By: Dawda Baldeh
Sheriffo Ebrima Sabally, the Alkalo of Kassa Kunda village, expresses surprise and confusion at the reluctance of some villagers to accept his leadership.
He accuses a segment of the villagers of jealousy and hatred, who are calling for his reinstatement.
Sabally emphasizes that his ascension to the Alkalo role was non-contentious and that he was appointed by the government without seeking the position himself.
Sabally dismisses claims of forceful imposition and urges dissenting individuals to approach the government if they have any disputes regarding his appointment.
“Some villagers are just jealous of me for this position. My father is the founder of this village,” he asserted.
Sabally, whose father is the founder of Kassa Kunda, asserts that he has always respected and maintained good relations with everyone in the village.
He emphasizes that Kassa Kunda is a united and peaceful village.
The embattled Alkalo reiterates that he did not force himself into the Alkalo position and would not have accepted it if it had been imposed on him forcefully.
Addressing the claims made by a few individuals who have made statements Sabally considered “dangerous statements against him,” he denies ever belittling or insulting anyone since becoming Alkalo.
He questions why someone would belittle their brother and mentions Momodou Jawo as one of the individuals who has made critical remarks about him, stating that he has never mentioned or criticized him anywhere.
“I live in peace with everyone, and when my service is needed, I respond,” he added.
Sabally said his appointment as Alkalo was given to him by God through the government, and if anyone has issues with it, they should approach the government.
Sabally insists that the tranquility of the village has been disrupted by a small group of jealous individuals who oppose his leadership due to personal agendas.
Despite calls for the reinstatement of the former Alkalo, Sabally stands firm in his position and emphasizes that his appointment was authorized by the government.
He believes that the opposition to his leadership is driven by jealousy and asserts that no one in Kassa Kunda would accept the former Alkalo back.
Sabally is confident that he will not be replaced as long as the community is alive.
In his concluding statements, Sabally cautions people to be mindful of their words and actions, reminding them that the world will come to an end someday.
He suggests that people should always make statements they can stand by and repeats that he has no ill feelings towards the former Alkalo unless the former Alkalo has them.
On the other hand, Sissaho Sabally, the son of the village founder, Illo Sabally, sheds light on allegations against the Village Development Committee (VDC).
He accuses the committee of pursuing its interests by selling village lands and raises concerns about transparency in reporting land sales.
Sabally reveals disparities between the real amounts and the actual transactions of land sales.
According to Sabally, it is not surprising to them that there are issues with the VDC, as they have been aware of the problem for over a year.
He claims that the VDC is following the former Alkalo for their interests, as he allegedly gave them the lands to sell.
Sabally states that the same people are involved in the VDC, selling the lands, buying them, and conducting development activities without reporting back to the community.
Furthermore, Sabally reveals that they have discovered discrepancies between the amounts reported by the VDC and the actual selling prices of the lands.
He suggests that the VDC is only following the former Alkalo, who is now visually impaired, because they have not experienced any land sales since the appointment of the new Alkalo.
“The current problem arose when the VDC sold lands without providing the buyers with documents.
They (the buyers) requested that he provide them with the documents, but he refused. This has led to anger and the emergence of these issues.
The land buyers are now demanding their documents or their money, which the VDC is unable to provide,” he explained.
Sabally questions why the VDC is involved in Alkalo appointments if they have no interest in it.
Lamin Njie, a supporter of the current Alkalo, believes that the controversy is instigated by a small group of individuals seeking personal gains through land sales.
He asserts that the majority of Kassa Kunda residents support the new Alkalo and dismisses the involvement of certain individuals in land sale documents as baseless.
Interview credit: Buba Gagigo, Kerr Fatou
