Nigeria's Misadventure In Gambia
Chidi Anthony Opara
--
Cornelius Hamelberg
My man, Chidi of Owerri,
Brother to brother:
On digesting the import of the President's words, “Yes, of course, I will make United Kingdom our number one trading partner”, the iconoclast and anti-impi (anti-imperialist) that you sometimes are, could have made you - and me too – arrive at a conclusion that there was one uncle tom number one speaking, his “of course” being specially irritating. Why “of course”? Was it the United Kingdom that put together an 8,000 man strong ECOWAS military force (land, sea and air) to put pressure on Jammeh – who didn't have the ghost of a chance in defeating such a force or turning the overwhelming tide of Gambian people against extending his rule? Diplomacy backed by the threat of overwhelming force. The same people live in Gambia and Senegal. The people are now celebrating. I fully agree with Professor Harrow
Just as in Sierra Leone – ultimately it was ECOMORG forces, led by Nigeria's Maxwell Khobe and at tremendous cost finally dislodged the RUF (I cried hot tears when Khobe was killed) - it was ECOMORG and not Britain 's Operation Barras – to rescue some UK soldiers that had been kidnapped by The West Side Boys (that's another story) that dislodged RUF.
As President Barrow has said, there is a lot of reform work to be done in making the new Gambia -great again...
1. The Gambia's main export is peanuts – but tourism, mostly tourists from the UK, is one of the mainstays of their economy. Gambia too imports a lot of the industrial waste from the UK from nail clippers to nylon strings for the kora...
2. His Presidential Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Abdul-Aziz Awal Jemus Junkung Jammeh Naasiru Deen Babili Mansa - by sudden decree - announced that Gambia was no longer a member of the Commonwealth. On the day that he made that announcement, I knew that his days were numbered.
3. In anticipation of any future trials for any Human Rights transgressions said to have been committed by him, he announced (decreed) that Gambia was no longer a member of the International Criminal Court ( the ICC in which Gambia's Fatou Bensouda is a judge)
4. By decree he outlawed FGM – and that must have endeared him somewhat to the anti-FGM World.
5. Perhaps most worrying of all, one day, he announced that he personally would slit the throats of any homosexuals found practising in Gambia.
5. Suddenly, and without consultation - he announced that the Gambia was henceforth “The Islamic Republic of the Gambia” which could have strengthened his Islamic credentials in the Islamic heartlands - is that not what Boko Haram is fighting for, one day, to raise their flag over “The Islamic Republic of Nigeria” - from Sokoto to Port Harcourt? Eh Chidi? Of course the threat of that happening could further strengthen the Biafra cause. I thought of Boko Haram among others when I heard President Trump making this solemn promise , “We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones -- and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.”
Nobel Laureate in Literature Bob Dylan sings,
“Patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings”
Gambia needs all the help they can get and from his considerable wealth the patriotic ex-President Jammeh himself ought to make a significant donation – sadaqah to aid Gambia's ailing economy, even if he has to do it all the way from Conakry.
It's not that the new president is promising to reward the United Kingdom with the number one spot as trading partner for having once colonised his people - in context, here is what he ( as the UK papers are fond of telling us, a former security guard at Argos - now a Mr. President ) said:
Gambia’s President Adama Harrow's interview on Sky TV:
"There is a strong tie with Britain and Gambia if you recall history.
"They colonised Gambia and we are part of the Commonwealth and we will return to the Commonwealth again.
"Any aspects that's going on in Gambia, Britain will be our number one partner in terms of trade, in terms of democracy, in terms of good governance. They will be our partners."
It was not so long ago that this was up for discussion :
“Garba Shehu and Buhari’s £6-Million London Ear Treatment”
Soon enough, President Barrow will be flying over to 10 Downing Street for consultations – eventually we will see him over here in Sweden too - where a sizeable portion of the Diaspora Gambians some in involuntary exile live – but before he comes to Sweden he will be shaking hands with Brother Buhari and speaking Fulani - and we wish him all the best!
Best Regards,
Cornelius
Cornelius Hamelberg
President Barrow is already showing himself to be an astute political leader. His announcement that he will make the United Kingdom Gambia's “number one trading partner” is very good news for Theresa May. That's what Britain has going for herself: The Commonwealth club.
If only all African countries, especially those who are members of the Commonwealth (
would say the same thing! In the aftermath of Brexit that is what Britain mostly needs : trade partners
On Saturday, 21 January 2017 09:38:39 UTC+1, Chidi Anthony Opara wrote: