A gloomy outlook indicates that countries around the world shall face steep recession by the time dust begins to settle on the virus pandemic. While concern remain globally with the high rate of infection and the ensuing body count, economic instability continues to preoccupy thought in economists & central bankers around the world

Although it may be quite some time before any clear handle on the level of battering & devastation COVID-19 has had on The Gambia, early warning signs with lockdown worries & social distancing points to a weakening economy.

With no end in sight in the near term, local area councils are extra burdened by saturated small cash collection worries from a hard pressed population quite hesitant to part ways with their few paltry dalasi.

But even amid all the darkening clouds of a little less sunlight from the capital, Banjul, a glimmer of hope still flickers over #RiverGambia, if the Barrow administration are visionary technicians worth their salt. I will come to that!

Anyone dabbled in economic policy and governance will tell you that crisis are nothing new, nor will the latest be the last of them. In a globalised and interconnected world marred by uncertainty, Gambia, get used to crisis decision making and the myriad of challenges it presents to lives and livelihoods.

It is times like these that good leaders and governments rise up to challenge, take the bull by the horn so to speak, inspire and lead their people and nation to big and best outcomes. The name of the game is bold leadership, visible, ever present to rally & lead the way as the nation’s chief patron and spokesman. That is the expectation in a democracy even without a crisis – as seen in Tanzania, Ghana, Rwanda – Macky Sall, even loud mouth Trump’s America – seen busy at it night and day.

Current economic trends in the country does NO justice to the long suffering Gambians nor the state as such per se. Thou one is often encouraged & inspired by the resilience and entrepreneurial drive of young Gambians rising up to unmitigated challengers in a most difficult environment – there is little or no technical/ financial support from their government.

The leadership has a long way to go to catch up & match the desire to rescue & uplift every Gambian child from poverty. That, I’m afraid starts with food security, manufacturing, entrepreneurship start-up nation ready to exploit and export to the world. A desirable state of affairs creating wealth and jobs and riches – requires visionary calibre leaders positioned to direct day-to-day state affairs in the national Interest

So How can Gambia Profit From the Crisis?

See – There is no nation state on earth able to navigate its way out of the virus pandemic unscathed. But despite the downsides, political & economic policy decisions of various governments will have a telling forbearance on outcome, or successes to be had later on.
As the number of Coronavirus cases continue to rise in Africa, governments in some countries are taking sharper measures to help poor people affected by lockdowns & social distancing restrictions.

With its strong gold reserves, manufacturing and export trade surpluses, European nations, Japan and those “First World” countries have embarked on quantitative easing measures – printing free cash worth billions, even trillions in the case of the United States, pumped into their respective economies to keep it going.

Nearer to home, BBC Africa is reporting that Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, has said, ‘food is being distributed to the most vulnerable poor across the country. Meanwhile in Kenya, ‘the ministry of agriculture has said it will distribute cereals to the poor …”

The Gambia govt needs to come up with an economic stimulus package as social (security) safety net payments to the poorest families in the country. That to include recovery measures for local businesses through tax incentives on condition that staff layoff will be reversed. By the way, the measures deployed by govt to steady inflation and price gauging at the marketplace are positive, thus welcome.

But these are short term fixes. Long term measures however should see the finance minister hold a press conference allay public concern on the value of the plummeting dalasi in these trying times. He needs to reassure people losing their job and businesses facing closure that incentives are being worked on in terms of taxation, stimulus and that. Information minister Sillah needs to be more visible in the press; Foreign minister Tangara has to come out of hiding and update the country on the status of Gambian immigrants in harms way – China, Italy, Spain, et.al.

Devolved area councils too are in dire straits, facing a mini-crisis of their own having to cope with demands to provide services to meet expectations. From Basse, Kaur, Brikama , KMC to Banjul city council – recent sittings of the local govt sub-committee at the national assembly highlighted some of those challenges.

The administration needs to be ambitious enough – Map out a vision on industrialisation with purposely designated zones in all areas of the country. That means every local area authority must comply with land reserve measures for current agriculture and future needs. Requires the application of technology and knowledge embarking on an architectural design of the entire country’s land layout. Again, central govt has to way, to filter down to local regions enable municipalities to design their own short and long term aims.

Most important, however – in the midst of unreliable global supply chains and food shortages, the administration better rush to localize domestic production on agricultural goods farm supply in an effort to substitute poor quality imports. Gambia has to grow enough of what it eats. This must be the ultimate goal!!!

A Singaporean diplomat once told me its country was willing to stand by The Gambia on the city state ambition. Involves architectural map out of the whole country with resident experts in country + town planning. The question has to be asked if the Barrow government is ambitious enough to mobilise on such an unprecedented grand scale? The search for a better Gambia continues – A country that works for all of its citizens. #Debate #Battle-of -Ideas #Leadership

By Gibril Saine, United Kingdom

The Coronavirus’ negative impact on the world economy is self-evident, in that it has a cascading effect that will affect every country in the world and every sector of the world’s economy. Once unthinkable in 2020, it is now abundantly clear that the world is in a long global recession. In an attempt to slow the process of the world economy from going into a depression central banks and governments are now scrambling to prescribe gauntlets of economic fixes like quantitative easing, interest rate cuts, loan guarantees and stimulus packages.

The United State Senate is working to finalizing a trillion dollar stimulus bill as the Coronavirus’s economic calamity grows; in a sharp contrast with the bickering that characterized Europe’s response to the financial crises a decade ago. This time around, Europe has shown a sense of urgency and unity of purpose by announcing billions of euros in economic aid.

We live in a global village with multi-national companies in all parts of the globe; dependent economies, expatriates who live and work in foreign countries. As such, no single country will be immune to the looming depression. Advance economies are far more likely to absorb the shock and managed debilitating effects of an economic depression. Weaker economies in regions like sub-Saharan countries will unfortunately not fare well. The weaker economies in regions like Sub-Sharan countries.

The immediate direct negative effect of the Coronavirus’ financial crisis on regions in Sub Saharan Africa will be a reduction of aggregate remittances. Case in point, remittances account for approximately 25 percent of the Gross Domestics Product of The Gambia. These remittances help families cater for their daily bread. If migrants reduce remittances, families back home who are dependent on these remittance will be unable to afford necessities

Economic crises are a constant in life, therefore using remittances to create well to ensure crises in the West do not have a debilitating effect on weaker economies should be a topic of interest. While the effect of remittances on poverty is evident, there is no agreement on the effect on the broader concept of development and wealth creation.

There is no doubt that remittances reduce poverty, but the effect on wealth creation depends on how remittances are used by the receivers. For example, if the remittances are untouched under the mattress, then they produce no effect whatsoever. If used for expenses in relation to health, education or are invested, or refurbish a home, then net effect will be positive.

Based on the analysis above, the effect of remittances on development in sub-Saharan Africa is very limited.

Remittances alone cannot pull sub-Sahara Africa from poverty. A radical new wave of thinking is required today more than ever. What sub-Saharan Africa needs during this global financial crisis is credit based system to create wealth; developed countries with mature economies depend on credit to create wealth. If credit is available, wealth can be easily generated through entrepreneurial ventures, these ventures will eventually lead to job creation and better living for everyone.

Credit is a Wealth Multiplier

In Adam Smith’s book An Inquiry into the nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, he imagined a system for creating wealth and a better livelihood for everyone. Poor nations especially sub Sahara Africa should take this ideas further by encouraging the Diaspora to begin saving some portion of the remittances they send in local banks. If the Sub Saharan Diaspora saves in local banks, those savings have the potential to create more wealth, create more jobs and hence a better living for all.

Entrepreneurs in developed nations with mature economies use credit to expand business,poor nations should to do the same.

As long as market women, farmers, laborers, and businesspeople see an economic reward for their efforts the whole economy will prosper. According to Adam Smith as people try to improve their own situation in life, their efforts serve as an invisible hand that helps the economy grow and prosper through production of needed good, services, and ideas.

If given loans and empowered; farmers, market women, builders, laborers and business people working in their own self-interest will produce goods, services, and wealth. To become wealthier, these entrepreneurs would have to expand their businesses to produce more goods. As businesses expand, more people will have job opportunities.

As a result of saving in local banks, entrepreneurs will have access to capital crate more wealth and grow the economy. The premise of my theory is, if managed effectively the impact of remittances from Sub Saharan Migrants have a greater dimension and can be used as a powerful force to reduce poverty because the invisible hand will turn self directed gain into social and economic benefit for all.

By Ebrima Conteh, Lamin Village

Good Morning Mr President,

I greet with you neither cheers nor jeers; I approach you on this matter with a sombre disposition given the urgency of our situation regarding the subject of this epistle. This is the fourth week since I released the first of these letters and the situation has actually worsened partly due to your own ineffectiveness in leading us as a nation.

I must admit that I am aware of some recent improvements in the way your government is handling this coronavirus pandemic but why did you have to wait till things go deadly before you take the most recent moves you have made. I still want to congratulate you for the recent steps you have taken albeit the public is not in the know, thanks to your comatose Public Relations Department at State House. I wish to thank you for taking some of my advice on this matter and I pray that Allah continues to guide and strengthen you and the office you hold now and until the day you pack and leave, hopefully in less than 21 months.

Your Excellency, we have a problem! At a time when this country is faced with our most deadly challenge, the man heading efforts to ward off the menace does not have the personality, sense of clarity and persuasiveness to #lead us to safety.

Your health Minister is a colleague of mine; I worked with Dr. Samateh from 2013 to 2014 when I served our country as Presidential Affairs Minister and Head of the Civil Service with keen interest in the health sector. This man actually did help me a lot with his services as personal physician for close relatives of mine and so I hold no grudge or ill feeling against him.

But the fact is that Dr. Samateh may be a good surgeon but he is not blessed with the requisite leadership qualities to lead a whole Ministry of Health at any time; talk less of a scary period like this when the marauding Coronavirus seeks to snuff the very life force out of our bodies.

Your Excellency, it is in view of the forgoing that I made a Facebook post as follows:

And surely one of the most effective moves that could help us contain this corona pandemic is for President Barrow to fire his Health Minister.

I love Dr Samateh but he doesn’t have what it takes to provide us with the proactive #leadership that we need to survive this menace…

I am not saying that Samateh should be kicked out…

But Barrow can #relieve him of his appointment and redeploy him elsewhere with the same salary and benefits to protect our health/lives.

Tonyaa kesso yeh execute.

#CantCageMe

This post went viral with lots of debate surrounding it. Those who do not agree with me actually went beyond the subject matter to even attack me personally with intent to silence me. But they made the biggest mistake because criticism only emboldens me and I have vowed to live my hashtag #CantCageMe. I am a pure descendant of the ancestors of the late Mama Tamba Jammeh from the Confederacy called Badibu Bijankerr so I can never be intimidated into silence.

Subsequently I made another post, not merely out of defiance but with a view to further clarify my line of thinking for those honest critics of my opinion who wished to further understand my line of thinking. The following was the follow up post:

If you know the level of internal wrangling, turf wars and down right lethargy @ the Ministry of Health, then you would understand why I am calling for the removal of the Minister…

The timing is just perfect for Samateh to either resign or be fired. My stance on this holds with or without the #coronavirus pandemic.

The guy, very nice and cool, is not fit for the #leadership job he has been entrusted with.

I love and respect Dr. Samateh but Gambia is bigger and dearer to me.

This is not the time to be nice and diplomatic. Coronavirus is deadly and our Ministry of

Health is not ready to handle this under their current leadership…

#CantCageMe

A few days after the above post, media reports emerged that a young man lost his life after he was rushed to the Serrekunda General Hospital, from where he was referred to Banjul due to lack of oxygen; but the ambulance that was supposed to ferry him to the referral hospital could not be started due to a flat battery.

Am I not right that your Health Minister should be replaced? Gambian activists and social media made no noise about this loss of life but if the young man was a prominent member of our society or famous social media celebrity, the noise would have been deafening. I am yet to see or hear an apology from your Health Ministry regarding this act of negligence. Is this the kind of society we want to build and sustain?

Mr President, I am not asking for any malicious or vindictive axing of your health Supremo. All I ask for is a replacement and you are going to replace this man anyway no matter how long it takes.

But why do you have to wait till a whole country suffers irreparable loss under these circumstances?I believe Dr Samateh could still be useful as a surgeon at the EFSTH.
You can even elevate him to the position of Special Presidential Adviser on Health matters but he cannot be the guy to lead the health sector and execute policies and programmes in these dangerous moments.

And truly Dr. Samateh has proven to be a good adviser. On one of our many tours of the hospital in Banjul, He advised me to construct a shed at the children’s wing and we did it. He was very emotional when he told me about a situation when he saw some women with their sick children stand in the rain waiting to be attended to by doctors. He spoke about how he was in tears that day.

His advice started a construction and rehabilitation spree at the children’s wing, the theatre and other units, under my watch.

Dr. Samateh advised me to send a team of young doctors for specialization in Ghana and I went straight to President Jammeh’s office and got approval to fund that programme.
The nice Black Ford cars currently being used by doctors with the EFSTH number plate came into being with advice I got from Dr Samateh to help ameliorate working conditions for doctors and I went straight to retrieve those cars from Yahya Jammeh’s car lot at State House and hand them over to Dr Samateh and his staff. I saw the truth in what Samateh said and I humbly went forward to execute the necessary steps to improve the situation.So this man can be an excellent adviser.

However, leadership is not a gift that God bestows on everyone. And it is my view that your Health Minister does not have the natural disposition to manage, inspire and motivate a team that already had its own complications well before he assumed leadership of their organisation.

Mr President, knowing quite well how you run things at State House, I don’t see you replacing Dr. Samateh anytime soon. And if that is going to be the case, then I hereby suggest the following to reduce the risk of thousands of Gambians dying because of his ineffective handing of the current pandemic:

Please call Dr Samateh and send him to see your irascible Vice President. Let her address the Health Minister with the anger and temerity she did when she addressed our National Assembly Members when they showed courage and decisiveness in rejecting your nominee for the position of Ombudsman. Let Dr. Touray prick our Health Minister’s conscience with some powerful words of admonition. Perhaps that will inject some adrenaline into his system for better performance.

I would also suggest that you send the Imam Ratib of Banjul and the Catholic Bishop to call the Minister and his management and professional staff; let these venerable shepherds appeal to Samateh and his team, for the sake of God, to set aside their personal differences and suspend the turf wars at that Ministry in the interest of saving lives. Let them advise your minister to let go of the past and break the habit of keeping malice with his subordinates and let them vow to unite and work together as a team “towards the common good.”

Your Excellency, I Believe that if the foregoing suggestions are taken into consideration, our situation as a country would improve regarding our management of the coronavirus pandemic.

Once again, I pray that Allah guides and protects you, your Health Minister and his entire team as you forge ahead in trying to contain the current realities of our situation.

Yours,

Momodou Sabally

Former Presidential Affairs Minister and Head of the Civil Service

Founder-President, Sabally Leadership Academy

Coronavirus is not of this world. It’s a hugely strange disease – and almost everyone is now beginning to know about it.

Let’s point out one fact: at no point in the history of the world has there been a disease that has overwhelmed the whole world and has stopped it from moving.

Coronavirus caught the world by surprise. Nobody really paid much attention to it back it December when it was just freshly emerging. It was a virus the Chinese were going to find an answer to. They didn’t.

I am not an expert on coronavirus but this infection is fast, furious, and lethal. In a matter of three months, this disease has spread to all corners of world killing thousands of people.

In China where it started, at least 80,000 people got infected with at least 3,200 people succumbing to the virus. There is currently no well-founded cure for it.

There is one thing this virus hates the most. It’s called dithering.

In the case of The Gambia, some declared the only one way to stop it from getting into our territory was to close our borders. This was as soon as it got to Senegal. We didn’t and we paid a price. We now have three cases. One died.

There is now complete bedlam over the disease. Schools, mosques and churches have all been asked to close. Gambians love shaking each other’s hand. We don’t do that anymore. We now elbow-bump.

The World Health Organisation has come up with a number of preventive measures such as good personal hygiene and social distancing. These, according to experts, can help one from catching the virus.

But coronavirus is a disease, and just like any other disease there will come a solution. By this time, it would have lived out its time.

Lamin Njie is the editor-in-chief of The Fatu Network. He has previously edited The Standard and The Voice. 

Gambia is a sad case! My heart bleeds for my people! They have no one to look up to when in dilemma despite running after air conditioned convoys on foot, the unending drumming and dancing under the heat with probably empty stomachs! Fighting anyone who is critical of their beliefs. Some will go to the extent of sitting on top of geleh gelehs just to cheer politicians who are sitting in their air conditioned vehicles with their seatbelts safely fasten and waving at them through the windows.

When shock-stricken nations are taking comfort in hearing from their leaders my people are crying on Facebook trying to find theirs! I feel your pain! I hope next time you’ll put your money where your mouth is? The endless gofundme on social media has led to donor fatigue when we have a whole budget that should be used on citizens instead it is for personal use. I feel your pain because we share the pain but the sad reality is I know this won’t change anytime soon because it’s a mindset. We will continue to jump from the frying pan to the fire each time we select our leaders because we do not measure them on what they can do for us to change the dire situation we are in but we choose them for dominance hence when they take that comfortable seat they dominate and rule us like their element!

Since we have no reassurance from the politicians we once ran after, the ones we placed in air conditioned cars, offices and homes, the ones we feed with the best meats and fishes while we struggle to even find bonga we’re now left with no choice but to embrace and comfort each other. Let’s be each other’s keepers since this COVID-19 is not slowing down anytime soon. Let’s put all our political differences aside and tackle this highly contagious virus! We mustn’t forget that we do not have the help, the leadership and support required to tackle this head on so we (the citizens) must do it ourselves for if we don’t we’ll be the very ones dying on the streets with our poor families! Let’s not be negligent! Let’s pay heed to all the precautionary measures put in place by WHO to protect our little Gambia!

I know it’s hard to achieve much without a leader in place but we MUST do this even without one because we do not have a choice and time is not on our side. I haven’t been sleeping, I’ve been thinking about my people back home knowing that if Covid-19 should get out of hand we will be doomed! We literally do not have anything and any means of controlling it! I have seen the efforts the UK government is doing to control this yet they’re already struggling with logistics, protective gears for NHS staff and lots more talk less of a leaderless country like my poor little Gambia. I am sad! Very sad in fact.

By Yaf, in UK

Let me first of all appreciate the many Gambians who believe in me and the work I do to the point that they voted for me to be among the only four nominees for the ‘Man of the Year’ award.

For me it is a validation of my convictions and my work that this country deserves nothing other than the promotion and protection of each and every citizen’s human rights and dignity where the State upholds the values and standards of democracy and good governance. It is a recognition of my drive to ensure that transparency and accountability permeates throughout our State and society so that there will be social and economic justice for all. It is an appreciation for my contributions in holding the State as well as political parties, businesses and indeed every individual citizen including myself accountable.

I strongly hold that it is only through accountability can we ensure progress, peace and justice. Only accountability will make our public institutions efficient, effective and responsive to the needs and rights of citizens. It is only accountability that will make our leaders honest, open and productive. Without accountability no individual or society, organization or institution will progress. Therefore, I am utterly grateful to the individuals who nominated and voted for me. I shall remain eternally grateful. You have shown me that the path that I am on is the right path and rest assured I shall never veer off that path. Nyaato dorong!

On that note let me therefore congratulate Fatu Camara and her company, Fatu Network for this groundbreaking initiative. Indeed, private initiative has been at the root of development in any society at any time in history where freedom prevails. The envious Nobel Prize or the Grammy Award and the Golden Globe Awards as well as the Academy or Oscars Awards among other regional and international awards such as the Pulitzer Prize are all products of private initiatives. Hence this pioneering work by Fatu Network is in the right direction in recognizing and nurturing the culture of service, excellence and initiative within our society.

The Heroes Awards night was a great event. The ambiance was scintillating and electric! Period.

If I have to offer any suggestions for improvement, it will be to also have a special category for ‘Sports Personality of the Year’ which if need be can be separated into male and female. Also I would suggest future programs start pretty earlier with strict time management so that it does not spill over to the next day. Furthermore, I would suggest organizers invite various personalities from various sectors and regions of our State, business, academia and society to grace the occasion in order to make it truly national that is worthy of the weight and seriousness such events deserve.

Finally let me express my deep appreciation by congratulating Mr. Abubacarr Tambadou for clinging the maiden covetous award, ‘Man of the Year’. Indeed Mr. Tambadou has made significant contributions to our nation over the past three years as the Minister of Justice. Not only has he led the country to accede to major international conventions on human rights but he has also made the Gambia Government accept rulings of the ECOWAS Court on the violations meted out to our journalists and other citizens and making the Government to compensate them accordingly. The leadership he demonstrated in the creation of the Janneh Commission, the TRRC and the CRC as well as the unequivocal position he took about bringing the Despot Yaya Jammeh to justice as well as leading the efforts for the protection of the Rohingya of Myanmar before the world court are indeed efforts that worth commendation. For these and many other achievements I strongly hold that he deserves this award!

While I commend him profusely for this feat I am sure he will also take this achievement as a further challenge to respond to issues in this country even more strongly and uncompromisingly. For example, it is necessary to highlight that while he led the defense of the Rohingya Muslims against their own government for persecuting them he will also bear in mind that in the Gambia we also have a minority Muslim population, the Ahmadiyya who also face persecution from the society and they need his protection.

Similarly, the incidence of sexual harassment against our girls and women is widespread in the private and public sectors as well as in the wider society. Until today suspected rapists are working in our public offices without being held accountable. Overall the prevention, detection and prosecution for sexual violence, early marriage and FGM remain hopelessly low because law enforcement is weak. This needs his attention.

Furthermore, the tide against democratic norms and human rights violations is increasing and it is perpetrated by the Government he serves. The recent illegal arrest and detention of Three Years Jotna leaders and the blatant closure of Home Digital and King FM and the harassment of their journalists are legitimate issues that the Minster of Justice should have stopped even before they happened.

The incidence of police brutality and corruption are widespread. There have been several investigations announced for several incidents of police brutality and corruption by State agencies and officials yet no report ever comes out hence no accountability. As the Minister of Justice, he is the chief law enforcement officer in this country hence he must enforce the law without hesitation. Therefore, this award must trigger him further to ensure that all those dormant investigations are reignited so that Gambians get to know the outcome and he goes further to prosecute those public officials and security officers found to be liable.

Finally let me express similar appreciation to the other nominees of this category, namely Mayor Talib Bensouda and TRRC Lead Counsel Essa Mbye Faal. These are two gentlemen who equally deserve my personal vote. This is a healthy competition in which everyone is a winner! With this nomination I hope they will also continue on the path they tread.
I wish to commend the Mayor for the efforts he is taking to transform Kanifing Municipality into a decent place to live so that our citizens enjoy their long denied right to quality, affordable and accessible social services. Similarly, I have no doubts that Essa Faal will leave no stone unturned and spare no person in ensuring that truth, justice and accountability takes place as we seek to heal the nation.

Gambians, if you had thought these awards were a joke please I beseech you to change your perception. If they have not inspired you until now please let them serve as an inspiration and encouragement to realize that service to humanity is the highest demonstration of self esteem, faith and patriotism. Therefore, let us all rise up to this opportunity to double up our efforts in serving our society, promoting excellence and celebrating each other. Thank you Fatu Network!!!

For The Gambia Our Homeland

In the summer of 2019, @KMC councilman, Kemo Bojang, had opined that The Gambia should pursue [and nurture] a system of ‘’democracy with Gambian characteristics’’. It came to be one of those memorable quotes of the year given the domestic political scene and trends in the region.

I thought it rather unfortunate that the media hadn’t picked on it unpack what that means with respect to Gambia’s socio-politico history. That disappoints. I trust seasoned observers on [Sene]Gambia society & politics will have understood what he was aiming at.

Unpack the scene

In the Arabic dialect, one of the major frustrations Muslim scholars contend with concern usage of the word Jihad. The term actually originates from the Arabic root word ‘Jahada’ – meaning, to struggle.

According to the renown Islamic preacher, Mufti Menk, anyone in doubt should consult scholarly experts on Jurisprudence before misinterpreting, misquoting sacred Quran text. Islam is a religion of peace, he continues, but there are many out there on social media spreading hateful vice contrary to the values Islam stood for:

Back in 2009, an official from the Vatican, Rome, had called on Muslim leaders & religious dignitaries, to apologise for Jihad. The uninformed church official made the call on assumptions of a dictionary definition of Jihad. The common mistake is the assumption that jihad means holy war – still taught in schools today.

So What does Jihad Mean?

Jihad in Islam, a Saudi scholar explains – When Allah (Almighty God) prescribe Jihad; that Jihad is an Arabic word literally means “Resistance”. It means to resist, and there is a list of things included to be resisted: First on that list is to resist against ones own inner desires. Second, is to resist against the temptations of “satan”. Third, which is the least one on the strength of resistance, is to resist enemies on the battlefield. Enemies here, according to the imam … refers to those who fight you on account of religion. To be clear, Islam is not a passive religion: Muslims are ordered to fight and defend their honour, defend their country against oppressors.

Allah SWT commanded in the Glorious Quran that, “fight (against) those who fight you.” But even where events came to that, the Muslim army was instructed not to transgress beyond limits .. not to harm non-combatants, women & children, nor of unnecessary destruction – international law governing rules of war adopted today.

The Glorious Quran has unequivocally declared the universal equality of all mankind, with emphasis on the sanctity of life. The rights of women is neatly defined, property rights, and of equality before the law. The Quran did warn against hypocrisy, and enjoin “sincerity” in all that one does.

The stress on ethics in leadership is well pronounced, thus paramount. One thousand, four-hundred years later (1,400), Islamic Jurisprudence has influenced policy making on nation-states around the world, as well as supranational at the United Nations.

In similar vein, the word ‘’secular’’ ought to be considered in context whenever apply in discourse circles. You probably have to turn back to ancient Greece or Victorian England examine the ramblings of clergy (church) and state (absolute monarchy) in terms of origin. In concept terms, secularism is the principle of the separation of government institutions and persons mandated to represent the state from religious institutions and religious dignitaries. Are the marabout-loving Gambian politicians able to oblige – your guess is as good as mine.

Secularism today, barely register political discourse in Europe or United States, preoccupied with politics of the ‘right’. Maybe, because, these countries bore overwhelming monolithic white “Christian” populations. Across Europe, churches are closing down in large numbers, hence the young generation either do not trust the “biblical” message, or had grown disillusioned with the church and what Christianity represent in their lives.

The divisions within Christianity itself are major, unable to unite on a single ‘book’ Bible. There is a sharp rise in atheism all across the Western world; and of the “religious” but in name only. Another sect of surprise is that of “Satanists”, devil cult on the dark side. Especially concerned by the proliferation of false prophets, doomsayers, tele-evangelists in it for the money – secularism gives you that too.

Gambian Muslims and Christians enjoys centuries old coexistence exemplified by tolerance & respect for the other. We should never lose sight of that. We have seen people shout barking mad of late – on both sides of the “secular” debate by the way – but have they sort to critically enquire about the type of Gambia we want; for our offspring???

Should we be concerned that outside forces are at play to sow seeds of doubt & enmity among the most peaceful Muslims and Christians to be found anywhere in the world? As a body, Gambian Christians are exemplary for the values it stood, demarcating church from state in its ritual congregational deliverance. Gambia: remember, all mankind originates from Adam: that anyone out there who tries to divide communities on ethnic/religious grounds should be rejected.

Having said that – I however disagree with parts of the country’s Christian-hood calling for insertion of ‘’secular’’ in the constitution. While their concerns are legitimate and real, I write mindful of the future in view of complexities technology imposes on societies. There is a danger importing harm imposing cultures that may injure or grandstand valuable [Sene]Gambia cultural values from stay.

As globalisation takes hold, with the destructive force of Facebook destabilising regimes, creating animosity in society – the institution of marriage is under severe strain – it is incumbent upon government to protect a solid social structure.

Religion, I’d argue, gives a solid base and grounding to a child. It addresses a rather physiological balance in terms of behaviour in the manner states relate in international affairs. The absence of that, in my view, may give rise to the invention of new burdens upon Gambian society losing itself on the big wide web.

For the National Interest

Gibril Saine