The president is now a Sheikh, and he threatens to silence a fellow Sheikh in Islam - the faith bleeds in Gambia because religious leaders shiver in fear and are unable to correct Africa's newest dictator.
President Yahya Jammeh has once again threatened to permanently silence one of the outspoken religious leaders in the country, Imam Baba Leigh, who has aways preached against female circumcision - the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). President Jammeh made20this threat Friday, May 23 as he ended his 'Meet the People Dialogue Tour' of the nation.
Speaking to a large crowd of supporters in the nation's largest city, Serrekunda, president Jammeh accused Imam Leigh of hypocricy for preaching against the culture of female circumcision. He told his supporters that Leigh was one of those 'fake religious leaders' who would do anything to get paid, but that his government would no longer tolerate the Imam's 'rhetorics'.
And for the first time in the nation's history, the president of the Supreme Islamic Council, Momodou Lamin Touray, whom together with other Council members, among them the veritable Imam of The State House Mosque, Abdoulie Fatty, accompanied Jammeh on his country-wide tour, conferred on president Yahya Jammeh the title of Sheikh. The title, according to Lamin Touray, is in recognition of the president's unflinching support for Muslims and the Islamic faith. Henceforth, the Gambian leader will be called His Excellency, the Commander In-Chief, President of the Republic, Professor, Doctor Alhaji Yahya AJJ Jammeh!
One of the speakers at the rally, Bintou Dibba from Badibou Salikenni, told the gathering that president Jammeh is superior to everyone God has ever created. She said no one has done so much good
to the Islamic Umma as Jammeh - "he is specially chosen by God, and whoever disobey him, disobeys God Himself", she added.
Ms Dibba's sentiments were mere repetition of president Jammeh's own words at a rally earlier in the week at Farafenni, our correspondent says. President Jammeh proudly and boldly told the Farafenni rally that he is a "God chosen leader", that "no election or coup d'eta will remove [him] from power, but only God". He told the people that he is closer to God than any Muslim - more than the Imams, religious leaders or the so-called Islamic scholars. He swore to the Holy Qur'an that he is more of a good Muslim than all other so-called Islamic scholars in the entire country.
President Jammeh is reported to have put a ban on the annual pilgrimage to the famous site in Gunjur, where the 19th century Islamic jihadist, Sheikh Omar Futiyou is believed to have performed prayers. The Gambian leader said pilgrimaging to the site is un-Islamic and therefore ordered its cessation.
Supreme Islamic Council president, Momodou Lamin Touray also described the pilgrimage as incompatible with the Islamic faith - a sharp contrast to the views held by moderate and outspoken Baba Leigh, the Imam of Kanifing Mosque.
Some critics=2
0however told our correspondent that pilgrimage to Sheikh Omar Futiyou was better than
dance parties the president throws up in Kanilai. A Reggae dancer cannot be a Sheikh in Islam, his critics opined.
The president is also reported to have defended his witch arresting campaign, saying many young people in the provinces are dying from the evil witchcrafts. "Until I drive out all of [them], this campaign will continue", he said.
