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OPINION
By Essa Njie
In 1977 (I stand to be corrected), Halifa Sallah made what I believe to be a tough decision at the time. While completing his studies in the United States, Sallah had the option to pursue higher education up to doctoral level. However, he decided to return home because, at the age of just 16 and a half, he had made a commitment to himself, his country, and his continent. His commitment was nothing but to serve and liberate his people from poverty and ignorance. Having worked as a social worker in the social welfare department in The Gambia, Mr. Sallah came to understand the suffering of his people and decided to enter politics in 1986; indeed, a noble profession.
From the inception of PDOIS until today, Mr. Sallah remains committed to the service of his people. He has ignored all the opportunities that would ordinarily be offered to opponents of the regime in African politics. From Jawara to Jammeh, and now Barrow, Mr. Sallah has refused to sell his soul. Go to Mr. Sallah’s house at the Sandinka in Serrekunda or go to his office at Churchill’s Town or even try your luck to see the car he drives. You will attest that this man has a conviction and is not moved by worldly things. In addition to that, the man was arrested and taken to Mile II by the Jammeh regime, but that did not stop him from exposing the evils of the regime, including the infamous witch-hunt exercise carried out by Jammeh in 2009. He was even arrested for writing against it.
Seedia Jatta, just like his compatriot, Mr. Sallah, decided to return to his home country following his studies in France and worked as a curriculum development officer. When they founded the PDOIS, they knew the task ahead of them. Seedia understood very well how regimes on the continent operated at the time. Remember, Mr. Jatta was a candidate for PDOIS in the 1992, 1996, and 2001 presidential elections, contesting against both Jawara and Jammeh. Again, here is a man who lives a very modest life. I remember him mentioning in one of his interviews with Omar Wally in 2017 or 2018 that it was only at that time that he was able to secure a plot of land to build his own house; in fact, with the help of a nephew. Seedia was renting in Bundung all along.
Like Halifa and Seedia, Ousainu Darboe studied abroad, specifically in Nigeria and later Canada. He obtained his master’s in the latter. Well, he could have also stayed in Canada to live what most of the younger generation will describe today as “a good life”. Instead, Mr. Darboe decided to return home and started serving in the legal field. It is a well-known fact that the man stood for many vulnerable families and individuals during both the Jawara and Jammeh eras. You know what? The man could have stayed in the legal field without even offering pro bono services, and probably, most probably, he would have been a rich man today. But he humbly accepted the invitation of the founding members of the UDP to lead the party. His party members undeniably suffered the most under Jammeh. Yet, he stood his ground and refused to be co-opted.
These three elderly statesmen have shown us that politics is indeed a noble profession; one defined by conviction, love, and service for country. Therefore, they deserve our utmost respect!
Well, the newest generation of Gambian politicians are the opposite of these gentlemen par excellence. It is now a norm for one to jump in, form a group, and call it a political party, rushing to media platforms for interviews — interviews that they request in most cases. Then criticize the regime for three hours. They will not stop there. Every little opportunity; even after landing at the airport from a month-long hideout in Amsterdam or Edinburgh, or even a few days in Accra, they will respond to questions from a friendly journalist (may her soul rest in peace) to go after Barrow.
They will describe him as incompetent and start ranting about the myriad political and economic challenges we face as a country. They will also tell us that we have enormous resources in our country, resources far more than the wealth of one of the Nordic countries. They will go further to tell us that squirrels have taken over our state and are sharing the groundnut without mercy for the poor. Indeed, they will tell us that they took high-profile legal cases, and that they do not need money from us. They will also tell us that they are into politics to serve, but not for money. But they also go after others who have decided to sell their souls to the regime, describing them as opportunists, and saying that they could not afford the life they want to live. Well, birds of a feather flock together.
To add insult to injury, after jumping ship, they will face us disrespectfully and tell us that the decision was for the “national interest”. One of them even said that politics is about individual interest, party interest, and national interest. This is indeed the most misleading and dishonest statement, and the person who uttered it deserves a public flogging. Lest I forget, a friend told me yesterday that Barrow probably uses something spiritual, that “nying mangkeh kenseng tii”. NKO, ALI MOLU TUU. So, the thing has not worked on Halifa, Seedia, and Ousainu?
In someone’s voice during his closing remarks at a commission, “I LEAVE IT AT THAT”
