Dictatorship has moved Gambia from the once economic heart of the region, lost its unique identity of the smiling coast, to an enormous liability as the country is under the weight of irredeemable failures, lost its financial footing, crimes against humanity is a badge of honor for the regime, the regime ignores its responsibilities for the citizens, issues are unaddressed, dysfunctional institutions, rampant crime, crumbling infrastructures and best are no longer with us. From all that evidence, the bad elements of the world see Yaya Jammeh’s hang a sign outside Gambia skies of “pay-to-play” at your satisfaction as long as you pay his palm-greasing cut. They see a golden opportunity of failed state which its leader has taken sort of perverse pride of being a dictatorship that would allow Gambia’s name to be use for illegal activities as long as his palm is greased with dollars and euros.
Considering the cost of what dictatorship has done to Gambia. Senegal is avoid making this a bad precedent in the future by acting as if they are distracted with their homegrown issues. They are cleverly educating its public through civic education, comedy, keeping a watchful eye, exposing the hidden cost of dictatorship which builds to a crescendo of crony capitalism. It’s no secret that Senegalese watches Gambia as a case study to raise awareness of the bad effects of military dictatorship on a once vibrant democracy. Gambia was one of the few, if not only African country that once produces the smartest and best-behaved intellectuals occupying high positions in world top jobs but military dictatorship bad decisions has risked all of that. They act as if they are not concentrating of happenings in their backyard but they play their game a little different —better — and smarter. They are preparing their citizens for the high-tech global economy, and helping those who are already facing a tougher road than their more well-off peers.
Alarmingly, whiles the ripple effects of dictatorship in the Gambia exiles their talented native sons in doves per month to neighboring countries —looking for their next stop in life with disappointments of leaving behind their hopes and dreams, Senegal is attracting some Gambians and filling vacuum by breaking barriers to attract potential investors, expanding their port development, building relationships with west and carving out new professional careers for their growing population. APRC regime is doing nothing other than adding title for Yaya Jammeh and renaming popular historic roads such as serrekunda among themselves. It’s symptomatic of a trend that many observe that— every pillar which hold us as a nation is crumbling under dictatorship and has given ways to cheap form. The financial problems and human rights issues have also changed the dynamics between Gambia and world at large because —that kind of patience for cruelty against human’s beings doesn’t exist anymore. Sadly, too, the cultural energy that fueled Gambian democracy by putting forth people of greatest intellect and leadership to man positions has dimmed to a mere shadow of tribal partisanship and hypocrisy.
While other African countries now get the message, electing good leaders and praising their leaders base on their political acumen, keen interest in their citizen’s affairs, honorable compassionate positions, and their leadership role during crisis, Yaya Jammeh is in clear violation of all those responsibilities and finds it inconvenient to be a good decent man. Now instead of people— whom the regime failed at all levels, show their disdain for the status quo in public without fear and seek the opportunity for an intense desire to paved the way for a change by — choosing someone else better for shake of saving our country, they continue to pretending as if they are disconnected from reality. Of course, calling out for change in your heart is right but it’s also easy. Furthermore, it’s always disheartening to hear people say that looming disaster of removing a dictator is practically impossible.
Being part of change requires much more than “Yallah bahnah” and “muan len”. Those two words translate to “God is good” and “exercise more patience”. But Even GOD says in surat HAJJ vs 11: “And of the people is he who worships GOD on an edge. If he is touched by good, he is reassured by it; but if he is struck by trial, he turns on his face [to the other direction]. He has lost [this] world and the Hereafter. That is what is the manifest loss”. So let’s be sincere, be genuine to our cause and be our brother’s keeper rather than trying to have it both ways with dictatorship. It’s a lost cause to support a dictator. We all want Gambia to regain back its glory. We demand our elders being tossed in and out of prison to end. We demand an end to mistreating our women for pleasures. We want our government able to maintain itself rather than dealing with bandits to bailed them out of their burdens. We are tired of hearing the sounds of the gravels at our court benches coming from mercenary judges. To that end, let’s turn our backs on the Dictator and dust off Gambia again.
By Habib ( A Concerned Gambia)
