>From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: From the BBC World Service - Does President Jammeh have a point, or is this politics gone mad? >Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 22:37:22 +0000 > >Saul, thanks for this forward. It is amazing how one of our >countrymen came >all out to shamelessly defend the ignorance of Yaya Jammeh. He went >on to >talk about the tractors that Yaya gave to the farmers and how the >youths >should help their parents, etc. Ladies and gentlemen, this sort of >mindset >is what is fostering the Gambian condition. People who should know >better >are the very ones defending the indefensible. Fortunately for >Gambians, the >Seedia Bojangs of this world are the vocal minority in the Gambia. >Thus, >the overwhelming majority should stand up and put a stop to Jammeh's >madness. The National Assembly is not going to stop him. It is the >people >that can stop Yaya and we need to do that now. > >Here again we have the opposition leaders sleeping at the switch. >How far >adrift will Gambia stray before they see the urgency of our >situation. If >Hamat and Waa can challenge the ignorance of Yaya as individuals, >what is >stoping them and the others from seeing the need to showcase his >ignorance >and stupidity, collectively? Why are the opposition leaders >ignoring the >fact that they need to join hands to send Jammeh packing? Folks, >this >assault on our people in the rural areas is an assault to all >Gambians and >we need to do something about it, now. Watch out urbaners, you are >next in >line for the whip, or should I say the broom. Meanwhile >"Brasungula" >watches his wressling with a stupid smile. > >Chi Jaama > >Joe Sambou > > >>From: Solomon Sylva <[log in to unmask]> >>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list >><[log in to unmask]> >>To: [log in to unmask] >>Subject: From the BBC World Service - Does President Jammeh have a >>point, >> or is this politics gone mad? >>Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 13:00:59 -0500 >> >>This is from the BBC. >> >> >>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >>Does President Jammeh have a point, or is this politics gone mad? >> >> >> Before one is tempted to criticise the President, >> one needs to find out whether the tournament >> actually attracts the entirely rural population. >> Often, it is the youths who are involved who should >> normally be helping their parents in raising crops. >> Agriculture is the main-stay of Gambia's economy. >> All work and no play is not good for the health. >> I think the President would have been correct if he >> had urged the tournament organisers to limit matches >> to the weekend. But banning football for the entire >> rainy season is absurb. All work and no play is not >> good for the health. >> Benedict Akeh, Cameroon >> >>Ignorance is a disease that is destroying Africa. >> Jammeh is indeed a leader without vision. Do him >> know football can unify a country? Ask Liberia's >> George Weah and Preisdent Taylor. What does football >> have to do with agriculture? Jammeh should be >> concerned about educating the masses and developing >> the country instead of banning football. >> Seltue Karweaye, Liberian living in the USA >> >> Without being disrespectful, I think the President >> has lost focus and is just trying to cook up >> excuses. Football is a catalyst that could be used >> to stimulate the youth in contributing more to the >> agricultural sector. Jammeh is trying to tow the >> infamous path laid by the late Ivorien strongman >> Gen. Robert Guei who sent the Elephants into a >> detention camp after their dismal 2000 Nations Cup. >> Opeyemi Ajala, Nigeria >> >>Gambia's President is typical of African leaders: >> self-centered and clueless in their daily actions in >> serving the people. What has football got to do with >> agricultural production? Why is it that Africa >> continues to produce clueless leaders? >> If this man is serious about increasing food >> production in his country, he should invest in >> equipment, provide fertilizers and create incentives >> to farmers i.e. interest-free loans, free medical >> treatment, free expertise and free education for >> farmer's children. Why is it that year-in year-out >> Africa continues to produce clueless leaders? >> Derick Agbontaen, USA >> >>That is just so dumb. To me it's like a barrier to >> development of any sort. >> Bola, USA >> >>The president is not trying to ban football or >> discourage it as some may think. He is just trying >> to help the youth as agriculture is the back-bone of >> the economy. Only the youth can help their aging >> parents to farm, and in turn help them pay their >> school fees. As a matter of fact the president has >> provided tractors and promised to provide more for >> the agricultural sector in order to self-sufficient. >> So people, especially those who are anti-government, >> want to use this forum to be negative and politicize >> the whole issue. The president is a lover of >> football and donates huge sums of money to football. >> So please let this forum die here. >> Seedia N. Bojang, The Gambia >> >>I don't think football games last a whole day. Being >> a typical African man, I know that in the rural >> areas, people go to the farm in the morning and come >> back to play football in the afternoon. So I do not >> agree with the Gambia president who wants to ban a >> rural competition or tournament because of farming. >> If he is so keen on developing agriculture he should >> make fertilizer available. >>Dovi Charles, Nigeria >> >>Rather if he is so much interested in developing the >> agricultural sector he should finance it by buying >> state-of-the-art equipment and support the process >> by making fertilizer available at cheaper rates for >> those involved. That way, there will big crops at >> the end the season. >> Dovi Charles, Nigeria >> >>I want you to help me ask the Gambian President. Is >> football the only recreational activity or the only >> sporting activity in Gambia? He should as well stop >> the youths from watching T.V. during the farming >> season. >> Iboro Esiet, Nigeria >> >>Since 1994, Gambian football hasn't progressed at >> all. Rather, its gone backwards. The government of >> today doesn't contribute to the development of >> football and the president can only open his big >> mouth to say no football in the rainy season. Shame >> on you! We Gambian's are aware that you don't want >> to embrace the game. >>Ballack, Banjul >> >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> >>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the >>Gambia-L >>Web interface >>at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >>To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >>[log in to unmask] >> >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > >_________________________________________________________________ >The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* >http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the >Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~