Imam Leigh tells Gov’t
By Lamin Cham
Imam Baba Leigh, the outspoken Kanifing Imam who has just returned from exile after fleeing from six months detention and torture at former President Jammeh’s gulag, has advised the new government of Adama Barrow to talk less and do more action.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with popular website africanarguments.org, Imam Leigh said the regime of Yahya Jammeh should serve as lesson to all Gambians; “My advice to Barrow and his government is for them to be more transparent and not to forget about their responsibilities, especially putting to memory Yahya Jammeh’s brutal regime and his team of criminals who tortured, embezzled and killed. The moment that memory is being renewed, there will be more concern for our future. Leaders should be doers. Do more and talk less, like Macky Sall, the President of Senegal,” Imam Leigh said.
The Imam also directed advice to Gambians saying that they must be patient. “This is a new regime. Most of them have never had any experience in their positions before. We need to pray and offer guidance to them where necessary, not be praise singers for them. Let us know that Gambia is one nation. You can be Mandinka, Fula, Jola, Manjago, Aku, Serahule but know that you are also a Gambian. The Gambia does not belong to one single tribe. Let us not also think we can make this country an Islamic Republic or Christian Republic,” he said.
Asked to speak about his fellow religious leaders who stayed silent under Jammeh, Imam Leigh said imams of Gambia have learned their lesson as they allowed Yahya Jammeh to control and manipulate their religion.
“The imams are also citizens and they will take up their responsibility to guide this country, not just for worshipping but also to pursue social justice in their sermons when necessary,” he said.
Imam Leigh also praised Gambian diaspora and the media. “Their collective efforts paid dividends. They contributed a lot to the democratisation of the New Gambia. We are now harvesting the seeds we planted. One Gambia, one nation, for a better future for all,”he said.
Read the full interview in our Bantaba tomorrow
