I have recently listened to the talk show of Essa Sey, and I have been very much disturbed by both the tone and the content of his speech. I have been so much discomforted by what I heard that my first conclusion was that the man has lost it! However, after listening to the talk again and again and analysing it more carefully, I came to a more sensible conclusion: Essa Sey has not only lost it, but he is playing a very dangerous game. Before I proceed with the analysis; let me sum up a little bit what the former ambassador said.
Mr Sey was commenting on the last visit of President Jammeh in the USA. He was advising his listeners what to do, and was providing information on the location of the president, etc. Mr Sey took advantage of his one-man talk show to insult the president again, and used very derogatory and racist epithets toward the First Lady of the Republic of The Gambia. I have willingly used the word “racist” because Mr Sey has referred to the first lady as a “Moroccan…..” Mr Sey has also trespassed the private life of Pierre Minteh, a junior diplomat at the Gambian Embassy in the USA, talking about the christening ceremony of his son and other issues related to his personal life.
I was very troubled by the speech of Essa Sey because it is so unbecoming of him given his service to The Gambia, and his status as a former diplomat. Mr Sey has earned the title of ambassador thanks to President Jammeh, and he will never lose that title whatever the circumstances. Hence, hearing certain comments from him is so disappointing. Mr Sey is not new to making incendiary comments about people with whom he has scores to settle. In fact, one who listens to him carefully realises he does not hesitate to have recourse to any sensitive issue to demonise the president and his entourage. Those who listen to his one-man talk shows know very well what I am talking about here.
Essa Sey uses racial, ethnic, tribal, and religious cards without measuring the consequences this may have on The Gambia. He will be the first one to deny such observations in his regards, but any careful listener can see through his speeches the division he is trying to create. This is very sad because Gambians are blessed with a small land as a national territory, but they have open hearts to welcome all peoples from all around the world. To see a Gambian diplomat (whether active or inactive) plays with ethnocentric cards is shameful and dangerous.
Essa Sey has just lost it! Not only does he play with sensitive issues, he also talks about trivial issues and makes personal attacks that have nothing to do with advancing The Gambia. How meaningful is a talk on whether or not to call Sheikh Omar Faye “Ambassador Faye”? What are the relations between Pierre Minteh’s son christening and the public interest of Gambians? Why threaten Pierre on live radio? What interest do Gambians have in who is cooking for Ambassador Faye? Why is it so important for Mr Sey to display hatred and disdain for Ambassador Faye? Why insult this honourable man on live radio without taking into account he is a representative of The Gambia, he is a father and a husband?
Hearing Essa Sey talk about sensitive and trivial issues such as the ones already mentioned above is very embarrassing especially when you hear it coming from someone who has served The Gambia in several countries not as a very junior diplomat but as an ambassador. Essa Bokar Sey and his likes embarrass our country a great deal because of their past services in our government and their social status. I have never heard a former diplomat talk trash like Essa Bokar does! It is just embarrassing!
While talking about people’s private lives, Essa forgets he has his own. It would be very interesting to hear Mr Sey explain how from a mere protocol officer he became an ambassador, and how he brought his extended families to the USA. Mr Sey must know The Gambia is a small geographical territory and that each one knows about each one. He should not downgrade himself by engaging himself in trash talks. When he talks about people’s families, he should remember he has one. Wives, children, cooks, titles and other trivial issues have no place in the dialogue for a better Gambia.
Samba Sanyang
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