By Momodou Njai
Knowing our history, culture, and background of where we came from, I am asking us Gambians, where is God in all this? Be it you are a Muslim or Christian, why are we so lost, divided, dysfunctional, frustrated, fearful, and hopeless? Who is to blame and what do we want to accomplish? But above all, why don’t we like change or find it hard to change status quo? Are we so gullible that we just succumb to everything thrown at us! Or do we have a strong faith to assure us that all will be well and that without God’s will, nothing is possible. My fellow Gambians, the only reality here on this earth is that we are all here for a borrowed time being and we need to make the best of it by doing what we were sent here to do. To repent for our sins and do good to pass the test our creator has given us in order to make it onto the next world. Do not fail by leaving in fear to do the right thing. Do not fail by instilling fear in the hearts of others to suit your own interest. And do not fail by avoiding the guidance that God has sent to you. Do we love thy neighbor unconditionally and pray for those who persecute us as it is said in the Bible!! Do we help the oppressed and the oppressor as it was said by Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to do something, say something, or stop the oppressor!!Before you go any further reading as I make my case, if you don’t believe in the higher power we all serve and have strong faith in, it will be very difficult in perspective to understand and comprehend why all is possible with God’s will. So save yourself from reading any further if you are weak in faith, and hopeless beyond repair.
The argument that President Jammeh is crazy and irrational:
Call him crazy all you want, but it is the same crazy person who took over a democratic government under your very own noses. Not only was he methodical in planning, but he survived 20years of uncertainty. He is still hiring our so called intellects and tossing them in and out. As time prevailed, he is the only one still running the show and his comrades or brains, are exiled, dead, or missing in action. He does not listen they say, but we listen very well to every word he utters. Including the threats he unleashes on the very same people who set up their citizens, and are either killed or locked up for conniving actions. He sets the agenda for us to talk about every day. We talk about his titles, firing, hiring, moving, swearing, but yet, he is still the crazy one!! For 20yrs, you would think we learned something, but oh no, tomorrow he will set the agenda again. How is a crazy person leading the nation and recognized by the International Community as the leader of your beloved country with all our intellects. The question I am asking is who is the crazy one here? Would rationale human beings allow to be tossed around for 20yrs?
When I called for an open dialogue and negotiations which is very unpopular, some welcomed it, and others made the argument that it is not realistic and unwise because I could be lured and killed. Again, we are driven by fear because the guy is crazy so they say. Well, at some point, when you keep using the same strategies, logic will tell you that if you don’t change them, you will end up at the same results. The reason is that he will have to negotiate at some point, because he is tired, but does not want to appear weak for a second because there are hungry hyenas waiting to grab onto power and terrorize him, his family, and even some of us who can’t stand each other. Also, the two trips to America was humiliating for any head of state, and that must be a reminder that the people are much more angrier than before the 94 coup plot. Recently, the Arab spring which lead to the fall of Ghadafi his old time friend, Egypt, and Tunisia are all reminders that no head of state would want to see it happen in their country. However, history has also shown us that even with the greatest military strategists and weapons; peace is not won by the barrel of the gun, but by the people in a reformed political electoral system that is just and fair. The right method would be if he called for a dialogue with the opposition and Diaspora groups, but we need to create the atmosphere by engaging ourselves to that possibility. If all he hears are insults, and animated caricatures of him, and threats, it will be very unlikely to make it a possibility. But it is possible if we start having honest debates as to the way forward and how we intend to get there. Would you want to sit with someone planning on your demise? I doubt it, so we need to understand both sides of the coin here. We want changes and he wants his security, will you guarantee that? Before I come to you, I need to make sure that you won’t harm me and that we can sit as responsible adults, right!! Think about it for a second!! If you knew that that this person is full of drama and every day he or she wakes up to curse and threaten you, would you want to see the person? I doubt it!! So if the platform is created, negotiations will take place without a doubt in my mind. Whether he will accept to the conditions set by the opposition parties, Diaspora groups, victims and families of victims, and individuals is another story, but the Gambian people will have to come up with a proposal. I have set some proposals as a guidance, but it is just to be considered and not the final go ahead. Bottom line, the Gambian people will have to decide but we need to create the platform so that negotiations will be likely to happen.
Now, why am I fighting?
I am fighting for term limits, and the respect for the Gambian constitution to be enforced accordingly to law. I am fighting for separation of checks and balances. I am fighting for separation of religion and State. I am fighting for freedom of speech and assembly. I am fighting for peace, and stability not only in the Gambia, but within the region of Senegal. I am fighting for unity, and an atmosphere suitable for negotiations to start taking place for the Interest of our beloved country The Gambia. I am fighting for President Jammeh to leave office peacefully. I am fighting for the respect of rule of law, and amnesty for all Gambians leaving abroad. I am fighting for Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy, to not just have an office as a female, but to be influential in making decisions that can stand and shift policies. I am even fighting for the guy who was claimed to have been more Presidential than President himself. As arrogant as he was for insulting his own tribe, and talking over confidently to be Africa’s Shakespeare, he is still human and should not be detained for that long before being charged recently. He deserves justice he denied others. I am fighting for General Saul Badjie, Yankuba Badjie, and all those who take orders that bother their conscience, but are driven by fear of retribution or consequences that might follow. I am mostly fighting for the victims that will never be known, or families that will forever hold their silence, because of the severity and damages done to them. I am fighting for those that are wrongly incarcerated, tortured and displaced on National Television for all to see grown men suffer in agony. I am fighting for our youths to seek better employment, opportunities in education, living condition, agriculture, infrastructure, and stop the senseless travelling through the gates of hell and to no return. I am fighting for our mothers and fathers that live in constant fear that sacrifice their relationships with their sons and daughters because they fight a noble cause. I take this moment to ask my parents and family to forgive me for not listening to their demands and concerns. With the great relationship I had with them all through my life, never in a million years would I have anticipated that one person would cause them to tell me the things I heard in my ear. I remember the values and teachings of honesty, respect, family, integrity, humility, and kindness. That if someone placed a knife on your throat, always speak the truth. Not knowing that it would be replaced by silence for people like Imam Baba Leigh, Fatou Camara, and even the late Honorable Buba Baldeh, and many others. At times, I ask myself could it just be fear, or have we forgotten who we are as Muslims and people! I forgive them all for whatever reason, and I am hoping that Allah will bear witness that I shall defend his religion by fearing God and not man. I will continue to beg for my parents’ mercy and urge others to do so. At times, it feels like you are a soccer ball and you are being kicked in and out, so you just decide to stay on the sidelines because you have lost your place. You start questioning if these are the kind of tests that God has imposed on your life to stand with him or fall. I have a question by the way, if your parents’ tell you or show you to fear man and not God, or ask you to kill someone, or not to speak the truth by keeping silent, or not tell you not to pray, will you follow them? Do not disobey your parents Allah says, but if you are on a truthful path that is just and God’s teachings, be respectful and kind to them, but follow Allah.
When it comes to threats and dangers I face
For those who speak about the President luring me into a trap by either feeding me to the crocodiles, poisoning me, locking me at his hotel, or even shooting me, would you all God fearing readers agree that my destiny is in God’s hands!! I will rather die with honor on my feet than live on my knees like most of you. When you say that you fear God, it is easily replaced by fearing President Jammeh. Comments like what will he to do me? Look at what he did to so and so!! He does not listen!! He will kill you and no one will know!! I can go on and on, the pattern is, we have lost faith in God. Someone very honorable told me, “there is one statement I agree with President Jammeh and that is, he said Allah got him there and it is Allah that will decide how and when he will leave.” That person is absolutely right, and I agree with President Jammeh for once at least. Unless and until we try to comprehend or understand Allah’s might, that with him all is possible, we will never get it. My perception towards God will never make sense to someone of weak faith, so I can see where we will never see eye to eye. Be it negotiations or not, all is possible if Allah allows it. When Allah says “let it be, it shall be,” period.
I wonder how we got here after 20yrs, but it is getting much clearer now that God is probably trying to show us how we neglect our own people, and are therefore lost. There are elders in our midst who write on every single issue, and their writings show how much maturity and faith they have. It is laughable when you also here “sumaraka marla mak” (am older than you) argument. So that means that person is supposed to know more than me or have more intelligence. Thinking of them makes me shake my head with disbelief if our future depends on such people. Rebuttals after another, it is in our nature to just want to pay back because our inner egos just cannot let go. Do not be surprised if you keep seeing articles of dismissal and condemnation. We should allow criticism but in respectful manners and tone. It is so easy to see how we got to 20yrs after all!!!
Gambia we have serious problems!! Until we start realizing that we need to clean our hearts and treat everyone as our own, we will never make progress. We need to put aside our differences, have faith, and work collectively towards the common good. The very same people who speak about violence will never even try to pick up arms, because their lives are more important than the country’s national interest. The implications of war are still ongoing in Libya, Syria, and Iraq. When we said we should use civil disobedience, they said we support you all but did not fund it. The town hall meeting that happened in Gambia when the opposition parties were rallying support was a shocker when Mr. Jorbarteh was yanked from his compound after the meeting. No one did anything to march up the streets and demanded his release. Also, NRMG that came out and said that they will take the President out by any means necessary headed by credible soldiers, the noise rose again that we support you all, but the funding said otherwise. Am I missing something here? Do we even know what we want anymore? When we protest in America or Dakar, they have being coming out lately in better numbers, but yet still, how many Gambians are in the U.S? How many Gambians show up for ALD, and 4th of July celebrations? Have we heard lately of groups going to march in Gambia? The evidence is overwhelming and we say that we don’t know what President Jammeh will do, is baffling because he knows what we will do; talk about the next person he fired and arrested or the many title names without doing a thing about it. We sure can’t predict or know him, but he sure knows us very well to survive 20yrs.
Where do we go from here?
In every difficulty, there is relief somewhere as the Quran teaches us. As a person of faith, you always have to talk about peace before and walk the path of peace before anything else. In every situation, an open dialogue and diplomacy is always the first step. Whether you think he is rationale or not, you need courageous people to do it. Whether he accepts the proposals or not, it is worth trying if it means anything to us all. However delusional you say we might be, he is still the sitting President and that tells more about us than him. We the so called intelligent and good ones have failed the Gambian people. It is we the Gambian people who voted him in office and are now paying for that price. It is we who he uses to arrest, torture, bribe, and talk bad onto others. When Fatou Camara was detained, the talking points where not whether it was legal or not, but that she was an enabler and “daf kor moi” (she deserves it). Almost everyone is trying to be a snitch and work for the NIA for earnings. We are so evil and everything happens for a reason. Be it staying silent or beating up protesters, the rage in our hearts to clamp down on people is beyond my comprehension right now.
We need sincere and genuine people who will tell it as it is without fear or favor. For some reason, it feels at times as if we want to keep living in denial to our problems and wouldn’t mind enjoying another 20yrs of President Jammeh. When you want to speak up, they say stay quiet. When you want to take a peaceful approach, they say we want peace but no negotiations or nothing in return for President Jammeh except for justice. That it is for us all to win and President Jammeh should just willingly go. When you want to use force, no one will volunteer or fund the job. They also want no bloodshed just like in 94, but have not realized that this is 2014 with rebels and heavy weaponry in the country. Are we ever going to be taken seriously to just craft a plan, and implement it without being so divisive? In the peaceful proposals I was promoting, I called for the President to step down and not run for 2016 elections. Just like Ghana did with J.J Rawlings but for some reason, we are so divided in terms of what approaches to take. Mahatma Gandhi negotiated with the brutal British Colony. Nelson Mandela negotiated with the evil apartheid government. Even the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) negotiated with the Meccans for a peace treaty which lasted 10yrs. So who are we not to, and do we even know what we want? Do we want peace after all Gambia? What is frustrating is people will say we support you but we don’t agree with the method and they provide no alternative that leads to peace. Well, as Martin Luther King Jr rightfully said, “shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is more bewildering than outright rejection.” You either accept me or believe in what I am doing for peace, or you flat out reject me and stay in the course of violence. I am not here for publicity or prolonging 20 more years. If you want to free The Gambia, then put aside your petty differences and unite for the sake of a united front. The people in Gambia have had enough of your bickering and whining. They just need strong people that are sincere, committed, and willing to work on the interest of the Gambian people. They want the restoration of democracy, development, and a peaceful Gambia where all will be possible provided that it is in the interest of the nation. There is nothing on this earth that will happen without the consent or knowledge of Allah. Love your neighbors and Christian brothers and sisters. Stop the abuse and corruption by saying no more. Die with dignity and honor than succumb to the naysayers, and abusers that are with weak faith. We believe in you, so stand with us to resolve this in a peaceful way if you believe in peace. In two days we have signed over 75 people that want a peaceful resolution to our problems in Gambia through a petition on change .org. This link will take you to the petition, so please sign it for a peaceful resolution. http://chn.ge/VxIeWz
I will leave you with what my mum use to tell me. She would say, “When people do evil to you, repay or kill them with kindness and forgiveness.” So, have the heart to forgive and you will always shine in front of your enemies. May Allah the almighty grant us the wisdom, courage, and guidance to do what is right for our country!! May Allah soften the heart of President Jammeh to reach out to the Diaspora groups, and opposition parties for an open dialogue that will usher in meaningful reforms to our nation’s history!! Peace be with you all!!
NOW LET’S GET TO WORK FOR GAMBIA NEEDS US NOW MORE THAN EVER BEFORE!!
Momodou Njai