There are mentors who guide, and then there are those who transform. Today, my heart is filled with gratitude for a man who didn’t just show me the way but walked with me through every challenging turn – Madi Jorbateh.
His mentorship wasn’t just about pointing out the right from wrong. It was a journey through stormy seas, where he sometimes let me falter only to teach me to sail better. I remember the crushing feeling when he marked all over a document I had poured my heart into for a month. But now, with time’s perspective, I see the wisdom in those red marks. They weren’t just corrections; they were lessons in resilience, dedication, and the pursuit of excellence.
Madi’s belief in me was unwavering, even when I doubted myself. His door was always open, his heart always understanding, and his guidance, a blend of tough love and genuine care. When I was piecing together my foundation, building it from scratch, he was the bedrock, guiding me through every intricate detail, ensuring it stood on a firm ground.
Words fall short to express the depth of gratitude I feel. Your tough love wasn’t just about honing my skills; it was a testament to your belief in my potential. You saw in me what I often failed to see in myself. You’ve been more than just a mentor; you’ve been the lighthouse guiding me through the darkest nights, ensuring I find my way. I owe so much of who I am today to your unwavering faith and guidance. Today, and every day, I celebrate you, not just for the mentor you are, but for the beautiful soul that touches lives, making them brighter, better, and more purposeful.
Salimatou Fatty
Leaders and pseudo-mystical proclamations
With the kind of meaningless and pseudo-mystical utterances of modern-day cult and political leaders, it is better for countries and societies to adopt a politics of silence and religious seclusion in order to preserve their respect and integrity amongst peers or time travel to an ancient Kingdom of Chieftainship and Priesthood surrounded by a Council of Sycophants sometime in the year BC.
It is the same old game of such leaders trying to mystify themselves with claims of divinity to their rule and leadership in order to avoid scrutiny and accountability and cling to power and influence. It is also a way to boost a low seif-esteem.
Claims to divinity or its semblance of a leader ordained by the gods in the ancient world was not unusual. However, it is largely seen as a way to consolidate power and a justification of rule.
A gullible society falls for it – acquiescent to or condoning autocratic rule and walking into a doomsday of poverty, without the leaders of course.
Hammurabi of Babylon and the Pharaohs claimed divinity. Bokassa claimed to be the thirteenth apostle. Some leaders cultivated some association with mystics such as Rasputin.
Coming home, Jammeh once claimed that his rule was predicted by Nostradamus – the man who saw tomorrow. Recently, Paul Mackenzie, of Kenya, a taxi driver turned priest, asked his followers to starve to death as a way of salvation.
Well, it all boils down to character. It is said that a character comprises thought, behaviour and emotional intelligence. These together provide some means of assessing a character. The way a person thinks, behaves and shows his/her level of intelligence greatly defines the character. When wrapped in a moral blanket, a personality emerges that would define the value judgement and ethical behaviour of such a character.
Isn’t some human character so interesting when it cyclically manifests itself in some curious ways and circumstances in defining a personality, even after centuries of manifestation of similar stereotypes?
Some philosophical cum psychological food for thought.
Lamin Lang Coma
Brikama
