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Minister Ebrima Sillah, bless his little heart, on Coffee Time with Peter Friday, expressed his frustrations with Madi Jobarteh writing about the Barrow government. Ebrima built his name through writing both within and outside Gambia.
In fact, it was because of writing he had a stint with the BBC. It was because of writing that Barrow’s gov’t even recognized his name. We will attempt to write this in simple English—no technical seasonings to assault his cerebral cells!
It is surreal how the same Ebrima Sillah has been condemning journalists since he became part of a very corrupt gov’t.
It was under his ministry that Pa Modou Bojang’s Radio and King FM were shut down, owners arrested.
We’ve said this before and will say it again. See, Ebrima, this is why education and sophistication are very important.
We watched you on Peter and felt sorry, perhaps for the first time since you started working for this gov’t. It clearly shows how really shallow you are.
We will explain again since a word for the unwise isn’t enough! See, the world today isn’t like 500BC.
It is much easier today for people and governments to be corrupt and embezzle public funds. One doesn’t have to walk a distance or ride donkeys, mules, or camels anymore with loads of people’s diamond or gold.
It is just a matter of clicking a mouse and going digital; or sometimes placing a phone call. Or just simply driving a car for others. You see how this article is being written?
Technology! Today, people can even commit inter-continental adultery without travelling thousands of miles. Access has become more available!
It is similarly easier to commit economic and financial crimes in a much easier and faster way, especially if one has gov’t leverage.
Societies have become more complex with much smarter ways of committing thefts in labyrinths of economic abuses!
This is why writing and journalism exist the way they do today to be the eye and mouth of the powerless whose taxes and public funds are at the mercy of few individuals.
Look at the millions that have been missing since Barrow took over? Did your gov’t come out clear on the D35 million Fatou-Bah Barrow scandal among series?
How about millions that disappeared at Nawec, Central Bank, Fisheries, etc? Imagine if folks like Madi and other journalists never existed?
You just want Madi to stop rattling corrupt cages! Imagine the freedom Fatou Bah-Barrow and anyone else involved in embezzling public funds would have without these public oversights!
There has to arise individuals or groups of individuals to keep an eye on those entrusted with public office—otherwise there will be extreme abuse and corruption.
You insinuated that Madi doesn’t have a proper job that’s why he has time to write. So, you didn’t also have a proper job while struggling at Citizen FM or weathering the chaos of Dakar?
See, dimwits easily lose themselves. Perhaps one of these days, you won’t even recognize yourself infront of a mirror!
Do you really know your job? Ebrima, you used to have all the time to write. I met you in countless press conferences as a freelancer. You were never a full-time hire for the BBC.
You were just an ‘as-needed-help’ in those days. Look, America’s president, Abraham Lincoln once replied to one of his biggest critics called Horace Greely, founder and editor of New York Tribune.
This writer used to routinely criticize President Lincoln, especially about the issue of slavery. One day, Lincoln wrote back to him.
Imagine, the president of the United States replying to a journalist on August 22nd 1862 in the National Intelligencer, a Washington newspaper!
I read this as a young man from a book I borrowed from Brikama Library in The Gambia around the year 1999. I never dreamt of coming to America then.
But here I was, years later, in a journalism class in August 2002 as the only Black and African student in the middle of the United States among Lincoln’s people.
Guess what, Mr. Sillah, my journalism professor opened our text and started discussing a topic related to what I read as a poor young man in Brikama years prior.
My excitement leapt! My mind brought to the fore a graphic image of poor Brikama New Town Library and how we used to sit on concrete to read because there weren’t enough chairs!
The class was stunned! The professor became one of those Americans to get me some scholarship money.
I still have that book from Brikama Library on my shelve here in the States. I gave the library some money for it.
Today, it has helped me understand that those with substance, knowledge, and wisdom are never too big for criticism or their critics.
Please learn from Lincoln, Mr. Minister! Clearly, you are not educated, nor well-read; that’s why you act the way you do!
And what was the key thing in editor Greeley’s criticism of President Lincoln? It was the difficult issue of slavery—the very subject that later cost this wonderful president his life.
On April 14th 1865, Abraham Lincoln became the first U.S president to be assassinated! Apparently, Mr. Sillah, Madi isn’t writing anything that has a whit of potential for any plotting against your life. Your gov’t has done worse to Gambia and Gambians and few of us write about it!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Remaining aloof or avoiding critics isn’t a wise idea. I don’t consider myself qualified to give advice to even a dog. Yes, anger is sometimes justified!
But here’s something I’ve observed in life. You don’t fight critics with blows or anger, especially if you’re in public office. Sometimes surprise them, instead!
Imagine one “Koriteh” or “Tajabon” and president Adama Barrow, with few ministers surprise-visit Ousainou Darboe in Pipeline.
As soon as they step at the gate, drummers and our traditonal griots play and sing along while Barrow tells Darboe and his household, “We’ve come for our “Salibo” or “Tajabon!”
You’ll possibly see many Gambians with moist eyes, that day! In America in 2002 when someone first knew I drew editorial cartoons for newspapers, he told me a story of wisdom from his native country.
There was a corrupt dictator in their homeland ruling for decades. But a cartoonist was one of his biggest critics.
One day, the rulling party militants chanced upon the cartoonist (the president’s enemy) in a commercial bus and recognized him. The crowd jumped the poor guy and beat the crap out of him!
News spread in the country and the president heard it. Instead of applauding his supporters, he scolded them and announced, “Why beat him up? Didn’t you know I myself enjoy his cartoons?”
Almost twenty-four years ago in Bakau, a lady would always tell me, “Papa Colley…APRC, APRC, Ting ting ting ting ting!” And she’d burst into laughter like many other people.
Why? Because I sketched an editorial cartoon of a powerful APRC figure (Allaah’s mercy on his soul) in the Jammeh administration and hell broke loose! The earth became consricted for me!
Worse, MD Buba Baldeh (Allaah’s mercy on his soul) told me he was asked to get rid of my services immediately! Life became dark. But this lady would always tease me with this “Ting ting ting ting ting!”
Who was she? Mariama Barrow, one of my biggest fans and the lady Ebrima Sillah would later marry! Even funnier, it was the same Ebrima Sillah who announced my ordeal on Citizen FM! Mariama wasn’t his wife then!
But they both valued a free press for the country! And they valued my life. Why frown at Madi’s writings today? Look at all these coincidences! Verily in them, is a food for thought for those who are thoughtful!
Not every battle is fought with fists and venom! If I were Barrow, I’d call Kerr Fatou’s show one day and surprise them. “Hello, this is President Barrow! I’m not joking. I’m calling to exercise my right to free speech as a citizen!”
I’ll do the same with Pa Modou Bojang, Peter Gomez, and other media houses! And I’ll tell Ebrima Sillah and Ebrima Sankareh to calm the heck down!
As for Dou Sanno, I’ll tell him to stand next to Dr. Ismaila Ceesay for the world to see that NPP comes in all shades! And finally, I’d oganize a beauty pageant between Dou Sano and Ebrima G. Sankareh!
