WAS PRESIDENT JAMMEH HIGH?

I'd prayed for the gods to give me the strength to resist blogging about President Jammeh's Golden Jubilee embarrassment but apparently didn't pray enough. So as an addict with a problem of beating dead horses, here I am, checking myself in for therapy.

Fanaticism recently has been synonymous to religious hooligans forgetting that the worst and most overlooked fanatics are the political liars and incessant delusionists and illusionists. ALL these gangs admitted Yaya Jammeh as an agent.

Yaya will not only run the Gambia down the drains economically, all indicators are lit, that the man is a mentally unfit, serial criminal who's a signature away from mass murder through starvation. His uncalculated, untested economic and development policies, fiscal rudeness and obsession with the 2015 Visions and Operations, are deadly weapons that we must not ignore or dismiss as 'impracticable' pronouncements. The man is a psycho on steroids, free-falling the economy and country to their painful death. And he's got no pads on his brakes to stop.

Listening to Jammeh address the world in dark sunglasses, callous but deflated demeanor, the president didn't just give an uninspiring, unfitting political speech with colorful promises of Utopia, he'd dishonored the Gambia and her people with a disrespectful rudimentary speech by an executive who many believe was under the influence of controlled substances. There was no conviction in his speech nor any consideration for the many Gambians who thought time is beyond ripe for Jammeh and his administration to cease and desist running the Gambia like a Wrestling Federation. Who was he fooling? It was reckless and childish.

'I call on all of you once again to come and join us in our glorious journey to the economic, social super power status by 2015. We also invite genuine partnership with all countries of the world in our journey towards the promise land. The promise land shall be, that the Gambia will be Economic and Social Super Power nation in the near future. Others have dominated for the long time. It's Gambia's turn to join the likes of Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, USA. Why not? We are a small country with natural resources. We can do it. Today, Qatar is cited as the richest country in earth. By 2015 they'll look up to the Gambia as the richest country on earth'. - Jammeh

Cocaine Is A Hell Of A Drug, they say. But what's equally sad was, the whole stadium applauded this foolishness.

At a time that the cost of living in the country is beyond affordable, skyrocketed level of unemployment, poor healthcare system that sees Gambians die of curable diseases, hopelessness that forces the youth risk it all and die in the deserts or at sea to better their families, Yaya stood at the podium to confirm to Gambians that he has no vision for the country, no ability to change the course of things and does not care. Clearly, he should be institutionalised.

There is a constitutional provision, to have the president removed from office should he be deemed incapable of executing the duties of his office, due to:
-infirmly of body and mind,
-willful violation of any provision of the constitution,
-dishonestly act in any way inimical to the economy.

Yaya Jammeh did tick ALL boxes, and in an ideal democratic dispensation, the National Assembly would have initiated the impeachment process. Unfortunately, the rubber stamped legislature are the enabling force of this elongated insanity. Since that is farfetched, it becomes unquestionably legitimate for Gambians to boot this regime out by any means necessary including coup d'etat or violent popular uprising. Considering how defiant he was on independence day where no proper homage or gratitude was given to the selfless founding fathers of our nation, how he made no efforts to be conciliatory by leaving out major stakeholders like the country's recognized political party leaders to the occasion but instead opted for some Nigerian Comedians, shows the degree of contempt Jammeh has for Gambia and her future.

Yaya's forceful removal and the Gambia's underdevelopment are mutually inclusive. Oh boy! How that ambush that never was, got away!

But what do I know?!

PEACE To The Planet!

Saidykhan!

THE GAMBIA AT 50: STUNTED BY POOR ADMINISTRATION AND TYRANNY

It's exactly 50 years today, since the Gambia attained Nationhood from British Colonial Rule. Coincidentally, she's only three months older than the Gambian president who claimed he'd 'refused to be born during colonial rule', a birthdate that couldn't be verified. That 'Independence' was happily celebrated until armed bandits turned murderers and greedy oppressors dislodged a democratically elected government in 1994. In what they called a 'bloodless' coup, these soldiers only needed three months before they started what is to become a Slaughtering Spree.

Ever since President Jammeh and his carnivores first tasted blood on November 11, 1994, nothing has been the same. This regime killed, maimed and exiled more Gambians than the Whiteman did when the Gambia was being 'colonized'. Under a terrible dictatorship, Gambia and Gambians today are more afraid and uncertain than they were when Kunta Kinteh was sold into slavery. A country where neither daylight nor nightfall guarantees security/safety from gun-toting criminals paid by the same people they terrorize. How's that a Coast smiling?

Never missing a chance to soil the British and the PPP government, president Jammeh angrily blames the Gambia's underdevelopment on the '400 years of British Misrule' claiming that 'they looted, robbed the Gambia of her natural resources' and the '30 years of rampant corruption, flamboyant lifestyle, nepotism and overstay' while boasting of 'true independence and advent of transparency, accountability, probity' on July 22, 1994.

While we sit on different sides of the political isle, what is not debatable is the absolute economic hardship, poor and governance and the death of rule of law in a nation known and envied for her peace, stability, economic and institutional vibrancy in the first Republic. Today the country's Domestic Debt sits at uneasily D16 Billion. The TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY & PROBITY slogan died the moment Jammeh found his niche and way to pursue his pilgrimage of wealth accumulation and power obsession. EVERY reason advanced for the violent overthrow of the first Republic went through the window as none of the charges levied on the PPP were ever proven in any courts, and he'd done thrice worse than what colonialism and PPP combined could have.

For a nation once dubbed improbable, to have excelled with little to no natural resources but abundantly spoiled with human capital, has over the past two decades inched closer to near improbability. We have not only been dependent on foreign aid but absolute dependency on Yaya Jammeh for everything from food handouts to religion and justice. We have become a one-man State. We've seen the death of institutions, parastatals like GPTC, GCC, GPA, GAMTEL that were built from the ground after independence only to be forcefully milked by an irresponsible administration that has not brought about a single development project or investment that employs 20 Gambians per year. That is why the Gambia National Army became and remains the biggest employer in the country.

Despite all these downers, there's still reason to observe our country's Nationhood. Though the state of affairs is far from viable, we must not let the current government and its leadership relegate a significant National Day to play second fiddle to July 22 or the president's birthday. We still have to celebrate and appreciate the efforts of those who fought for mama Gambia's weaning from the British. The founding fathers of our nation would be proud for us to not allow this day wallow in abyss of historical death.

Despite the two-decade setback, I have faith that the Gambian is able and capable to re-emerge, reinvent and restore the pride and dignity of our nation and her people, position her where she belongs amongst her peers. A nation of peace, stability, and bastion of moral and political democracy. The unnatural, incessant events of 1994 are an indelible taint on our history but must not define us as a Nation and People. The Gambian's enterprise, decency and love for peace are unmatched. We'll overcome and create a better Gambia where we'd  be able to create greater opportunities for our youth who venture on a risk economic migration to Europe through the 'backway', dying in the desert or at sea. We'll create an enabling environment of unabated creativity for advanced technology and better, accessible, affordable healthcare and education.

We can do this! We only have to break this political and military bondage and repression to realize it.

Happy Golden Jubilee, Gambia, while we await the president to deliver his speech to the nation and the world. Hopefully, the recent events in Banjul would have an influence on the route he takes: Reconciliation for a better Gambia or Alienation for an already divided Gambia.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND PEACE TO THE PLANET.

Saidykhan!

IF MY CHILD WERE GAY...

When I saw the headlines on a suspected Gambian gay man allegedly tortured to near death, I was filled with rage, embarrassment and disgust, that the government of the Gambia had finally practicalized their threats to homosexuals. International media reported that he feared he was going to die as he was reportedly seen rushed to the hospital, suffering from internal bleeding.

Now credit must be given to FatuRadio Network for not only breaking the news of the current wave of persecution of gays and lesbians in the small West African nation but having the audacity to break norms and champion advocating for their plight late last year. It was not popular within Gambians but was the right thing to do. Just when the international media and Rights groups were picking on the news, the armed attack on the Presidential Palace on December 30, took a lot of steam out of the momentum.

The Gambia government passed a legislation signed by the president on October 9, 2014, criminalizing homosexuality. It was to target “aggravated homosexuality” and “serial offenders”. Few days after that, without public notification, orders were given and scores of suspected homosexuals were arrested including a minor. They were publicly humiliated by parading them on TV, tried by the media before they had their day in court. These followed the characteristic presidential rage on National TV where the president described the LGBT community as 'vermins' to be exterminated like mosquitoes.

When I first stumbled upon the works of one of the greatest contemporary African American writers by the name James Baldwin, one of the many reasons I adore the man was his tenacity and resilience on his personal journey from growing up as a gay, blackman in Harlem to his migration to France in the 1940s to escape rejection, indignation from his own people because of his sexuality. James Baldwin, a celebrated writer and essayist, and Bayard Rustin, would become incredible, formidable players in the civil rights movement in the United States, fighting and marching along side Martin Luther King for equality and desegregation. Their being gay did not take anything away from their love for humanity and quest for justice.

Tim Cook, the Apple CEO running its many products that we're so elated about, a humanitarian who's doing nothing other than contributing to the advancement of humanity and society through technology, is a modest gay gentleman.

I brought these gentlemen up in this discourse to argue that we should be focusing on the ability of people and the content of their character in embracing or shunning them instead of nitpicking on their sexuality and sexual preferences.

Recently, we've seen an unprecedented rise in the killing of black transgenders in America. Considering how intolerant some people still are against the LGBT community, these could only be hate crimes. Then you go to the Middle East where troubling reports of murdering and severely hurting gays are on the rise. To Africa where majority of the countries are criminalizing sodomy and homosexuality. State sponsored persecution in the name of preserving culture and religion.

The Gambia, which modeled her anti-homosexual laws on Uganda, by imposing 7 years to life imprisonment on aggravated homosexuality, do not even have  prevalence of this issue. As a matter of fact, many Gambians believe that it is a political ploy by the government to divert attention from the already awful state of affairs; poor governance to economic hardship, to non issues like homosexuality. To Uganda's credit, rights activists and the international community challenged the laws and the courts annulled the legislation on technicalities in August last year. At least for now, but that does not end the persistent threats of killing and burning gays alive.

Look, I'm a Muslim. And I as man of faith, I'm not one to even entertain the debate in some quarters that religion should be liberalized and adjusted to accommodate generational or societal evolution. I do not think man should choose when and how to change religion to suit his ever unquenchable quests. If we do, religion wouldn't be what it is.

But it's not lost on me neither, why some people do not subscribe to organized religion. Since the beginning of time, man has used religion to justify his actions, especially his wrongs. From the Christian Crusades and Inquisition, to Slavery by both Europeans and Arabs, segregation in America to Apartheid in South Africa, Islamic extremists in Al-Qaeda & ISIS we invoke the name of God and with His scriptures in hand to oppress and subjugate.

Most of the condemnations and resentments against gays and lesbians, are derived from our religious faiths. Both conservative Jews, Christians and Muslims would point to the same Scriptural account of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible, and the People of Lut in the Qur'an. We highlight that God annihilate these cities for engaging in homosexual acts but scriptures did tell us that although homosexuality was the most prevalent, there was too much indecency and violent sexual acts including rape and incest. God punishing these cities for their 'unnatural, immoral' acts had primarily become the stem of hate for gays for most people of these  faiths.

However, these religions taught that homosexuality is a sin like murder, adultery, fornication, lying, stealing, etc., except that unlike all the aforementioned which have their punishments prescribed, I do not see where in the Qur'an or Bible did God explicitly prescribed the punishment for homosexuality. I hope my ignorance in theology could be my excuse here. So if all sins are forgivable upon repent, how is it man's responsibility to persecute and take another's life because of their sexual orientation?

If my child were to be gay, what would I do? NOTHING! out of the ordinary that I wouldn't otherwise have done if he were straight. I'd raise him the best I could as a parent and afford and accord him everything I could. When he becomes an adult of his own my role will be reduced to parental advice. I might not be able to walk him down the isle should he want to go into same-sex marriage, but I'm certainty not going to 'beat' or 'pray' the gay out of him nor am I going to banish or disown him. We've gone beyond the days when homosexuality was wrongfully diagnosed as a disease my medical doctors or psychological disorder my psychiatrists.

Just like most, the gay-lesbian position had been an evolving one for me. Overtime, I'd come to realize and accept that I'd respect the rights of others who still have not opened up to them but would fight for their rights against any persecution or violation. I'm not a same-sex marriage advocate but just like a couple of my cousins who were Muslims yet drinking alcohol and falling in the streets to the utter embarrassment of family, and we didn't beat, kill or excommunicate them, I'm not going to be God's apostle to judge my son should he be gay. Like an uncle who committed adultery and had a child by another woman but still comes to family gatherings, I'm not stoning anybody.

Basically, it's never my business to poke a nose in what others do in the privacy of of their homes and certainly not the State's business to regulate our private lives to the extent of legislating who and how we love.

Homosexuality isn't confined to Western, Eastern or African. To the propaganda that the West wanted to export and compel us to accept gay marriages, I've never heard anything farther from the truth. Well certainly not in the Gambia. There was never any time thus far, that gay marriage had been a precondition to any bilateral engagement that we know of. What's been documented was for the Gambian state to respect the rights of all her citizens irrespective of creed, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political and religious leanings. And our government should be ashamed to be reminded of that obligation. Period.

On the debate that same-sex marriage is a threat to family and human existence, well that's a ridiculous presupposition. Homosexuality isn't something that is spell-driven nor is it contagious. It's like believing that only because I live in a society where access to alcohol and guns is easier, I'll be drinking and go on a murder spree. Equally, only because gays are marrying around me wouldn't make me abandon my desire and ability to be in a heterosexual relationship and bear children. So let's get off the political, religious high horses and stop the hate, prejudice and stand up against what's wrong even when that is against what favors us. That's what great men before us did. That's what I'd do for my child if he were to be gay.

After all, I'd rather have a gay son than a straight disrespectful, murderous child like Gambia's President Yaya Jammeh.

Salaam And Peace To The Planet.

- Pata PJ

A SLEEPING CHAIR: MUGABE, AN EPITOME OF AFRICA'S LEADERSHIP

When the African Union (AU) convened a special summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in October 2013 to discuss 'Africa's relations with ICC', threatening a mass withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), it was not a surprise to many but a smack in the faces of powerless, defenseless, voiceless Africans who are already victims of political thuggery and economic mismanagement by the Continent's politicians. Many believed the proposal, supported by those Heads of States who would never pass the democratic litmus test nor want to be held accountable for their shortcomings, was to grant them the passport, an escape route for the countless crimes committed against their countrymen with impunity. Already, most of these leaders and their sympathizers, had invested in selling the foolish argument that the ICC was bias and out to target Africans. They were building a shield from justice and seeking sanctuary. What a baloney!

"We have agreed that no charges shall be commenced or continued before any international court or tribunal against any serving head of state or government, or anybody acting or entitled to act in such capacity during his or her term of office”, Ethiopian prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn bleated.

Note though, that ICC at the time had opened investigations on 10 minus 2 countries - Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Central African Republic (CAR), Darfur, Mali, Libya, Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya. Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta made appearance in the Hague courts last year and the case against him dropped for lack of evidence.

After the summit, one of Africa's worse dictators and pseudo Pan African the Gambia's Yaya Jammeh, who came to power through an illegitimate, treasonous means some two decades ago and continues to rule as an absolute tyrant, braggadociously undermined his former employee and her court. "Be aware that there are two ways of getting somebody to stand trial at the ICC: either by an individual country referring the accused or the case may be filed by the Security Council... If Africa does not want the ICC to treat African cases, then don’t refer cases to the ICC", Yaya advises.

Ironically, this was after they'd collectively lobbied and successfully have the International body head by their own, the Gambia's former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Fatou Bensouda two years prior as Chief Prosecutor. (See the Gambia government's release http://www.statehouse.gm/Press-releases/prssrls-MOFA-election-Fatou-Bom-Bensouda-ICC-Prosecutor_16122011.htm)

"Frankly speaking, we are not against the ICC. What we are against is Ocampo's (outgoing persecutor) justice," AU commission chairman Jean Ping said. Lest we forget, the Criminal Court's membership was strictly voluntary. None was compelled to be signatory to the Rome Statute. So to argue that since George Bush isn't indicted no African should, is the craziest I've ever heard. To me that's like 'since we cannot get all murderers or rapists off the streets, let's leave everyone else off the hook'.

Knowing that the African electorate are not able to hold their government's accountable, unable to check their ever-growing powers, these minions go about perpetrating heinous crimes against their own just so they remain in power. To these presidents and those acting on their behalf, it's to their advantage that no independent body keeps eyes on them in or out of office. But that's an argument for another session.

Two years later, the same august body in what is seen in some quarters as a defiant move, voted to elect a 90-year-old Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to head the Continental body perhaps to 'stand up to the imperialists'. Robert who holds a historical reverence for his role in Zimbabwe's independence struggle and the infamous land reforms, has ruled that country since she attained self rule 34 years ago.

Not so much for his age than his record, Mugabe's not-so surprising ascension to the chair is met with dismay because he's seen by the younger African generation as an angry, unreasonable dictator who'd lost the plot since his obsession with power had morphed him into an intolerant politician and an infective CEO. Mugabe has stifled dissent and failed to turn Zimbabwe's failed economy around, where 1 USD = 361.900 ZWD. Presenting the country's 2014 budget, the finance minister painfully reported that 'poor performance of domestic revenue inflows and the rise in recurrent expenditures will continue to constrain fiscal space'. According to the IMF, the country has at least $10 billion in external debts, and must repay $142 million in overdue payment to be eligible for more credit.

His human rights excesses are even more appalling. Of the many political opponents in Africa, not many adversaries could say they'd endured more torture meted out to them than Mugabe's main rival at the polls. Morgan Tsvangirai had been tortured, persecuted and jailed, with visible scars all over his body and Mugabe was unapologetic. He's accused the man of being the 'puppet of the Whiteman'. Amidst charges of election irregularities by the opposition after the 2013 national elections, Mugabe went on a Yaya-esque tirade and declared that "If they cannot stomach it, they can go and hang. If they die, even dogs will not sniff at their corpses. Never will we go back on our victory”. How pathetic! That a supposedly democratically elected president would feel so godly and yet so hateful to his countrymen. And the same regional body that he's going to head, observed and passed those elections as free and fair. These conniving bastards! That's why there's very little surprise in their shenanigans in this recent episode.

If Zimbabwe were a classroom and Mugabe a student, he would have been expelled from school for his awful failing grades or never promoted. But because Africa's leadership are a conniving, greedy bunch, Mugabe is rewarded for two reasons: an aged bandit who is going to sleep his way to his death any moment from now; AND a stubborn brute with absolutely no regards for Afric(ans), only good for his inflammatory anti-west rhetorics that is surely going to infuriate their main development partners and alienate the continent.

As expected, the jubilant Bob feeling excited and accomplished, made no mention of democracy, human rights or human capacity development in his vision for Africa for the next two years. Instead, he'd gone on his stale, uninteresting vilification of the west and empty trumpeting of 'Africa for Africans' as if this is pre-independent Africa. Instead of AU concerning itself with putting Africa on a path that would put an end to decades-long instability, poverty and braindrain by promoting and instituting democratic ideals and institutions to cultivate, nourish and promote culture and environment of peace and justice while competing deservedly on global economic platform, its newest chair has declared his intention of further isolating Africa and set them on a collision course with advanced economies and donor partners.

“African resources should belong to Africa and to no one else, except to those we invite as friends. Friends we shall have, yes, but imperialists and colonialists no more. Africa is for Africans”, says the man who cannot relate to the current crop of visionary, sophisticated Africans, who's still oblivious to the reality of the world's global villageness.

Speaking on the Union's theme 'Women Empowerment', the man born in the dawn of the century had this premedieval sentiments about women:

"When it comes down to the ground, it's not easy for them. They get married, they must have babies, they must live at home, that's a problem… I’m saying it’s not possible that women can be at par with men", before doubling down in subsequent interviews to polish that. What a jerk!

Sometimes it's hard to sympathize with Africa. When the rest of the world are striving to progress and compete on the global stage, that continent is retrogressing in EVERYTHING. Electing a 90-year-old imbecile, unreasonable dictator to head the Continental  body, only reaffirms the kind of criminal, greedy, self-centered leadership that plaques Africa. Africa needs to get on with the rest of the world in embracing the creme de la creme of the continent - the youth. Let them groom and allow an easy, smooth transfer of power from the old guards to the visionary, educated, dynamic young leaders who are adaptable and relatable to the needs of modern day Africa and shape her future. But until then, Watch Bob try to run the Union to the ground as he did Zimbabwe.

But what do I know?! After all, I have my own virus in Yaya Jammeh to deal with.

PS: Seattle Hawks, learn to be 'Patriots' especially when the balls are 'inflated' LOL