My thoughts about us Gambians

Just opened my face book app and the status bar prompted me about what’s on my mind. I think I have a lot on my mind, but the most pressing and intriguing is the Gambian psyche. I try to understand us as a people and the more I delve into it, the more tangled and convoluted my thoughts appear. We are a small nation with multitudes of complexities and nuances that are nothing but noise pollutants. As a country, we need to engage the services of world class sociologist to help decorticate our collective profile and highlight the inhibitors that deter our progress for the common good. May be, Gambia needs a new national anthem because we don't understand or appreciate the diction that makes up our national statement. God bless us and give us the heart and fortitude to deliberate for the common good; for the Gambia is our home land and we all should renew our promise to her in good faith. Duty, honor and country starts with being each other’s keeper. Our destinies are intertwined considering the tight social fabric that binds our society. Therefore we need to join our diverse peoples to prove man's brotherhood. Gambia is all we have and Gambia is all we know. One people under god, one aim, one destiny. A prosperous and equitable Gambia as our collective objective.  

Ego, perceived entitlement and lack of regard for others will fast track our doom and relegation to obscurity. The intellectual class of our society are not only sterile but lack the impetus to live up to expectation. They are not an endangered sub specie but a group who have for the longest outsourced their deliverables to society and therefore lack the moral authority to complain. Indeed we have pockets of over achievers in furtherance of the collective good but the overwhelming majority are enjoying their hiatus in obscurity.

France a dichotomy between ideology and emotions

Milton Freidman once said that “there is nothing like a free lunch” and this statement is tried and tested. Equally the notion of free speech is over rated.  Freedom of speech is a universal right but with rights comes responsibilities and one’s freedom of speech ends where it impinges on the rights of others.  The Charlie Hebdo farce is hate masquerading in the guise of free expression. The laissez faire attitude of the French State regarding the notion of free speech perpetuated the hate and malaise that busted out in violence reminiscent of the show down at the OK kraal. Respect and tolerance are prerequisites to freedom of expression and freedom of speech encourages a market place of ideas where dissenting views are not only tolerated but espoused. We must say no to violence but yes to tolerance and diversity. The global hypocrisy shrouded around Charlie must stop. Our actions must be consistent with thought for the congruency of our moral position.

There are underlining issues that triggered the outburst of Charlie and it is a transnational European Problem from Copenhagen to Paris. The systematic abuse and entrenchment of the blasphemous publication regarding Prophet Muhammad PBUH and the degradation of the socioeconomic conditions of minority groups in Europe especially Muslim youths (Arabs and Africans alike) spurn this enigma out of control. The Government of Hollande and prior French administrations have no one to blame but themselves for the vitriolic venom dished out by the press and public opinion leaders such as Jean Marie Le pen. The far right has for quite a while hid under the guise of free speech to promote a nationalist agenda that will marginalize minority groups. Prophecy has been fulfilled as Malcolm X would have rightly stated “the chicken has come home to roost”. 

Robert Fitzgerald Kennedy of blessed memory once said that “few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events”, and going forward, Europe especially France should open up and rectify the mess they created by marginalizing immigrant populations within France. The youths who were involved in this malaise were not only driven by religion but by despair and discontentment of the establishment. Leadership should not be ad hoc or reactionary and the global response to Charlie showcased the moral deficiency and decadence suffered by our esteemed global leaders. The world idly stand by whilst innocent people are being murdered in Nigeria, Chad, Mali, Palestine and other hot spots around the world. 2015 should be a year of reflection and detour for the global order and powers that be. Social reform should top the reform agenda because peace is not just the absence of war and this world has become a hot bed of anarchy, intolerance and despair. The prisoners dilemma is the best depiction of the world today.

A colonial hangover or misplaced priorities?

My love for Jamaica and it culture goes a long way. Growing up in the 1980’s, I was introduced to conscious reggae music that advocated for the freedom of South Africa from white rule and black consciousness. The Jamaicans have a famous proverb “Dance ah yaad before you dance abroad”. In short, it means that charity begins at home.  The recent events in Paris are despicable to say the least and I sympathize with the victims, families and the French nation at large. My bone of contention is with the African leaders who attended the “Solidarity March”.  Solidarity March for who? Definitely not me and shame on all the African Stooges oops Presidents there present in Paris. Boko Haram, Poverty, Ebola, unemployment, Corruption and Destitution should be reasons enough for the African political class to have a solidarity march to help bolster the African experience. Shame on their collective conscience and they surely didn't represent me because our house is not in order and their leadership is needed in the continent. Chipuu. The slave mentality or the Willie Lynch syndrome still affects Africa's leadership. Master you sick? Am sick too said the African presidents to their French master. A colonial hangover in 2015 is blatantly unacceptable. 2015 African should be an individual devoid of all remnants of colonialism. Yes colonialism is over, but mental colonialism is still manifested in our elites who look up to Bai Toubab for salvation and guidance. Sorry to the victims of Charlie, but I definitely have bigger fish to fry therefore Charlie's problem is surely not mine. Besides Birr bou daaw wi kenen howmaa loh seh jelleh taat bou rocheckou. The audacious nature of our leadership demonstrates their misplaced priorities especially to their constituents in the African continent. We have witnessed the massacre of Palestinians in Israel did the “West” marched against Israel for their systematic abuse of the rights of the Palestinians? No they did not but the sad thing is whenever our former masters say jump; we hastily ask how high master? An utter disgrace to Africans at large. Well I can boldly assert that no one marched in my name for my ancestors would be so irate and spring off their graves for such acts perpetrated by our political leaders. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, President Macky Sall, President Mahamadou Issoufou, President Faure Gnassingbé, President Ali Bongo Ondimba and President Yayi Boni I humbly asked where your allegiance lie? Definitely not with the people of Africa.