Gambia! Gambia! Oh boy a country at a crossroad loaded with ideological indifference. Some struggling for political supremacy, whilst others struggling to cement their dominion on mainstream thought. The soldiers of fortune looting and robbing the homeland for it's riches be it the youthful population who are on a stampede across the Mediterranean for the illusive pastures of Western Europe or the environmental looters who are poaching our marine resources and depleting our limited forest cover as in the Monkey Park all in the name of development. This beautiful land cries and sob for redemption. Redemption from decades old wounds borne out of our colonial heritage. A country being looted from within by her sons and daughters of the leftovers of colonialism. A country whose off-springs lack the ideological homogeneity of nation building. Tribal and social barriers have become stone walls towards our march for redemption and economic Independence.
I have traversed the length and breath of this beautiful stretch of land we all claimed to love but hardly treat with dignity and pride. Yes dignity! See dignity impinges on our conscience. Once our moral compass invokes our sense of conscience which tends to guide our decision matrices, we tend to strive to do good for country. We can't claim to love Gambia if we hardly, if ever give back to her. Yes we proudly wear her paraphernalia and shout out loud "for the Gambia our homeland". It is no longer enough to to shout out love for country. Gambia is fed up with her doomsday pundits whose ties to this beautiful land have been severed long ago for selfish personal gains. Serious advocacy for our dearly beloved Gambia can't be done arms length nor via remote control. This ground is fertile and awaits her sons and daughters who believe in her might to come down and be part of the renaissance we all yearned for. Who have we become? We have morphed into creatures who inflict misery and mayhem on each other rather than fortify our resolve to build a great nation we will be proud of. Part of our problem is ego borne out of tribal supremacy or social deficit borne out of decades old complex of perceived inferiority. Gambians can't compliment the efforts of their fellow country men and women who are making significant strides in upholding our culture through creative arts or other entrepreneurial endeavors. The question I longed to ask my brothers and sister in the diaspora is whose side are they on? It is surely not the side of the masses if so, the persistent character assassination of our would be leaders will not be the daily agenda on our talk circuits. People who have been disconnected to the Gambian reality tend to have solutions to our festering local problems. We appreciate the goodwill of our brothers and sisters in distant shores and we also recognize their role in the sustenance of families in the Gambia financially. Their financial assistance especially within the political sphere doesn't warrant them to feel so entitled to the point of being a major impediment to our collective aspirations. I rest my case dealing with the "so called" online mediums once some of them called their audiences "fans". The struggle to build a better Gambia is not a popularity contest to boost or massage someone's bruised egos. Therefore I urge the owners of the social microphones to use their platforms judiciously in pursuit of a greater nation as talk without actions will not spearhead meaningful change. People should also know their intellectual limitations as they have by virtue of the new social media platforms become public figures not because of their knowledge but frequent presence within the Gambian social media space.
To my brothers and sisters on the ground, I urge us all not to short change ourselves or mortgage the future of our off-springs for short term gains. Our moral backbone must be our conviction to build a just and equitable Gambia where we jointly collaborate to usher in a Gambian renaissance. Our collective attitudes especially in the run off to the December polls has shown severe cracks and deficiencies in the character and moral position of our aspiring leaders. Genuine Gambians are watching and history will surely not be kind to many for they have put their personal wants and aspirations before country. Ignorance is NO LONGER AN EXCUSE for inaction. Gambia deserves better from all of us and the time has come for a serious dialogue between local and diaspora Gambians. Too much of hot air and less of constructive engagement has been the modus operandi and ENOUGH OF THAT. Gambia awaits her sons and daughters who will come down to the ground to make that difference by being the Game Changers they want from others. We are the change we want and it will only be effective if we are counted. Spectators can't score goals in a football game. I love you all and I do hope we take our country seriously and stop the divisive political rhetoric and that is further setting us apart. One Gambia, One people under God.
Nyang Njie
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