The outspoken former imam of State House Mosque has said that it is because of the “immaturity” of Gambians that former president Yahya Jammeh is in exile today.
Addressing the multitude of mourners at Bujinga, Foni, Saturday evening at the funeral of Aja Fatoumata Asombie Bojang, the mother of Jammeh who died in exile, Imam Abdoulie Fatty said JJ Rawlings, the former head of state of Ghana, committed worse atrocities than Jammeh, yet he is resident in Ghana.
“We Gambians have been boiled but we are not ripe enough,” he charged, using a Mandinka metaphor alluding to his perceived pettiness and immaturity of Gambians.
He however thanked President Barrow for not listening to extremist views.
The Saudi-trained, Bakoteh based imam said Gambians must learn to be forbearing and clement in order for our country to move forward.
He added: “President Barrow himself said talk is over, it is time to work. We should reduce the decibel of our chatter and buckle down to hard work. President, Gambia is where it is today because of the 22 years of the work done by the previous government. No one can negate the work done by the former ministers present here; Fatou Lamin Faye at education, Omar Sey used to carry out [cataract] surgery himself, and Neneh MacDouall, Sheriff Bojang, Abdou Colley and Ismaila Sanyang…”
Addressing the mourners earlier, APRC leader Fabakary Tombong Jatta said President Jammeh expressed his appreciation to all Gambians for the condolences and show of sympathy since the death of his mother.
Funeral
The remains of Asombie Bojang were interred at a private cemetery after funerary prayers and rites were administered after maghrib prayers. Prior to the burial, the body was laid in state at Mrs Bojang’s residence where hundreds of dignitaries and family members viewed it through a plain glass topped wooden casket.
A family member of the Equatoguinean leader and state minister accompanied the body on a special flight from Malabo. The Gambia’s lands and regional government minister, head of the State Intelligence Services, West Coast Region governor and leaders of Jammeh’s APRC attended the open-air funeral which was interspersed with light rain occasional thunder.
Reports reaching this medium stated that a suspected former member of Jammeh’s hit squad, the Junglers, was on the aircraft that brought the body. The reports stated that Lamin Jarju was held by the security officers but was released and allowed to return to Malabo with the flight.
Meanwhile the leader of the opposition GDC Mamma Kandeh visited the funeral house in Bujinga and donated D20, 000 to the family.
