Organizational development is a discipline on its own right. Simple and/or complicated the goal is (supposed to) creating a body that adequately accomplish the task at hand in the most effectively and efficiently.
For years we have being struggling to establish a cause for our so-called struggle. We were/are faced with many obstacles many of which stemmed from our failure to define the problem and state our vision ( what we want to see happen). Hence ensued convoluted confusions - arguments/rationalization and counters.
One of the serious outcome of these failures is diaspora wanting to dictate rather than facilitate based on comparative advantage. The results are Finger pointing at one and another for too many organizations as if that's any problem. Organizations are deliberate expression free individual's interests, hobby, expertise, etc. They also indicate social vibrancy and lots of that is needed in Banjul not only in politics/governance but also other socio-cultural matters. I can only hope the seemingly pro-active citizen engagement be replicated in a future free Gambia.
For our so-called struggle though, we need A National Face (national organization) and not a diaspora and/or dictated structure. This can be currently completely a home base such as apex of the political parties plus civil society organizations or even a single political party with a democratic agenda. Either one will require different levels of reorganization for this new/different political task and its operations must be separated from the political party politicking. Or this can be formed of citizens across the globe but still with good home base presence. That will require a different organizational development strategies to assemble it. Either one we opt for - the only goal is to have a credible national face that represent a good cross section of our people not to propel anyone individual to power but a fight to institute democracy.
The idea that diaspora will be the main organization and dictate proceedings is no workable formula. We're neither likely to descend on Banjul nor do we've cloud to influence our uncles and aunts to act in certain way as a collective unit. This a national face with home presence can do and manage.
Surely individuals in the diaspora can be members of a national face. The rightful role of diaspora as a unit (if that exist) is to facilitate and not gobbling a competing one of their own. There can be diaspora organizations, either as chapters to the national organization and/or stand alones that provide various supporting services to the national face.
The Banjul problem will not be fix in New York, London, Stockholm, Dakar, etc. but in Banjul, Bakau, Serekunda, Brikama, Kerewan, Mansa Kongo, Janjanbureh and Basse. That said am not naive to reason organizing a national face will be easy. We're already deeply divided and above all suspicious of each other's motives largely due to our past efforts, tribal undertones, etc. yet a clearly defined/analysis problem and a concisely stated vision is a platform that pretty much chart the path.
This is a Gambian problem and Gambians should fix. That fix starts with knowing what is it and what outcome is desired.
Burama
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