By Yero Jallow
It is a sudden and sad death. Buba Baldeh as was fondly called is from a political household, and among the early educated folks in Basse Mansajang.
Despite some of the political odds that accompanied Buba’s political career, notably his association with the former PPP as Minister of Youth and Sports, a government highly criticized for its leadership failures, and for partly serving Jammeh’s criminal regime as APRC youth mobilizer and Daily Observer editor, he was still a believer in democracy, activism, and encouraged great political participation in the Senegambian region. As Gainako has profiled hitherto, many of our political leaders became victims of the criminal or failed systems they agreed to serve willingly or unwillingly, and as such, it becomes part of their eulogies. This is better put as politics is a messy business.
For Buba’s favorite, like the many of his likes across geographical boundaries, were breaths of fresh air, challenging some of the system excesses and encouraging participation in nationalism, the pride of origin, and championing its cause especially the Pullagu (Pullaku) ethos. Every people or nation need their own champions, those that define them at system level, to give them representation, hope, recognition, inclusion, and to be counted as ones that matter in the larger sphere of national matters. The late Bubacarr was of the caliber despite political and ideological differences one may have with him. While in exile in Senegal, he continued to network with Diaspora forces, and continued on the fight for liberation from the clutches of Jammeh’s tyranny.
All Said and done, Bubacarr is now dead. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace. While I am trying not to politicize Buba’s passing, two things struck my nerves and for the records, I have no place in my heart or mind to store it. First, reliable sources close to Buba and his family revealed to me that Buba must have been poisoned, a similar targeting like Kukoe’s elimination barely a year ago. The second part is media reportage (Courtesy of Sulayman Jeng, Kibaaro) that Bubacarr’s remains were denied burial in the Gambia. It is to be noted that a similar thing also happened to the late Kukoe where he ended up getting rested in Dakar, Senegal.
I hate to convince myself that the latter which is denial of burial is in fact true. If so, which will not surprise me, but Gambians again must look at the clock on the wall and see how much time has lapsed. Again and again, we are just sitting on the wings of the passing wind, and much to our inability and sadly for our political predicament, we are trapped in chains greater than the imprisonment by the greatest dictatorship. It is unbelievable that a dictatorship, a whole pack of tyranny, fully grown and lose, has kept citizens in exile, and also taken it upon itself and its iron-fist rule, to keep the death from being buried in their country of birth. Birthright must I emphasize is from God and it will not be controlled by politics whether tyranny or democracy, so for any person who thinks it is weapon to discourage others from participating in criticizing the unstructured criminal administration, I will say wrong again. That is why some of those many around with their loose “chayas” and waist belts praise-singing for the dictatorship both inside and outside the country must think again. Their support of a regime so criminal is not only annoying, but criminal, empty and blind. Their failure to know the truth, or should I better put it unwillingness to accept the truth is no excuse and tantamount to political hypocrisy in the highest order. That is why when the dictator’s hammer comes on their heads, sympathy is far from it, because they mortgaged their pride and human dignity.
Rest in peace Buba Baldeh and till again…