It’s sad to accept but it’s a reality in our Gambia, but you know all of the people engaged in such acts are ignorant and suffering from low self-esteem and they need help. It’s found in every group and not specific to one but the reality they will fail like those before them and the divergence Gambia have been known for shall continue to flourish.

It’s human to agree or disagree on any issue but most importantly politics but when we try to play the tribal cards to score votes then that’s bigotry and MUST be condemned, name and shame by every genuine Gambian.

I am Gambian and #WeAreOne my Gambianess is not attached to tribe, religion, political affiliation, class or statues but rather the reality of #Oneness which we sang through our national anthem;

“For The Gambia our homeland

We strive and work and pray

That all may live in unity

To The Gambia ever true”

#DifferentEthnicOnePeople

Few months ago I wrote on my blog that I have seen my people leaning towards tribal and political line which wouldn’t take us any far but separate us apart.

I cherish my Gambia in which we are brothers/sisters

In which Muslims and Christians live together and celebrate each other’s feast together

I am a Wolof with a Jola surname and a Serrer mother, my sibling’s mother is a Mandinka, while others have a Fula mother

I am a Muslim and had Christian friends

That is my Gambia, your Gambia and our Gambia

I wish to see my people be each other’s keeper and it couldn’t have happen much better than now as Muslim observed the Holy month of Ramadan, during this period we are expected forgive each other and seek forgiveness from others, share food, try as much humanly possible be good towards each other

It should be about us and how we collectively contribute towards the positive development of The Gambia and not fight over our personal ideology, enrichment, or anything else which is not in the interest of the general good.

As we marked 53 years of nationhood I call on every Gambian to pray for peace and act in a way towards peace building and nurturing our divergence for that is the only way we would achieve our development goals.

For Allah (S.W.T) created us differently but that difference should always be the uniting force instead of the diving force. For decades we have lived as a single family in which a Mandingo can marry a Fula, a Jola marries an Aku, a Wolof marries a manjago and Christian marries a Muslim and vice versa. Of recent I have seen Gambians advocate tribal, political and social status to show how different they presume we are or the idea of I am better, we are better or “You are either with us or against us”.

We must endeavor to nurture the culture of;

#OneGambia

#OnePeople

#OneCountry that we inherited from our parents and we owe it to coming generations to hand them over a Gambia that is better than what we inherited from our parents.

Let us reaffirm our “Pledge our firm allegiance towards the common good”.

Tribalism has no place in any civilized generation.

#StandUnitedOneGambia

“They call it The Gambia, while we call it home”.

#WeAreGambia

#WeAreOne

#Peace

#TogetherNess

#Team220

Commentary By Dabakh Malick