Dear Sir,
THE RATIONALITY OF A LEADER
History punctuates it is the fate of some to be born great. Others achieve greatness by personifying the dominant spirit of their time that their names are given the eras they live. While a handful of people are propelled into greatness by the hand of chance. However, the greatest of all, Honourable Kandeh, are those who achieve greatness. They wear its badge with humility and sincerity. For those who are great per chance, wear it as a badge of honour. Undesirably, such people often fall from grace to amazing disgrace. They do not understand neither appreciate what it takes to be great. They treat everyone else as a lesser person. Trampling on the esteem, rights and feelings of others fill their emptiness with diluted pleasure and a sense of accomplishment. Such persons, when their time comes to pass, are remembered with appalling disgust. The same can be said of leadership.
Similarly, as humans Hon Kandeh, we often reach certain heights in our lives when it seems everyone adores us beyond comprehension. Some will burst into uncontrollable tears at the mere sight of us while others fight fiercely in our defence irrespective whether we are right or wrong. For them, we are the embodiment of their dreams. Whatever we say or do shape their lives and how they perceive everything else. For instance, the way we dress, talk, walk and relate with others mark indelible imprints in their hearts and minds. If we let drown in the glossy ecstasy of that cosmetic fame and power, we often tend to act God and lose our human values. Instead of reciprocating the love and care showered on us by our admirers and followers, we treat them as lesser beings. We humiliate, insult, snob and trample them yet they come back to us forgivingly with open arms. Well, God sometimes test us to measure our faith and humility with wealth, power, beauty, fame and children. Therefore, it is fitting to assert Hon Kandeh that those who failed abysmally, God sends them crashing down from the peak of their grace to an amazing bottomless disgrace.
I write you this open letter convinced that there is nothing gratifying than being solemn to one’s personal truth and conviction. You and your party are on record testifying your commitment to be part of the opposition coalition to present a single candidate against Jammeh in the December 2016 presidential election. Following the aftermath of signing the convention for the coalition by the other opposition parties, your party came up with two conditions for you to partake in the coalition:
1. That each participating Party fulfil IEC baseline conditions, for example, presenting 5000 eligible voters, and,
2. An open nationwide Primary to be voted by the electorate and not Party delegates.
Ideally, your proposal harbours a legitimate proposition. Regrettably, option two is not only unrealistic but farfetched given the political, economic and realistic situation of the current political climate. For example, for a nationwide primary to be held Hon Kandeh, voters need to be registered, the registration process requires funding and time is needed for all parties to campaign. Given that time is limited and funds are not readily available, one can aptly conclude that you are attempting to resuscitate the dead by proposing a nationwide primary without availing all the necessary apparatus in realizing it.
The 5000 eligible voters for each party is legitimate and realizable. On the other hand, Hon Kandeh, a leader who alerts him or herself to the fact that governing a nation requires collective responsibility will engage his or her citizens in shaping clear and smooth routes for national development, peace, prosperity and security. He or she appreciates the fact that sovereignty resides in the people. Such a leader is not timid in relinquishing power and/or personal goal for national interest. Perhaps at this juncture, you may be wondering what do I gain in letting go my proposal and joining the coalition. As I write you this letter, many Gambians who still adores and are ready to for you want you to join and leader the coalition. However, you cannot impose yourself as a leader, you need to be elected. This is an opportunity for you to test your popularity before the December polls. If you decide to go sole, you will not only lose the polls but also the love and respect that many Gambians holds for you. The worst thing a person can do to his or her self-esteem and pride is to cross the line of respect and trust others have for him or her without even realizing it. Such a person matches on fortified with false hopes that he is still adored and honoured by his family, neighbours and community not knowing that he has become the scorn of society, Hon Kandeh.
Furthermore, Hon Kandeh, one of the most difficult creatures to comprehend is the human being. The human being is more erratic than even the English weather and its women combined. It becomes even harder to discern when one has two or more personalities: private, secret and public. Owing to this fact, a Wolof tradition has it that before one knows his or her mate; one has to visit him or her at his or her own home. In other words, a person is better fathomed at the environment he or she lives. Wisdom teaches that no matter the truth some people will always see only what they want to see. It went further to buttress that there are others who would take a step back to look at the bigger picture only to realize that they have been looking at what was there all along. For some it will be the hair-splitting realization that their lies have almost caught up with them. It is also interesting to note that amongst people is a handful that opts to run as far away as they can just to avoid taking a look at themselves. This brings to mind what an old friend once admonished: “Honest communication is where good and genuine relationships are based.”
When a leader loses his or her reasonability and stumbled with abhorrent power delusion becomes oversensitive. Needless to say, Hon Kandeh, such a leader becomes incredibly dangerous and a setback to freedom and development. He or she will not hesitate to slay, maimed, incarcerate and banish the very people he or she swore to protect and treat equally and fairly without ill will or affection. On the other hand, a leader who alerts him or herself to the fact that governing a nation requires collective responsibility will engage his or her citizens in shaping clear and smooth routes for national development, peace, prosperity and security. He or she appreciates the fact that sovereignty resides in the people. Such a leader is not timid to listen his followers and do what they request.
I and many other Gambians were expecting that you will water down your proposal by availing Gambians and your support base a light of hope for a bright Gambia by partaking in the coalition. I will not overstate that you will default on his promises to Gambians if you decide to go sole. Hon Kandeh, leadership necessitates maturity, willingness to sacrifice personal goal for the wellbeing of all, preparedness to admits one’s shortfalls and committing to rectifying errors and mistakes, the aptitude to acknowledge and respect exit signs, availing oneself to the people, being conscious of current realities, and above all respecting the wishes of the people.
Many Gambians are of the opinion that you are Jammeh’s man in the political ring and conclude that you will never join the coalition as your sponsor ordered you not to. For these group of Gambians, you are but a mere distraction and enabling means for Jammeh’s re-election in the December 2016 polls. I do not buy this assertion, but if you go sole, you will only qualify their assumption.
While counting on you doing what is right for the country, please accept my highest support.
Yours in service of The Gambia,
Sulayman Jeng
Birmingham, UK