By Yero Jallow
People have personally asked me how to celebrate Gambia’s 49th Independence anniversary in the depths of tyrannical darkness. I neither claim to have the perfect answer to this question nor even being close to an expert in the subject matter, but I have a citizen’s opinion which I am entitled to. I wanted to share my opinion with Gambians and the international community about Gambia’s 49th anniversary. 49 odd years! Yes, numerically, we are 49 years old on February 18th 2014, but are we that mature? It depends who you ask, and for me, here is the answer.
Independence in my view would mean a true reflection and review of the past as well as the present on how far a nation has come, not only breaking lose from colonial bondage, but also being free from tyrannical rulers; being fully equipped on educational institutions, health facilities, employment security, food sustainability, territorial stability, reliable transport and having the much needed freedom, equality and justice. It would also mean the empowerment of citizens’ rights for continued participation on democratic principles.
I must agree with Gambia’s doyen journalist Demba Ali Jawo when he argued on Gainako Radio on February 15th 2014 that despite the situations of mal governance with Jammeh’s regime, February 18th remains our national day to celebrate as Gambia’s Independence Day. In his discussion, DA articulated well the need to still recognize the day despite the fact that there isn’t any such achievement to celebrate as truly independent.
Over the years, we have seen the others who want to make us believe that critics of the regime are enemies of the Gambia. Such theory is deeply rooted in some of our grand-styled “enablers” who happens to be by default beneficiaries and sympathizers of the mighty benefactor, who without doubt, entertained his many fans by giving out money, biscuits, and herbal treatments. There are the others among them who claim to be neutral. During a trying time of oppression like ours, I personally doubt an English word like “neutrality” exists. Like the Bishop Desmond Tutu will argue, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” So some of them I heard are even informers trying to be dip-flies getting away with whatever they can get from online critics of government so they can use it at the NIA headquarters or even some of the rotten campers enabling the bad system around. They would claim further that they are not online when all their footprints are visible online and they read and benefit more than we read ourselves. I don’t know about you, but death hasn’t threatened my existence. The bigger question has been who loves the Gambia and who doesn’t. The criteria for judgment from some of the bystanders aka neutrals are Gambian dissidents are bad sons of Africa. We might be bad in your view, but when the kettle calls the cooking pot black, that is a bigger reason for more concern. That is to say, all over you are written B-A-D and H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-I-C-A-L.
To me, even though we can celebrate 49 YEARS OF nationhood, we are certainly way far from obtaining true Independence for obvious reasons. Independence someday will mean having freedom and justice for all citizens. That is only possible where the leadership is in line with true democratic principles. The Gambia’s current leader has been doing the exact opposite. For example, after 49 years of nationhood, it is important to ask: Do we have equal rights, peace, national stability, and justice? Do we have enough food for Gambians at affordable costs? How about other basic amenities? Do we have good health facilities to support our citizens? How about the educational system? Do we have a viable democracy in place with free and fair elections? How about respecting freedom of speech without muzzling the press? Do we have enough employment in place to support the work force?
I can sit here and start listing my whole life and I won’t exhaust the list. I know others might argue that no nation has it all and that is true. I do not expect that a nation will have it all. What I do expect though is some of the basic things should be straightened up or at least some visible effort made to see a correction to what is wrong. Instead what we have seen is a replacement of July 22nd as Gambia’s national day; a dark day that every decent citizen should shun as it was a day that gave birth to all the 19 years of mayhem under the leadership of Yaya AJJ Jammeh. Some of the foolish slogans of accountability, transparency, and probity have long since slapped some of these political hypocrites on their faces. Daily, nightly, we are reminded of the ugly nature of this regime and what came to define its continuity of power.
Most of our youths are headed to Western countries for greener pastures because of economic instability and lacking freedom in the Gambia. Some of these youths meet their tragic death during the risk travels (back way) to Europe. Most of the educated Gambians either self-exiled themselves or are exiled as a result of their participation in citizens’ engagement which very much so is viewed by Jammeh’s government as a threat to his tyranny.
We are faced with situations of injustices where the big elephant in the house puts his poisonous heavy hooves on the smaller animals continually. The Gambia’s constitution has been reduced to a toilet paper. A simple investigation on Deyda’s death resulted in a so-called “dossier” blaming the dead man for taking his own life. Chief Manneh, Kanyiba Kanyi, Marcel Jammeh, Ndongo Mboob and countless other citizens are still missing and Jammeh has refused to comply with the ECOWAS court’s ruling and the international call for Chief Manneh to be produced dead or alive.
We are far from food sufficiency. Last time I checked, Jammeh was still taking people to his Kanilai farm for labor exploitation, something of slavery. Mercenary judges are stationed in key positions of Gambia’s judiciary so Jammeh gets to greedily prey on every person he sees as a critic or opposition. The transport system is a nightmare with poor roads and ferry systems. Recently, the ferry accident at the Banjul seaport says it all. Even the docking of the ferry couldn’t be facilitated and as a result of such, we have humans carrying passengers from the river bank to the ferry after 49 years of nationhood. At age 49 years, we are still faced with a fetish leader buried in dark mystical powers, way backward than the late Idi Amin Dada of Uganda, claiming to cure HIV Aids, Asthma, Cancer, infertility and et cetera. The fetish nonsense is unfortunately where we are at age 49.
So: Do you still feel like a neutral in the midst of all this darkness? What independence do we celebrate? I mean exactly what part of independence is there to celebrate? Do we honestly look in the mirror and say confidently this is where we are compared to international standard?? I know those that rely solely on the few constructed white elephant projects which are nothing but masks and propaganda tools to justify Jammeh’s continued power greed and wish to stay in power, who would over and over again blind their eyes and deafen their ears with such nonsense. To you, I say carry it all on your head, and continue carrying the shameful lie on your shoulders. Above all, what is the use of mere structures when you don’t have people to benefit from such structures? I don’t know what Nkrumah, Mandela and the rest of our respected Pan-Africanists would have said to this, other than give all these political masquerades an ugly “F” grade in all around nation independence.
On this year’s nation independence, here is the deal; a 49th anniversary is to try to have Jammeh out. Dreaming independence? Let the Gambian flag rise from Kartong to Koina and let citizens all over participate in ways that free them from the clutches of Jammeh’s tyranny. So yes, go celebrate independence with a view to kick out the current criminal ruler. The ending is getting closer by the day and very soon Gambians will also breathe fresh air. That is a must and given. We will waive our nation’s flag higher than our country’s looters think we can. Celebrate with a view to liberate yourself wholly, both mental and physical.
Long Live The Gambia!
Down with political hypocrisy and tyranny!
Note: The Author Yero Jallow is an Associate Editor of Gainako. He is a long time contributor to most of Gambia’s online media outlets. He takes great hobby in citizen engagement and public enlightenment.