. Thus, the numerous organisations “fighting for freedom” represent nothing but the different shades of interests competing to access and control the national platform. So long as these intrigues continue to play out, Jammeh can just stay cool whilst the various interests continue neutralising each other without him.
2) Ethnicity: – In South Africa, in the heat of the struggle against the oppressive White Minority rule, all other tribal groupings/race (Blacks, Coloureds, Asiatic, etc) saw themselves as one body fighting a common enemy. Alas! They succeeded after three decades. In The Gambia, despite our collective “suffering”, we continue to see each other as Wollofs, Mandinkas, Fulas, Serahulles, etc and each of these ethnic groups wants to rule. Therefore, since we continue to owe allegiance, first to ethnic groups instead of the national interest. With such stance, there is none but a few left to fight for the much worthier national cause. To think of the fact that unity remains quite elusive to a nation of just 1.9 million people, one wonders how genuine are the efforts to end Jammeh’s rule. Yahya Jammeh is very much aware of these weaknesses and is willing to use them to his advantage.
3) Hypocrisy: – perhaps our worst disease as Gambians is hypocrisy. We are quite good at smiling to each other superficially whilst hiding more sinister feelings for each other. We keep blaming Jammeh for everything. Nay! Jammeh is not everywhere and certainly is not aware of everything. Gambians continue to inflict pain and suffering on each other and then conveniently turn around to put the blame on Yahya Jammeh.
So let us begin the “struggle” to rid ourselves of the above three unenviable qualities, after which, we can take on Yahya Jammeh. Until then, Jammeh can stay cool in the State House, aided and abetted by Gambians to lord it over the weaker and less fortunate compatriots.
Ends
Well said Janko solo, but your surname’s big problem, unless you change it to….. I can assure you Kaironews & Suntoumana in particular, haven’t any food for you with them, LOL.
Sarcasm or jokes aside, you couldn’t have said it any better Ebrima… I’m Mandingo & proud of it, for I can only be one naturally BUT that’s where it stops for me, for am Gambian first & Mandinka last… I have blood relation, colleagues & friends in all ethnicities in country & we all are equals… I think Gambia MUST matter MOST in all & anything that we do & aspire for collectively, rather than futile blinding different individual party leadership supporters… Which is why I can’t come to reason or find genuine answers to the opposing opposition camps who should rather unify on a common grounds for Gambia, against the murderous dictatorship as our common enemy but inclined on fighting amongst themselves for no tangible reasons … Certainly we are better off under anyone of them ruling democratically, than under the current murderous syndicate…. Halifa Sallah & other politicians are far better off in country under a Lawyer Darboe government & stand better chances of being elected to rule if they can sell their policies well; likewise Ousainou, OJ, & rest of other politicians for that matter, will all have the same democratic dispensation under Halifa’s or any of them’s rule, & all of them equally stand chances of themselves became president if they go on to sell their policies well… I surely agree, we will certainly go on like this under the murderous carnage unending, if we sit & do nothing under the present status quo…. May God help & bless our minds, give us strength to change & turn things around; Ameen.
Bajaw, the Camara kundan Nko is right. With the right attitude and realistic efforts Pres Jammeh shouldn’t have been a problem. But from the get go, The Yankuba Touray, Kabba Bajo, among others openly told Jammeh, Mandinkas hate you during the transition when people wanted the junta to serve only 2 years and leave.
Jammeh in return made sure, ethnicity became is bedrock in dividing the country with the help of mafias all over. Hence, an inept, useless soldier became tough and stubborn and with ruthlessness.
We have to change if not he will continue to look invincible. Kairo news is verifying the continued panic at state house. Thanks and appreciate your inclusive views.
Hello Janko Camara..please allow me to rectify the approach about the three ills that you mentioned. These ills were there well before Yaya Jammeh’s dad was born. These symptoms are not only peculiar to the Gambia but to most african countries, so it is nothing new. Having said that, let me also insist that the Gambian struggle has two types of gambians: 1- Those who want to remove Jammeh and take his seat (replace him) and 2- Those who are only interested in removing (Jammeh the individual) and have anybody else sit as president thru free and fair elections. This second group are the (freedom fighters). Obviously the first group are in the majority for several reasons including political, social etc.., but their struggle will take longer and harder to acheive simply because there is no unity even amongst themselves. They fight amongst themselves even before killing the animal.. Lol..!
The second group are much smaller in number but much more powerful in thought and strategy for acheiving their simple objective (Removing Jammeh from power and nothing else) These are the selfless gambians whom I call freedom fighters. Their objective is NOBLE (free of politics) and have a single AIM, that is to see JK GO in the dustbin of Gambian history.
Suntoumana,those maggots you named above are the worst traitors ever you can have against oneself… Yankuna is from a Burkinabe settler family hosted by Mr Tumani Minteh whose daughter he came to marry, & got illegally enrolled in Gambia army due to our hospitality; he only acquired Gambian citizenship through nationalization after their illegitimate usurpation of power. Kabba cowardly fled with Sir Dawda on the day of the Coup itself, he was later invited back by the murderous AFPRC bandits; this was why the kanilai devil was mad & pointed out to him when he asked to takeover from the devil in their chaotic panicking after murdering the April 2000 demonstration students… True there’s chaotic panic at moment in the murderous kanilai devil fiefdom, knowing the inevitable day of reckoning is nearing faster than assumed…. With the December attempt that it wasn’t aware of, despite reports to the contrary, otherwise it wouldn’t have travelled out of country; & now the acquittal of our noble comrades in the US, the prosecution of whom were publicised in its media mouthpieces only for it all to blown back in its face unexpectedly…. It will be in our national interests with us all to gain collectively, if some of you can manage to use your good initiatives, help get our various political party leaders to move to a common grounds for a bloodless change & then they have the levelled grounds to contest each other democratically in harmony…. May God help and bless the noble tireless endeavours to salvage Gambia; Ameen.
Suntoumana, hatred is the blood of the maggots. Yankuba Touray & family may now claim to be naturalized Gambians for obvious reasons but they harbour hatred for the very Gambians who played host & make them feel at home… His father, always dressed in rags, despised the Wollof people in particular, who are their neighbours & host in Nawlehru village & surrounding where they settled. He used to refer to Wollof as dialect of “dogs/liars” & always flew into rage thus- “Aabeh Wulu Kang Foh! yankuba beh wulu Kang foh!!” whenever he heard Yankuba speaking in Wollof; he later resorted to dressing in yaya jammeh style Seikou Touré gowns & always roaming round the Kerr Pateh Lumo markets, after yankuba & bandit cohorts started sharing the loot… The same Yankuba is responsible for the murderous kanilai devil & bandwagon’s persecution of the elders of North Bank Division/Region, by informing the devil that Badibu elders despise reggae music, which they will always play on very high volumes to torment the communities in all & every part of Badibu on their treacherous tours…
Kabba Bajo, sadly isn’t different either. Kabba & associate Mondo Few, used to be a driver at Central Bank, not sure if he’s there anymore, are in gang mainly responsible for the mix-up & most political persecution in Brikama from July 1994 to date… Kabba’s late dad also used to be in rags & died like ‘humbled’ peasant; it’s the elders of Brikama including late Imam Karamo Touray & others, who were responsible for Kabba’s moral upbringing & subsequent employment… The same Kabba turned round biting same hands that fed him… Their home a street away from the old commissioner’s residence in Brikama, claims only an old mud brick house built by his dad with support of the community, with incomplete unfinished cement house which was completed after he & murderous cohorts started sharing the loot… The same Kabba & co were the proxies when kanilai devil picked bones with late Imam Touray who won’t flinch from the Godly-path, no matter what, to bow down like the unGodly so-called imams to the murderous devil’s deceitful lies…
They are all on record; we will deal with them all in their own ways, & anybody else in post dictatorship… God help the collective endeavour to salvage Gambia; Ameen.
Bajaw, actually, Yankuba’s father was settled in Salikene by Mustapha Dibba, father of Sheriff Dibba. The family later resettled in a nearby small village.
It was when Yankuba finished primary school and was to start High school in Banjul that his father took him To Sheriff Dibba for lodgement. Unfortunately, Sheriff’s place was full. He (Sheriff) decided to give Yankuba to Tumani Minteh, also from Baddibu and a close associate of Sheriff Dibba.
And yes, yanks and his parents only became citizens after the takeover and when he was already a Minister. About time to keep our eyes on our citizenship laws and ensure that they are not open to abuse.
Thanks
Very well propounded Mr. Janko, absolutely no problem in self criticism. I consider it to be optimism.
Every ill you characterised Gambia with characterises me and now, I am all together seriously sick with it and hope the rest of the Gambians like me do get sick so with it.
Mr. Janko it’s like nobody ever really put it.This is it!
And now whoever conducted that referendum or census that, Gambians, want to be ruled by rat race, ‘Ali Baba and the Armed thieves’, must be seriously mistaken in his/her findings.
If this is true, then it means that in and out of the Gambia, we have a wrong majority, and that is a case of emergency!! Ring the alarm!! Quick!
Thanks very much Lafia, for adding the missing bit to inform Gambians the full story on this ungrateful maggot cruelly sucking & feeding on our blood as result of our habitual limitless-hospitality… My informative data began in-between, & wasn’t aware of this missing invaluable bit & thankfully now the whole story has divulged… This shows Gambians need each other & MUST tirelessly stick together collectively to be able to successfully reclaim the motherland; as no single individual or party can have all the answers to our predicament…. God help Gambia & bless the selfless endeavours to salvage Gambia; Ameen.
King Stephen’s reign in England (1135-1141) was so bad that it is been described by English Historians as “a period when God and all his angels slept”. How will historians remember Jammeh?