Red Black Nonsense - Of Broken Tongues

Our continent, over decades uncountable has been taken over by wars of many forms. It is a reality we have been born into and one which we have grown to accept. From tribal conflicts to religious to regional, we have allowed the Lords of War to capitalize on the hunger of our people and the inefficiencies of our governments to create such an environment that breeds crime which in turn breeds unrest. Since my mind reached such maturity that could acknowledge this reality, it has been one war after another with the hope every few years that things would get back to normal. Where civil unrest in The Gambia has been almost non-existent (touch wood) our land over the last few years has been taken over by another war...of words and ideologies.

When I look at our dear nation what exactly do I see? I see a different time from now when Kings ruled our soils and different families fought for control over lands that had little to offer, if not for anything but for ego.

 Decades ago, a nation was occupied by exiles and brought to such prosperity that can only be described as prophetic. Like the Israelites of old, theirs was the job of serving a master whose power was seemingly beyond reach as they built temples and amazing realities at his order. The only difference with the country I speak of is that the master was one of them. Knowing well enough that their paths depended on their decisions to forget the past and move on, they built what we can only call modern day Republic of China (Taiwan) which has become the envy of many around the world. We cannot compare such a scenario with that of The Gambia but it does paint a picture, doesn’t it?

 I recall as I type, the story of Prince Asfaw Wossen, son of Emperor Haile Selassie who after being deposed from the throne together with the rest of the Ethiopian monarchy, lived in exile in the United Kingdom before assuming the official status as Emperor Amha Selassie I, Conquering Lion of Judah, King of Kings of Ethiopia in Exile from which position he created such reforms that would later be adopted by another Ethiopian government with the intention of creating a better system of administration for the land he had ruled over. Before his death, he had grown into a serious advocate for a proper democracy with the establishment of a constitutional monarchy and an avid supporter of the rule of law in Ethiopia.

It is not my intention to confuse you dear reader, I only intend to drive a certain point home for our situation in The Gambia is indeed unique. I learnt more about our mentality as educated Gambians over the last week or so than I ever did since I was born – even more convinced of decisions I have made to stay passive on the subject of politics than ever before. Is it not true however what Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”? In staying silent, have I simply allowed evil to triumph? Is my definition of evil the same as that of the man that sits in judgement?

Thoughts have been flowing into and out of my head over the last few days and I must apologize on the potential length of this essay. It has been my habit to type as I think and I tend to talk more than I should. I do not know if that is a trait common to my fellow countrymen. What is common however is this facade of a war that goes unacknowledged; a war of words spoken and unspoken. It is not a war between tribes or religious group but rather of a broad elite and middle class at home and abroad; a war of minds and ideologies; of crowned cowards and uncrowned heroes. This war, sometimes logical showing two sides of the same coin goes berserk sometimes revealing yet a third side that defies all form of logic and leaves many a mind wanting more. Yet this is the fuel to our nation’s fire? Is it not? This silent competition within the confines of a political framework of outrageous slurs and personal attacks to no visible end does defy logic, doesn’t it? It is a war of two parties; Gambians at home, and Gambians abroad. Yet like every other war, it does not require the involvement of all to be a war. It only requires the attention of a “chosen few” with a serious agenda and simple ideology (in most cases more complex than simple) to truly exist.

One word which has resonated over the last year (pre-election and post election) has been the word “coward”. At the wake of the Arab Uprising, many Gambians abroad were immediately inspired and fired up with hope of a similar occurring in “the smiling coast”. With the sight of what has happened since then in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia, is this not a reason to check our words carefully and rescind our thoughts (not even in the bloodshed but more in the “post-bloodshed politics”)? How hungry are we for change and what exactly do we want to change?

After a close look at this war of words, my observations which I must admit might not be perfect (but would be pretty close to perfect) were that of a partly educated, partly uneducated elite and middle-class looking at The Gambia like a figure on a chart with a certain view of superiority in mind and matter (Them and not The Gambia). Now where these might not necessarily form the vast majority, they are definitely the more visible. Time and time again, I have had conversations where some of our people in other lands have called a nation of just under two million people, lost, misguided cowards. Even where I have tried to make a point, these have fallen on deaf ears. This essay is my way of giving up! You know what they say about taking the horse to the lake...or is it stream?

Then also there is this reality based on the past, but very much solidified by “war cries” from some of our people abroad which creates this image that ironically, the same people complain about. About a month ago, I questioned the professionalism of our journalists at home after my personal facebook status with comments from some of my friends was published as a news item with a view that it wouldn’t happen again. That is another story...very different from this one. Our journalists at home have many a time been labelled cowards simply because they are “too scared” to speak up. Yet the same people that label them cowards are the same ones that create this “frighteningly scary” picture of journalism in The Gambia. Again dear reader, that is another two way street. Even where there is a truth to that “reality”, just like the picture of “gun trotting gangsters” roaming the streets of Jollof, the picture has been painted so gloomy, it is hard to find courage anywhere.

How many times has a friend abroad asked you why in hell you would decide to head home? “Yow danga doff de...Gambia ngaa dem”? Yet this is our home and it is where we find peace and meaning in our lives.

Then the war of words is again of two generations. “My father worked with the former government and things were much cheaper back then...and people would say what they felt without fear or favour”...”My father works with the current government and they have achieved in such a short space of time what your father’s government could not even dream of achieving”. The longer this debate goes on for, the more irrelevant it becomes. Those born in 1994 when the change of government happened are now turning 18!!! The greater majority of our population cannot even remember what happened 20 years ago or were not even alive to know it. They will listen to the stories and hope to God the history books record the facts as they come but what more can they do? This country has gone past the era of political ideologies based on whose family got the sweet side of the fruit on either side of the political transition.

It is as if people forget that it is still their people that fill up the offices here. It is our Uncles and Aunts that take up positions of office either for selfish or unselfish reasons. My opinion essay on “Red Black Nonsense” is simply an acknowledgement that things are far from perfect in The Gambia. However, where concrete institutional solutions should be laid forward to develop the country we have come to know as our home, this political war of words which usually borders on pettiness and usually surrounds a “family bias” is the route we have chosen to take.

I believe we must reconcile certain truths if ever our people are to grow from a “developing status”. To me, as important as food self-sufficiency is, Energy is its younger brother. Since I was born we have been in this battle of candles, lanterns and now battery powered lamps. It has become a broken record scenario to even complain about NAWEC. We must look closely at our tax situation to truly be able to inspire entrepreneurship in a country which needs employment figures to start growing drastically even as our population increases. We must support systems that are supposed to stamp out corruption even as it is clear that corruption in The Gambia has been very much “institutionalized” since we started building this nation of ours. It is absolutely clear that even where the number of schools in the country has been growing drastically, quality must always walk right next to access.

After last year’s Presidential elections, a friend of mine in anger and frustration mentioned the quote, “every nation gets the leader it deserves”...with a sad emoticon at the end of it. I assumed he meant it to be an insult to every Gambian that was of voting age. I have spoken to many people who honestly believe that the nation we call The Gambia is made up of stupid cowards that only act as they are told to do...simply robotic. Even where opinions might differ, and views might be divergent, to attack a populace you claim to be trying to “free from mental slavery and oppression” is not only reckless, but confusing. Where one Gambian’s priority is press freedom, a poor farmer in Kiang simply wants to be able to feed his family. As a lover of literature, I hope the light I see at the end of the tunnel with regards freedom of expression (with the attached tag of professionalism and MATURITY) is not merely a mirage waiting to disappear, for true art is in free expression and anything less limits the creativity of a people.

Gambians at home ARE NOT BETTER PEOPLE because they decided to come home or rather, never leave. However, they are not WORSE for taking decisions not in line with another person’s beliefs. It is almost as archaic as “the crusades” to believe that...or even not so archaic, like Iranian laws that can sentence a man to death for believing in a different religion.

As a people, we need to unite with a vision of developing our lands; whether at home or abroad. This war is a senseless one which serves no positive purpose. The government NEEDS to draw from the expertise and talents of Gambians abroad in the implementation of programs and projects and Gambians abroad NEED to be a part of this development and still continue supporting through remittances. It is true that many things need to change and many things also need to get better, but fighting a senseless war of words with hardworking Gambians at home simply because they are “cowards” is a sad route to take

TGBA