It is customary that during Eid celebrations, Muslim religious leaders pay a visit to the seat of power at State House where they meet with the president and some within his cabinet.
Such visits are in line with tradition and customary practices within the Gambian cultural set up when people visit each other, pray for each other and celebrate the feast in an atmosphere of joy and good neighborliness.
Whether one agrees with the continuation of such practices or not, so long as they are observed, one must agree that such occasions are not the right setting to berate people, whether they are political opponents or leaders and members of the visiting congregation.
In an unsurprising departure from norm, Adama Barrow used the Muslim feast of Eid to rail against religious leaders because they do not take to the pulpit to sing his praises weekly. It is unsurprising because regardless of the setting, whenever Adama Barrow is accorded the opportunity to address Gambians, whether collectively or through a representative few, he never fails to air his political frustrations.
In his simplistic mind, he is the best thing to have ever happened to The Gambia, and regardless of his numerous failings, everyone should ignore that and massage his ego.
This time though, he revealed so much more of his tyrannical desires when he basically complained that the situation in The Gambia as it relates to freedoms is too ideal. He stated that in some unnamed countries, the state dictates what Imams preach in their mosques and any deviations from what their written orders are results in severe consequences.
A few days later, one of his equally incompetent advisers stated that they would not name any countries where such practices take place because The Gambia is current chair of the Organization of Islamic Conference, and the president would not want to speak ill of any member country.
Like Adama Barrow himself, his adviser Saihou Mballow missed the point entirely. The issue is not about what other countries do, it is about emulating best practice and Adama Barrow’s desire for the opposite just so he could stifle dissent in his bid to self-perpetuate in power. If he does not have such a wish, or was unwilling to cite examples of countries where such excessive censorship occurs, why did he bring it up?
The fact is that Adama Barrow is frustrated and finds the idea of democracy too confining and burdensome. His dilemma is that Gambians bled for a free society and are determined to stand guard against any reversal of their gains. In the same vein, Gambians refuse to disengage from state affairs by constantly speaking out against the dire situations in the country; from economic hardships, lack of amenities, high crime rates, and an open and blatant atmosphere of corruption, to utter ineptitude across all sectors of governance.
During the reign of Gambia’s infamous tyrant Yaya Jammeh, Gambians lost their voice to fear wrought on by his state policy of illegal detentions, torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Some religious leaders openly sided with Jammeh and constantly preached about “maintaining peace,” which is code word for do not upset a tyrannical ruler, while others stayed quiet out of fear of his humiliating treatment of any perceived opponents.
Unfortunately for such religious leaders, they lost a great deal of respect from the citizens during that period. With the revelations that the various commissions made through eyewitness and perpetrator accounts of the horrors that Jammeh unleashed, it is understandable that some have come to the realization that defending a corrupt state when so much of what the leaders do is shrouded in secrecy makes one complicit in their actions, they are now willing to speak up in defense of the rights of the people and against open corruption. That repentant posture is an uncomfortable situation that Adama Barrow wants to curtail.
This president, Adama Barrow, has a very primitive mindset and it shows in his utterances. Those of us who grew up in rural Gambia witness a very familiar sight whenever Adama Barrow sits with a group of Gambians and addresses them. In fact, one does not have to be a rural native to observe such behavior. In the urban setting, even though they do not have the traditional village square known as the “Bantaba”, they have cliques known as “Vous.”
At every Bantaba or Vous, there is always that guy that people gather around, cajole him with flattery or a prompting statement and watch him blab endlessly, often senselessly too. They are often clownish and always have a story to tell about every issue raised. If State House was a Bantaba or Vous, Adama Barrow would be that clown. Often cheered on and encouraged but made fun of behind his back.
It is a sad social reality, but some people find it amusing. The tragedy for us is that the clown in question is the head of state in charge of policies affecting the lives of millions of people and refuses to learn or grow with the job. Yes, in many instances being president is always a first time experience, and many have come to that role ill-prepared, but failure to develop oneself intellectually, emotionally or otherwise to rise to the challenges of such a role speaks to a larger personality issue.
If we shift our focus just a few miles away to Senegal, we see a leader who rose to the occasion and swiftly transformed into a statesman of the highest order in all aspects. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s comportment, his speeches, his demeanor and looks all reflect the status of the position he holds and clearly respects.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of Adama Barrow who had already been president for eight years before Bassirou Diomaye Faye was thrust into the presidency by circumstances he did not plan for. He is much younger yet appears more responsible and has better manners than the much older Adama Barrow.
It is somewhat understandable that political rivals do attack each other, although not ideal, it serves a political purpose. One is inclined to ask, then, must every issue be viewed with a political lens? For Adama Barrow, it does not matter whether one is a political rival with political aspirations or not, he has no tolerance for anyone who shares an unflattering view of him.
Civil society leaders, journalists, activists, and now religious leaders all get their undeserved share of Adama Barrow’s vindictive utterances for simply daring to exercise their civic rights and duties as citizens.
Tyranny does not come about in a vacuum and leaders do not morph into tyrants overnight. There are always signs. First, we hear statements that expose their inner desires, then they follow that up with actions. For example, when he audaciously “fired” Ya Kumba Jaiteh from the National Assembly because according to him, he nominated her and therefore could fire her. The Supreme Court disagreed. What did he do next, he sought for a constitutional amendment where he could have such powers as to be the overlord of a co-equal branch of government.
As we draw closer to the 2026 presidential elections, we should all be vanguards against the excesses of government against its citizens. It may appear that the state is after one entity, but once they incapacitate their foremost threat, they find a new target and before long, all will become victims of the tyranny that follows.
Mankajang 