Veteran Gambian musician, Lie Ngum has called on Gambians to maintain the family tree that binds all citizens to one root and avoid any friction in the coming elections.
Ngum, the founder of the former Guellewar who turned into an international reggae singer under the label Abdel Kabir, added that there is lot of tension in the rhetoric of politicians and anxiety among the citizens as the election approaches. “I want our politicians to recognise that there is no gain in inciting violence because as I sang in the track Dingira, there is no place to go for us Gambians if we set our place on fire. In the same vein, the politicians should also know that we have passed the time when politics should just be a cheap talk and empty promises. Politics is very important because it affects lives and therefore the field needs honest people who will do what they promise the citizens. I am not talking about anybody in particular but again, I am generally addressing everyone in the political arena,” he said. Ngum added that the citizens should also not allow politicians to lead them astray.
According to the veteran musician and owner of the Teranga Nigh Club, Gambians have a duty to their children and the generation unborn to keep this country intact and in peace. ”Our maturity as a democratic country has passed the level of unnecessary tribal, political or other rivalries coming from unguarded utterances. Our bondage as Gambians was ordained by God and not our choice, so we have a duty to protect that. Elections should be about choosing people we consider to be competent and deserving of our trust. The youths too are the chariot of the process that can lead us to achieve the common good,” he concluded.
