When he spoke about Ousainou Darboe during the 2016 campaign, you can tell his heart was heavy. The man he call his dad was not there with him to see him lead the biggest political upset of the century in the African continent. The pain was less that Darboe wasn’t there to cheer him to victory, Darboe the man he loved so much and his colleagues were languishing jail in terrible conditions.
There is no room for error, he has to get this right and that energy kept him fighting and pushed him through the campaign. Fortunately, he had Halifa Sallah next to him, you couldn’t ask for a better friend in such a moment. A royalist, a man with honor, a man beyond reproach.
There's only so much a person can take. what else could Barrow have done? The insubordination has climaxed to an unbearable level. From the moment Pres. Barrow took office, his every move was designed to satisfy teeny-weeny Ousainou Darboe but greed and envy a focal point of Ousainou Darboe’s political live blinded him to this obvious fact.
To most the success of a disciple like Barrow should be enough satisfaction but not Lawyer Darboe. Like a cult leader, his followers are just a stepping stone and none is indispensable. The moment you eclipse him you become an enemy. No star is allowed shine than the Kahuna but what he failed to understand “he who god has blessed no man can curse.” Darboe has finally picked a fight he can never win. If there is one person post Jammeh who can take on Darboe is Pres. Barrow. He is everything Darboe is not. He’s got a big heart and personable none of which you can associate with Mr. Teeny Weeny.
I am not blind to the fact that Darboe is still popular and commands a loyal base. My friend would say it is no use to try to convince the fanatics, they have drank so much from the fountain of brainwashing that they are irremediable. I beg to differ, I am not about to give-up on about ¼ of our population, it takes a long, sustain effort to convince victims that the person they have seen as their savior for so long doesn’t have their interest at heart and was actually using them.
Call Barrow anything but he’s got a kind heart and he’s easy going. Don’t get me wrong, Barrow hasn’t risen to the occasion of the presidency but I didn't expected any better. How can anyone success with Ousainou Darboe as a deputy. An unloyal deputy to be exact.
Wherever he goes he brings chaos, confusion and disquietude. One of the biggest acts of unity we have ever seen in our country was the 2016 Opposition Coalition, the results of which release us from the clasp of one of African’s worst dictatorship but the Coalition was the first casualty of his wreckage but it wouldn’t be his last victim. Until then Barrow and his coalition partners were like brothers, one message, one platform. He used the unsuspecting Mai Fatty to create turmoil in the coalition and orchestrated his firing once he was useless to him. Anyways, we all know how that story goes, no need to buttress.
Think about all the disrespect and ills Darboe have committed in the past few months, it blows my mind how Pres. Barrow was so patient for so long.
- He released Darboe from jail,
- He allowed him to pick the cabinet, which he filled with his half-baked loyalists.
- He allowed him to pick the National Assembly candidates.
- He allowed him to picked the most visible cabinet position for himself.
- He betrayed his coalition partners and even fired some just to satisfy the Manson (Darboe).
- Fuck it, he gave him the ultimate price, the Vice Presidency.
What else does Darboe want? Barrow has done everything he humanly can. Where in the world do you see a Vice President openly plotting against the president and secreting encouraging his supporters to be unruly against the president. Barrow is such a patient creature, even Jesus Christ would have been less measured. Like my friend, a former cultist would say, he’s is a PEST. I dread characterizing anyone as such but I can understand his frustration.
I said this before and I'll repeat, UDP was not built as a governing party, it was built as a resistance. I thought being the ruling party will help it to transition but it’s quite the opposite and that’s unfortunate. But like they say if the head is rotten, don’t expect any better from the body.
To UDP, my message is simple and is one of a brotherly advice. Your public display of boorish behavior is a reproach to the entire UDP party. Barrow is one of yours. If God bless you but you remain ungrateful, do not be surprised when he turns his back on you.
This 2019, you are either IN or OUT.
DISCLAIMER: The image on this article was designed by Intellectual Bug (JollofNerds.com) and used in an earlier article. If Standard Newspaper did actually use this image in their story without credit to me, I demand an apology and immediate rectification. Do not steal my INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. Nonsense lol. Okay moving on...
"Time is the best teacher, unfortunately it kills all its students." - Robin William, RIP. Sometimes setbacks offers the opportunity to reflect, a fresh start, it can heel broken hearts, increase us in humility and humanity and even tame our ambitions. It can put our sight to what matters the most. In the case of Lawyer Darboe, leaving the cage was the unleashing of greed on steroids, it was the beginning of chain of events that will leave a nation desultory and skirmish.
Darboe, the quiet assassin, the master manipulator, like the Donald, mastered the art of alluring emotional attachment among his supporters. Talk to any member of the UDP cult, you'll be surprised how little they know or care about policy, their loyalty to the man is indefensible. Their definition of the Gambian is based on a very narrow vision of paranoia, hatred and a totemic protagonist system.
Instead of fostering the existing harmony between Pres. Barrow and the colleagues who made his undeserved presidency possible. Upon release from PRISON, Darboe decided to do what Darboe does best "divide and rule", and which better culprit to pick than the incorruptible Halifa Sallah. He immediately sow seed of discord between the president and the well-meaning Halifa. Unlike previous times, in his mind there was nothing stopping him this time, Barrow was the president only because he (Darboe) was in jail. So he never truly saw him as anything but placeholder-president.
Pres. Barrow, lacking confidence in himself and very aware that he has no business in being in the position he was in decided to let the little-man be the shadow president but even Pres. Barrow underestimated Darboe's ambition. The little-man is only for himself and it didn't take long for our naive president to notice (possible through the aid of his well-wishing advisers).
Today, the table has turn on his head, the sneaky Lawyer aka Mr. Teeny Weeny aka Ousainou Darboe is being kicked to the curb. The President (Mr. Slow Pace) has finally grown balls and doing what he should have done long time ago, isolate that little-man, there is trouble written all over him. He is NOT a team player, he's all about him, he uses you and when he is done he dumps you. You don't believe me? Ask Mai Fatty (Mr. Busybody).
TO BE CONTINUED.......
Who said a Gambian president isn’t capable of going to the world stage without swearing at everyone? It must be refreshing for the British not to hear the president of their former colony hauling insults and mockery at the queen. They were not the only ones auspicious though, Gambians all over the globe cheered and watch their jejune president with pride.
But we are NOT here for the rave. As Agitators-In-Chief and Anti- Conformist, we have to perform our duty as “Group-think” Busters and it’s about to get real. Yes, we know our reputation it has earn JollofNerds.com both abettors and calumniators but we would rather be real with our friends than fake to fit-in.
Mr. President as always was super-HOT, whoever convinced him to mimic Pres. Jawara’s dressing style was right he looks swank, unfortunately, it lacks ingenuity like almost everything Mr. president does.
It was a tantalizing speech according to many, especially folks on the other side, I can’t name names before they unleash Foday Jawla on me. The irony was many were praise-singing even before listening to the speech. The bar is so low for Pres. Barrow that he simply cannot do anything wrong, he just doesn’t have to do anything. “He did better than Jammeh.” is the new national anthem Smh!
It wasn’t surprising that it took less than 24hrs before Social-media reverse course and took down the president’s speech. A speech full of grammatical blunders and direct translation, it was so basic you’ll think it was written by Gambia’s amateur diplomat “Facuru Sillah”. It is NOT my style to tell other’s what to do but I believe UDP should consider hiring Sainey Sisay (Seattle) he’s probably the only UDP fellow I have seen with a decent Grammar. Foday Jawla would have been a good candidate but he is way too aggressive and delusional, whoever told him there was a tribal war going on in the Gambia should go back and tell him it was all a joke because he is NOT taking it lightly. Plus, my friend doesn’t talk kindly of women (join Trump buddy).
Was Barrow Speaking to Walls & Empty Chairs, why speak if you’re going to speak to an empty room?
I couldn’t tell if he was crying or reading lol. Why was Barrow even nervous when the only people in the room were Gambian Delegates? The rest were taking lunch-break or too lazy to leave the room. Which begs the question, why take 50+ people to New York City (one of the priciest cities in the world) just to listen to your speech, obviously no one cares what you have to say. That room was so empty I thought he was in a class on the last day of a school year.
Stop wasting our dinky resources, we are a poor, undeveloped nation. That trip at the end of the day will cost nothing less than D120,000,000.00 (Hundred & Twenty Million Dalasis) factoring a Chartered Flight. If that amount was invested in a Solar-Farm it would be sufficient to provide 24hrs uninterrupted Electricity and Water throughout the GBA. What is wrong with Africans?
UN, EU, World Bank, IMF, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Ecowas and countless other nations and organization pumped unimaginable amount of money & resources into the country so we can build strong institutions and be self-reliant. So far, NOT a single development project has been enacted by Darboe and his stooge Pres. Barrow. They are spending our money left and right on everything but Gambia’s need. Yet, all I kept hearing “At-least he did better than Jammeh.” WTF.. does that even mean, you think we fought for the bare minimum? In the main time, The Gambia remains a poor, dirty, hopeless country. The saddest part is, those who will be affected the most are probably the ones boiling inside while reading this article. Hating on Intellectual Bug when the politician is robbing your future. Guess what, I have 24hrs uninterrupted electricity & water supply, can you say the same?
Wake-up Gambians, wake-up Africans. It is NO accident that we’re the poorest nation in the poorest continent. Stop supporting political parties and politicians blindly, don’t be fooled, politicians will always convince you that you’re doing it for your TRIBE. They’re lying to you, they’re in it for themselves.
While you’re busy picking war with me, your government is busy spending money on themselves that was supposed to help lift the country from it's current state. They’re building Mansions that you’re NOT even aware of, yet if you get sick you you’ll end up in a hospital with no medicines. You live in a country were a mere headache can take your life, don't be mad at me for calling the politicians out.
I fought for SYSTEM-CHANGE. What did you fight for, PERSONNEL-CHANGE??
EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE!!
One of the leading opposition politician in the Gambian Hon. Mama Kandeh recently leveled a serious accusation against the Government of Lawyer Darboe and his Stooge Pres. Barrow. He alleges that the Government was embezzling public funds for private use. Many wondered why a man known to be very honest and measured would level such a serious indictment of African’s youngest government. Supporters or may I say militants of the ruling UDP party wasted no time to go for the jugulars, a party dominated by uncultured fanatics, it wasn’t surprising that they not only dismiss Hon. Kandeh but they went further to do what they do best “Personal Insults and Intimidation.”
Independent observers like Intellectual Bug decided to look deeper into this matter. Having observe Hon. Kandeh, and the level of integrity he has maintained throughout his political career, I thought he was up to something, politicians have info that the ordinary joe does not. It was clear there was more to the story than the lazy gov would like us to postulate and you won’t believe what we found.
It’s been 9 months since Darboe and his team took over, not a single project has been enacted since. Even in the face of endless flow of foreign money into the country. So far it appears the only people benefiting is Darboe and his chums just like it was during Jammeh's era. Before I elaborated let me remind you how much money has poured into the country and this is just what I am aware of:
- In February 2017: Just after taking office, EU gave The Gambian Government 225 Million Euros.
- In February 2017: World Bank gave the Gambian Government $7.8 Million Grant.
- In May 2017: China announced a Grant of $50 million to The Gambian Government.
- In July 2017: The European Union gave The Gambian Government another 30 Million Euros Grant.
- In July 2017: World Bank approve another $56 Million Grant to the Gambian Government.
- In August 2017: The European Union gave 25 Million Euros to the Gambian Government again.
Now you know why this guy here is celebrating birthdays and acting like a teenager, pardon me, I meant to say Fashionista smh.
Let me ask nicely. WHERE THE HELL IS ALL THAT MONEY?? Nine (9) months counting, the best this lazy government has done is bribe our lawmakers by buying them over 50 expensive cars and going on tourism to Saudi Arabia even in the midst of a devastating natural disaster. Hello! haven't you learned anything from Jammeh's 20 years misrule? Why can’t this government take us seriously, we fought to end Dictatorship and Corruption, some lost their lives, some sent to jail only to watch our effort go in vain.
What is more disheartening is this government's willingness to lie to us whenever cornered. "Saudi Arabia invited Barrow and sent a Private Jet to pick him up" yeah right or the "$48 Million Forensic lab is being built by a foreign company but they won't release details or the company's name." Are we supposed to accept anything you tell us, how credulous we must be. That brings me to the question "Where the hell are the journalist?" Don't you know there is something called Investigative Journalism. Quit reporting Sports and Court Cases all day. Do your job, stop robbing shoulders with government officials! Even a cough from the government you're ready to go to print or share the story on social-media. You're NOT an extended arm of the government, it's your job to hold them accountable and get the facts to the public. Smh!
If you're not aware already, The Gambia is among the top 10 poorest nations on earth. Kissing our government's ass is not gonna dig us out of that mess neither is praise-singing our politicians. Where is our money? The people of Kuntaur, the people of Ebo-town, the people of Banjul want to know. We need Electricity and Water, we need Jobs. Hello! are you listening?? Give NAWEC the funds they require to build better Public Utility services. Where is all the millions?
While you are obsessing about the commission of inquiry another dubious daylight Robin-hood is happening right now under your noise. What is even funnier, this is a pattern now, when there is a heat on the government they break a new Yahya Jammeh news and everyone goes on the meltdown. Give me a break, we're too sophisticated to be a Sucker for anything. Tell me what I don't know about Jammeh already. What are you doing right now to prevent another Jammeh? Absolutely Nothing, there is no anti-corruption mechanism implemented under this sleepy government and I am beginning to believe it is intentional.
I hope you'll learn from this guy here. Call him names all day but he cares and he proves it everyday through action.
We are aware of the funds you're diverting into your personal accounts and the homes you're building. We'll NOT rest until we exposed all of you, Not revealing/declaring your assets will NOT save you.
Before I conclude, Gambian journalist I have an assignment for you. Two months after taking office Barrow & Darboe gave D40,000.00 to each National Assembly member hmmm.. what is the source of that money?
Finally, finally, Jollof-Nerds would like to thank Hon. Kandeh for exposing the deep corruption spearheaded by Darboe and his pals. Who thought Lawyer Darboe would forget the ordinary guy so soon!!
***WHERE IS OUR MONEY??***
Baddibu is one of the biggest and bedrock regions of The Gambia, their citizens one of the most educated and resourceful. They have an unmistakable stamp in every sector of our economy and civil service. To put it in simple terms, without BADDIBOU, Gambia will not be Gambia. Period!
While I am not Baddibunka, I recognize the significant contribution they have rendered to our country. But that is NOT all, Baddibunkas were in the fore-front of the fight against the Jammeh dictatorship and in so doing they lost lot of their sons and daughters for the liberation of our country. Thank you!
In every facet of our economy, Baddibu is a force to be reckon with and they can match any region in terms of successful citizens.
While all of the above are true. Baddibu struggles to reciprocate those successes in Gambian politics. In both the first and second republic, Baddibu has been largely ignored by the government and nothing seems to be different with this Bansang led UDP government.
The region has largely thrown their weight behind the UDP party but their loyalty HAS NOT been rewarded by Darboe & Co. So far, the fanciest role they have occupied in the Darboe lead government is the position of “Protocol Officer” which by the way is a fancy name for “Sectary or Clerk.” Every influential position in this government has either gone to Waa Bansang or a CRD native, from Amadou Sanneh (Finance Minister) to Assan Jallow (Chief Justice).
How long are Waa Baddibu willing to tolerate the Not-Good-Enough treatment from the UDP? So far, it appears Darboe is willing to use Waa Baddibu for their vote but marginalize them when it counts. That wasn’t the only nefarious treatment Baddibunkas have been subjected to by Darboe. During the selection to pick the presidential candidate to represent UDP in the general elections, Darboe throws his weight behind a former store security-guard in the UK who has neither the educational qualification nor leadership experience in expense of well-educated and experience Baddibunkas.
Even in jail, Lawyer Darboe’s command was clear, anybody but someone from Baddibu and he fought tooth-and-nail to dwindle their influence and power in the party. He would rather have a guy whose biggest experience was owning a 2-person Real Estate Boutique than allowing a power-shift to Baddibu. This is an insult, how long are waa Baddibu willing to accept the disrespect, maltreatment, marginalization and the suppressive acts from Darboe and his gang.
It is time to send a clear message to the UDP party, Baddibu cannot be ignored any longer and their support will NOT be taken for granted. A Political Party from Baddibu will be too strong to stop, not even the almighty Papa Lawyer Darboe can stop the mighty Baddibu. The time is now, the smart, experienced and resourceful Baddibunkas must take their rightful place in Gambian politics. Send a message to Darboe and his Bansang Gang, show us what you got. Create a POLITICAL PARTY now!!
First Jawara, then Jammeh and now the Darboe government. Enough is enough!
Minutes after the conclusion of a meeting between Italy and The Gambian government. Our attention-obsessed Minister Mai Fatty eager to take credit and pump his ego ran to his favorite platform Facebook to prowl and scout applause from his often naïve, unsuspecting and lowbrow fans. In doing so, he fail to acknowledge the President or at-least allow his to take credit as it is customary in any government. When the Seal Team 6 kill Bin Laden they didn’t run to Twitter or Facebook neither did their Commanders. No! They understand the chain of command just like you should that the President is the Commander-in-Chief and head of the Executive-Branch in your case. As such, he deserves the privilege to be the face of such important news but don’t tell that to inerudite Mai Fatty.
But that wasn’t the end of his cardinal-sin, in a hurry to run his mouth he made a claim that I regretfully have to call a blatant lie. Just so no one confuse the fact that he “Mai Fatty” deserve the acclaim and only him, he said “The gift was from Italy’s Interior Ministry” quietly making a correlation since he is Gambia’s Interior Minister. Such a farce, what a character this guy is smh lol.
I don’t know the details of the deal but the claim that the gift is from Italy’s Interior Ministry stands out, because that is not how we understand Interior Ministries to operate anywhere in the world. Interior Ministries do not conduct foreign relations and their budget doesn’t include foreign-aid, I thought Mai Fatty would know this.
Last year I wrote an article titled “Half-Truth are Lies” and talked about how half-truth can be as deadly as total-lies. Mai Fatty has mastered the art of not telling the whole truth thereby giving impressions that might be deceiving just to advance his PR agenda. Let me give you an examples; remember how Mai claimed that he has signed a deal for the building of a $48 million Forensic-Lab only to change his story after we found out it was actually a Clinical Lab that performs Diagnosis and Research in Molecular Medicine, the forensic crime aspect of it was actually a small component of this project. Which makes sense, because Gambian does not have the crime-rate to warrant a $48 Million Forensic-Lab even if it was for free but you won’t have that impression when you listen to cretinous Mai Fatty.
Here we are again with the same half-truth from Mai. Don’t get me wrong it very possible that Italy’s Interior Minister was allowed to hangover the gifts that might be actually coming from the State Dept (Foreign Affairs) etc, governments does this all the times. Just because he handed over the Welfare-Check doesn’t mean it came from Italy’s Interior Ministry. Nice try!
Some of you might be like, but Intellectual-Bug this is not a big deal it was a just a small lie. If someone is capable of telling a small lie they're capable of telling a bigger, more consequential lie and remember we're entrusting these guys with our country at it's most vulnerable time.
That brings me to my last point. Who is Mai Fatty accountable to? It seems he is working in solo with no coordination with the President/Sectary-General’s office or any of the other government institutions and that say a lot about the dysfunction and structural problem within this administration. They are just not jelling, there is a serious leadership vacuum and people like Mai Fatty are taking advantage of this environment to hike their stock. My advice to Mai Fatty “Stop it,” please just stop it. If you work hard we will see it, you don't have to convince us. You might be older but some of us are more educated, more battle-tested in any areas, be it Governance, Economics or Int'l Affairs. Quit selling us Crap, please!
By: Rik Osborne (Posted on Quora, great read)
“If you sit home playing video games all day, you won't meet anyone.”
I was 49 years old, and had never been married. In fact, I had barely dated as an adult. I’d had one relationship, when I was 23–24 years old, that lasted 18 months, and another when I was 36 that lasted six months. And after that, I just never had much interest in trying to find romance and love. I took the position, “if it happens, it happens”.
So, living alone in an apartment, at 49 years old, I spent most of my time alone, playing World of Warcraft, when I wasn’t at work. Work and WoW, that was my life.
So on Christmas Eve, 2015, I was sitting alone in my apartment, playing WoW, and enjoying a bottle of nice single-malt scotch I’d bought as a Christmas present to myself. At some point in the evening, I wandered downstairs to my kitchen, and as I was entering the kitchen, I noticed for the first time a small, patched section on the wall. I was curious about it. You see, my apartment building was built some time before World War 2. I had already figured out that, when the building was new, it was heated by some kind of furnace in the basement, with all of the apartments sharing the heat. I figured that this small, square, patched-over spot must have originally been some kind of vent that allowed the air to move between apartments. My curiosity prompted me to knock on it.
Somebody knocked back.
So I knocked again, and heard more knocks in return. Then I heard a woman’s voice through the wall yelling, “Hey, come over here!”
I was … a bit surprised. But I shrugged and went over there.
I met my neighbor for the first time. We spent the rest of Christmas Eve together. Then we spent Christmas together. And the next day. And the next, and the next. She had a big TV, but no cable, so she could only use it to watch DVDs. I set her TV up with my WiFi password so that she could use my Netflix account. I spent most evenings in her apartment, watching shows on Netflix with her.
In March 2016, she moved into my apartment, and toward the end of April, we got married.
I was playing video games instead of looking for love, but love found me :)
JollofNerds: Beautiful story and we thought we would share it with you. At JollofNerds we cerebrate all love stories and we wish all our readers the best in their love life and we pray that you find that person who makes you happy.
Is everything alright in the UDP fraternity? This is no hyperbole, something is brewing!
After the National Assembly elections, Papa Lawyer Darboe drop a new tune in the Mandingo language, it goes like this: “Yee-ye-ye-ye Lawyer Darboe ye banko tar,” translated “Yee-ye-ye-ye Lawyer Darboe has taken over the country.” Many people thought the song was inappropriate for various reason, one of which is instead of recognizing Barrow’s leadership in lifting the party at its lowest point and leading it to victory plus all the sacrifices made along the way. Lawyer Darboe chooses to personalize the victory and reserved all the credit for himself for a victory he probably had very little to do with. As you can imagine this didn’t help his image and selfish reputation but the Old-man couldn’t help himself.
There has been lot of talk recently whether Barrow should serve 3 years as agreed in the coalition-memorandum or should he ignore/betray the agreement and force the 5 years constitutional term? The question no one is asking; who benefits the least if Barrow forces a 5 years term or extend his stay?
Well, I can tell you right now, there is an Old-man shitting in a corner, scrunching his face and screaming “Not Fair.” Our favorite old-man Papa Lawyer Darboe is destine to be the next president, Gambia is a one-party state at this point, sadly UDP has position itself as the sole beneficiary of the post Jammeh era and I do not see any other party reclaiming the crown for the next 30 years. It’s the fact. Now here comes the trouble, is Barrow going to make Papa Lawyer Darboe wait longer than he has to and how do you think that idea is sitting with the old-man?
It looks like this is going to be war, my prediction unfortunately our favorite Old-man is going to lose. Here is the thing, while UDP is enjoying the expanding size of their party the new comers have less loyalty to the party and more to Barrow as an individual and the rest of the new-comers are just gold-diggers. The voters who help topple Jammeh’s government mostly in their teens and early twenties do not have any significant memories of Darboe and sadly his old age doesn’t help. Barrow is closer to their age, he is younger and cuter and most importantly they see Barrow as the guy who saved them not Darboe and that’s a powerful image in their head.
The UDP old-guards see Barrow differently, while they like him, they see him nothing but someone there only to warm the car for the ultimate driver. Their loyalty is to the Old-man and it’s unshakeable, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen when Barrow exceed his welcome and decides to stay for 5 years or more.
Going by his recent interviews, it looks like Barrow is going to stay longer than even 5 years. I can say for certain Barrow is going nowhere anytime soon, the presidency is getting into his head, and he is loving the attention and the power that comes with it. How long is Lawyer Darboe willing to tolerate him is anyone's guess. We shall see. My advice, brace yourself for the unthinkable. “3 years or 5 years, I’ll do whatever the Gambian people want me to do” is what Barrow said in a recent interview. Let me translate it to you; it means “I am not leaving, I’ll serve the whole 5 years.” This is Barrow’s civilize way of saying “go screw yourself.”
African presidents are cursed, they do not have it in themselves to share power. Democracy is just a convenience, they use the word whenever it suits their needs. It becomes worst when you give someone a role they do not deserve or qualify for, they would not want to give it back. We see the same thing happen when Jammeh found himself in a role he was neither qualify nor expected. Anyways, that’s not the end of this stories, think about it if Barrow can force his way into serving 5 years what will stops him from shaking another 5 years? All of this at the detriment of Papa Lawyer Darboe, I feel bad for the Old-man, I love him.
My fear is the fall-out between these two colleagues will be ugly. Power corrupts, Presidents are jealous, they do not want to share the crown and Darboe is circling that crown like an eagle. Once the Banjul Socialites start getting close to the president and constantly reminding him how Darboe is trying to take his Job that would be the end of Lawyer Darboe. I just hope he doesn’t sent him back to where he rescued him from.
Anyways, I have no bone to pick in this fight. My Fula friends say “Mburru fof ko faringe.” As a none-UDP, Independent observer I don’t care who wins, the petty-side of me is looking forward to the fight though and can't wait for the blows to start flying lol. You bet I would put flame to the fire while hypocritically chuckling on the side. Nothing beats a UDP fight, lol.
It's the right thing to do! Yahya Jammeh's rule will go down not only as one of the darkest in Africa but the world at-large. See, there has been dictators before Jammeh but what brings Jammeh on-par with the world's worst is the treatment of his subjects (The Gambian People). Jammeh didn't only treat his adversaries badly he treat them inhumanely, he destroy them and sometimes destroy their family and everything they care about. When he goes after you he tries to take about your humanity. My principle in life is "kill me but never take about my humanity."
I do not support the banning of any political party or peaceful political activity. However, it's time for the current leadership of APRC to take a hard look at what they represent, the symbol of APRC most only be seen in Museums not in the public domain. Give closure to the many victims of Jammeh and dissolve the party, it's the right thing to do. The pain Jammeh and his government inflicted on our people is real and still raw, it's impact will continue to be felt centuries to come. In the "New Gambia" everyone must be free to express their views because that's the dictate of a free and fair society but it obvious APRC or any government that holds a similar ideology will never ever lead our people again. Ask any Jew worthy of his salt what will you if Hitler were to come-back and try to rule over you, he/she will tell you over my dead body. We the Gambian people will give our lives and happily so to safeguard our new freedom from Jammeh and everything he represented.
I criticize the Barrow government and I probably will continue to do so even if I was the V.President just the way I'll criticize a Halifa Sallah government, a Mamma Kandeh government, even a government of my own daddy because I believe it is important to put pressure on our leadership so they know they have to fight every single day to prove to us that they care and act on issues that affects us. It makes me uncomfortable when APRC sympathizers cozy up to my writings because I criticize this government. Don't get it twisted, make no mistakes, you and I couldn't be more different. If you think what Jammeh did to my people is okay, I put you in the same bracket as Jammeh. I despise everything, everything Jammeh stood for. When I disagree with UDP or other parties it's policy difference, it's like fighting a brother (I enjoy Spanking them), with APRC is like fighting an enemy.
Before Jammeh we disagree but the sanctity of human life was valued in our society. The Jammeh-era brought so much Sorrow and Loneliness to so many homes, took husbands from so many wives. I pride myself for not easily crying but thinking about Jammeh and the brutality of his era roll tears down my eyes. I, like many of you was a Jammeh victim. I was an elementary age kid when Jammeh took power, those days dead was so sacred when a neighbor dies kids like myself were shield from the trauma and moved to a different side of the town. But in Jammeh's era I grew up subjected to the trauma of murder, missing neighbors and neighbors terrified of the prospect of being fired from the only source of livelihood.
He pit us against each other tribe-against-tribe and made our country nearly ungovernable, he almost destroyed us forever.
I live a bless life and consider myself a success in so many ways, but no action gave me more satisfaction than knowing I was among the voices who refused to remain quiet to Jammeh's Dark Age. That fight will be the highlight of my life and I hope to one day be blessed with grand-children so I can brag to them how I was part of the resistances.
To those leading APRC now, you've an opportunity, you've an opportunity to ask for remission for your role in the darkest chapter of our history. Dissolve the party, do it for your own sake and for the sake of Jammeh's victims. Ask for forgiveness, The Gambian Heart is the kindness of all Hearts.
For those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, "may your souls rest in perfect peace!!" To their families we are forever indebted.
Our president (Barrow) was elegant yesterday during the opening ceremony of the National Assembly. He gave a dazzling speech and I got to confess he was sexy and seducing in his Haftan. Hi Barrow, you want a third wife? Holla! Wink, Wink!! He as always was gracious and modest, two qualities I like about him. However something else caught my attention, the beautiful building he gave his speech in. For a country with little infrastructure the new National Assembly building is a master piece and a pride.
But my busy-body mind started wondering, questions like “which administration built this beautiful building?” started popping in my head and I was faced with the hard reality, it was the administration of our ex-dictator. The same answer when I asked about the Airport a classic in African standards, the Roads, Traffic-Lights, Hospitals, Schools etc. almost every infrastructure development seems to have come from Jammeh’s government. This in addition to the many scholarships that allowed so many of our young citizens to get quality education in places like Taiwan, Venezuela, Cuba etc. Considering my antipathy for him, I felt abashed.
This fact puts our current administration in an awkward position, if a dictator who swindle our resources and was promiscuous at times could do all that development. The question everyone is asking is can this administration match the ex-president or do better. Well so far the manifestations are not great, if building Forensic-Labs is this government’s priority then the antics are not looking good and they have lot of catch-up to do. As of now, the only thing Barrow can take credit for is the gentility of his wardrobe, his Haftans without a doubt can match Jammeh’s any day. Sometimes, I get jealous ‘sah’, so cute Mr. President, if I can lay hand on one of those Haftans and Hats, ‘dem’ ladies will lick my face daylight. No kidding!
However, I hope Barrow doesn’t befuddle nice dresses to effective leadership. There is so much hope on him, blaming the ex-government for failures can only work for so long, after a while it gets old and we the Gambian people will say “put up or shut up.”
I am still buoyant though and crossing my fingers, I am putting my buck on this government hoping they won’t let me down. If a dictator can do more for the country than this UDP led government that would be an abomination and total shame. Even worst if every infrastructure this administration balls-in is the work of the dictator we all love to vilify that will call their credibility to question. Hola UDP! Are you really gonna let Jammeh mockingly poke his fingers at us? Do not embarrass us.
Ohh.. Btw, I was told UDP was upset that Mamma Kandeh upstage and humiliate them on the national stage. GDC, the country's biggest opposition party recently successfully rolled-out an infrastructure project, a bridge somewhere in the countryside in just few months. For a party not in power and with no control of government resources, this was an unbelievable accomplishment. Considering Papa Lawyer Darboe’s obsession with the presidency and his unstoppable impending presidency in 2020, this was a hard-hit and the old man was having none of it. In-fact, grapevine had it that UDP got big plans. The plan a Train that travels Banjul-to-Basse in a single hour by December 2017, this in reaction to Mamma Kandeh and GDC.
So far the UDP led administration has struggled to take credit for a single project since taking power not even a Borehole, it remains to be seen if they can pull it off. I hope they don’t become the party of plenty ideas, no substance. The good news, December is just around the corner. Talk is cheap “we go see.” So far it seems there is a Big-Baboon looming, but it’s not Dictator Jammeh lol.
Couples of weeks ago, Gambia was all over the international media, like months prior, it wasn’t for the right reasons. Accordingly to the current administration our psycho ex-president has pilfered the nation’s miniature resources and basically left us penniless. Like most of you I need not tell you I was enraged and indignant, my hatred of Jammeh was renewed all over again and I can’t recapitulate the insults I directed at the fool.
Fast forward one month it appears Gambia has recovered big time. Who needs Jammeh after-all? We have so much money, white-elephant projects like a Crime-Lab, Forensic-Lab, MaimunaFatty-Lab or whatever you choose to call it, it’s no more a wish, it’s happening bro.
It doesn’t matter that Gambia one of Africa’s poorest have one of the lowest crime rate, where crimes like murder is a rear occurrence. It doesn’t matter that the whole country has one Dialysis center located in Banjul. So if you live in Basse or any other region outside of Banjul and Kombo and need your blood filtered three-times a week because of a kidney failure. You have three options:
1. Relocate to these two regions and live there for the rest of your life.
2. Move to a country with advance medical care and live there forever and hope that you can afford the medical cost.
3. Die (unfortunately this is the option for most people).
Yes, medical issues like these are not in the fore-front of our public discourse, neither are they the main topics in the media but there are real people dying every single day helplessly from preventable/manageable health issues like these. It pains my heart that their situation is less priority than Mai Fatty’s security paranoia and toys meant only to feed his ego.
It doesn’t matter that 70% of the country does not have Electricity Supply and nowhere in the country is 24hrs electricity guaranteed. Imagine what a $40 million investment into a Solar-Farm will do for the country?
It doesn’t matter that the country’s only University continues to graduate medical doctors every second like ants yet none have the expertise to conduct organ transplant neither have the medical equipment. Investing $48 million into a standard medical lab at the University of The Gambia (UTG) makes more sense any day than Mai Fatty’s TOYS.
But wait, don’t tell this to the self-identified, self-appointed "Coalition Defense League (CDL aka UDP)", you’ll get an earful of how it is not an Either/Or. I beg to defer! My granny use to tell me how “it’s easier to wake someone asleep than someone pretending to be.” May her soul rest in peace. How true, reminds me of the no ancient time when Jammeh’s supporters use the same tactics. Blind themselves to the crimes of their master. What an imperfect creation we are, mankind forgets so soon, smh.
I can’t help but wonder down memory-lane, high school days at Nusrat. Nice memories! I still remember the first topic in my Economics class, my Ghanaian teacher when full-blown on the Economic principle of Scarcity of Resources and Scale-of-Preference. The principle states if you've scarce resources you should prioritize your needs according to their importance. How I wish this administration was following this basic economic principle.
Considering less than a month ago Mai Fatty and his cronies were bitching to anyone who cares to listen about how our government is broke, how in the world can they justify such a superfluous project. Who are you trying to impress??
If this is how our government is going to spend our meager resources, we are in deep shit. Like seriously.
Since our secret president (Papa Lawyer Darboe) have decided only his boy-boy Mai Fatty is going to get the money for his department. Can Adama Barrow grow a spine for once and transfer Mai Fatty to the below Government Ministries, I am pretty sure they need that money more:
1. Ministry of Health
2. Ministry of Education
3. Ministry of Agriculture
4. Ministry of Roads
5. Ministry of Electricity
6. Ministry of Internet-Service or
7. Ministry of Trash-Pickup
Before I conclude, I want to raise one more issue: EMBEZZLEMENT. Corruption is Africa’s biggest disease and government officials get away with it usually by signing big contracts or starting such silly projects. The end cost of the project is triple the original amount and we all know where the difference go. I am not saying that’s the motive here but considering the public was blindsided and we still don’t know the details of this misguided the-world-is-about-to-end-project. Our skepticism is heightened, like the Nigerians say “we’re watching you with our naked eyes.”
We know the following for a fact. Mai Fatty ain’t rich, in-fact he was an average Lawyer, so was his master (Papa Lawyer) we also know his current salary, so we’re keeping an eye on him and his master. We’ll be watching how many houses you build in the next coming years.
To some “New Gambia” means sycophancy but to some of us it means keeping our government’s toes to the fire and doing what it takes to lift the country from its current predicament. Who got time to be baby-sitting or praise-singing a government? On a light note, Intellectual Bug is back, no filter; same style, same authenticity. Stay bless my friends.
My name is Intellectual Bug, I am a Jollof-Nerd, a Political-Junkie and a Love-Wizard.
This is a platform for Intellectuals :) but we do NOT discriminate, we suppress no ideas as long as you're cool as we are.
Do you get the chills reading "The Lion and the Jewel." Do you get excited by poems, prose and appreciate the beauty of words. Or get butterflies in your stomach from reading a beautiful Romantic story. Maybe you're the political junkie who needs a proper dose of political cogitation without filter. Jollof Nerds! is the platform.
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