By Essa Badjie
The Gambia is on a dangerous path that could see the miniscule West African nation plunge into a political and economic abyss for the long term. Since the ill-fated and irrational statement made by the outgoing President Yahya Jammeh to annul the 01 December 2016 elections, filed a petition asking for fresh elections and at the same time asking judges to overturn ‘flawed’ elections in his favour, the country is gradually heading into a perilous mysterious territory that could be beyond resurrection anytime soon. The egoistic Yahya Jammeh shamelessly spewing his love for country and her people is about to cause one of the biggest political and economic mayhem the African continent has not seen for decades. This is sad and worrisome and once again, our 21st century Africa is plummeting into the terrible pit of conflict driven by greed, lies and folly. This period of uncertainty Yahya and his gang of scoundrels orchestrated is viciously affecting people’s lives. It is now clear that the man always dressed in his white apparel never wished any good for our country. He cuckolded Gambians with his message of transparency, accountability, and probity. What is now clear is that, he never really understood the literal meaning of these words.
The Gambia with her severe economic problems running a deficit close to 10% of gross domestic product (GDP), cannot afford to live in the prevailing situation not now, not tomorrow and not next week. It is imposing a crippling effect on every sector of the economy. Public, private, and international institutions cannot be effective in discharging their responsibilities to the people as they contemplate what would become of our great country in the coming days. Some students particularly those under the university umbrella, professionals, businesses, and ordinary people are all engulfed in fear as they find themselves taken hostage by these unmerited circumstances. What is happening is seriously affecting productivity at a time when Gambians should be beaming with hope and aspiration for finally removing the claws of dictatorship for good. People resort to panic buying and in the next few days, weeks, and months there could be scarcity of essential commodities especially when other citizens of ECOWAS and beyond who contribute a lot to small businesses in the country are forced to migrate for their safety.
The refugee situation being created is tearing families and societies apart as people ran away leaving their valuable properties to seek sanctuary in places where their safety and security may be guaranteed at least for some time. Radio stations are being forced to close just because they do not wish to speak the language of the greed and selfish. People are hungry for news but they are not being fed by the very institutions surviving on tax payer’s money. Sometimes some comedians constrained by their ignorance and stupidity parade themselves in front of their audience but little did they know what in fact is being whispered from the crowd. Some of them run their mouths like people suffering from mouth diarrhoea. The unpatriotic actions of the leadership of the APRC is causing panic and confusion as they feed the devil with mendacities. The message has been delivered and it should be graciously honoured #GAMBIAHASDECIDED. But what did Lucifer know about being gracious? I am aware that people with impenetrable skulls (dumb heads) will never get the message that is being delivered because they live in perpetual hallucination.
In these trying times, the least Gambians need is to be locked in a political quagmire that is triggered by the desire to subvert the genuine will of the people. The tactics being used recently are nothing but signs of desperation from a beleaguered camp that has already been obliterated. #GAMBIAHASDECIDED