The Man

By Suntou Touray (first published june 2008)
It’s not about the colour, the man

Love for everything

But the man

The Mercedes, the suit, The shoes

the tele, The dress and the computer

It’s not about the colour, the man

The hair dyed with the colour

No problem

The leather sofa

The different cars

Party and respectable occasions

The colour is seen

So it is NOT about the colour, but the man

Yes, the black man

He is the problem, not his colour

But why?

May be we haven’t done enough stamp our footprints

May be we are bad competitors

May be we are less ruthless

May be we are less determined

May be we are too perceive and soft Yet our statue, so strong

Evidently we are not united

Factually we are divided

It’s not about the colour, the man

We will not be loved unless we love ourselves

Man is dignity and dignity is respect

Do we want dignity and statue?

Do we want grace and honour?

Let us look into ourselves

The solution is there

No more blames

This world is hostile, stand firm you win

Are we standing?

Are you standing?

You see what matters is our collective success and respect

Let’s do it, we can

Amidst total failures, individual successes is miniscule...Stand for Black progress, not slogans

Gaddafi should remember Gbagbo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCe66kcm31c&feature=player_detailpage

Crime of the Belly (Why Some Gambian religious Scholar are close to the dictator)

In fact, what is happen with faith leaders in the Gambia is a crime of the 'belly'. When Ibliss, upon whom is the curse of God, saw Adam laying in the state of clay. He was angry and jealous of him. Ibliss with his apt for canniness, poked Adam at his... Belly saying "this is where I will get him". So you see, if religious leaders want the comfort of the world more than others, they will twist the scriptures to suit the tyrants. We still have good ones who will never compromise but they lack voice.
Scholars of the past never sit at the doors of rulers however good they may be. Because, the concept of power corrupt was perfected in different darsahs (religious gatherings) in the Islamic states of the past, to such an extent, Ibn Taymeeyah was jailed for refusing to serve a Caliph, Imam Malick refuse to serve as a Cheif Judge, he was severely beaten, and many many more others. However, what our current Imam fatty's and Momodu Lamin are doing is using an analogy by deduction.
They weigh the pros and cons of being distant from a tyrant who do religious speak with open ignorance. They premise that, with their closeness to him, they can influence his assault on Islam in the Gambia, because if they don't, he will create even worst sell outs. I disagree with them, because the dictator Jammeh is using them instead for his callous political image refinements. Such is live, but since we have sanyang kundas as Imams, what do you expect? LoL

The Logical Meaning Of The Wollof Proverb Lee Ngai Jayee Mola Jayee

What you sell and also sell you" This Wollof proverb require greater scrutiny. I wonder if any good speaker of Wollof can help with the original Wollof word. I am having nostalgic George in mind.
If what one sells also inadvertently advertises and in return sell you, there is a deeper, more sophisticated explanation.
Can we say, The Defunct MOJA Central Committee were selling themselves with their Marxist ideas to the people on the back of empowering the youths of Banjul and surroundings?
The politicians engaged in civic education purportedly tells us that, they are educating us. Are they in fact by default selling themselves, because since they are the agents of the 'civic education' the buyers of the knowledge, the youths mainly will admire and eventually follow the sellers of the knowledge or sovereign orientation?
I am only seeing things from the angle of, 'Lii nghai jae, mola jae'.
Musicians sell themselves with their music, so is promoters...,
Journalists sell themselves with excellent materials, investigative news items, breaking news etc...
Religious people with good sermon etc.
Therefore, I believe, politicians attempting to do the job of the free press, ie informing and analysing events, schools ie educating, civil society etc, it is only wise to accept that, they are actually selling themselves through the ideas or on the back of civic enlightenment.
I may be wrong, but "what you sell also sells you" is something deep.

Laye (Responding to Bambalaye Jallow) He aske whethe it is wrong for a civic educator to want position?
Thanks for enquiring. Actually there is nothing wrong with that.
My dilemma was when I hear some of our Gambian politician accusing others of being 'power hungry' whilst they are not.
Since what you sell inherently reflect on you, the buyers of the idea will acknowledge the seller, in our case the politician, whose ultimate aim is to assume political prominence or in order words, power.
Why should such a person see others as power hungry but exclude himself?
The answer lies in the manner and ways he sells his product, his 'civic education'. By virtue of his utilisation of modelled strategy, he distance himself from any notion of being interested in political position, because he come across as someone solely interested in educating the populace.
You are well aware that, such statement of accusing certain Gambians politicians of being power hungry is repeated even here, whilst the propagators of 'civic education' are let off.

The similitude to me is that, during President Jawara's era, there were many brothers who saw themselves as the natural replacement after the eventual dethroning of Jawara.
The likes of BB Darboe, Sekou Sabally, certain senior military Commanders, and the elites of the time. However, what those folks failed to recognised is that, even their drivers or eran boys wouldn't mind being saluted to. Human folly.
Yahya Jammeh, from no where wanted to be President, hence he was hungry for power, but he never demonstrated any sign that, he is interested. Why, the simple logic could be, those who line up to replace Jawara were the ones making it obvious.

Therefore, When Sedia Jatta some months ago alluded that, some Gambian politicians are 'power hungry', he failed to acknowledged, he is competing with others for position of power. He was misleading Gambians when he exclude himself from those hungry for power. Since there is no problem in wanting to be the President of the Gambia.
Gambians should look into the philosophical logic of the Wollof Proverb 'Liingae jae, mola Jae' so that, at least, the realisation will be, whether one pretend he is or uninterested in power, but if what that person does involves lobbying for votes, contesting elections against rivals, going around towns and villages campaigning, such a person or persons don't have the moral authority to accuse any one of being power hungry.
For instance, can we say Halifa wanting to be the third President of Gambia is wrong or borders of being power hungry? To me no, because I know Halifa is a politician just like all others, he may set his stall differently, but still, he is selling something.
Thanks Laye. Just my thoughts of the powerful proverb.

Omar Joof Clarifying the Meaning of the Proverb.
Suntou,
It is a proverb, so we should look for its meaning beyond the literary. In this regard, I cannot find a better explanation than "what you tell the people, reveals to them who you are". Mostly when what we tell the people does not reflect what we do, we are taken to be a hypocrite. The activity of selling is appropriately used here because for example a person who sells fish is called a fishmonger; thus a person who advocates socialism is called a socialist.

At a deeper level or philosophical as you called it, the wollof word for selling (JAYEE) has a connotation of force: that is things one forces onto others. Both the tone and import of the proverb in this regard tend to be cautionary, in reminding the actors/actresses of wrongs to others, that really what they do to others, shall eventually be done onto them. For example if one treats others with arrogance and impudence, he or she shall eventually be treated similarly. At the same time it is an encouragement to those who extend mercy, philanthropy and justice to others that they shall be similarly treated in return. In this context, it has similar connotations with the english expression of "doing onto others; as you would like them to do onto you."
Regards,
Omar Joof.

The Ever Rebel Mathew Jallow Fires at PDOIS Strong Man Pa Samba and His Ancestry

I saw Pa Samba's comment on the L, but it does not bother me. They will try to discredit anyone who disagrees with what PDOIS stands for. But I know for a fact they all regurgitate some of what they read on Foroyaa; they and PDOIS's use of word and phrases like; "principle, program, policy", "stakeholders", "masses," "architects," "destiny" etc, all of which are so old that I just want to puke when I see them used repeatedly over and over again in a single article or report.

And when PDOIS says they resolve "to go on a nationwide tour", I am baffled; really? where? Apart from Sere Kunda East and Wuli they have nowhere else where people will listen to them for one sick minute.

Also each time I see phrases like "the Central Committee......" in their writings, I shudder with terror. This is because it was the way all the Socialist regimes of the 1970s were structured, and their regimes used the exact same lingo, eg; the Central Committee of Supreme Soviet Socialist Republic; the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist party etc. etc. These words and phrases always remind me of the hardship, the extremely unbearable conditions the socialist countries lived under when I was growing up. Millions died or better still, were executed and when the Soviet people travelled abroad, they always did so in groups, and they were always accompanied by Russian agents who were there to make sure their people did not talk to the people of the countries they visited, or that they don't abscond and seek refugee status in the countries they visited, which very many did anyway. Just look at any youtube videos of North Korean or Cuba to give you an idea what socialism does to a country and its people. I saw the Soviets all over Europe back then, and they all dressed alike, and shabbily might I add. It was just such a pathetic to behold. That is partly why I have made it one of my life's missions to fight to make sure we don't have a Socialist regime established in our Gambia; at least not in my life time.

The other thing is, people who call Ousainou Darboe tribalist don't know him. I know him personally, we are the same age group even though he is a little around 11 and 12 years. He is a decent person, and all I want for him to do is to be more assertive in his political life. If Darboe realy wanted to, he could turn The Gambia upside down and inside out and make it totally ungovernable for Yahya Jammeh. That is how much power he has if he if he really cared to that route. Jammeh will have no option then but run back across the Casamance border where he comes from or find himself caged in our country just like Hosni Mubarak.

BTW Suntou, my great grand father left Wuli and migrated to Niamina as a young man and left family members in Wuli. So we have relatives in Wuli, just we dont know them anymore. But I don't know how long they lived in Wuli after the fall of the Masina empire in Mali where my ancestors come from. If you go to Niamina and ask for "Wulingabe" they will bring you to Sare Gainako. During the Musa Mollo reign my grandfather Gainako Jallow brough his cousin from Wuli and installed him Chief of Jarra East in Barokunda. He and his son, last chief Sekou Wuli Barrow, were Fulas before they became Mandinkanized and I beieve they were jalso Jallow before they became Barrows. And interest bit of long so long history.

Bambalaye Jallow's Reaction To PDOIS Press statement

LJD, Suntu and others:
If I may; I have a different problem with the message entailed in this communique from the PDOIS Central Committee in that it seems to be an act of a proverbial throwing back the hot potato at us - the voters. If PDOIS acknowledges "the increase in the number of people who seek clarification on the way forward for building a United Front for the 24 November Presidential Polls in the Gambia" isn't that a compelling enough reason to do what it must to create the conducive environment for fruitful talks to that effect? Wouldn't that be a good enough reason to "focus on the task of building a United Front rather than pontificate on the effects of a failure" as they put it?
I am baffled to say the least by the attempt at throwing back the responsibility of creating a united front to citizen voters whose only control over the actions of the party leaders is through their votes. Why on earth would anyone expect them to come out in thousands in support of a united front that is not there in the first place? Are we not putting the cart before the horse?
In other words PDOIS is saying that until they see the numbers out at the rallies they - PDOIS alone - organize, they will not make further effort into a united front. Can someone tell me I am reading this wrong, please!
"Furthermore as of 3rd September 2011, PDOIS will hold major rallies for a period of two weeks to determine the level of public support for a United Front. These meetings must be supported massively by those who support the establishment of a United Front to be deemed successful and convincing. They must be bigger than the artificial crowd the APRC is drawing during the official tour of the President to prove that the opposition should be taken seriously and that we are serious about establishing a United Front. This is the challenge PDOIS is putting out to the voters. People should put their efforts where their hearts are if we are to convince each other that we could move together to be the architects of a new Gambia. We have only ourselves to blame if we fail to join others and build a respectable crowd that could show that we are serious about building a United Front for the election."
Two things: first, I do not like the commanding tone of this paragraph – I do not like the use of the word “MUST” - in that it seeks to hold voters at ransom - turn up in thousands or else we will not go any further with this.
Why would PDOIS throw out a “challenge” to voters to prove to them they are serious about a united front? Am baffled. It is elementary politics to understand that you don’t get votes by demanding from voters without giving them the hope and or clue as to what they will get in return. Gambian voters are not a different breed to be stewarded around for a party’s internal decision making.
If PDOIS wants to decide whether to join a united front or not, they need not drag the voters into that decision especially when they have already acknowledged "the increase in the number of people who seek clarification on the way forward for building a United Front….”Second is that the question to ask of PDOIS is whether without a united front they will be able to fill up the independence stadium as they seem to demand herein? Do they expect people to turn up to their rallies without solid evidence - as in lining up ALL opposition leaders - that there is going to be a united front.

It is safe to assure PDOIS that if they announce that they will be organizing a rally with ALL opposition leaders lined up - PDOIS, UDP, NRP, etc. or just PDOIS and UDP - thousands will flock to the scene and I don't have a doubt about that happening. They did it at the launch of NADD in 2006. The hope was there and people showed up in thousands! It is wrong to hold us at ransom for your own internal party decisions.
Furthermore, it has been made clear to PDOIS through STGDP that the financial support will be forthcoming when folks see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. This was the case in 2006 and it is no different now.
The simple of it is that if you want the people behind you; give them the reason to do so. You cannot ask people to show up for you to convince yourself that it is worth trying to unite. PDOIS and all the other opposition parties need to understand that a united front will do better in getting the numbers lined up not the other way round. How many times and in how many ways do we have to say this?