The news spread like wild fire from social media to airwaves on a meeting of Gambians with the Freedom newspaper Anchor. The venue was somewhere in the middle of Grønnland an area in the heart of Oslo dominated by immigrants. The date was Saturday 14th of September 2013. I already made up my mind that I’m going to attend this meeting but just like anyone else I was skeptical on the turnout because of the element of fear that has gripped the Gambian community both within and outside the country. However phone calls started feeding in from people who express enthusiasm to attend the said meeting and I began to feel optimistic of a good turnout. As we use to say back home; the message drummer has perhaps done a great job in disseminating information to the public about the naming ceremony. This was evident when I stepped into the hall which was almost full. I sat down quietly next to a dedicated colleague in the struggle for Gambia, Mr. Mboge someone who is wary of former Jammeh enablers turned freedom fighters and is relentless in scrutinizing them in the online debates. The attendees of this super naming ceremony ran across the board, young, middle age and old men and women.
At around 5:30pm the “Kungliwo”(naming ceremony) kick started. A young energetic and beautiful lady read out the modus operandi of the day which she is to steer. As it is typical of any gathering of this type someone notably an Imam is asked to make some recitation to bless the gathering. Gazing to the right direction and then to the left direction, a makeshift Imam was identified, with a little standoff he succumbed to bless the gathering. Ah! Never mind that makeshift Imam was nobody but me. Anyway this naming ceremony was not an ordinary one because it is that of a stubborn despot who has ruled the Gambia with an iron fist for 19 years. His reign is characterized with inexplicable horrors of extrajudicial executions and disappearance without trace. Such a record coupled with buffoonery display here and there of such a character is the arsenal that has helped mystify this man. The strategy of the meeting through my very eyes is to demystify this character in a bit to break the shackles of fear gripping the Gambia community. This mission was given to Ex-Military lieutenant kejau Touray who dealt with the climate of fear. He exhorted Gambians to shatter the culture of fear if they really want any head through in the fight to restore sanity in the country.
After the Ex-Lieutenant’s deliberation Pa Nderry Mbye the founder of freedom newspaper was given the machine to shave Jammeh’s head exposing the hair splitting stratagems of this man. Pa said; Jammeh is afraid of the press and he has to some degree succeeded in suppressing the press. He cited the killing of veteran journalist Deyda Hydara and firebombing of the independent printing press among other things. “Propaganda and misinformation are Jammeh’s tools” Pa asserted. He added that the Gambia needs a total bailout that can be achieved by Gambians taking to the streets to demand regime change.
Seedy Ceesay of freedom newspaper was finally given the floor to broadcast or communicate the new name of Jammeh. People began wondering what that new name would be. But Seedy decided to ease the audience’s anxiety a bit and first delve into the pathetic state of affairs in the Gambia. Mr. Ceesay said Gambia is at a crossroad. “We really don’t know where we are heading to and it is about time we sit down and ask where are we?” he laments. He challenged every Gambian to utilize his or her brain cells because that what makes us humans different from animals. Jammeh knows the only way to get Gambians is to seize their freedom Mr Ceesay charged citing the recent act of brutality by Jammeh’s military in beating to death one Kasim kanyi of Lamin. He said the Gambia is crying but are we listening? Towards the end Seedy Ceesay finally hammered the new name of Jammeh that everyone was anticipating. He said Jammeh’s new name is none but “SANGKUYA” meaning year of depression.