President Jammeh once again received a rousing orchestrated welcome back to the Gambia after what could go down in history as the worst and most humiliating performance he has ever undertaken during his Presidency. The President whose absolute reign dare not be challenged in any shape or form in the four corners of the Gambia quietly left the country to attend the 68th UN General Assembly in New York, his first in at least several years. His high profile delegation accompanied by his own wife and children a rare company seen in his 19th years rule over the tiny West African nation depicted of his confidence that he thought he has earned the security and privilege to go about his business anywhere in the world without fear.
His overseas trip one of the longest in his presidency raised concerns and speculations among many Gambians on not only security but cost to the Gambian tax payer except may be for himself and his entourage. His supposed plans were to attend the UN submit; enjoy the luxurious company of his family, visit places his wife had dreamed of proudly having his company on a shopping spree and retiring at a much anticipated house warming party in Potomac Maryland where he bought a $3.5 Million mansion over a year ago.
Well, as the saying goes, “man proposes God disposes”. The President unexpectedly met the fiercest resistances and humiliation in his life time from Gambian dissidents who travelled from many cities in the East Coast of the United States to welcome the President. This time it wasn’t a mere green boys and girls dressed in APRC camouflage shaking their buddies in front of a Self-appointed dimi God cum President holding a Holy Koran and a king like symbol in his hands. It was the much determined and increasingly angry Gambian activists who stole the show. President Jammeh was confronted from the first day he stepped in New York to the last hour he flew to the airport with all dreams of a memorable vacation shattered in pieces. Insults and distasteful name callings were thrown at him and his delegation – something many celebrated as a fair game and a taste of his own medicine. The New York visit will go down in history as the beginning and the end of demystifying a President who has not spared any Gambian citizen who has crossed paths with him.
As the President’s visit to UN left drama foot prints in the streets of New York and in many Gambians’ minds, the Gambian leader and his delegation hurriedly left the US back to a nostalgic environment they had missed for just one week but which seem like a decade to them. The reality they faced in the US where citizens stood up for their rights and expressed their feelings seem like day and night in contrast to a subdued, deceptive and willful submission to a leader who does not care for any of the people submitting to his power.
As usual, the cheer leader in chief and master of deceptive propaganda Vice President Isatou Njie-Saidy hastily organized a welcome parade to counter and show the President that he was still their savior and the provider of their daily bread and butter. This gesture put into proper perspective like many before shows a nervous Vice President and people who fear the cruel leader who has no loyalty and always lays blame of his problems on the shoulders of those close to his power. As a result, Dr. Njie-Saidy mobilized the usual green parade to boost the President’s morale which was dampened by his opponents in New York.
Wasn’t it the same Dr. Njie Saidy along with the disgraced Dr. Njogu Bah, Former Secretary General Minister of Presidential affairs now jib jiving between courts who organized a parade in support of the President when the EU issued their 17 point demands to hold the government accountable to human right violations? Didn’t we see the same publicity stunt and deceptive behavior when the nine Mile II Prisoners were executed and the government denied it before shamefully admitting killing all nine prisoners and then went on a damage control invoking the constitution in justifying their brutal executions? Dr. Njie-Saidy’s deceptive calculation to appease this president is slowly catching up with her. The writings are on the wall and no amounts of public manipulation will safe this government from going down in history in the ugliest of manners.
The bottom line is that Gambians can now be comforted that we have studied the patterns of this government and clearly understand their failed strategies time and again. It is becoming clearer that any time this President screws up and faces humiliation is when we see the ‘Bugarabuh’ parades masquerading in love and loyalty to President Jammeh. The indisputable fact remains that Jammeh and his APRC supporters were mercilessly defeated by Gambian Diaspora activists that has fueled beyond any believe the confident of the Gambian people on the ground that it is time to take up on Jammeh. Sooner rather than later we will see mass protest in Gambia as the mysterious magical myth of Jammeh’s absolute power has been muscled to zero by Diaspora activists.