Lessons for the Greedy
The Independent (Banjul)
OPINION
December 8, 2003
Posted to the web December 9, 2003
Banjul
Seeing a powerful man and majority leader of the APRC for that matter being
charged with economic crimes is interesting indeed. Interesting, because
most Gambians would have never thought Burr Jobe would be netted, let alone
charged with criminal offence by the very government he defended through
aggression, threats, lavishness and arrogant propaganda.
No doubt, if Gambians are to compile a book on Baba Jobe, they would speak
volumes of his philosophy on governance, leadership, corruption, greed, and
suppression. And the underlined theme would be "who cares about these
things as long as I am in the hilt of power, nothing else matters".
Unfortunately for Mr Jobe, his power has certainly dissipated, so a lot
does matter in the end. As the matter is now being contested in the court,
so does the beginning of a saga that may open a can of worms. Obviously,
the sittings would attract a lot of attention, for many reasons.
The case will no doubt give an insight on how the inner circle functioned -
and also highlight the level of corruption that this inner circle was
engaged in. This will certainly expose the cultism attached to the APRC's
principles of belonging, through patronage, protectionism and cronyism. It
will also expose the depths to which men of power have sunk in clandestine
activities since the dawn of the Second Republic. It will also give us
lessons as a nation to what happens when poverty, unprincipled ideals and
absolutism merge: the picture is always very grim, much like being
nationally deranged and not know it, and feeling better off for it, than
being sane and having doubt!
The Baba gate saga will also show us what happens when powerful men go
unchecked, as well as what happens when people bestowed with trust from the
populace defer that responsibility by giving in to cupidity with the
illusions of loyalty. And here we speak of the National Assembly, and the
majority in the house. This is the very body that has decided to pretend to
forget the real causes of our faltering economy-and decided to back a
frivolous call of xenophobia- "blame the foreigner for our woes!", whist
they knew, much like everyone else that amongst their midst are people who
have contributed to the economic down fall of our nation through fraudulent
acts, and mischief, a conduct unbecoming of an honorable person.
Most members of this Assembly took a hefty package of D100, 000 from Baba
Jobe each-and were proud to pronounce him the majority leader without
stopping to think as to what that meant, and where the money came from.
They have applied the breaks now, but too late - the crash has already
occurred. The Babagate saga will also tell us things we have always known,
but many were afraid to say things that made us wonder as to where we'd be
heading and failing to make a connection between the past and the present.
Had Gambians not been shamed when certain elements of the PPP were exposed
for corrupt practices barely eight years ago? And had not a new oligarchy
replaced an old one? How could this happen, and why has it happened? We
have always been confronted with these fundamental questions, and yet we
refused to confront our national conscience and answer or ask them, because
we were too scared.
The media has not faltered though, and will continue to advocate for
answers that are our right, and ultimately the rights of every Gambian.
Media houses have been burnt, writers have been arrested and maltreated,
and the Assembly has chosen to silence us through their commission and
draconian laws- "who is WAJA?" remember that? And our profession has become
suspect by the people that deem it appropriate to bully, assail, and abuse
the power entrusted to them by the people, for their own selfish gains. Be
warned, praises and money are the two powerful corrupters of Mankind!.
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