GHANAIAN PRESIDENT/ECOWAS CHAIR FLUFFED

I read with disgust the statement from the chair of the subregional body ECOWAS, President Mahama, after a brief stop in Banjul following an attempted insurgency to dead the brutal regime of Gambia's Yaya Jammeh. I do not only found them disappointing and unfortunate but distasteful. I do understand the diplomatic protocols and the need to want to respect the democratic ideal but in the Gambian situation, these do not apply. The Gambia is not your normal, traditional democracy. The only semblance would be the periodic elections which are nothing but a sham, mandatory undertakings.

See, these are the ingredients for a recipe for chaos and disaster. Certain moves and pronouncements, especially when they're only political, propagate discord in the oppressed and emboldens the oppressor.

Chairman Mahama squirts "In the African tradition, if anything happens in your brother's house you have to go and visit and make sure that things are okay, and that is why I came" 

This is the problem right here. You cannot be running these states as if they were traditional households or a fraternity. It trivializes serious issues. African presidents need to get out of that intimate relationship built on office romance and consider the plight of their countrymen. The casuist behaviour of protecting each other even when clearly their peers act in no national or sub regional interest is very unfortunate. Nobody has to teach President #Mahama on anything about the Gambia. He's in the know.

Continuing to caress the issue while avoiding the G-spot, the Ghanaian president reminds us:

"You also know that our ECOWAS protocols do not support violent overthrow of governments, so we want to remind all member states of the protocols that ECOWAS has, that change of government must be through democratic means and as far as possible we should try and abide by that."

Who is he kidding? He needs to get off the podium and drop the mic. The reason there's never any violent overthrow of regimes in civilized democracies is because they've laid the platform and avenues for easy, guaranteed transfer of power from one man or administration to another. Africa needs to LEARN that and quit taking our presidencies for family inheritances.

 The Gambia is a hell hole and everyone knows it. Yaya is a greedy, low self-esteem, self-centered brute who recognizes nor respects any democratic institution or instrument. The recent events in Gambia were a people's move. A move to not usurp power but end a horrible dictatorship.

If ECOWAS aren't being a foolish gang of bandits and eunuchs, they wouldn't have been contradicting their statement issued on Nov 23, 2011 ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15851706 ) on the reasons they boycotted Gambia's last elections. Those and many more reasons are the reasons Gambians will be forced to forcefully take their country back by all means necessary.

GTFOH!

PATRIOTISM & RESPONSIBILITY

The respect that one has for self - dignity, rights to freedom of anything (natural or constitutional especially to life) must never be thought to rank any greater or higher than those of others. Therefore, in your belief that you earned the right to hold a certain view, you must equally be conscious of the fact that those on the opposite side of the aisle deserve same right to theirs even when they dissented.

And as subjective as Patriotism definition is, it's better you carve out your own based on a widely identifiable barometer than run on the definition of someone else's whose  (mis)understanding of that term was deliberately to suit self.

That said, if you're in a position of Authority, or even if only privileged to execute a task or an order, bear in mind the greater good for self but most importantly of the PEOPLE (not an individual) you serve.  For if you perpetrate evil in the name of Patriotism that never was, it would not be up to you to determine your fate when the time comes to be accountable. That day of reckoning will get here!

Unfortunately, the Gambia, my country, has a political definition of patriotism off of the color of the shirt you wear and which side of the political spectrum you claim. The two decades of tyranny under President Yaya Jammeh's watch have distorted all politically related adjectives to suit the president's taste. That includes the definition of terrorism in the wake of recent events in Banjul where a practical attempt was made by dissident Gambians to change political leadership and landscape. In show of political loyalty to the president, scores of 'solidarity marches' swept through the tiny nation, from Armed and Security Services, Religious leaders, regional reps, students and civil service clearly staged to control the narrative. The aftermath of which were arrests and detention of those guilty my blood and association. So the ever distorted definition of Patriotism broadens by the week.

Sad and sorry state it is. But whatever it is, the execution of one's duties and responsibility must be in the interest of state and majority. There and then to we register meaningful progress and go to sleep with a clearer conscience.

MY THOUGHTS TO BE BLOGGED AWAY

PEACE TO THE PLANET.

To God, Humanity, Country and Self, the journey is for. With more than enough going on with us and around the world, we all have opinions. Often times, we have to have someone to give them our take on things either to influence them (their opinions) or just to be heard. Some take the pen, keyboard or mic, others sit in front of the mirror to talk to self. I choose to share mine with you all to know how and where I stand on issues.

Most of what's going to be here would be MY OPINION. Not much would be 'official', 'factual', 'professional' opinions like an accountant would do at the end of financial year or an Attorney would argue in a court of law. Pata is only a social commentator and this is my therapeutic cave. With every chance of political incorrectness, I promise to be responsible and respectable as much as I can.

Salaam and welcome aboard!

PJ