In a recent meeting during the president’s Meet the People Tour, the president was quoted as saying something which was deemed to be derogatory to the Mandinka ethnic group. Social media went wild as many people began criticising the president for said remarks.
In response to the brouhaha, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Seedy Njie, who doubles as the spokesperson of the National People’s Party (NPP) said that President Adama Barrow is ‘a proud Mandinka’ and therefore will never say anything that is derogatory of Mandinkas.
He went on to explain that the president’s statements were taken out of context. He revealed that the President Barrow, since taking office, has been working very hard on national unity and will therefore not do anything that will jeopardize the unity of the nation.
It is unfortunate that more than half a century after gaining self-rule, the country is still mired in tribalism and ethnicity arguments. With the country wallowing in economic and social misfortunes, one would have thought that the only thing that the leadership will think of is how to pull the country out of this nightmare.
The president, and indeed all leaders, must learn to navigate the waters of political correctness and thread carefully when they speak. It is necessary that when influential people speak, let them say things which are bound to cement the ties of unity rather than vague statements which can be misconstrued to cause havoc in the nation.
As the 2026 presidential elections get closer, it is feared that more problems of this nature will emerge as politicians crisscross the country to garner votes. Let it be clear that The Gambia is a republic and all statements made by leaders – be it from the ruling party of the opposition – must be consistent with republican ideals and values.
The Gambia is bigger than any individual, any tribe or any ethnic group. It is a sovereign republic and everyone is equal. Let us promote the ideals of One Gambia, One People and One Nation!
