As Adama Barrow shows up in Nigeria for the inauguration of their new president, Bola Tinubu, I took a cursory look at State House of The Gambia's official page to see how many such visits he has made in the recent past.What stood out inadvertently is that the last time any head of state visited… Continue reading The Gambia’s Dwindling Status
Part II One does not even have to look too closely to see Yaya Jammeh being reincarnated in Adama Barrow, any denial to that effect would be borne out of naivete or insincerity, more likely the later. From the rhetoric to the political strategy, Adama Barrow keeps on proving that democracy is a burden he… Continue reading Political violence is never spontaneous, it builds up over time and Gambians should be concerned for 2026
Part I The 2026 elections are shaping up to be the most contentious and most vulgar if the reactions from within the National People's Party (NPP) following the shellacking of the party at the hands of the United Democratic Party (UDP) in the just concluded local government elections is anything to go by. From the… Continue reading Political violence is never spontaneous, it builds up over time and Gambians should be concerned for 2026
It worked for him in the 2021 presidential campaign, so President Barrow decided to double down on his divisive rhetoric to wrest control of the local government executive positions form his main rival the United Democratic party (UDP). The president took it upon himself to make it clear that the elections are about him and… Continue reading A lame duck president and his ineffectual campaign
As a Muslim, I believe that those who profess to believe in the teachings of Islam should always endeavor to live by its edicts, including the requirements and guidelines in modesty (in dress). Having said that, we also need to recognize and respect those who differ from us and the values they uphold that may… Continue reading Removing the veil of intolerance
It is a misnomer to assume that just because a country has good sounding laws on the books, it therefore is a democracy or that the leader of such a country is a democrat. In fact, President Adama Barrow’s current supporters claim he is a democrat by citing the fact that Gambians have the space… Continue reading Legalized tyranny
If you take a close look at our makeup as a society, power is entirely concentrated in the executive, and the executive is headed by one man, ergo, one man rule. Our self-proclaimed democracy is a sham, regular elections, not even fair or free elections is the only yardstick we care about. With the defeat… Continue reading Leadership sets the tone
There was a time when people used to swear on the nobility of their character and lineage and show pride in who they are and what they are proud of. Affirming ourselves and our values does not require a lecture, a simple statement like “Foro fulla ding’o/dormi gorr” are not just mere statements of pride… Continue reading A society in descent
When the United Democratic Party (UDP) first emerged on The Gambia’s political scene in the summer of 1996, the party made a declaration of their purpose and intent; restore democratic governance, install the rule of law and fight against the impending tyranny that comes with military rule. Alongside these commitments were detailed policy plans for… Continue reading UDP Attacks ‘Critics’
In recent years, there have been calls to change some terminologies such as “Mansa/N’gurr/lamdo” because their usage gives the wrong impression to folks on what the functions of public servants are. These terminologies referenced above are borrowed from the native Mandinka, Wolof, and Fulani dialects of the Gambia and are used in reference to presidents… Continue reading Cherreh wala mehw – Grains or milk?
Mankajang 