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“I am very happy that the Jammeh government has come back on its senses”

Mafugi Ceesay

I am very happy that the Jammeh government has come back to its senses to give this very important and historic (independence) day the respect and dignity it deserve, Omar Jallow told The Voice on Wednesday.

The comments by the leader of the People Progressive Party (PPP) followed the current government’s decision to centralize and magnify celebrations marking The Gambia’s 48^th Independence for the first time in recent years.

Mr Jallow, fondly known as O.J. applauds president Jammeh for honoring the day, for which people like President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, Francis Edward Small, Pierre S. Njie, Jane Colley Faye and others played a critical part in the historic struggle to free The Gambia from colonialism.

No down play

On this day, I am not only commending political leaders but the followers too. In every given situation particularly in fight for freedom, not only the leaders are important but also the followers, he told The Voice on Feb. 20, 2013 at his residence in Serrekunda.

He said it was not easy for the Gambia to gain its dignity and freedom on Feb. 18, 1965; hence, nobody should come and try to down play that freedom.

“For me, it’s a very historic incident but I am happy that the ruling APRC-government has realized their mistakes and have come back to give this day the life it deserve,” the former agriculture minister of the deposed PPP-government said.

O.J. was among young Gambians who took part in a parade at the McCarthy Square (now July 22 Square) when the country had its independence in 1965 - to see the British Union Jack flag lowered and the red-white-blue-white-green flag of The Gambia hoisted for the first time ever.

Cannot survive

Gambians should be proud of this day and the peaceful manner in which we have conducted ourselves up to date, O.J. said. Gambians should also remember that the founders of the country’s independence were steadfast and committed to making the country a strong and viable independent state.

“This is why when the British thought that Gambia cannot survive on its own and should instead become part of Senegal, Sir Dawda rejected that idea. 

“The PPP championed the struggle for ‘total independence’ at a time when some people within the Party had the believed The Gambia cannot stand on its own,” he explained.

According to him, the issue led to the resignation of the PPP president Sanjally Bojang, who joined the United Party that wanted The Gambia to be part of Senegal.

The Gambia became independent and a sovereign state on the commitment, steadfastness and strong will of the leaders of the PPP, he said.

Multiparty democracy

O.J. said when the Gambia had its independence in 1965, it was one of the few, if not the only country within Africa that encouraged, sustained, and maintained a multiparty democracy.

All other countries were either a one party state or a dictatorship, he said.

“Sir Dawda as leader believed it will be a contradiction for The Gambia to fight for its liberty and continue the inhumane slavery-and-colonial-type policies used against the Africans by the British.

“This was the reason Sir Dawda believed in democracy, respect for rule of law, and respect for human rights.

“During a meeting in Kampala, Uganda, The Gambia championed the need for the establishment of a human and peoples’ rights commission for Africa,” he said.

Dysfunctional institutions

The PPP perpetuated itself in power for nearly 30 years and won almost every election held between 1965 and 1994, but O.J. said for the 29 years Sir Dawda led The Gambia, the country have held free, fair and transparent elections.

After the military takeover in 1994, The Gambia has seen the dysfunction of all those institutions that were upholding democracy, rule of law and human rights of the country, O.J. argues.