 |
| Yaya A. J. J. Jammeh |
Yaya Jammeh's pandering to the Arab world and to the electorate at home for development aid and votes in the 2016 respectively will undoubtedly have consequences beyond the original intent of declaring The Gambia an Islamic State - a declaration that has caught many by surprise into the Supreme Islamic Council.
The international interest in the declaration of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia, manifested in the story's trending in social media and countless newspapers accounts around the world is also for reasons beyond Jammeh's immediate intent and concern - lack of financial resources for its embattled regime and an emboldened opposition resulting from a growing discontentment of a citizenry that lack social amenities like clean running water, functioning health system and public services that cater to its basic needs.
Jammeh's timing could not have come at the worse time when ISIS and Al Qaida and their allied affiliates that are Boko Haram and AQIM are competing for the most prolific and heinous terror organization, and at a time when Mali was temporarily occupied by terrorists and neighboring Senegal threatened. Gambia is ill-equipped and, in fact, could be a sitting duck. Jammeh is as irresponsible as he is adventurous and corrupt and easily enticed. As we have argued elsewhere, Jammeh is an unreliable partner of the United States and Western Europe in their fight against global terror.
Closer to home, the Christian community in The Gambia is concerned and rightfully so but the sycophantic supporters of the dictator are urging them not to. The regime supporters have suddenly become defensive following the dictator's declaration who are arguing that since Muslims and Christians have lived along side each other in peace and harmony for centuries, Gambians should not be surprised at such an asinine and ill-conceived decision. The fact that there is the need to tamper with the secularism of the state is reason enough to be concerned and Christians are no exemption. Our advise to Yaya Jammeh : Leave well enough alone.
