Gainako is on record vehemently criticizing Gambia’s first lady Zainab Zuma Jammeh in many fronts where we thought she failed to take full opportunity of her role as a first lady. Sometimes last year we issued a strong editorial on Gainako radio challenging the humanity and compassion of the first lady when it comes to Gambian matters. We issued a disclaimer that we were challenging the first lady not in her capacity as an individual woman, but her role as a first lady of the Republic of the Gambia. We cited many references to history around the world where first ladies played and continue to play a unique role in shaping the cultural and socio-economic development of their nation. We argued that if the first lady takes her position seriously and cares deeply about her husband’s actions as a President and the negative impact those actions may have on her own children, then she should start to pay attention to some of the issues that goes around the country. We added that many people have lost their lives or everything they had including their families as a result of either being oppose to or loyal to this administration. We concluded that a smart woman, a powerful woman who understands her role as first lady can certainly have influence over some of the actions of her husband. It remains our position that the first lady owes much to the country and can play a greater role in impacting the lives of citizens in different ways.
Many first ladies around the world have championed women issues as well as child welfare issues ranging from girls education; malnutrition, breast cancer, early childhood marriage, Female genital cutting (FGM), domestic violence, equal pay equal work among many other pertinent issues. Most of these strong first ladies were not only a symbol of hope and inspiration to many, but a powerful force behind the success and or failures of their powerful men in control of power. As the common saying goes, “behind the success of every man there is a strong, wise and hardworking woman”. Behind the scenes these women had a strong influence over the policies and actions of their husbands. They were probably the only ones privy to some of the most difficult and sometimes conflicting decisions the leaders have to make either in the best interest of their nations or sometimes selfish decisions to protect their legacy and integrity.
The strong role or lack thereof of any first lady of a nation cannot be underestimated. It is a question of whether the individual cares about what transpires outside the bedroom of their strong men; whether they care about the people who accorded them and their families the privileges that only a few people get to enjoy in any nation or whether the person in fact fails to recognized the historic privileges and power they have to positively influence the leadership and policy decisions made by their husbands. Gambia’s first lady Zainab Jammeh has largely been criticize as a “gold digger” who is only interested in “expensive travels and shopping”. This criticism has been attributed to her distance or failure to connect with fundamental issues confronting women and children in the Gambia. Many have expected that despite her origin from Morroco or Guinea Conakary but by virtue of her position as a first lady she would build stronger relationship with Gambian women, participate more in community activities and champion many causes affecting the country.
To be fair we are not insinuating that Zainab has not done anything or participated in any social or humanitarian causes affecting Gambians; however it would be fair to mention her limited activities with many issues of national concern since she became first lady almost eighteen year now. Instead, she has been visibly seen visiting the United States and traveling extensively around the world while her husband is locked into a political battle by strengthening his grip on power and holding the nation hostage. Many have wished that Zainab was equally sensitive to what is happening in the country especially the consistent political fallout between Yahya Jammeh and his closest aides. Others question whether Zainab is not aware of the serious political oppressions including but not limited to arbitrary arrest, prolong detention without trial, enforced disappearance and extra judicial killings her husband and his government have been accused of. Some opined that the first lady doesn’t seem to care about her husband’s politics despite the numerous International and diplomatic relationships President Jammeh has broken with Gambia’s long traditional partners. She has even been caught in the cross fire when demonstrators confronted the President in New York and Washington DC. Those two incidents which attracted worldwide press coverage vindicates critics that the first lady only seems to care her personal welfare completely disconnected with the political and economic reality of the Gambian nation.
As the biblical saying goes “To whom much is given much is expected”… of late whether it is as a result of the criticism or simply a matter of coming of age, the first lady has embarked on noticeable projects that are worth mentioning especially given the fact that Gambian activists and the online media have strongly criticized Zainab Jammeh for what many perceived to be her indifference and failure to live up to her expectations as the first lady of the Gambia. Her launching of operation save the children foundation (OSCF) is a step in the right direction. Without a question the Gambian nation and people have accorded Zainab and her husband unprecedented privileges they both never dream of in their lives. The least the first lady can and should do is to give back to the community and actively champion programs that benefits children and women. Her visible involvement in the administration of the HPV virus immunization campaign on young women was also a welcome development. The HPV virus is known to cause cervical cancer among women and kills over 25,000 young women worldwide. The first lady also presented a check for 2.5 Million Dalasis to the Children ward at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul. These are few of the noticeable projects the first lady has recently been engaged in.
Certainly many critics will overlook these important steps and focus exclusively on the negative. But as we have always maintained on this medium, it is never too late to do the right thing and that humans are capable of changing course and focusing on what benefits the general public rather than ignore the reality of others. Without a doubt any conscious person who think beyond emotions will acknowledge that credit must be given where necessary and condemnations should equally be issued where necessary. It is our strong conviction that these projects are a drop in a bucket of water compare to the enormous political and social discontent the country is going through. It must be brought to the first lady’s attention that the country has reached a boiling point and political emergency with her husband at the helms. It is widely known that President Jammeh generates more negative headlines around the world than positive. He has created a toxic political environment that could backfire on him at any minute. Thousands of Gambian citizens have become victims of this regime either by opposing his regime or being loyal and putting everything on the line for President Jammeh and his family. Consistently people close to Zainab and his family has become victims including some of the very staff of the first lady. Young sergeant Ello Jallow’s (RIP) mysterious death comes in handy who was a body guard to the first lady and was allegedly killed for being too close to the first lady. Numerous others have become a statistics as political casualties of the regime.
What Gambians expect of the first lady is not only to be involved in humanitarian projects but also to reign in behind closed doors on her husband’s erratic behavior and quest to conquer any opponents. It is a fact that no matter how powerful a man may be he falls asleep in the soft arms of a woman. The power of this human intimacy cannot be underestimated. It is time for the first lady to look at President Jammeh in the eyes at the most intimate of times, give him an ultimatum and ask the tough questions; what is the end game, what is our exit strategy, what if something were to happen today, how about our children? This is a tough stand to take especially with all the privileges that comes with the position of being President and first lady; but the fact remains no condition is permanent except death and political oppression yields unpredictable results and history has it that it never ends well. The first lady must think about the lives of hundreds of Gambians who have perished under this regime, she must reflect on the fact that the lives of those precious students who were gun down in 2000 are no less valuable than her own children. The lives of numerous widows and victims of this regime remained shattered and real. The least she can do is to begin to take charge behind the scenes and appeal to the conscience of her husband to begin to lay down the foundation for a peaceful exit and a reconciliatory strategy for the nation. The Gambian people have had enough and 20 years of political oppression is a reality in the Gambia and as a result the fight is getting closer to an ugly end. And the first lady would be smart to begin to protect her family beyond the gathering of wealth and living a lavish life style at the expense of the Gambian nation and people… We remind her of the words of the great African American poet the late Maya Angelo “The desire to reach for the Stars is ambitious, but the desire to reach hearts is wise”
Contributed by Demba Baldeh