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Momodou
Denmark
11816 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Feb 2026 : 18:32:50
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Today, February 18, 2026, is a special day for many Gambians. We have a lot to be thankful for as a nation. The country enjoys relative peace, vibrant religious and ethnic communities, and a “stable” political environment. “Independence Day,” Lent and Ramadan on February 18, 2026, vividly symbolizes our inseparability as a nation. We are bound by a single God, jurisprudence, and aspirations for a better and more equitable and socially just country.
Indeed, the Gambia at sixty-one has made fair progress in its development from a truly “underdeveloped” country of hardly any infrastructure to a semblance of political stability today. What we have in Gambia, therefore, may still represent an improvement over our state of affairs sixty-one and more years ago. There was little access to drinking water other than wells, no major-paved roads, and life-expectancy was relatively low at thirty-five years. I would not even mention poor electricity. While conditions in Gambia appear relatively better today, however, the bulk of our population thrives at the brink of starvation, poor healthcare, and unsuitable education. A general state of disorder, poor leadership that is engulfed in donor-charity, rising crime and deepening hegemonic control and confusion remain our predicament. Our governance system and its control and manipulation from independence to date have contributed immensely to Gambia’s poor development outcome: from a quasi-democracy (1965-1994), to military-rule (1994-2016), and now Barrow’s modified and gentler autocracy- is a blend that is structured for looting of national resources and corruption by the ruling-class (2017-2026). Few perform their national duties optimally while the bulk of the population watch helplessly, as millions are swindled and invested in real-estate and relatively lucrative businesses. “Self-interest,” “self-promotion” and “Pretense” rule the day, especially on this 2026 election year. Government to enhance its chances of winning the presidential polls is anxiously engaged in maintenance of poorly maintained feeder roads to look attractive. Regrettably, Gambia had by 2022, moved almost irreversibly into deeper economic crisis, and inequality. And, the poor have been pushed into unsavory economic and social activities to survive. The young are particularly vulnerable and attracted to the “Backway,” to sustain self-and-family while the prospect of death hangs over them. In sum, “Independence Day,” “Lent,” and “Ramadan,” call on Gambians to think deeply about the current state of affairs, our future, and especially the future of youngsters. The confluence of these three major events and “Independence Day,” in particular, calls on us all to reflect deeply on a future to reverse our glowing predicament.
Dr. Abdoulaye Sain
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Gambia: 61st independence anniversary
