Wait a minute. Watching reality unveils in Banjul, I am charged to observe with an eagle’s eye, listen keenly, analyse impartially and share honestly and adequately. Like most fictional narratives which ends in happily ever after, we in an ideal reality fathom more mesmerising and fulfilling outcomes more especially from our leadership. In fairly balancing the scale of in depth analysis, we raged at their immortality. Their perfect imperfections become irrelevant. All we want is our expectations met. Very human.
Agreeably, in a democratic dispensation anchored on lawful laws, sovereign citizenry, vibrant economy and healthy social cohesion, the leadership cannot but be assertive, swift and zealously productive. Even under such situations, errors and failures are experienced now and again.
Don’t go that route, they will chastised. Chill. My sat navigation is fully functional with the latest software. Moreover, it sometimes helps to cut off the branches first before chopping down the tree. For a starter, no one is in denial that leadership is faced with towering and slippery tasked of sailing the bruised nation to safe shore. That said how do we project the leadership in crossing that thin mark between speedy delivery of expected goals and cutting edges, failures and unfilled promises? A search for clues on the Gambian social media only generated more worrisome questions than answers. The voices are simultaneously loud, varied and confusingly unclear. One minute we love this and the next week despise it. We want him flex his muscles but he must uphold the rule of law. Yet all we want is development, peace, security and justice desk on democratic instruments, institutions and practices.
The fundamental desire is not to mutate a young democracy into an arrogant and insensitive statesmanship. Certainly, success isn’t far fetched. The signs are promising but care must be taken not to derail. A lot is marsupially wrong with the leadership, inexperience, inadequate capacity, nepotism, partisan and poverty-stricken economy. With all these in the neighbourhood, success can’t be magical. The vice president post has become bad blood. Entering into contracts without due diligence is helpful either. Gambians are definitely patience. To think otherwise is rhetorically bias. Errors upon errors had been made yet no placards were raised albeit the need is there. If that is not tolerance, I don’t know what patience denotes.
Now the baby-sitting and honeymoon moment must way for growth and maturity. What is the essence of experience, knowledge and wisdom? Presy Barrow. Don’t let us down. Please.
Sulayman Jeng
Birmingham, UK
