By Usman Njie
It is obvious that The Gambia was blessed with a lot of well-meaning citizens who have tried their best to effect positive change during the 22-year rule of former President Yahya Jammeh.
The likes of BB Dabo, Dr Omar Touray, Dr Sedat Jobe, Ambassador Baboucarr Blaise Jagne amongst many other well-meaning citizens who worked diligently for the Government and in the international system have all tried to convince Jammeh see things differently and practice good governance. Serving one’s country is a noble cause.
Like the above-mentioned personalities, Foreign Minister Dr Mamadou Tangara dedicated his entire life to serving the people of The Gambia, as a journalist at The Point newspaper working under his late mentor – Deyda Hydara, lecturer at The Gambia College/University of The Gambia and later as Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology before being appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and subsequently as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN. In 2018, Dr Tangara was appointed Foreign Minister by the Coalition Government under President Adama Barrow. Do you think Dr Tangara would have been appointed Foreign Minister by the Coalition Government if he was not straight forward and loyal to the country?
During Dr Tangara’s stint in the previous administration of Jammeh, with evidence, he has always tried to effect positive change within the government and that was why when he had the opportunity while serving as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to the UN in New York, he launched a diplomatic pushback against Jammeh regarding his refusal to respect the will of the people in the December 2016 elections. The culmination of the various diplomatic maneuvers at the multilateral level saw the intervention of Ecowas forces in 2017 to oust Jammeh. Tangara diligently worked with his colleague Ambassadors, the Senegalese Ambassador Fode Seck at the Security Council and Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to drive home the message that Jammeh must leave power and respect the will of Gambians.
Following the exit of Jammeh from power, Dr Tangara worked with the President of the UN Peace Building Commission (PBC) who was the then Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the UN, Ambassador Cho Tae-Yul, to undertake an urgent mission to Banjul to meet with Coalition Leaders, including President Adama Barrow. The mission of the delegation to Banjul was to see how the entire transition process could be safeguarded and urgently supported. He was there to negotiate and channel the necessary support to the country. It was a first-of-its-kind mission to a country that was not even on the agenda of the PBC. This was a major diplomatic feat. We can all see the positive results in the millions of dollars spent by the United Nations to support our peacebuilding, governance and transitional justice arrangements in The Gambia.
On 22 December 2016, Dr Tangara held a meeting with the former Secretary General of the UN, Ban Ki-Moon to discuss the deteriorating political situation in the country. In that meeting, he expressed deep concern about President Jammeh’s refusal to hand over power, in accordance with the Gambian constitution, despite consistent calls from regional bodies and the international community. Siding with the Gambian people in 2016 resulted in his dismissal by Jammeh as The Gambia’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in New York. But for Tangara “I would rather lose my job than suppress the will of the Gambian people”. He took the dismissal and continued fighting against Jammeh until he exited as decided by the people of The Gambia. In another message at the time: “I have served, and I will continue to serve the people of The Gambia whether in or out of the diplomatic service. I have a responsibility to myself and to my fellow Gambians to do what is in the interest of my beloved country, even if there are dire consequences.”
Conclusion:
Those who seek the high office of Secretary-General of the Commonwealth are distinguished individuals who have dedicated their lives to serving their people and the international community in public office. Dr. Mamadou Tangara is one such individual and an illustrious son of the Republic of The Gambia. In the likes of BB Dabo, former Vice-President, Dr Momodou Lamin Sedat Jobe, former Foreign Minister and Ambassador, Dr Omar Touray, former Foreign Minister and current Ecowas Commission President, Baboucarr Blaise Jagne, former Foreign Minister and Ambassador, with their storied careers of distinguished public service and excellence, deserve nothing more than honor and respect from Gambians. People who have dedicated their entire lives to serving Gambians and humanity deserve a special place in our hearts and in our national conversations, but not derision, defamation or insults. It is simply wrong to make a sport of demeaning people. One must wonder why a band of self-hating Gambians would come together in a campaign of hate to undermine the legitimate quest of a patriotic citizen of this country who is seeking a very high office within the international community that none of them could aspire to. May God, the Almighty, grant them qalb-e-saleem (clean/sound heart). This reminds me of the annual Mouridiyah gathering organised at the United Nations to celebrate their achievements, celebrate the adherents and pray for their success in the international arena. This is a heart-warming trait of our Senegalese cousins that we should try to emulate. Let us treat our people with honor and dignity. It all starts with self-love.
Serving in public office is a privilege, a sacrifice and an honor. Those who prepare themselves and volunteer to serve deserve our collective respect. As he seeks the high office Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, the first Gambian to do so, let us all rally behind his campaign and offer our compatriot the moral support and prayers for his successful election in October 2024. Let us give him the assurance that we are self-loving people who see your success as our success. It is one of those moments when national prayers are offered by the clergy and well-meaning citizens, at places of worship, for divine guidance and success. In this case, for the success of our compatriot, Dr Mamadou Tangara.
