There can be good debate on this issue if we can be tolerant with diverse
views.

Beran


Why I Disagree With Charles Sam



The Independent (Banjul)

OPINION
November 12, 2001
Posted to the web November 12, 2001

Ebrima Sillah
Banjul, the Gambia

The Gambia is indeed witnessing a rather interesting period, a period during
which, all right minded Gambians should start pondering on the question:
"why is it that sometimes some people take us so cheaply?"

This is important because recent remarks about us as a people and the
country are not only demeaning but uncalled for to say the least. If reports
in the local media particularly the Thursday's edition of the Daily Observer
captioned "Gambians should revisit National Anthem Charles Sam Urges" are
anything to go by, then we The Gambian people should now urgently take-up
our responsibility of putting the records straight.

Mr. Sam who the paper referred to as an African Development Consultant and
President of African Hope International was quoted as having said on Radio 1
FM's Sunday News Hour that "as we meditate carefully on the precious words
of this powerful national anthem of ours, we would all agree that our
individual lives, group conduct and national life do not adhere to the
spirit and principles of the national prayer. Contrary to the words of our
national anthem, we do not value our homeland, we do not strive, work hard
nor pray, we do not live in unity, peace, and freedom each day neither are
our actions guided by justice." Interesting revelations isn't?

Charles must really be a good guest to know more about us than we know about
ourselves. To say that we do not value our homeland is really not only
dishonest but an insult to our idea of Gambianism inside The Gambia for The
Gambian people and those non-Gambians living with us in The Gambia. Since
time immemorial Gambians have been known to be hard working people who have
strived to make this country a better place for all to live in. Look around
Charles and see for yourself what the people of this country have been able
to achieve under strenuous situations. Is Charles telling us that he is not
seeing for himself the fantastic houses being built here by individual
Gambians? What about our great professional football players abroad who are
always willing to come and play for the country in order to put the Gambia's
name on the sports map? What about those women's rights activists working
very hard to help reduce teenage pregnancy, early marriage, harmful
traditional practices in the country etc? What about those national NGOs
working in the remotest parts of the country purposely to uplift the
economic status of the ordinary people as well as raise their political
consciousness? What about the media selflessly informing the people against
all odds? What about the human rights defenders who came up with a framework
for peace in the country? Surely it cannot be more the love for the country
that all these people are engaged in such activities.

But look at this statement of Charles "we do not work hard nor pray" and ask
yourself why one should take this man seriously? If it were not for the
desired need to clarify the issues at hand I would not really answer to this
bit because Charles himself a Ghanaian by birth knows that this country was
built on the virtues of hard work and that same spirit is still with us
here. Go early in the morning to the markets to see how men and women are
working to make ends meet; go to our villages to see how our mothers suffer
to water their gardens; how our fathers toil on the farms then you will
appreciate how hard working Gambians are.

Mr. Charles have you ever been out on Sundays to see how Churches are full
to capacity not with baboons and monkeys but with highly cultured people
always praying for their country? Go to any of the Mosques anytime and see
how Gambians pray for heavenly blessings to be showered on the Gambia.

Charles was further quoted as having said "we do not live in unity, peace
and freedom each day, neither are our action guided by justice." Again this
is very misleading. Probably Charles was carried away by the cool studio
rooms of Radio 1 FM. It is peace, love and unity that this country and are
her people are known for and that is why all just minded people here are
working very hard to make the governors guided by natural justice while at
the same time ensuring that the weak are secure. That task will still
continue. And we will not pass that as a burden to any third party.

But the most shocking part of Charles Sam's statement is "we have become the
most unpatriotic people on this earth, sabotaging and pulling down each
others effort at development. Our relationship with God has soured, as we
have chosen the path of wrongdoing." Charles are you serious?

Remember divergence on political opinion does not make anyone unpatriotic,
rather it strengthens our democracy, our spirit of a united country, and our
resolved to make the Gambia a becon of peace in the whole world. It is too
naive for Charles or anyone to believe that the Gambian people are
unpatriotic. Am sure Charles was here when the election results were
declared, when all the opposition parties called President Jammeh and
congratulated him for his victory in the elections.

What can be more patriotic than this? I think Charles should stop being
petty. I expect a real African development expert to be more mature in his
analysis of burning issues that are at the very core of Africa's current
underdevelopment.

But not for Charles and just have a go with this other one when he said "The
Gambia today is not a place of truth, but falsehood and deception." Well
Charles it is good to know that you have very little understanding of the
issues at stake in the Gambia. It is also good to know from you that the
Gambia today is not a place of truth. Let me tell you that the people of The
Gambia can be too friendlyand accommodating but we are not the least naive.
Our openness and friendliness should not be mistaken as naivete. Charles the
Gambian people are proud of our identity and therefore to say that we do not
value our homeland, we are not truthful people and so on and so forth is
unacceptable. . There are truthful Gambians who am sure are more than ever
ready to challenge you on any intellectual platform to make the records
straight. And let me say that from now on any misleading and demeaning
article about us as a people from you will not go unchallenged!



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