By Omar Bah
Alhagie Omar A.B. Faye, the alkalo of Busura village, has appealed to President Adama Barrow to meet the Council of African Descendants.
“I am urging the president and his government to fast track the facilitation of assisting the African descendants’ citizenship. If you give them a chance, you will not regret it because I have tested it and I and my people have not regretted giving them a chance to reintegrate,” he said.
The Council of African Descendants, a community of people from African ancestors born outside who have now returned to the continent and are found in many African countries including The Gambia, have requested to meet President Adama Barrow over their pursuit for citizenship status.
The group’s request to meet the president followed an unsuccessful campaign to get the CRC to make a provision for them to acquire citizenship in the new constitution.
Alkalo Faye also urged the president to help the African descendants to reintegrate.
“There is a need for them to be assisted to reintegrate. They are our brothers and sisters. We should accept them and help them feel home. We must not lose sight of the hospitality this country is known for from since time immemorial,” he said.
He said the African descendants should “not be only accepted but they should be given land to settle”.
“It is only when we give them land that they can quickly reintegrate and adapt to the culture of their ancestors. I want to send a special message to President Barrow to give them an audience. They are part of this country and Africa. They are us and we are them. If their ancestors were not taken in that journey, they would not have been in the situation they are today. Four hundred years for them to come back is too long,” he said.
