What Happened to Banjul? My Story - Part V – The Final Chapter

I hereby take the liberty to speak on behalf of all Gambians: “we want a better Banjul and a Banjul that works!” Whether you have lived, never lived or currently live in Banjul, I’m certain you will all agree with me on this. Banjul is the capital of The Gambia and the city should reflect that. It does not have to be the “Dubai” of the region, but it should be functional and relatively clean; not depressing, desolate and environmentally challenged. A capital city is supposed to be a hub and buzzing with activities; full of culture, history, innovation and ambiance, especially if it’s a port city. Proper city management, decent cafes, restaurants, parks and ample night life are essential to making a city come alive. They define a city and help make it unique, vibrant and functional. What Banjul lacked in architecture, it had in character and charm, but not anymore. Banjul is now on life support and the ventilator is constantly running out of power supply, thanks to NAWEC!

It is no doubt that Banjul has continued to deteriorate over the years, but all is not lost. There is still hope for Banjul. My goal in starting the Banjul series was to highlight the plight of the city due to mismanagement, poor planning, and constant neglect. Moreover, I wanted to start a conversation about Banjul in the hope that the powers that be will act accordingly, to make Banjul whole again. It would also be lovely to bring back the lost glory and the character the city once had. Since Banjul is one of the smallest capital cities in the world (households 6,744, population around 35,000), it should have been easily managed and immaculately run. As a deeply rooted and proud son of Banjul, I can’t help but advocate for the city, not only for myself, but for every Waa Banjul in particular, and Gambian in general. I’m not sure if I will ever live in Banjul again, but I would still want to see the city flourish. I have a mountain of memories there, and will not be very happy if they get washed away by the flood waters.

Before I go any further, I want to touch back on the previous parts of the series. I’m not going to bore you with any details, just a quick recap. In Part I of the series, I underscored the gutter stagnation problems and the breeding ground it created for “The Banjul Mosquitoes”. In Part II, I explored the perfunctory job executed by SOBEA (the French connection) in constructing the sewage system and how it added to Banjul’s continuing environmental troubles. Sidi Sanneh generously contributed Part III while my head was buried in other things, reminding us that the current government will not do anything to revive the city, and urged residents to start a gentrification movement of their own to save the city. And in Part IV, I gave “The Banjul Mosquitoes” their own story, deservingly so too. They've earned their rightful place in Banjul’s history and deserve to be in the books. My focus in this piece (part V and the final chapter), is on ideas on how to take Banjul off life support and provide it with a chance for a healthy and productive future. In writing this piece, I must not come across as suggesting, even remotely, that I’m an expert in urban planning or have all the answers for Banjul; nonetheless, I do have some ideas I would like to share. 

For any city to excel, appropriate management is required. As far as I can remember, Banjul has
always been poorly managed. Poor management is one of the main reasons that cities fail. Ask Detroit! I don’t believe any of Banjul’s Mayors and City Council Members (both past and present) have ever had a credible strategic plan of action or a blue print for how they envision Banjul to look like in five, ten, or fifteen years. Lack of vision and long term planning has immensely contributed to the city’s decline. I have always considered Banjul Mayors and City Council members as tokens, especially in recent years. The last Mayor of Banjul, Samba Faal, posted a video on YouTube in August 2011, discussing plans to construct new drains in Banjul and clean existing ones with a goal of creating passages for the heavy rains. Not sure if that plan materialized or not, and if it did, it was imaginary. As of this rainy season, the floods waters in Banjul have reached higher heights; and the gutters are still stagnant and full of debris. By the way, does the city still employ health inspectors? But above all, the biggest problem in terms of infrastructure relates to inadequate electricity supply. Power outages are chronic and widespread.    

City Council

In compliance with sections 193 and 194 of the Constitution, The Gambia adopted a policy on decentralization of the local government system. Currently, local government legislation provides for the self-administration of local governments by an elected City Council. Banjul City Council (BCC) is the decentralized city government system headed by a mayor and deputy mayor, and composed of the councilors elected from Banjul's nine wards. Since a city council is the legislative body that governs a city, the structure in which they conduct business should reflect their status. The Banjul City Council office needs to be in a more physically attractive structure, not the lackluster building they currently reside in. I would highly recommend that the city council either relocate to a more attractive building or renovate the present one they occupy, if they want to reflect their status. As the city’s main authority, it is vital that the city council conducts business in an environment that is presentable and elicits pride. What the city also desperately needs is committed city council members and a visionary mayor – a mayor who is able to independently govern the city without any outside influences. Since the election of Banjul’s current independent mayor, Abdoulie Bah, he’s yet to reveal the official short term/long term visionary plans he has for the city. And if he did, I missed it and would like a copy. I hope he’s willing and ready to fight for the city and deliver his campaign promises. If not, he risks the same faith as the last mayor, Samba Faal, and every mayor before him. 

In March of this year, Lord Mayor Bah (never knew they call him "Lord") unveiled major infrastructure projects for Banjul that include the following: New Council Complex, Concrete Roads for Banjul, Center of Excellence for youths, a new Car Park, and a new Abattoir (slaughterhouse). Have any of these projects broken ground yet or will they be yet another perfunctory job? After all, Lord Mayor Faal did discuss a plan to construct new drains in Banjul and clean the existing ones back in 2011. To serve as a city mayor with no achievements to show for at the end of your team is truly a disaster, by any standard. Being a mayor is more than just working around Banjul wearing a suit or kaftan and being called Mr. Mayor. The City Council and Mayor's primary role is the management and provision of basic urban services, but there is hardly any in Banjul. Is Mayor Bah still independent or dependent?

Solid Waste Management

I’m certain Banjul has environmental policies (the NEA exists after all!!); nonetheless, their implementation is almost nonexistent due to the lack of proper and regular overseeing of the implementation process. The environmental issues are evident. There is garbage all over the place and empty plastic bags and newspapers flying everywhere, especially on windy days, racking up frequent flyer miles they will never be able to redeem. There is no reliable solid waste system to speak of, not from the Banjul City Council or the private sector. This has now forced the desperate and irresponsible to dump their solid waste into the gutters and at the “Tan” (where the gutters around the city are supposed to empty into), thereby causing even more gutter blockage issues. A good number of the gutters have also collapsed with others missing covers. Banjul’s drainage system was constructed during the colonial days and linked to three pumping machines which aided the evacuation of storm waters during the rainy season.

Due to poor or lack of maintenance however, these machines are no longer effectively functional, and the pumping system is dilapidated. Unless the city gets flooding after a heavy rain to wash away the debris, the gutters are almost always stagnant. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water that is stagnant, shallow and high in organic matter. They complete three stages of their life cycle in the water (egg, lava and pupa) in about 4 to 14 days. As a result, water must remain stagnant for a minimum of four days in order to support the mosquito’s life cycle, and you can find that in abundance in Banjul. No wonder the city is a Mosquito breeding heaven! The Banjul sewage system has had issues for decades due to the lack of regular maintenance. The solid waste materials that found its way into the system have caused frequent blockage and overflow of sewage into the streets. Just by the lack of proper maintenance after all these decades, I am convinced that the system has also suffered some serious structural damage and some of the pipes may have stopped working years ago. Banjul sewage and gutter systems are an essential component of the city’s infrastructure, so it is critical to have a comprehensive inspection, maintenance, and repair program. For any city to remain habitable, maintaining a healthy sewage and gutter system is paramount!

Tanbi Wetland

Ask any Gambian who grew up in Banjul or frequented the city about “Tan” and they are likely to have been there or heard of it. It used to be a fighting arena where students sometimes go after school to settle their disputes in a fist fight during the dry season.  Still? I was never involved in a fight there but I remember watching a couple. It is the piece of wetland located behind the Lasso Wharf Market and extends all the way to Bund Road. Tanbi’s importance to Banjul’s ecological system is immeasurable, but it is now under serious threat because of the neglect and solid waste dumping. There is also massive encroachment taking place, with people building makeshift houses (mbarrs) at the “Tan” with no government control. There is serious illegal dumping of waste on both sides of Bund Road, with evidence of waste burning, including discarded tires. With Bund Road being a vital part of Banjul's infrastructure, it needs to be protected. It serves as a flood control levee for the city and it is the main road for commercial trucks heading in and out of the Banjul Port Area. Regardless of its urban surroundings Banjul has a number of areas that are of importance to preserving the country's ecological diversity, and Tanbi is one of them. Banjul's extensive mangrove swamps and mudflats make suitable breeding and resting estates for a large number of Palearctic migrant bird species. If you like bird-watching and live in or frequent Banjul, then Tanbi is your spot. It is very accessible and attracts a large number of birds. A bird-watching heaven! So it is crucial for Tanbi to be preserved and government should crack down on illegal solid waste dumping and the massive encroachment taking place there. It is important to note that Banjul is already below sea level and is at risk of going under water as sea levels rise as a result of climate change; so it is acute to preserve the mangrove forest and swampy areas that are very much a part of Banjul's ecosystem.           

Port Authority 

Ports are known to function as important gateways of international trade and, therefore, they tend to be seen as major contributors to local economic development in the age of globalization. Established in 1972 and as Gambia's one and only port, the Gambia Port Authority (GPA) is located in Banjul (latitude 13° degrees 27° North and longitude 16° degrees 34' West), and there is no doubt that it is a vibrant component the country's economy. Positioned at the mouth of the Gambia River, it is on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. The port is the entry and exit point and accounts for almost 90% of the country’s import and export trade. In addition, the port also serves as a lynchpin and 60 or 70 percent of that freight goes on transit to landlocked neighboring countries by road. As a result, GPA's has seen a steady revenue growth. According to the Observer News Paper, revenue grew from D748 in 2013 to D1.009 billion in 2014 (minus bribes). This amount represents a 35 percent revenue increase. Given this backdrop, it is reasonable to expect that Banjul (as the host city for the port) to tremendously benefiting from the economic impact generated by the port's activities. But that's not the case at all! According to Business Standard of India, Gambia was extended a line of credit by India to expand and upgrade the Banjul port’s infrastructure in 2014. This was in addition to a $45 million credit line The Gambia had already received; and prior to that a $38.58 million was extended by Export Import Bank of India for other projects. India had also extended a line of credit worth $16.88 million for the construction of the National Assembly Building Complex. While the port has been expanded over the years at various times and is now flourishing and relishing a greater revenue surge, Banjul (the city) has been left for dead in the dust for years. One can argue that the city itself has never really directly benefited from the port's economic success over the years. Despite the port's expansion, business growth, and subsequent revenue increase, Banjul still remains in the Intensive Care Unit.  Three quarters of the roads in Banjul are unpaved and the paved ones are flimsily made. A good percentage of these roads were excavated in the mid 80's during the laying of the sewage pipes and telecommunication cables. Since then very little road restoration or construction work has been done. It is also evident that the heavy rains and nonstop overflow of sewage water, coupled with traffic, has further accelerated the collapse of the roads. The eighteen wheeler trucks that transport cargo in and out of the port have also immensely contributed to the destruction of Banjul's fragile roads. As it stands, Banjul City Council gets most of its revenue from the central government to add to the sporadic compound rates and taxes it collects, and government's contribution has served as a control mechanism for Jammeh. "Vote for my party or else." And Waa Banjul voted for his party and the city’s health is still failing.  APRC holds all three Banjul parliamentary seats. Nothing but empty promises! As the host city for the port, I would argue that Banjul should instead get a percentage of the port's revenue earmarked for the city's gentrification and maintenance, and not rely on the central government for a contribution. This will prevent the total control the central government has over the city's mayor and other elected officials. It is crucial for Banjul to be independent from total central government control, and the idea of the city directly receiving a percentage of the port's revenue will act as a form of "separation of powers." The city needs to have some level of autonomy because of its unique role as Gambia's only port city accounting for almost 90% of the country’s import and export trade.  Of course, the central government can then audit the city to ensure that there is transparency. Misappropriation of funds has always plagued the Banjul in particular and Gambia in general.    

In sum, Banjul has come a long way since our independence on February 18, 1965, and sadly, not for

the better. From a relatively clean and well maintained to a depressed, desolated and environmentally challenged city. The electricity was the first victim on November 1, 1977. Then the Department of Health (formerly the Board of Health) became more and more lax in their inspections and enforcement of the health codes, and that’s when Banjul’s decline began. Excavation of the roads in the mid 80’s to lay the sewage pipes and telecommunication cables and the issues caused by the perfunctory job done on these projects accelerated Banjul’s decay. To say that the city has been failed by both governments and mayor after mayor would be an understatement. Banjul is not just a city, it is the capital of the Gambia and deserves better; and for its size, it is hard to comprehend how the city degenerated to what it is today. 2011 was an election year and Banjul’s then mayor; Lord Mayor Faal, unveiled a plan to construct new drains in Banjul and clean the existing ones. 2016 is also an election year, and Lord Mayor Bah has also unveiled major infrastructure projects for Banjul. But regardless of what happens in these upcoming elections, gentrifying Banjul should be made a priority. The city needs a new lease on life. There is too much history in Banjul for the city to be persistently neglected and left for the dead.

Off The Record with Momodou Ndow

Judge Not

Life can separate us, sometimes for decades. We all have people in our lives/past we haven't seen for the longest time; whether we went to grade school with them, lived in the same neighborhood, or we are related to them. And in the time that we are separate, for whatever reason, life continues to unfold. Depending on the environment we find ourselves in and the people we interact with, our perspectives may be different. Our environment has a major influence in shaping our lives and outlook. Where we live and the people around us are very critical in forming our world view and tailoring our attitude. Although we are now connected through social media, the connection is only “virtual” and not the same as living in the same environment and physically interacting.  

Often times, we claim to still know people when we have not seen them in 20 or 30 years based on our interaction as kids or adolescences some decades ago, even though we now live in different environments and are surrounded by different people. A lot of growth and evolution can happen in 10 years, let alone 20 or 30 years. 

Folks generally claim to know someone they haven’t seen or interacted with much in 20 or 30 years, judging them based on their interactions (however minimal) from decades ago. Saying something like “I know him/her,  we went to primary school together”,  “I know him/her, we lived in the same city”, or “I know him/her,  we lived in the same neighborhood.” All this may be true, but you still cannot judge someone based on that. Unless life has been stagnant for them, you probably don’t know their mind-set and way of thinking. You may know of them or knew them in the past, but that’s not the same as knowing them as a person.

For the most part, we sometimes tend to measure a person’s capabilities, attitude, mind-set, or temperament based on the past, when decades have gone by without interacting with them. We claim to know them and we judge them, all founded on who we think they are or should be. We are quick to bring up someone’s past and use it as a yardstick to measure them today. “Hai, kee kange lafi? Kee nga hamneh neekinaa sambata njie.” And it’s usually negative too. But even if the negative is true, that may no longer be the case. People do transcend adversities. 

My people can be extremely judgmental and malicious sometimes, and it is mostly baseless; and it tends to adversely impact our chance to get to know each other. If you knew someone 20 or 30 years ago, chances are they are not the same person today. They may have evolved for better or worse, who knows, but take the time to find out before passing judgment. In addition, we all think different and sometimes value different things too, and that's also something to consider. So do not judge, or you too will be judged. Take the time to know people instead, rather than believe what you hear about them or measure them with an old yardstick.

To Serve and Protect

I am not sure how long one has to live in the United States to have a run-in with the police, but I have had a few in my time here. I do not consider myself a criminal, but I don't need to be one to have run-ins with the police. There is something called "racial profiling". In all of my cases, a traffic stop was used as pretext; and in almost all of them, I was let go after they ran my drivers license and came up empty handed. 

In one instance, the cop ask if the car was mine, and when I answered "yes", he then asked how much I paid for it. In another instance, my entire car, including the trunk, was searched without a warrant. And in what I consider the scariest instance, I was pulled over in the middle of the night in Santa Cruz. As I was pulling over per instructions given to me by the officer behind me, another officer came from the opposite direction and swooped in, and the two patrol cars sandwiched my car. Caught in a storm of flashing police lights, I found myself wondering whether I was a drug dealer and didn't know it. Or maybe I had committed murder in my sleep and didn't realize it. But just like the other incidents, this one too ended with the officers running my drivers license and coming up empty handed. With no ticket issued, I was cut loose and never told why I was stopped in the first place, and I never asked.   

In 2003, I happened to move into a neighborhood that was a bit secluded. The house is on a cul de sac and a few turns are required from the leading streets to get you there. In my first month there, I was followed by an officer on my way home. When you are being followed, you just know. And when we got to my house, I just pulled  onto the driveway and packed my car. The officer then continued and slowly drove to the end of the cul de sac and turned around. After entering the house, I quickly went upstairs into the master bedroom which had a window facing the street. Standing behind the curtain, I peeped through the window (nobu style) and watched the officer slowly driving by while taking a good look at the house. 

Ironically, my neighbor two houses down was a San Francisco Police Officer. We got to know each other and he would keep an eye on the house when we were out of town. We would have conversations over the roaring engine noises of our lawnmowers on Sundays as we manicured our lawns. He had seen me riding bikes with my kids and doing other activities with them, and he always complimented me on being an active father. When my dad was here, he took the liberty to praise him on his efforts in raising me, and he told my dad that he should be proud of me. Because we were neighbors, he had a window into my life and saw me as an upstanding citizen and active father. Proximity made this possible. But if he wasn't my neighbor for 12 years and had no window into my life, would he racially profile me just like the other officers did, I wonder?

Crime and Punishment

So Jammeh’s office announced in a press release that they have discovered “one of the most serious economic crimes” during his nearly 22 years of rule. From the sound of it, this is epic and unprecedented! If this is "one of the most serious economic crimes” under his watch, I wonder how many other “serious economic crimes” are there and what is their level of seriousness? This also probably means that nothing of this magnitude (or even close)  has ever happened in the history of The Gambia. 

When the junta came to power, they claimed to be "soldiers with a difference" and promised to wipe out corruption. This was the basis of their coup. They accused the previous government of all sorts of economic crimes and arrested folks willy nilly. But it did not take long for them to prove that their claims were false and they came in pretense. Soon after, former Finance Minister, Koro Ceesay, was  assassinated for attempting to be an obstacle when the junta wanted to dip their ashy hands into the cookie jar. 

The “soldiers with a difference”, who were God sent under the leadership of Jammeh to wipe out corruption, ended up perfecting it; and now the “most serious economic crime” in the history of The Gambia has happened under Jammeh's watch. Chei lee! Who knew! Somehow, economic crimes have been happening for a while now with folks getting arrested and jailed, but it never ceased, and now the ultimate has happened?  Is Babili sleeping at the wheel or is he the architect and beneficiary of these economic crimes? Remember, this is “one of the most serious economic crimes”, there are other serious ones too.

Now this leads me to my main question: where does the buck stop? Is Jammeh ever responsible for anything besides living a flamboyant lifestyle and chastising Gambians day in and day out? After all, these serious economic crimes have been happening under his watch for 22 years now. Everyone and their mama is getting arrested for crimes they have committed, suspected of committing, or falsely accused of committing. See, no amount of arrest can hide the truth! A system built with lies will crumble under the weight of those same lies.

They claimed to be “soldiers with a difference”, but they never disclosed whether that “difference” was good or bad, and now we know it is all bad! It is that “difference” that brought us the brutality we are now facing, the daily dose of hassteh and disrespect from Babili, the never ending threats we receive, and is now unraveling the fabric of our society. What a difference soldiers can make! Did Jammeh commit any crimes and who will punish him?

A Lost Generation?

As human beings, we are shaped by our environment/culture, especially during the critical period  of

our lives (from early childhood to  before we hit adolescence). We do pick up new values after that (good or bad) based on our exposure to a new culture or environment. And if we are not exposed to anything other than what we know, we don't get a chance to learn something new and different.

For most Gambians that were under the age of 13 in 1994 (when Jammeh came to power) and those born during his rule, what Jammeh brought us is pretty much all they know, for the most part. A culture of public hassteh, intimidation, and crude insults. They grew up watching "dear leader" insulting the entire population while  mothers and fathers clap for him and continue to support and chase him around. So to this generation of Gambians, this is normal and acceptable societal behavior. So unless there is Devine intervention to help one refine their prospective, they stand no chance!

And what we see in Bai Babou's behavior is a direct result of the culture Jammeh brought us. If you watch the video he made claiming the audio was fake, and the subsequent video in which he softly admitted to wrongdoing and apologized to his fans, you will notice that his baseless arrogance, body language, and temperament, are exactly like Jammeh's. This is what he grew up seeing and thinks it's normal. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't have enough exposure or maturity to be able to refine his prospective.

Crudeness should be punished not rewarded. Jammeh was rewarded for his crudeness by Gambians, and look at what they have created now. Jammeh is insulting our mothers and fathers while they clap for him and laugh at his crude and disrespectful bad jokes.

My question to Gambians: is this what we value and reward as a community? Mbalax jarrna lee? Is Bai Babou's music education? Fahass? Gambia yaga neng njor fahass teh teye la gaina ponday! "Sen nangamtani ndey, mann yen rek la heef." Heef purr lan hana? Take the pacifier out of your mouth first before you can eat! Talent doesn't guarantee success. We have seen many talented folks who failed (from our artists to our soccer players) because of their lack of discipline and their foul temperament. If we don't raise our standards, we will remain in a perpetual state of confusion. Have we lost an entire generation to the Jammeh madness?

Gambia Nice

Nice is not nice sad is sad brutal is brutal

Intimidation insults threats beatings and arrest

Rape torture forced-disappearance and murder

Night so dark and impenetrable no one noticed 

Gambia nice!

Mass graduates in all disciplines heeming ataya

With degrees in hand fanning furrno

Employment seen at the furthest galaxy far far away

But will the backway get them there? Who knows!

Gambian nice!

Mandinkas about to be smoked like crack

To satisfy an addiction that’s further deepening 

Announced on loudspeakers and TV for all to hear

Interpreted in different languages and applauded

Gambia nice!

Sweet memories of big truck jew baa front and center 

When dust was kicked in the air forming a blanket of cloud

Dusty choices abundant and there was no going wrong

Ndeysan, balpuserr we miss you and please come back home

Gambian nice!

Cost of living a permanent resident in cloud 10

Too high for marijuana to lift and get you there

Alcohol has no smoke to attempt to elevate you to higher heights

Down to earth you remain to face the full wrath of reality

Gambian nice!

Free healthcare education and benechin 

River flowing and washing in prosperity to the shores 

Youths happy healthy vibrant and thriving

Prayers answered and fortunes raining from the sky

Belie walie talie Gambia nice!  

A Conversation with Sam Sarr

Sam: Dear readers, I was not going to dignify the perpetrator of this recording circulating on social media but after a second thought, I found it somewhat obligatory to make a short comment about it.

Me: Sam, when you are caught with your pants down to your ankles in public, you are obligated to make a comment because it is not normal behavior anywhere. Even if that comment is “oops, OMG!”  You are the perpetrator here. So yes, you had no choice but to explain.  

Sam: I am not crazy with all my military training from across the world to advocate the shooting of peaceful demonstrators under any given circumstance for that matter. I have broadly studied military law, the rules of engagements and fully understand the implications of the Geneva Convention.

Me: Sam, you are here articulating your military training from across the world, but by your own admission, you tremble when you hear gunshots and have shot yourself in the leg. So please give us a break with the talk of military training. You claim to broadly study military law and fully understand the implications of the Geneva Convention, but that’s not reflected in your verbal assault we heard on the tape. You clearly said that the initiators of the peaceful protest deserve to lose their lives and “you” would “fu*king” shot them if you were there and in charge. These are the rules of engagement you broadly studied? So much for your understanding of the rules.  

Sam: I wouldn’t in my wildest dream think that an intelligent person in this country will embark on the illegal activity of secretly recording a conversation with anyone without that person’s permission, given the stiff penalties laid by the laws for such banditry. That means, the conman was either unaware of the existing laws in New York City in particular or had simply taken the risk with the hope that I will challenge him in the courts and provide him with the cheap popularity he is seeking or perhaps the fast money he could gain from extorting his sympathizers.

Me: Sam, how can you talk about law when you want to “fu*king” shoot peaceful protestors? You are here representing a dictator who is violating the human rights of Gambian’s on a daily basis and have the audacity to talk about law? You represent and defend lawlessness. How convenient!  

Sam: I do not only view him as a coward and a conman for the unauthorized recording he did but in addition to not letting me know that he was going to share it on social media, he doctored the entire two hours recording into a twelve-seconds soundbite to make everything looked like that was all we had talked about.

Me: Sam, if the “coward” had informed you that the unauthorized recording was going to be shared on social media, what would you have done? Isn’t the whole purpose of the “unauthorized” recording for you not to know? So why then would he tell you? And it doesn’t matter if the recording is 2 weeks long or 5 seconds long. The fact that you said that the peaceful demonstrators deserve to lose their lives and you would “fucking” shoot them does not change. Yakor Wakh!

Sam: Well before the segment of the 12 seconds recording which I know he meticulously changed, I had already challenged the fellow on his evidence of his certainty that Solo Sandeng the UDP youth leader who organized the so-called peaceful demonstration was actually killed as he was strongly convinced of it before walking into the Mission. With nothing to show for that claim other than what he was hearing from the streets and social media, he changed the subject to why the demonstrators were manhandled for “peacefully demanding electoral reform”. That’s where I gave him my piece of mind about what I know about the “so-called peaceful demonstration” which in the past six months or so was the main subject of propaganda and fundraising  among the anti-Gambia government dissidents in the USA and Europe.

Me:  Sam, the only defense you seem to have here regarding your 12 seconds bluff is that you also did challenged the fellow on his certainty that Solo Sandeng was killed. How does that relate to or justify you “fu*cking” shooting peaceful protestors if you were in charge? Oh, I see, that was your piece of mind you gave the fellow. And in case you are not aware, the burden of prove is on your government to prove that Solo Sandeng is alive, not the other way around. They were recorded on video arresting him and have yet to charge or produce him. Please don’t talk about anti-government dissidents in the USA and Europe, Ebou Colley.  

Sam: Indeed, most of us were expecting some gullible fellows to fall for the incessant propaganda that I wrote about and published in series on the gambiaoneradio.com and Gambia Inquirer.com websites advising the potential mercenaries not to bite the bait and suffer the consequence. That the APRC government was indeed overwhelmingly voted into office by 72% margin of the population with the party’s popularity since 2011 growing exponentially.

Me:  Sam, you can write in series and publish all you want, but that doesn’t change your dishonesty and lies. It is glaring in everything you write. You should do yourself a favor and stop writing! You incriminate and further embarrass yourself every time you do. Your lies don’t hold your pieces very well, they are full of cracks.   

Sam: But then I am afraid on April 14, 2016, Solo Sandeng and his group of sponsored thugs swallowed the whole bait together with the line.

Me: Sam, peaceful demonstrators are now considered “thugs”? Where and by who? Are you into victim blaming?

Sam: I cannot boast about my linguistic skills in spoken Mandingo, but I can definitively say that I have a perfect understanding of every word spoken in the language. Hence, from the video footage circulating on line about the so-called demonstration on April 14, led by Solo Sandeng, there was nothing he said that suggested anything like demanding for electoral reform in the Gambia. That desperate excuse was a last resort of justification after the ultimate UPRISING failed dolefully. Solo for all I heard him saying in the video footage was his aggressive demand for a change of the government, period.

Me:  Sam, what does you not being able to speak Mandingo have to do with anything? Solo Sandeng had a sign that clearly said “we want electoral reform”. Also, are you telling us that Solo Sandeng does not have the right to demand for a change of government regardless? Sam, you should listen to yourself more.  

Sam: Although the fellow argued that he wasn’t following any of such campaign online in the past-big liar-I went on to tell him about the magnitude of the security threat the hooligans had posed to the peace and security of the country in their demand to change the regime in the manner they wanted to do it.

Me: Sam, you are not allowed to called anyone “big liar” after your boss (Jammeh) named you “Liar of the Century”. You take the cake Mr.! And don’t talk about security of the country please, you were there as a senior officer when Jammeh (a junior office) took over the government effortlessly in 1994. You did not only fail in detecting any security threat then, but you were also arrested and jailed.  So nyan nala with the security blah blah blah!

Sam: On a final note, my position on the so-called peaceful demonstration never changed since the architects of the anarchy started their conspiracy to the very day it happened on April 14 2016. That if you want to tear down a country in an effort to change a government that was popularly elected into office, then be ready to face or see anything in that uphill battle including the end of few to many lives, plus of course yours.

Me: Sam, again, please don’t talk about “anarchy”, you represent and ferociously defend a government that is just that.  You seem to be proud and bragging about the loss of lives too.   

Sam: Now that the whole nasty scheme boomeranged in their satanic faces, it looks like out of shock and disbelief, they want to resort to any means to nurse their wounded souls. If they have any element of conscience, they should blame themselves for any casualty in the problem they have cooked and dished in six months or so.

Me: Sam, forget “boomerang”, Jammeh is dusting off his guillotine for your head. With Gambia isolated and the noose tightening, your loose mouth and recklessness is the last thing he needs. You just threw in a monkey wrench in his already boiling sea of troubles. Watch him sacrifice you for acting up. You were seeking a comfortable retirement by selling you soul to the man who made you cry, right?  Guess what? Your mouth just did you in!

Sam: But, hey, the con artist is always a con artist and this is one con artist on steroid.”

Me: Sam, you conned people into buying your book, just to turn around and tell them “nahay mbowe.” You disputed the contents of your own book. Who does that?  Talking about steroids -  you are the dealer for the con artists. You were better off  denying that it was your voice on the recording rather that make this flimsy argument. Your boot-licking ways has crossed the line and your disdain for your fellow Gambian has been exposed for all to see. Everything you said is on record for posterity sake. My only question to you now is: Sam, what will you do post Jammeh? You can sleep on it.  

Well Done!

Well Done

In the front end you make all these promises, but in the back end you pile money up to the sky.

Well done!

You've done a wonderful job of tearing down the country into pieces.

Well done!

You've done a splendid job of selling out the country with your business plan.

Well done!

Kanilai Farms, Kanilai Cosmetics, Kanilai Mburu, Kanilai Transportation, Kanilai Dem Macca, Kanilai Tobaski, etc.

Well done!

Strictly personal gains you've pursued all these years. And now tax rates are higher that the plane you fly in.

Well done!

Meeting peaceful protesters at the gate with arrest,
 torture and death. And now Solo Sandeng is MIA and Lawyer Darboe changed.

Well done!

You deserve a round of applause for all your hard work that has left the country in ruins and in a perpetual state of darkness.

Well done!

Now who's going to deal with the IMF? For your services, I must congratulate and salute you!

Well done!

Deffanteh Republic

Jammeh's first defanteh was in 1994 after accidentally taking over. He arrested ministers and other high government officials and loaded them in lorries, confiscated their properties, and jailed/tortured some. Called them RATS and accused them of embezzlement and storing the loot in their homes in Pipeline. 

Next deffanteh session was with the British. Jammeh accused them of ruling Gambia for 400 years and stealing our elephants, zebras, buffalos, lions, giraffes, hippos, cobras, rattlesnakes and ningkinankas. I guess they left the crocodiles because we have them plenty, and Jammeh now owns most of them, but all others mentioned are now extinct. 

The 2012 deffanteh with the opposition was a good one too. Jammeh call them dogs and said he will not bark back at them.  In that deffanteh, Jammeh said “Is it now that I am using government resources? If they [opposition] think that the resources I am using are government resources, what do they mean by government resources? You know they are never specific? They are here to serve foreign interest and I don’t care." Then who’s resources are they and what foreign interest are they (opposition) serving? Be specific please! Jammeh also let the opposition know that if he takes back what he owns at the state institutions, they will not function. Even the state broadcaster, GRTS, he claimed, is using his cameras and that The Gambia Government last purchased a vehicle for him in 1995. And, since then, he has been designing the type of vehicles he wants and they (manufacturers) do it the way he wants them. Borom Gambia Y!   

   

How about the deffanteh with the domas (witches)? That one was weird! Rounded up some domas and gave them a cocktail mix to drink and spill the beans. How many were rounded up again and where are they now? And who ratted out the domas?  

Then there is the ongoing deffanteh with Senegal. How many times have the border been closed sah? Who’s counting? But my favorite Senegal deffanteh was last November's, in which Jammeh insulted the Senegalese leaders. He said President Abdou Joof lost because he didn't listen to his advice. He accused President Wade of discussing him (Jammeh) with the whites, and he attributed Senegal’s problems to Mr. Wade’s “ndel fondong” (bald head). He even threatened to “nan”  Nescafé on Mr. Wade’s “ndel fondong” too. Classic! And he called President Macky Sall a puppet. Deffanteh 101 right there!

Given this backdrop, I have some deffenteh suggestions: How about deffanteh with the economy and show it who’s boss? How about deffanteh with the crumbling roads? They need someone to set them straight. The electricity supply has been playing games for so long and needs to be wrestled down. Unemployment is pushing the youths into the Atlantic Ocean and needs some serious defanteh. The Banjul gutters have been stubbornly stagnant for God knows how long; who’s going to defanteh with them? So far, the Banjul Mosquitos are winning their deffanteh! This is just a tip of the “deffanteh iceberg”. Let the real “deffanteh games” begin!

Happiness and Fulfillment

If you ask people about "happiness and fulfillment" and what it means to them, you will probably get a variety of answers. The general approach to happiness is that if you attain what you desire, you are happy; and if you don't, you are unhappy. Win the lottery, get a great job, get married, go on a holiday, and you are happy. Miss the lottery, don't get a great job, don't get married, don't go on a holiday, and you are miserable. Or is often considered as a subjective state of mind, as when one claims one is happy when one is at a beach enjoying a cool drink on a hot day, or is out “having fun” with friends.

Webster defined happiness as "the emotion evoked by success or by the prospect of possessing what one desires." But this may sound shallow to a reflective person because they know that this kind of happiness is fleeting. Here one minute and gone the next! When the "having fun" is over or we finally possess what we have been desiring, somehow the happiness soon fades, and before we know it we are back to our disgruntled self again, desiring something new to make us temporarily happy again. However, more often than not, happiness remains forever elusive for those with such shallow views.

But if you go beyond the surface, the understanding of "happiness and fulfillment" drastically changes. Plato argues that we must be moral in order to be truly happy, and that it hinges on the four cardinal virtues: wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice. Wisdom is based on mind. Plato believes that the wise person uses the mind to understand moral reality and then apply it to daily life. The wise person is guided by prudence in the choices they make. Courage has to do with how we handle adversity,  but it also includes one's convictions. As a matter of fact, Socrates, who was Plato's mentor, chose to die rather than abandon his deepest convictions. Moderation (self-control) is connected to our desires. Human beings have endless desires, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. But it becomes problematic when we desire a good thing in the bad way, or a bad thing. 

Our desires for food, sex, alcohol and material possessions must not consume our lives in a way that compromises our character, but don't tell that to some people, they may accuse you of being jealous. Justice relates to one's overall character. For Plato, the just person has a healthy soul, in which reason rules the appetites and our desire for honor. The just person is fulfilled, at peace, and truly happy.

In my evolution, I've been inching closer and closer towards Plato's view of "happiness and fulfillment". Not there yet though because the gravitation is slow; the road is full of obstacles and other forces are pulling from different directions too. Growing up in a place where resources were limited (and still are), I was made to believe, for the most part, that material success is what defines and fulfills an individual. Your success is generally measured by the amount of material possessions you accumulate, regardless of your character, especially now. This idea of success has now led too many folks in my community to abandoned morality and dignity and plunged into the ocean of injustice and hypocrisy.

The "pretentious culture" in my opinion is a source of misery for too many folks. They will lie, cheat and steal just to impress others. It is simply hard to coexist with these types of people if you’re more interested in simplicity and gratitude. Pretension is a mask that allows you to be someone else, and many get consumed by it. Ultimately it can make you and those around you very unhappy.  Our relationships with others, while vital to human existence, can often cause us a tremendous amount of anguish. On the same token, our relationships profoundly influence, if not define many aspects of our lives.

While there are "happiness and fulfillment" prescriptions from thinkers and religion, it should still be considered somewhat relative. What works for one may not work for another. But as I continue my journey in life, I find myself rebelling against this notion of material possession as the yard stick for happiness and success, and define my own state of happiness. My quest for "happiness and fulfillment" has led me down the part of seeking health (moral and physical), peace of mind, and sound wisdom.

In pursuing these goals, I've been able to make enormous strides in keeping my sanity, distance myself from unnecessary contention, and avoid the rat race. Moreover, I focus on nurturing who I am, rather than who I should be. I refuse to surrender to the unnatural demands of the class struggle, my lucidity is too important. My objective is to live simply, live well, and try to make a difference (no matter how little). Overall, I'm in a place of contentment and it keeps getting better. We should all learn to appreciate the simple things in life more, for they can bring you the most happiness.

Under My Umbrella

In our daily lives, we use several different objects that perform certain functions to make life easier. We use a vehicle to drive to places, a phone to make calls, and a pen to write. What happens when a phone stops performing the function of making calls? Should we still consider it a phone or something else? What happens when a vehicle is now sitting on blocks in the middle of your compound and kids are using it for driving simulation? Should we still consider it a vehicle or a toy for the kids? 

It's been raining here and I've been using my umbrella to protect me from the rain. My umbrella performs the function of keeping me dry to a degree when the rain is pouring. When opened, the umbrella's metal spokes forms an anchor for the waterproof material attached to them to protect me from the rain. In sum, my umbrella performs the function of protecting me from the rain. 

But if the waterproof material is ripped off from my umbrella leaving the handle and frame, should I

still call it an umbrella? If I open the spokes, put my umbrella over my head, walk into the rain, I will surely get drenched. Should I continue to call this object that can no longer protect me from the rain an umbrella?

Generally, we all do. We may say that the umbrella is broken, but we will still call it an umbrella even though it's no longer performing the function of an umbrella. Granted it was once an umbrella, but it has now ceased to function as one. Then what is it now? It's definitely something. 

When Jammeh came to power through a coup in 1994, he claimed to be this "huge umbrella" that can stretch from one end of the sky to the other; promised to protect Gambians from the "rains" of corruption, abuse of power, and everything else that the former government was doing wrong. He called them rats, arrested them, and confiscated their properties. He assured Gambians that he was the "Umbrella" for them and they will never be drenched by corruption again. 

But when the storms came, Gambians found themselves drenched in blood from the torture and killings, shaking like a leaf from fear, and getting washed away into the Atlantic Ocean by the flood waters. As it turned out, that "huge umbrella" covering the sky from one end to the other, never had a waterproof material attached to the spokes. It has been just the handle and naked spokes all the while. How come the majority never took a second to look up? 

Fast forward to now, that umbrella is being collapsed on Gambians and the spokes are violently poking their skulls. Every aspect of their lives is being altered on a daily basis. Day has become night and right has become wrong. God has become man and religion has become a tool. Fundamentally, things are in reverse order. But it is forbidden to talk about it or attempt to address the issues. A functional umbrella is the doctor's order, if Gambians want protection.