THE MISEDUCATION OF THE GAMBIAN

The yolk of colonial bondage and subjugation have been crushed but colonialism and its excesses have surely taken a toll on the Gambian mentality. A good number of our population are post Independence Gambians whose interaction with the colonials are non existant but yet still, they suffer from a colonial hang over. This existential threat has delayed our collective progress particularly in the sphere of nation building and national cohesion.

Our social elite particularly the political class have continued where the colonials left off. It is normal for the colonials to ransack and loot us as this was not a hidden agenda but a deliberate policy of acquisition and accumulation by the unconscionable British Crown. Having our own looting and plundering from our common wealth is not only disturbing but a perpetuation of the colonial agenda of under developing the homeland. The reason our forebearers the Maba Jahou's, Sait Matty, Musa Molloh and Foday Kaba put up a formidable resistance against the tyranny of the British was to restore dignity of the indegenous. This agenda was further agitated by the architects of Independence. Therefore having our political class subjugate our inalienable rights reserved and protected by not only our sacrosanct cononstitutional instruments and generally accepted universal rights amounts to regression from Independence Gambia to pre independence. The colonials made us believe that power lies with them and this was not only a fallacy but a tool of repression and misinformation. Once again, the political class since independence failed to educate the Gambian of his/her rights within a constitutional framework. "We the people" is a force bigger that the political class or anyone for that matter. Power lies in the polity hence our prerogative to elect representaves and leadership.  We are the custodians of power and the political machinery MUST work for our common good or we revolt against it in the form of elections. The English language is very clear about the position of politicians and public officials.They are deliberately and accurately referred to Public servants and civil servants respectively as they receive their mandate from us (we the people). Any well meaning leader will re educate the Gambian and address the deliberate anomaly that witness a servant usurping the power of people. Power must return to its rightful owners the people. The divisive political maneuvers of the colonials prolonged their stay and welcome in our homeland as we lacked a common resolve and unity of purpose to see our common enemy the British but we bicker and destroy eachother. Equally our political class continued with this devisive political weapon and this significantly contributed to the non Gambianization of the Gambian whose anthem called for unity and brotherhood. This ugly vice delayed our March towards the common good. It's time we sanction our political class for they have ushered the flock  to obscurity and destitution. A well meaning leader will restore power and dignity to the owners of power by educating and empowering them. We the people is cast in stone and we should not fear to ask for what is rightfully ours. We are the installers of rulers and the final arbiter with regards to where power lies. Booker T Washington in the MISEDUCATION OF THE NEGRO highlighted ignorance as an impetus in the advancement of colored folks. Equally ignorance is a road block for the upliftment of the Gambian at home and abroad as we export our vices to distant lands. School has gone through most of us and we have achieved the pinnacle of academic success but we have not gone through school because our mindset is still colonised.  Freedom starts with purging mental slavery. Happy Independence to all. Lets take stock of our colonial hangover to fight corruption, inequality, tribalism and nepotism.