By Amadou Jadama
Alhaji Baba Drammeh, president of Rawdatul Majaalis, a group opposed to the Supreme Islamic Council, has dismissed as “false and misleading” remarks he claimed were made by Alhaji Ebrima Jarju, the second vice president of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council who he alleged had branded his Organization as a Mandinka and Jahanka Islamic Organization.
Drammeh claimed Jarju made these allegations on GRTS Perspective.
Addressing journalists to respond to these claims recently, Drammeh said Rawdatul Majaalis does not even know tribe because it is a Muslim organisation and Muslims naturally come from all tribes and all are equal in the organization just as in the religion.
“I think Alhaji Ebrima Jarju’s remark that Rawdatul Majaalis is being run by only Mandinkas is unfortunate. He should not have said that,” he observed.
Drammeh further said it is not also true that he [Drammeh] is the one who set up Rawdatul Majaalis. “That statement is completely false and unacceptable. When this Rawdatul Majaalis was being established in 2017, I was out of this country for months. I was only contacted to be the leader of the Organization, because they believed that I can be the right person to lead it,” he said.
He explained that Rawdatul Majaalis is established to serve all Muslims in the country and to respect the principles of Islam, the rights of every citizen of this country, Muslims and non Muslims alike.
Responding to claims by the SIC that they don’t have funds to conduct election, Drammeh stressed that Alhaji Momodou Lamin Touray’s term has expired since, and he is not eligible to run for another term .
“They don’t call for an election, claiming there is no money. What stopped them from calling everyone to explain and leave the people to judge whether to keep them or choose others? And in any case, how are they building mosques if they don’t’ have money to conduct their own important functions such as holding elections?”
Drammeh quizzed. “We maintain and uphold that the government of the Gambia will definitely endorse the unanimous decision and opinion of the majority of Muslim leaders of this country in appointing Sheriff Muhammad Sanusi Nano Hydara as the new president of The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council. We pray and hope that the government will take that decision to remedy the matter.
“The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council itself was established by the Islamic religious leaders of this country in 1992, without any direct intervention of the government. So we are following the same tradition in appointing the Sheriff,” he concluded.
