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| Late General Sani Abacha, he mentored Gambia’s Yayah Jammeh aka Sheikh, Professor, Alhaji & Herbal Doctor |
Those skilled in psychoanalysis
could not have missed the telltale hint. Newspaper images we saw of Yahya
Jammeh receiving ECOWAS emissaries at the Banjul airport last Friday clearly
depicted acute weight loss, accentuated by a distant look on his face.
could not have missed the telltale hint. Newspaper images we saw of Yahya
Jammeh receiving ECOWAS emissaries at the Banjul airport last Friday clearly
depicted acute weight loss, accentuated by a distant look on his face.
Really, it would have been humanly
impossible to be haunted at home and heckled from outside like Jammeh in the
past seven weeks and remain unruffled.
impossible to be haunted at home and heckled from outside like Jammeh in the
past seven weeks and remain unruffled.
An unconfirmed source even quoted
him jokingly beseeching the leader of the august visitors, Nigeria’s Muhamnadu
Buhari, “Mr. President, please don’t invade my country.”
him jokingly beseeching the leader of the august visitors, Nigeria’s Muhamnadu
Buhari, “Mr. President, please don’t invade my country.”
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If true, it would seem the
self-confessed herbalist (he claims HIV/AID cure) who prefers to be addressed
elaborately as “His Excellency, Sheik, Professor, Alhaji, Doctor”
had, alas, become aware of the limitation of his much-vaunted talisman.
self-confessed herbalist (he claims HIV/AID cure) who prefers to be addressed
elaborately as “His Excellency, Sheik, Professor, Alhaji, Doctor”
had, alas, become aware of the limitation of his much-vaunted talisman.
But like the proverbial doomed
house-fly destined to join the coffin in the grave, The Gambian buffoon failed
to take advantage of the olive branch offer by the ECOWAS peace-makers in the
last-ditch effort to save him from himself. Not even another face-saving
offer of asylum by the Nigerian congress would dissuade him from the path of
perdition.
house-fly destined to join the coffin in the grave, The Gambian buffoon failed
to take advantage of the olive branch offer by the ECOWAS peace-makers in the
last-ditch effort to save him from himself. Not even another face-saving
offer of asylum by the Nigerian congress would dissuade him from the path of
perdition.
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| Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yayah Jammeh greeting African Journalist, Aisha Tejan Cole |
On Tuesday, he took liberty to
impose a three-month state of emergency even when his legal mandate would
expire less than twenty-four hours (Wednesday night).
impose a three-month state of emergency even when his legal mandate would
expire less than twenty-four hours (Wednesday night).
Before then, the Government House
had almost become deserted and Banjul a ghost town following the exodus of
fearful citizens to Senegal and other neighboring countries. No fewer than
eight cabinet members (including the Information and Foreign Ministers) had
resigned and defected.
had almost become deserted and Banjul a ghost town following the exodus of
fearful citizens to Senegal and other neighboring countries. No fewer than
eight cabinet members (including the Information and Foreign Ministers) had
resigned and defected.
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| President Muhammadu Buhari….The Man who will flush Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yayah Jammeh out of Banjul |
The floodgate of resignations was
opened by no less than the chief electoral officer himself, Alieu Momar Njai.
After declaring Adama Barrow winner of the December 1 polls, Njai had admitted
some glitches in the process of tabulating the results.
opened by no less than the chief electoral officer himself, Alieu Momar Njai.
After declaring Adama Barrow winner of the December 1 polls, Njai had admitted
some glitches in the process of tabulating the results.
But despite that the reconciled
figures still did not alter the outcome significantly, Jammeh, who had ruled
the tiny country for 22 years, suddenly found a cheap alibi to recant his
earlier concession of victory to the opposition.
figures still did not alter the outcome significantly, Jammeh, who had ruled
the tiny country for 22 years, suddenly found a cheap alibi to recant his
earlier concession of victory to the opposition.
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| Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, General Buratai….Sent 1000 Men to uproot Yayah Jammeh from Banjul |
From initially accepting defeat, the
Gambian desperado now wanted a re-run.
Gambian desperado now wanted a re-run.
Njai’s responded by sneaking out of
the country, upsetting Jammeh’s crafty trap.
the country, upsetting Jammeh’s crafty trap.
So, as the Nigerian war ship and
ECOWAS troops begin to mass along the Gambian coast in the days ahead for
what now appears an inevitable invasion of the presidential fortress in Banjul,
the nay-sayers – like Nigeria’s deputy senate president Ike Eweremadu – need
not misconstrue the historic necessity of the task at hand.
ECOWAS troops begin to mass along the Gambian coast in the days ahead for
what now appears an inevitable invasion of the presidential fortress in Banjul,
the nay-sayers – like Nigeria’s deputy senate president Ike Eweremadu – need
not misconstrue the historic necessity of the task at hand.
The mission to dislodge Jammeh for
refusing to obey the electoral verdict of December 1 should not be seen as a
favour to a fellow West African nation. Rather, it is a moral duty owed the long-suffering
people of The Gambia.
refusing to obey the electoral verdict of December 1 should not be seen as a
favour to a fellow West African nation. Rather, it is a moral duty owed the long-suffering
people of The Gambia.
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| Louis Odion… The Author, Very Angry with The Gambia Debacle |
The argument of Eweremadu and those
preaching against the military option is essentially based on the otherwise
thoughtful notion that “to jaw-jaw is better than war-war”. But such
pacifism is tenable only on the premise that we are dealing with a sane man.
From his conduct over the years, especially the odd symptoms seen in the past
49 days, it should be clear to everyone now we have on our hands a power
psychopath, if not a first-class psychiatric patient.
preaching against the military option is essentially based on the otherwise
thoughtful notion that “to jaw-jaw is better than war-war”. But such
pacifism is tenable only on the premise that we are dealing with a sane man.
From his conduct over the years, especially the odd symptoms seen in the past
49 days, it should be clear to everyone now we have on our hands a power
psychopath, if not a first-class psychiatric patient.
Those presently worried about the
material costs of a military invasion are only being myopic. They should
consider the price ECOWAS would pay if the Jammeh cancer was not quickly staved
and excised but instead allowed to metastasize into a full-blown civil war with
the attendant humanitarian crisis and instability for the sub-region.
material costs of a military invasion are only being myopic. They should
consider the price ECOWAS would pay if the Jammeh cancer was not quickly staved
and excised but instead allowed to metastasize into a full-blown civil war with
the attendant humanitarian crisis and instability for the sub-region.
If nothing at all, ECOWAS’ swift and
robust handling of the issue thus far should be a source of pride not only to
the people of the sub-region but the rest of the Africa that democratic norms
and values are fast taking root and, most significantly, that the people
themselves are now developing the mechanism and capacity to resolve issues
arising therefrom in the spirit of African solidarity without the prodding of
any external neo-colonial power.
robust handling of the issue thus far should be a source of pride not only to
the people of the sub-region but the rest of the Africa that democratic norms
and values are fast taking root and, most significantly, that the people
themselves are now developing the mechanism and capacity to resolve issues
arising therefrom in the spirit of African solidarity without the prodding of
any external neo-colonial power.
Overall, perhaps only those with
fairly long memory today could attest that Jammeh is indeed a calamity long
foretold. After seizing power on July 22, 1994 as a young Army officer, he
never hid his admiration for then Nigerian fledgling despot, Sani Abacha.
fairly long memory today could attest that Jammeh is indeed a calamity long
foretold. After seizing power on July 22, 1994 as a young Army officer, he
never hid his admiration for then Nigerian fledgling despot, Sani Abacha.
As the infantry general in Abuja was
increasingly isolated by the international community on account of his
murderous proclivities, Jammeh became a regular visitor to Nigeria for
fellowship at Aso Rock in his trademark gaudy costume of over-sized white
Agbada, conspicuous sword and giant-sized prayer-beads, offering the public
ceaseless comic entertainment. One salacious account has it that his preference
for big Agbada in public outing is to conceal a permanent bulletproof vest.
increasingly isolated by the international community on account of his
murderous proclivities, Jammeh became a regular visitor to Nigeria for
fellowship at Aso Rock in his trademark gaudy costume of over-sized white
Agbada, conspicuous sword and giant-sized prayer-beads, offering the public
ceaseless comic entertainment. One salacious account has it that his preference
for big Agbada in public outing is to conceal a permanent bulletproof vest.
But unlike Abacha who, lacking
self-confidence, chose a rather serpentine route in pursuit of a transmutation
from Army law-giver to civilian president, Jammeh short-circuited his own
metamorphosis to a civilian president within two years in the relatively much
smaller The Gambia.
self-confidence, chose a rather serpentine route in pursuit of a transmutation
from Army law-giver to civilian president, Jammeh short-circuited his own
metamorphosis to a civilian president within two years in the relatively much
smaller The Gambia.
Like his hero in kleptocracy in
Abuja, the little read Jammeh ruled his tiny country with iron fist, even as he
mindlessly purloined the bulk of the little that trickled into the national
treasury mostly from peanut and tourism. And while the vast majority of
Gambia’s population of 2 million wallow in indigence, the megalomaniac leader
lives a life of debauchery and filthy extravagance.
Abuja, the little read Jammeh ruled his tiny country with iron fist, even as he
mindlessly purloined the bulk of the little that trickled into the national
treasury mostly from peanut and tourism. And while the vast majority of
Gambia’s population of 2 million wallow in indigence, the megalomaniac leader
lives a life of debauchery and filthy extravagance.
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To further secure himself, he lately
decided to mix politics with religion by proclaiming his country an Islamic
country in blatant disregard for the sensibilities of a good number of citizens
who are practicing Christians. But one of the supreme ironies is that though he
gave an executive order banning women from appearing in public without scarf
consistent with Sharia practice, that hardly stopped his psychedelic Moroccan
wife from continuing to flaunt openly her own procured assorted Brazilian
hair at every opportunity.
decided to mix politics with religion by proclaiming his country an Islamic
country in blatant disregard for the sensibilities of a good number of citizens
who are practicing Christians. But one of the supreme ironies is that though he
gave an executive order banning women from appearing in public without scarf
consistent with Sharia practice, that hardly stopped his psychedelic Moroccan
wife from continuing to flaunt openly her own procured assorted Brazilian
hair at every opportunity.
 |
| Late Sani Abacha….Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahaya Jammeh’s political mentor |
Indeed, “Abachaology” and
the darkness it embodied had since unraveled in the land of its birth. But the
enduring tragedy is that the infatuated like Jammeh still seem detained by that
sordid past, refusing to read the ominous handwriting now on the wall. The
savages are unwilling to accept that, with a more conscientised electorate,
fixing elections results or disobeying its outcome is fast going out of fashion
in Africa.
the darkness it embodied had since unraveled in the land of its birth. But the
enduring tragedy is that the infatuated like Jammeh still seem detained by that
sordid past, refusing to read the ominous handwriting now on the wall. The
savages are unwilling to accept that, with a more conscientised electorate,
fixing elections results or disobeying its outcome is fast going out of fashion
in Africa.
 |
| Ex-Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama….A great example of African Leadership |
It then explains why Jammeh, whose
own family has since reportedly fled the country, seems still
incapable of appreciating – much less following – the worthy footsteps of
Ghana’s John Mahama who, tellingly, is among the ECOWAS peacemakers today.
Mahama vied for a second term in the Ghanaian polls and lost precisely a week
after the exercise in The Gambia. Once fully in receipt of the figures from the
polling units, he promptly called the opposition candidate to congratulate him,
even before the results were officially declared by Ghana’s electoral empire.
own family has since reportedly fled the country, seems still
incapable of appreciating – much less following – the worthy footsteps of
Ghana’s John Mahama who, tellingly, is among the ECOWAS peacemakers today.
Mahama vied for a second term in the Ghanaian polls and lost precisely a week
after the exercise in The Gambia. Once fully in receipt of the figures from the
polling units, he promptly called the opposition candidate to congratulate him,
even before the results were officially declared by Ghana’s electoral empire.
Now, even after 22 years in the
saddle, the political glutton in Banjul is still unwilling to let go. But he no
longer has a choice.
saddle, the political glutton in Banjul is still unwilling to let go. But he no
longer has a choice.
