I Cry for my country!
For being robbed of freedom, and dissent
For being isolated from the world
For being led by a mediocre, a senseless leader
For being deprived of democracy, due process and respect
For being reduced to a personal property
For being turned away from the league of civilized nations
I Cry for my country
When I look around and see so much talent
When I look at the UN and see so much experience from Gambia
When I look at the World Bank, IMF, IDB, C/Wealth, ECOWAS and see Gambia
When I look at top Universities around the world and see professors from Gambia
When I look at Entrepreneurs, legal scholars, Medical Docs, Engineers , professionals
When I see, hear and learn about so many young talented Gambians so much to give
Deep down my heart I cry for my beloved country – The Gambia
I Cry for my Country
When I see decent citizens being reduced to subhumans and humiliated
When I see mothers/fathers crying behind doors for missing a husband/child
When I think about innocent young men/women reduced to beggars and drug addicts
When I see the nation’s young brains being forced into exile for survival
When I see the elderly/experience who has given so much to its country robbed off retirement
When I see religious Imams/pastors ignore the teachings of their faith and appease a leader
When I see citizens turn against and tear each other apart for recognition by a rogue leader
Deep down my heart I cry for my beloved Gambia
I profusely Cry for my Country
When the moral values, basic fundamentals of respect for the elderly depletes into oblivion
When families are toned apart, against each other for a meager/temporal position that comes with curse
When normal decent citizens with so much to offer succumb and surrender to injustice and brutality
When political leaders fear for their lives for speaking up against the morally wrong and unjustifiable
When brave citizens are tortured to dead, children robbed of their fatherly/motherly love
I do indeed deeply and profusely cry for my country – the Gambia
I do in silence and loudly often cry for my country as I know!
You have more to offer mother Gambia
You can and have produce better leaders
You have more decent and honest citizens to handle your affairs
You can reclaim your respectable position once again in the world
You can again blow the cool breeze of the Atlantic Ocean for all your citizens
You! Little Gambia! can once again open doors of peace, freedom and respect for the rights of all your citizens..
I deeply do Cry for my Country and will not stop crying and fighting until day breaks and light shines in every dark corner of the Gambia…
Tears will dry out of my eyes but I won’t stop crying for my country
By Demba Baldeh
Associate Editor and current host of Gainako Radio