By Imran Darboe
“Look at the orators in our republics; as long as they are poor, both state and people can only praise their uprightness; but once they are fattened on the public funds, they conceive a hatred for justice, plan intrigues against the people and attack the democracy.” – Aristophanes, Plutus
I was once told the story of a king who, whenever he sat in public, had a particular servant come to him at regular intervals, whisper something in his ear and then leave. Curiosity led one person to ask him, – “what is it that this servant whisper in your ear all the time?”
The king replied, “I only hired him to do one thing, whisper in my ear – ‘You are only human,’ so that my position does not make me arrogant.”
This story always comes to mind when I see the antics of our leaders. Take Dr. Ismaila Ceesay and his recent comments, for instance. Once a vocal advocate against political excesses, he now sits comfortably on the other side of the table, defending most things he used to oppose and dismissing critics as “kids” and ‘Chunes’ (meaning incompetent people). From videos of some recent interviews, he has resorted to condescending language and undignified talk about beating critics.
It is said that the second-generation Islamic scholar Mujahid Ibn Jabr once remarked that the devil finds it hard to overcome the lucid human being, but when intoxicated, the devil “takes them by the reins and drives him freely.” Shakespeare captured a similar downfall in Othello, where Cassio, who is a respected lieutenant known for his loyalty and good judgment, is manipulated by Iago to drink. Once drunk, Cassio loses control, engages in a fight, and ends up stabbing a fellow soldier, damaging his reputation. Othello strips Cassio of his rank and in a moment of regret, Cassio cries about the effects of alcohol, saying, “O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains!” He realized, too late, that his drunkenness has cost him not only his position but also the respect he had worked hard to build.
However, while both Mujahid and Shakespeare’s Cassio highlight the tragedies of alcoholic intoxication and its consequences, I think we should draw broader moral lessons of both, for power I have realized has as much of a drunken effect on our leaders as any amount of alcohol. I often imagine former President Jammeh, alone, in exile, having a ‘Cassio moment’ when he looks back at the mischief and abuse he caused when he was so drunk on his own power. More importantly, I had hoped every Gambian leader would have learned a sobering lesson from the revelations of Jammeh’s episode in our country, as revealed by the TRRC. Yet here we are again, with batch of leaders who seem to be overindulging on the power drink once again. Dr. Ceesay’s recent comments, as well as some of the President’s own over the last few years, only confirm what has become a pattern in our political culture – once that ecstatic feeling of power kicks in, a delusional feeling of invincibility descends on our political leaders and they begin to view criticism as a disrespect… dissent as insult.
The honourifics we shower on them – “Sir,” “Your Excellency,” “Honourable,” the pomp, the glamour of the Pajeros, relentless pandering of the poor orderlies and the per diems, all seems to induce a total aversion to ctiticism or divergent views. Often, freedom of expression becomes the first casualty, perceived as rudeness. Authorities start to use insults, threats, mischievous interpretations of the law, unlawful arrests, detentions without trial, and gradually end up resorting to torture. This slippery slope towards tyranny starts with irritation against warnings and impatience against criticism, irritation against freedom of speech, of assembly, of association. What starts as irritation at opposition and critique often leads down a dark road. Dr. Ceesay might tell himself (as one news article claims he did) that his words and behavior were a human slip that is not his character, but to anyone who has seen the trend of our leaders will see signals of something more troubling. Freedom of expression, once championed by him, now appears as impudence in his eyes it seems. A voice of caution is now an enemy, and with that shift, folks like him edge closer to the example of Cassio in Othello, to one day look back and wonder how he went down that path.
There is a process regression from the moment leaders begin to feel the tingling effects of the motorcades, orderlies, and men ready to act on their command, to that Cassio moment at the end when they realise too late that arrogance in positions of power was nothing but the seduction of the devil. It always begins with small acts of arrogance and the gradual dismissal of opposing views and if you watched the videos you will realise Dr. Ceesay’s words resonate with the arrogance of someone who sees himself above the general public, and herein lies the danger. When leaders believe their own mythical importance and power, when they see themselves as untouchables (who can rule for a billion years, or limitless terms, or perhaps as dynasties), they embark on a path that often ends in shame and debasement, and Jammeh exile should have taught us all, that lesson.
Would it not be wise, then, for leaders like Dr. Ceesay to pause and err on the side of caution? To approach their positions with humility rather than hubris and arrogance, and to entertain, for a moment, the notion that those who question them might be worth listening to? And so, perhaps, for Dr. Ceesay (and our leaders generally), it is time to call on someone that will whisper in his ear, “You are only human.” Because, in the end, politics does not have to be a savage game of unprincipled arrogance and moral inconsistency. One can lead with honor and dignity, enjoying the legitimate perks of power while respecting the people, tolerating divergent views, and most importantly, remembering Lord Bingham’s call to exercise power responsibly, and within limits. For those who became addicted to power, history is not forgiving and a PhD wielding political scientist should know this fact.
Imran Darboe is a Gambian lawyer and human rights advocate with expertise in transitional justice. He currently works as an Advocacy Specialist at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR).
