By Alagie Saidy Barrow
To defeat a dictator or an aspiring dictator, you may have to first think like one, and hone in on the most dangerous weapons in the dictator’s arsenal: Information (media) and the law! There’s a reason information is often one of the first casualties of an impending dictatorship!
You see, back in the day, countries had ministries they called the Ministry of Propaganda, that was until propaganda somehow became negative and seen to be outright lies. Then many countries changed the name of their propaganda ministries to “information” or “education.”
Deep into the 2000s, some political parties had a position they called “Propaganda Secretary.” Sadly, many think that the loudest person in the party should be the person responsible for the information! Just as the position of spokesperson is sometimes given to people with no background in information (being a journalist does not qualify one to be a spokesperson). As we got more sophisticated, we moved away from propaganda secretaries to government spokespersons. The name may have changed but the functions remain the same. If you don’t believe me, go back and listen to the choreographed major press conference that was held to sway our thinking on the so-called Banjul Roads and Drainage Rehabilitation Project.
If anyone understands the value of information, it is the PDOIS. From my childhood days up to now, I’ve either listened to cassette tapes or read newspapers about the Party and its core beliefs. Yahya Jammeh’s handlers realised quickly that to pour darkness over Gambians, they had to control the information we got. They tried to shut down Foroyaa to no avail. Then they went after The Daily Observer deported the owner and with the help of spineless editors that came afterward, turned it into a mouthpiece promoting the devil’s agenda. GRTS would soon follow and from its commissioning, there was never a shortage of spineless Directors willing to do the bidding of the dictator!
Even in war, information is used as a weapon. Militaries have special units that are dedicated to information flow. Some have special units that are dedicated to the deception of the adversary through information. Guns may neutralise the enemy soldiers, but information helps hold the ground. Governments use information to control and abuse their citizens by controlling the narrative. They’ll do anything to shut down any narrative that does not align with theirs. That’s why opponents must strategise and have their information outlets to counter government narratives. Importantly, they must stand guard and ensure that the information platform is not tampered with such that it only advances the cause of those in power.
So Facebook instructs its moderators to allow terrible images from the Russia-Ukraine War but instructs that Israeli murders and destruction of Palestine be removed so people don’t see what is happening to Palestinians!
Information is powerful. When people or entities control what information you process, they essentially control your thinking! Have you wondered why many of our honourable parliamentarians are all packing to go to China for capacity building? Yes, many of them are heading to China to build their capacity! We innocently play into China’s soft-power shenanigans. The African will do anything for a chance to take a picture at some fanciful event and earn per diem!
That’s why the APRC Government tried to shut down the Foroyaa Newspaper, burnt the Independent Newspaper, deported the owner of the Daily Observer Kenneth Best, and murdered Deyda Hydara. And that was why Yahya Jammeh had so many spineless Directors at his GRTS as well as his defunct mouthpiece, the Daily Observer. And that is why our dear leader, Saidy Barrow Mannasi is unhappy with the 100 poor people who criticise him and his government! If the president is concerned enough about 100 people that he would take a so-called religious occasion to express his frustrations, then those hundred people must be very powerful! If not, why worry about only 100 people out of two million plus? Information is powerful.
Personally, from now on, I will only sing the praises of our government and call it sensitisation since sensitisation only means speaking good things about the government. Who knows, I may soon get a government position with an SUV, a driver, and never have to go back to hustling on the streets of the USA! Maybe I will even be gifted my radio station where I can sensitise the people only to positive things about the government. Maybe I will even be called honourable! Just maybe!
