Chronicles...

We were treated unfairly by our own - that’s a fact. But with lesser complains, collective tenacity, and sincerity of intentions, we can and should be able to recuperate without much trouble. Olof Njie neh: “yootkat mo nexa jangal tufli.” And as far as I know, being blessed isn’t an unfamiliar territory to us. In fact, before oppressed people, we were a blessed people.

In case you're too young or too inclined to forget, this is just a crumb of how blessed we were. Having seen a lot and having had conversations with very photographic and fine minds, I came to the conclusion that in fact, all was not bad under the First Republic:

I heard our GDP was once better than Singapore’s – that up to a few years after their independence in 65, they were underdeveloped. I can confirm that up to the mid 90s, during festive periods, Senegalese and other sub-regional women used to come to the Albert Market to do their shopping. We had few hospitals yes, but major health centres and that was sufficient at the time, since there was less stress and people were healthy. The RVH and Bansang Hospitals used to have referrals from beyond borders. And like our kotos today go to Dakar to ball, Banjul used to be the thing.

Even though a Dalasi was enough lunch money, kids used to go to school without worrying about it, knowing that free milk and biscuits will be available in the morning, lunch (dubbed food) was available for only 25bututs, and 25bututs paid for a school bus back home. Public school uniforms used to be available for free - we even had free sandals and caps for the Silver Jubilee. If your exercise book was filled, it gets replaced. The teacher only tears off the tip so you cannot come for a second time. Kids had a handle on English Language thanks to the Mobile library and Radio Gambia’s morning English grammar “Radio Programmes.”

We did not have a university then, but we had education. And the system was such that a ‘Standard something’ or a high school product is likely to reason better than an average present-day college graduate – no wonder most of the instruments we have today and cannot even amend to suit our reality, from the GO, FI, Stores Regulations, Foreign Service Regulations, Code of Conduct, etc. were developed by those low-level graduates.

Those days, even if one’s unemployed, you can go to Banjul every morning and will come back home with something. It was called: "tes-tes;" far more rewarding than today’s "raba-raba." But then folks used to give because they had.

Pensioners will go to the Treasury for their pensions and will be treated with dignity. Ndeysan they’ll be like: “Maneh! Demadon lajteh ndax suma boucher (voucher) parreh na”- meager sums, but so valuable. I heard our telecommunication system used to be best in West Africa and second in Africa. There was Babylonian capitalism yes, but with a national trading, national produce, national transport and other public corporations, needed safeguard against exploitation was in place. The ports, besides being an entrepôt sort of, was the ghetto youths' Wall Street.

Almost all local communities had roving markets “lumos” and they were all booming. The provinces were happening during harvest seasons. Farmers had farming seeds and fertilizers, and career-hunters had supplies of hunting ammunitions through their Divisional Commissioners. Ours was so small a nation but so distinguished. We held membership in so many international bodies, and even lobbied for some relatively bigger nations to be a part of such bodies. Oh boy, the splendour, peace and security of the Smiling Coast wasn’t just said, it was lived.

Gui gou daar...

Ndanan kom guigou daar la, falla xalehyi day jangay ehgg... that's Wolof, and my point being:

From once you become an iconic figure for what you do, you'll more than likely be a standard by which excellence in that thing's measured. You'll be like a slanted tree, or a sloped surface if you like.

Hence, it wouldn't be unusual for newbies who are dying to sit at the big boy table to learn to climb through you. Some will prefer to lean on you, others will rather dare take you on like they got that kinda juice. Some will send eulogies your way for being a needed drive, others will scornfully make an equal of you. If you ask me, let it slide. It's quite a feather in your cap to be such an icon.

No title...

If walking all over others is your intended means to an entitlement, you don't deserve it. And if you think I'm just being a dehorter, go ahead and claim it. For now, hejna ken dusi mun fuck-all, but as fate will have it, you'll have your just deserts in end the end, teh yowit dor si mun tuss.

People pleasing...

Three can be detrimental to your well-being: holding on to what was, hanging out with an 'unresourcefool' bunch, and three, probably the biggest disservice of all is trying to be a people-pleaser.

Today that it's easier to find a virgin in the maternity ward than to please an average human being, you can give people your all, like you're mother to all, even at cost to yourself, most will still find fault with what you weren’t able to give them - teh pareh si "anything" nak.

If you have a good heart, this is easier said than done, but if you want to preserve your sanity, it's good to occasionally make yourself your priority, especially when you've been taking care of everyone your whole life and none you. It's not selfishness; you're just being about your business.

Vindication...

When you have something to crow about, just "anything," there will be conspiraces to incriminate you falsely, you'll be lied to, but also lied against - lies so consistent that even those who trusted you may be caused to doubt your innocence.

You can go on a door to door campaign, trying to vindicate your honour, but whether all folks will listen is what I doubt.

If you ask me, hear what Joel Osteen was credited to have said: "God knew there'd be unfair situations. That's why He's already arranged a comeback for every setback, vindication for every wrong, a new beginning for every disappointment." Just believe!

All knowing is God’s...

I don’t know where we picked up all these social media bravado from but it’s scary, and it’s certainly not from our homes. Training kids to show sensitivity in dealing with people, especially with elders is typical of every Gambian household. I think it’s about time we draw the line between liberalism as we put it into practice and sheer disrespect.

Being a liberal somebody is not about rubbishing everything that is seemingly old school to you. Learn to appreciate the good, knowing that even if what’s conservative were a broken watch, it’s sure to be right twice a day... one rapper said: "There would be no New School if it wasn't for the Old School." They paved the way, so hats off to them.

Jim Rohn said: "Our emotions need to be as educated as our intellect. It is important to know how to feel, how to respond, and how to let life in so that it can touch you." So no matter how well-read you think you're, you cannot dismiss others as “ignorant” simply because they don’t conform to your idea of how things have evolved or should be. Your broad general knowledge regardless, you will always be ignorant on some subjects. All knowing is God’s.

It's insecurity, mostly...

If you happen to be disrespected by someone just like that; someone who you probably don't even know, and you're wondering like: "nmba kokoo, eh! What the heck did I do to this one?" I bet it's not you. Insecure people don't wait for people to give them cause to be disrespectful.

If you ask me, you're probably a well-regarded person, and the vile idiot whose league you're way out of cannot stand it, hence jealously creating drama around you - y'know, just to be able to say something nasty to you. Don't ask me how to get rid of such nonsense because you can't. So, see it as a personal performance indicator and move on.

Anyone can get angry…

With the right amount of push on the right button, anyone can go bonkers. So anyone can be racially, tribally, politically, or whatever-ly biased - the sense of loyalty and support structure for these things is deep. Our individual BS tolerance levels vary – that’s a fact, but when push comes to shove, even the most impartial of people will take sides, because even the calmest of people have their moments of fatigue.

It is easy to sit there saying "sudon mahn" (if it were me), like you would’ve reacted differently, and to judge others as being short tempered, but the truth is, if you’ve never been as provoked, how you think you would’ve reacted is just a thought.

I am not saying it’s cool to be a walking time-bomb; it isn’t. But let’s not forget that behind every explosion there’s a detonator. So yeah, there are people who are quick to take offense, but also some who are so adversarial that they’ll do things or make speeches, mostly deliberately, just to make someone angry, knowing that ours will always condemn the reaction and not the act that brought about the reaction.

I would rather the scope is wider…

The number of unjust dismissals in the Gambia between ‘94 and ‘96 was outrageous – that’s a fact. The new government having launched a committee to look into the wrongful dismissals of the old is laudable. However, the exercise targeting '97 and beyond seems inequitable. Personally, I feel that lot of aggrieved folks will feel neglected. I don't know, perhaps the decision was weighted considering the amount of possible compensations, or just implying that folks fired before 97 are statute-barred. Whatever it is, I see some Babylonian bias. 

Misuse of power...

GMB -  the more the acts of indiscipline open out, the more disgraceful it will get. More people and public institutions will lose their legitimacy. This is what misuse of power for private interest does. It gets to a level you cannot stop others from profiting from it. It'll create a system where any directive originating from a figure of authority is slavishly accepted as binding, eventually making halfgods out of power-serving nonentities, who'll be thought to be connected, or at least can pretend importance to make things happen.

Before you know it, the system is already a shitstem - so helpless, inefficient, disabled, and work crippled. Very unruly violations of procedures will manifest and aided as more and more ego-servers and greed-feeders vie to gain access to power.

Soon, common people will wake up to the injustices and the resulting inequality in the redistribution of what could’ve been for all, and they'll be so angry, hence the search out for who was responsible for what. Persecutions and the lust to prosecute will soar. Some who once were will cunningly switch allegiance, but in an attempt to disguise their hands in the wrongdoings. The bigmanism that once was will be be dropped, or caused to, even though another within the new will try to rise... now whether folks will let themselves to be raped again is what I doubt.

Gambia and the Billions of Domestic Debt...

I don't think it was an untold story or a new revelation. This new minister is barely in office to unearth that deep. I don't know of the drawings but the billions in domestic debt was there piling. Don't you wonder why poor Gambia has about a dozen banks or more and they're all thriving, and why that Narr billionaire is served persona non grata one minute and retracted the next minute? They were our economy's chumukai. Start grabbing a copy of the Budget and take interest. It's still sold for Two Arch I guess. That's what Halifa Sallah does, it's not like he hires some PI to do the digging for him.

He felt that these things should be common knowledge and very so. But when he and his crew was going around with the Land Rover, trying to tell us what a crocodile system we had, and how grave our situation was, the scarce resources and spoils, he was heard but like the conscious Rastaman is; we listen to the vibe, nod our heads in agreement like: "degga, for real man, true talk... belahi koto bi dehfa ovala xam economy bi," and that's it. Back to our usual politics of ashobi, gala dinner, fehcha, taachu, skinny jeans and t-shirt carnivals, ak hahatai, like namunj dara. I'm glad it's an awakening. Now let's take heart, pay up the domestic debts and negotiate the external ones.

Everybody can be great...

You don't have to be a part of the outrageous Machiavellian manoeuvres in corporate circles to serve, or to be great. Greatness is not exclusive. Anyone who refuses to be a slob can have his presence felt in a good way. This was what Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted humanity to believe in, that:

"everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."

Unfortunately, today’s moral climate has infected the whole concept of service, that even those paid to serve are instead being served to serve self, still thought to be serving tho… LOL, and any who tries to rise above such gullibility is said to be bearing a grudge.

GRTS is fixable...

When an institution is not in keeping with the expected standards and you think the institution's still needed, find the root cause and fix it. Einstein believes that "everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."

Sometimes I believe that's what we do to GRTS by invariably contrasting them with TV stations beyond borders with complex technology. Yeah, they suck and probably shame-filled already, but it's fixable, and I believe being sufficiently equipped, appropriately staffed, and empowered so that their minds are unfettered to direct their own affairs without interference will be a good start. There are very creative private media outlets ayard, most of them into event coverage and artistic production, and what they're doing with what they have is impressive - source from them.

I am not saying give GRTS a complete break, but the truth is, at some point in our nation's history, it was easier and safer for an institution to relapse and comfort the status quo than to carry through. Few did what was right, but not all men are as manly and that's natural. In fact, GRTS was probably just country-renowned for it, but certainly not the only institution that walked over us to slavishly ensure that power was afforded what it wanted regardless.

Look at public structures and national documents; one colour is conspicuous. Do you think it's a coincidence? Good, and that's the same reason why all public events bear resemblance in everything, and why the phrase "enabling environment" became clichéd... and some of these were never "directives" as is usually claimed. Most are hypothetically suggested by self-serving people within, knowing that none will defy.

Why I almost served...

Just by seeing a US Marine in full combat outfit, I cannot but conclude that regardless of the mission, he can't die. Seeing the body armour of those men in all black guarding President Barrow to the dais at the Independence Stadium, I can no longer credit the Marine as peerless in appearance. Man, those two couldn't even close their arms.

God, men and women in uniform used to becharm me. But those days our forces' morale and discipline was up there, and perhaps why I also wanted to serve after high school. I'm not sure if mom did great in getting in the way of what I thought was an opportunity to get into the cadet programme.

Her argument was: "you who couldn't stand Armitage High School? Can't you see that institution is increasingly unbecoming, and you know you have a temper" - evidently legit. Onwards, I hope our armed and security forces have plans for their own redemption, so that we will no longer sit and wonder if they had made any difference.

The Gambia at 52...

Aww man, this is what we knew to be Independence Day. Just like our Silver Jubilee, perhaps improved. No heavy artillery. No high-handed warlike escorts. No warriorlike entry for the politicians. Very classy outfits and a tight Haftan game - so spectacular. Broadcasters sounding confident and not mincing words today. Impressive march past by men and women in uniform. Macky Sall in his usual no-nonsense disposition. The African, but particularly the Senegambian spirit's being revived.

Our formerly unsung founding fathers are today being afforded honourable mentions. The 22yo Second Republic considered a glitch that it was. But I swear down President Barrow's one hell of a lucky man. Indeed it's God who blesses. The First Ladies are all lit. The VIP sitting area's evidently not adherent to faction, except that the ex-VP was booed, but I'm sure she'll overstand that folks are rife with emotions still. Second oath for Barrow - one was in the Gambia away from the Gambia, now home - well, I guess even more assuring.

Everyone's euphoric, but that's what's up! The belief that the consequence of injustice is independence is now evident, and I think it's the greatest feeling ever: knowing that nothing endures, not even absolute rule, and that from today onwards, you belong to yourself, again. I hope we will all continue to be desirers of happiness, success, and to the freedom and independence of all... Tonya tonya, fang soto mang nyongo soto! Mom sa bopa mo nekh!

The common man usually gets played..

If you can pretend compassion, or can give impossible promises, and you're not a religious or socal elite, join the political class, and rest assured that you’ll more than likely gain the trust of the common man - and whosoever gains the trust of the common man shall have things handed to him in generous portions, just let them feel that they're being represented.

When things change, adapt...

Growing up, I was an early bloomer, y'know, a rich kid. In fact my peers used to look forward to me coming out to play, because I owned stuff: the balls, the bikes (BMX) and the toys. No "bobay ride," it was all on me.

Things changed and I became poor. But I didn't complain, and I didn't blame it on anyone, nor did I throw any pity party. I just adapted, held it together, and upped my tenacity to rise from the ashes.

But I guess that's how it is. Sometimes seasons do shift from bloom to gloom. But that too doesn't endure. It's not unlike "cream" that you pour in coffee or tea. It will eventually rise to the top, God willing and the creek don't rise that is.

Good evening Traffic Officer...

Thank you for your efforts in promoting road safety, and for trying to avert traffic pollution and congestion. We appreciate you! However, you need to overstand that infrastructure wise, we are seriously starved, as evident during typical workday mornings when traffic is at its heaviest, and because ours is a fairly one-directional workforce.

Hence, a slight jam on these our starving highways can choke traffic and delay even the most punctual of workers. This is why some of us are always trying to out-traffic the traffic by using secondary roads, daring the potholes therein. It’s not because we are impatient, we believe we are being logical, and doing everyone a favour by decongesting the main road.

So, it’ll be unfair to prevent all such routes from use, and to treat our diversions as violations, when in fact the reason for uni-directing some of these roads was just a one-off incident. I don't think it's wise to create so many one-ways and no-entries when the highway is a no-way - and the biggest Babylonian injustice of it is when such alternative routes are barred because of some temporary effect that it has on some bratty business premises.

Think about this: what’s the relative effect of this on a nurse or a school teacher who is trying to get to work early? Seriously, I wouldn't mind all these one-way-traffics, but before you prohibit entry, make sure there are better alternatives. Mumino bay kungho seh sumayaa.

Don't just say it, do it...

Worthy of respect are those who invariably support small and local businesses without asking for unreasonable discounts, and those who when they borrow from such businesses, they pay up. Shout out to all who support my rabaraba just like that!

Really, I cannot think of a motive that can be purer than unselfishly incentivesing a startup just to stimulate greater output and investment, especially where it's an every-man-for-himself type of conduct, and dealings are so ruthless that everyone's looking out to see who is trying to outdo who.

Separate yourself from it...

In some circles, you'll be disrespected, ignored and disliked, deliberately mostly, and because they have no courtesy towards a supposed inferior. If you ask me, don't stooge yourself for no one. Nothing is wrong with you.

Somewhere, you'll be caused to belong, valued, and loved fisabilillah. Ignore the arrogance and go where the peer-level treatment is, even if they be considered low in social importance, and if you don't want your untimely death certificate to read as - CAUSE OF DEATH: Pissed Off!

Being cantankerous...

“Kayna kay mbolloh bi, kayna ki la” - Olof Njie

Meaning: if it appears be you against all men and jinn, check yourself, you may be the problem. If you're never satisfied with the quality of anything not done by yourself, like your taste's so up there that everything feels wack to you, and everyone seems not up to it, you’re probably cantankerous.

When one is, one is always tending to make some sort of point, and if an opportunity doesn’t present, one’s prone to take it out on someone, and will tag it an opinion or a critique, but whether constructive is what I doubt. It’s more like ego defense to me. Yep, I've been there, done that, changed now. Mom used to call me NH (never happy) and I'm not proud of it.

The Alkali Koto Syndrome...

When a government was in power, especially for so long, and now in the opposition, one should expect the 'Alkali Koto Syndrome' - it's an equivalent of the "Obsessive Ex Syndrome." It starts with the refusal to accept that the other partner has decided that the relationship is over, to attempting to reconcile, to the stalking, the disapproval of what is, etc.

What I'm tryna say is, whether expressed in action or argument, and though baseless, there'll be some political resistance or dissent from the former's, and there'll be denial by those who are still emotionally attached to what was. They'll tend to sympathise so much with their anguish, that they'll be too distracted to accept that it is a new beginning, and prolly should mentally let go.

Allow people to act like free people...

When people know they've a place with what you're offering, they'll come. So, if you want to whet their appetite, make it attractive and allow them to make an unforced decision. Let people determine their reasons for action. Trying to cause them to go against their will may be a source of unexpected trouble.

In other words, if you think your cause is to wake people up, or is for the benefit of more than just yourself, follow it. However, don't pressure no one, even if perceived to bring miraculous results. You can't coerce people to forget their stories and buy yours just like that. It may work for a while but it won't last.

I don’t know, I'm just saying...

It is healthier to judge your good eggs by their actions, not what's being said about them. Unifiers are hard to tell these days. Not even those who may seem uniquely qualified to be one are always so.

Remember, the devil comes in any form it's sure to exercise influence over with, and has no regard for trust or faith, nor how long it took two to build a bond. But perhaps some who had known break ups and fall outs already know that.

Perhaps I'm just being an alarmist. Been there and knowing how hard it is to reconnect like old times might have changed my perception. But it doesn't hurt to be vigilant still. You don't want to end up sorry for giving your ears to the devil that created the rift between you and yours.

Poor us...

Often, we find fault with rich folks and folks living in the posh part of town for being supportive and tending to favour each other, at our expense supposedly. Unfortunately, ourselves, we cannot seem to be able to build each other up. Ours is like: "if I can't have it, you can't have it." We hate ours for what we love in/about others, and low-key desiring each other's good fortune.

We cannot even appreciate much less patronise a neighbourhood enterprise. We will rather abandon a hood store for some overrated boutique elsewhere, to buy nothing uncommon. The only time we look inward is when we are broke and need stuff on credit, and we hardly pay up. So, our hood entrepreneurs will also catch resent and ask us to go to the stores we have been going to. It's like underprivileged and marginalised folks tearing each other. Wo tolay ya!

Conjecture...

Constructing theories to pass judgments, or to try to allege motives for everything, though seemingly outlandish can sometimes help uncover so many mainstream lies. However, it becomes counterproductive when one becomes a verb for it, and especially where one's not so limited by firm evidence.

One tends to speculate, often creating non-existent issues, and seeking to establish that (arguable) position no matter how.

This is why when someone like that is hellbent on finding faults to stain a thing, even regarding that which is impeccable, the person must create the fault, but presents it in a manner defying basic description; y'know, with profound wisdom, acting like my boy Skinny when stoned will get so philosophical, taking time to decipher the meaning of Reggae music, and I'll be there like: "yeah mon!" "fi real mon!" "too, true bredda! etc.

EGO!

Almost anyone you see, including, most probably yourself, and particularly I, have an ego - and I’m not saying it’s bad, nor is occasionally adding a boost to it all bad either. In fact, most great people I know do it, all the time.

Muhammed Ali didn't wait for people to say he's the greatest, he said he was even before he knew he was. He said "it's not bragging if you can back it up." Some tech guy in Nikita said if God is in the detail, then he's a god, Chronixx believes that if dancehall was school they'll be principals, and it's not rare to hear those into Hip Hop Music claiming to be rap gods, rap MVPs, etc. I believe it’s ok to go on occasional ego trips like that - y'know, boost confidence and all.

What's dangerous is massaging the ego, feeding it at the expense of others, and inflating it to the point of stupor, thinking that everyone is inferior to you, or should look up to you, and should prolly bow down to your grace; that’s 7ucked up, really.

I am not gonna lie; mine used to be as huge and prolly is, still. It makes me act as if I am the standard by which excellence is measured, or as if anything that isn't in accordance with my set of specifications is absurd. But the more I grow up, the more I realise how devilish it gets with excess-ego. Remember how Satan defied God just to prove the inferiority of man?

Sudon mahn (if it were me) is team destroyer...

Often, our biggest challenge is finding a way to agree on what we had agreed to. Some of us will always find a way to take to our cliques to protest anyways, as if the option to object wasn't on the table in the first place.

The 'sudon mahn’ (if it were me, or if I had it my way) attitude is a very tardy and destructive force, and it’s mostly by some of us who do not even have the necessary qualities to what we are calling for. It's so off-putting, and counterproductive.

Passing judgment on here...

See, you can come on social media, dot all the dots supposedly tracing people's line of patronage or allegiance, including their motivation thereto, and you'll still get a big fat zero over hundred, yeah! Because what you'll more than likely see is what your thoughts had already framed to be it. This is why judging by a mere guess is very dangerous - it gets in the way of your knowing, causing confusion and irrelevant arguments.

Our football rhetoric.... GMB

When our football technicians meet to discuss the way to go: "Let's go back to the drawing board." "Let's start from the grassroots." Now these two lines have become so clichéd for my liking. If they ask me, I say make the game ATTRACTIVE and everything will fall into place. When Senegal wanted to get all those hypermasculine and potential ganstas off the streets. The federation revolutionised the game. They raised money to pay money, got the media to hype the game and make the athletes befitting of being stars, and to attract sponsors and investors. Now every kid in Senegal wants to be a wrestler because it's gainful.

Cameroon, prior to their first world cup appearance, one Swedish journalist visited to see their style of football, and eventually did a documentary. Shockingly, it was observed that the FA President's team was paying better and more equipped than even the National team. I'm not if that motivated the revamp and shift of attention, but there was one thereafter and now it's paying.

Here too, don't be surprised to see an average staff of the FA earning more than the average league player, despite the short career span of the latter, and prolly the reason why we are losing most of our boys to the Senegalese league. I'll give myself as example. I used to play ball, and was dunk champion for a few successive years, but guess what I could show for it: D500 and D250, that's D750, plus one ashtray looking trophy, and one poorly calligraphed certificate. Now I go out and hear kids mumur to one another: "koto bi mo munon basket" (this bruh used to be a fine ball player), and it makes me want to cry. Who do you think I could inspire to take up basketball? I am just glad that I had a Plan B.

Social media wahala...

On here, the validity of the beliefs and opinions that one will form about topics or issues will largely depend on who's asserting it, and deny it all you want, it's often partial to cronies, even if logically challenged, or how the position makes some reader feel reading it. Some of us are so incredibly hypersensitive that just write: "geez!" to a ridiculous link you share and we'll think it's about us, even if not thinking about us at the time of sharing it.

This is why it wouldn't be uncommon for some of us to encourage you to "keep keeping it real," that your posts resonate with us and are "spot on," or we "couldn't have said it any better," but only when what you post appeals to our feelings, or probably a post we could use to goad a certain low-key nemesis to anger. It's also the reason why all hell breaks loose when you post something we don't like, perhaps thinking it's about us or ours, even though deep down we know you're right.

Pull mu lerr (for the purpose of clarity), this post is not about me. It's just an observation. Personally, I have gotten sick and tired of being sick and tired of comforting people with lies simply because they cannot accept reality. If unavoidable, I just call it like I see it.

Our family fabric...

Tell me, how awkward would it feel going to a social event, and like most of the time, learning from older folks that you and that girl that you wanted to hit on so badly are cousins, or knowing how connected you're to that kid that you had done bad things to; how about realising that the man you once fought with is in fact your uncle, and the lady you said resembles your mom your aunt?

Myself, and because our society though apparently reserved and remote, are closely connected by at least a common identity or bond, I will interrogate her at some length before I make a move on a girl, especially if her last name's Touray, Ceesay or Sonko, and she's Mandinka or Fanafana, lest I commit incest. But then the Bojangs became cousins, the Jammehs and Njies uncles and aunts, and then I realised that God, my family's descending line is indeed stretchy.

Thanks to the miracle of social media, I have always made such discoveries, and each time I do, I appreciate the diversity of my family fabric, and feel lucky to be of common ancestry and heritage with a whole lot of people, and to have family in different cultures, with different languages and skin colour - yes race, because I have gotten nieces, nephews and cousins of mixed racial descent.

Some of us are in situ. Some of different national experiences, and some even continents away, separated by marriage, career, and migration. Personally, my social life sucks, but l love my family. In fact, I have always wished that if I am moneyed, I'll organise one big family reunion or retreat so that we may know each other and share our very rich experiences. But for now, I'll let the virtual discovery continue.

Just agree to disagree, and move on..

No conversation can be as difficult as trying to shed the light of truth upon someone who’s as clueless as not knowing what the dogs in the street already know. It can be too depressing for words, the confounding response seemingly on purpose, and your effort to edify as probable as a cold day in hell.

As much as it sucks to be the one, if you're trying to do it, I salute you  - someone's gotta enlighten someone, knowing that the ability to see beyond one's nose, or to overstand the gravity of issues sufficiently early isn’t as common a gift as may be thought. However, if progress seems impossible, the person's blind [figuratively]... like Nicki said, tell the person to get a stick and you move on.

January 15 - emotions

That feeling when you're tryna be a man about it, telling family and friends to stay safe and do nothing reckless. Y'know, being the pacifier that a man is traditionally expected to be. But as you refresh your browser and see comments and count downs like 'oh hell no, so this is about to get real? Bottling up the trepidation, like geez, all these should just end already. God, I hope so!

January 16 - hope

If you’re going through a difficult time, having some hope of pulling through will help make your period of endurance less exacting. Don’t rule out the worst though, and lose sleep if you must - I have been doing a lot of that lately. But do also hope for the best.

See, too much catastrophic thinking, and an almost fatalistic attitude towards your situation will cause havoc on your morale. I’ll be dishonest to say it’s easy, but then sometimes you just need to get into the mood – you know, like the actress Lena Dunham said after the US election: “Don't agonise, organise.”

January 16 - prayer heard...

Her kids sent to take refuge, this woman touchingly asked: "nyunj funj jem" (where are we headed). To new beginnings I said; just hang in there, kinder days are ahead, and hoping she doesn’t ask 'how,' because there's no denying that events are confounding. Being all the comfort I could offer broke my heart, but perhaps that’s all we got for now: ears to the ground, prayer, and something to hope for.

Even if ingenuity seems to be wearing out, consonance unable to prevail over dissonance, and even if emotions and pride cannot be punctuated with reason, we hope. We hope that because conflicts don't just happen but caused to, wills and hearts will take it when an opportunity to nip a potential conflict in the bud presents. We hope because the impact otherwise is incalculable, and because from the object, to the perp, to the bystander, everyone's a potential victim. Even as disappointing and even if all options considered seem unpleasant, we still hope in knowing that "God is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs for us."

January 17

Granted, someone said "the man who has experienced shipwreck shudders even at a calm sea," and there's no denying that the state of things are dire, but very deep pessimism over it will only make matters worse.

Be an optimistic realist -  don't just say a storm is inevitable and that's it, or conclude that it's impossible and that's it; rather, accept that a storm is possible but with a sense of expectation that if we adjust the sail, we will safely get to shore, and by God we will. Amen!

January 18

The disquietude, the many overnight-pseudo-chief-senior-deputy-assistant-situation-analysts, and the shifting reports on current events "breaking" on here - I am so done with all of it. I have always credited our social media reporters, journalists and commentators as very informed, but I guess that was before the thing became a 'lumo' - so soaked that plausibility is dwindling, and so interfering with the emotional atmosphere already.

For the sake of God and Nabi, DO NOT post it if all you have is in tidbits, or if it's gonna be refuted the next minute because the information was ulteriorly edited, incomplete, or factually erroneous due to the rush to break it. But if it itches so bad that you must say it, at least do a disclaimer - say it isn't confirmed yet. In fact, the way I see it, hope and courage in adversity was what kept us going and that same fortitude will keep us going still.

January 19

Given current events: the support to folks displaced, the care, and the sharing of safety-conscious tips with those of us who chose to stay, shows that we are evidently not unlike what Michelle Obama said about America: “we are so beautifully diverse, but we have so much in common – our love for our families, our pride in our country, our commitment to helping each other.”

Despite our occasional dummy spits, shade throwings and competitiveness on social media, our spirit of service and giving, and the inner satisfaction thereof is up there. Our sense of compassion towards even those who we had beef with but eventually show remorseful acknowledgement of their failings, like: "mungi cool," is evidence that we are truly a good people.

I have always said that we are a people who'll love someone just by pretending to be nice to us. We hardly question motives, and I don't know if that's a good thing. What I'm saying is, you may be whatever you're, just treat the average Gambian with courtesy, even if cosmetic and you'll be considered cool: "borom bakh nga. Amulor behn yaba." In short, if a typical Gambian despises you, check yourself, because you must have transgressed badly. But this is why no evil fashioned against us shall prosper. Amen!

January 21

When career politicians say "diplomacy is still priority," they will find a way to create a win, and in our case a win on behalf of both the new president who cannot get hold of his presidency, and the hanger-on. Well, whether the hanger-on ceded due to pressure or was waiting for devine revelation, it doesn't matter; it's a good bye and good riddance!

Given what we went through these few days, and the armed conflict hasn't even started yet, my friend, any opportunity to subdue the man without fighting is okay by me, but especially knowing that fighting is no silver bullet. A conflict is always better never than late, hence better late than never to nip it in the bud. One thing is certain tho: some reputations are past redemption, and they shall never be known by anything other than heartless.

You caption it...

The coming of Donald Trump after Barack Obama is like asking one of those Alliance-franco rappers to perform after J Cole. You know, that imbalance between their beats and barely audible lyrics - bloody turn off. No wonder his speech tempo keeps missing harmony with the lifeless applause, like the crowd was there against their will.

That was just a passing remark. Now to what's on my mind: now that there's freedom of speech, word is out to all those low-key social media dictators. If you want to hold complete autocratic control over our dos, don'ts, shoulds and shouldn'ts on here, better be ready to have your own back, because we are gonna be your ECOMOG, and the operation OMAID (Operation Murder All Internet Dictators).

GMB Post dictatorship...

Some burdens may have been heavier than others, but the horrid acts and injustices avoided almost none, including those stuck in either denial or want of common knowledge. Some got martyred (RIP), some somebodies were made nobodies by nobodies, some spoke out but on deaf ears, some pained but theirs remained unsung. Some, lest they be called the bitter brats of the first republic kept theirs to themselves. In the end, we all endured but took comfort in knowing that time will determine the cycle of events.

Many thought that THAT TIME is now, that their patience in adversity is about to be rewarded with an ironic punishment of the oppressor. To some, whatever compromise that was reached last evening has gotten that off the table. Me? I believe, and based on global recurrences, that unlike virtue that continually triumphs, the immunity for vice has a natural expiry date, and it's worth the wait because the effects will always bend towards justice. Feeling too bitter may frustrate one into seeing other people as unaffected, thus not enraged, and to want to act too quickly, but often extemporaneously.

I believe that by God and in time, fitting and needed justice will be served and closures gotten. But then like Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, I don't believe that time will necessarily heal all the wounds. She believes that "the wounds remain;" that "in time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone." For what it's worth, before oppressed people, we were blessed people, and by God we shall be blessed again.

Good riddance...

So once there was a deadly village gansta, a real shot-caller who went into coma. His folks thought he was dead, and because of his menacing presence in the community, they hurriedly prepared the body, neatly shrouded and phew, to the cemetery; you know, good riddance anyways.

As the body was lowered into the grave, the knees started bending, like he was regaining consciousness. One of the two elderly men laying the body in the grave saw the movement and shoved the leg back in like, dammit, go dude, GO! To him, to think you're free is nothing, unless, as a free person, you are safely free.

January 22

President Barrow's interview was reassuring, and the identified series of actions regarding the matter of his predecessor do appeal to logic, if not the way forward. Now I hope some emotions on here were but the excitement still, or that natural storm that prefaces the building of a team.

Otherswise, should the surge of retortive suggestions, intimations, and the executive policing on here continue like it is right now, as if it is but a dummy government, and on here a freelance cabinet, with others serving as voluntary public-service-hypocrite identifying/firing personnel, then the new president's impending executive branch is jobless already. Or maybe they should all just own Facebook accounts and follow all these formerly-repressed fine brains and acting technical policy blueprinting elites I see on here.

How cute a democracy that will be; you know, reduce the government to a 'kafo/compin' and be governed from on here. Whether it will work like that is what I doubt. Yes, the promise was, it will be an open government, but then "open" as in accessibility has limits, and the sooner we draw the line between "civic responsibility" and the "duties and responsibilities of elected leadership" the better. See, when the outcome of a collective endeavour is huge, we usually tend to absolve the few intemperances, but that cannot go on unabated. I thought I should say that.

The illegal but legitimate appointment...

I am not a legal person and I am not pretending to be one, but I think I also have an opinion regarding the appointment of a VP past 65yo, and this is it:

Even if no one finds the clause that justifies it, Ma’am Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang's VP still, and I find her appointment legitimate. You may say it isn’t legal because the constitution/law says otherwise, but I’m saying legitimate because it’s justified with logic. Look, half the laws of the 2nd Republic being bad laws is common knowledge, as the rules were made to agree with what was, and to get in the way of what should, particularly the age limit was to restrict our elderly folks of wisdom, those who braved up against the shit-stem when most of us were cowered.

Coming from absolute rule where the usual was an obvious contempt for our wishes and reason, some transitional actions should as any rational person would expect be based on logic –legitimacy over fraudulent-legality if you like; so it shouldn’t be uncommon to see many unusual acts, this appointment included.

It was the same logic that gave the foreign forces the authority to invade, and ours not facing trial for treason -  the logic behind Barrow’s independent candidature in order to lead a coalition although UDP still -  the reason  why the former president was babied out despite an illegal overstay - the reason why President Barrow took oath in a Gambia away from The Gambia - the reason why the coalition’s agreement somewhat disagrees with certain provisions of the constitution but still holding – the reason why the State of Emergency and extension of the mandate of Parliament was paid no attention to, et cetera.

See, “protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it.” because: “Any fool can make a rule and any fool will mind it.” and because:  ‘Lex malla, lex nulla. A bad law is no law.' – Quoted from Henry David Thoreau, Howard Zinn and Cassandra Clare respectively.

People are different...

People are different. Some prefer to keep a safe distance from certain occasions not because they're pompous or antisocial, they just don't like snobocracy, that's it! especially gatherings where some tend to act the choicest even though raggediest, and so dismissive of other people who refuse to make an idol of them.

me... those self-flattering name-dropping cross-dressing pseudo-elites with borrowed lifestyles, pretending to be in sync with everything going on, and having preferences that they don't even like, yet slavishly conforming because it accords them some sort of relevance and sense of belonging... I hope they hate me already, because I don't like them.

Mtcheew!!! Mi nuh deal wid dat kinda rubbish deh. Mi roll wid real piple, meek piple dem, caah dem a go inherit di earth!

GMB post election ish...

Like I have always said, there is no denying that some reputations have gone past redemption, and in time, truth will reveal more, of folks who will never again be known by anything other than terrible. However, the premature, indiscriminate and vulgar taste with which we tag all but ours who were even remotely linked to the past regime as all bad and ugly is unfair -  just like not all who is now putting up the saintliest tongue and demeanour as collateral for recognition was as immaculate

But if that is what is gonna determine who was really complicit of the atrocities thereof, if we are gonna conclude that any person who, past or lately, was a part of the last regime is guilty by default, or must be fought off from this one, I am afraid that we will end up outsourcing the government for wanting in qualification, seriously - is like saying you’ll not date a friend’s ex, then you realise your serial-dater of a friend had already dated all the potential dates in your hood... and you still want a date?

We need to admit that everything that happened in the past years happened under everyone’s nose, and except for the few heroes we know and will keep celebrating, all who spoke out had to do it beyond our narrow borders, or resort to 'nghunu nghunu.' Almost all of us were caused to relinquish so many of our basic rights in the name of our safety, but for the security of a shitstem, and we ended up having neither. I hope that is history already.

Us and our forces, way to go...

The standard of behaviour of the officer who last evening drew my attention to a street that was temporarily restricted was exemplary. The accent tells me he's Senegalese. I don't know if the decorous conduct was because he's in a foreign land and being ambassadorial, or just him sticking to the Code of Conduct, but he was professional.

I don't want to further bruise the pride of our own men by suggesting some form of internship, but I think they should step up their game, so that we can rebuild the confidence to trust them to be professional, fair, and acting in our best interests. That way, we are very likely to assist them in upholding the law, and we shall all live happily ever after.

Amen!

Been there, done that, it will be insensitive of me to unreasonably criticise a young person for being overexcited about issues, because relatively, he or she hasn't undergone the effects of the times I did.

But for an older person to find fault with with another older person's state of being calm, tactful and composed, especially when the moment calls careful reflection, that's straight up BS - first-degree 'nyoradi' (unripeness), really.

Lemme rephrase the "Irish Blessing" and pray that as we grow, we'll be afforded the hindsight to know where we have been, the foresight to know where we are going, and the insight to know when we have gone too far. Amen!

How news get distorted...

Two talking and one said to the other: "why are you so cynical?" A curious passer-by asked the bystander: "what are these people up to?" Boldly replying he said: "the taller fellow is angry because the short one said he's a silly cat." See how "cynical" got distorted to "silly cat" in a jiffy - interesting!

So if a single story is told differently like it's sometimes on here, especially as contrasted with the one you heard before, some narrator is tending to mislead, is being economical with the fact, or has an insanely hasty tendency to say it first, regardless. As regards the cited example, the bystander is weak at saying 'I don't know.'

Where the accounts are different, don't take chances, because one may be true and the other false, or both false. But if you must know, verify. If you happen to be a compulsive okra-mouth, go ahead and let the genie out of the bottle - open a Pandora's box if you like, it's none of my business - I just hate it that you're gonna lose your cred and your right to the respect of your dignity, and "my body will die" for you.

Africa!

Jay Z's face tho. Like wow, girls still carrying water on their heads in a continent once thought to be the richest. Africa, like her three syllables: 'a-free-car' to the money mill - that's the ride she's taken for... from foreign corporations to her own governments of plutocratic autocrats, or like they say in Nigeria, the 'bigmanism" - each pretending to have her interest, and before she realises how abused she is, she's out of gas already. Leech one then alights and some other leech from God knows where with a couple of gallons of unfit fuel will step in, refill the tank and rides until the pump weakens or clogs.

Photo Credit: @Afriseries

Some pray, some prey...

Some will pray for you to do well regardless. Some will pray for you because you're doing well, and they just admire high achievers.

Some will prey on you because you’re doing great, or they prayed for you to do well it would seem, and now feel sidelined and kept out of play.

Some will rather not pray at all, and for two reasons: either they aren't doing great, so neither can you achieve success greater than theirs, or they just can't be bothered.

People are different...

Listen... not all who seem socially isolated, extremely sensitive, irritable, or too quarrelsome to participate in your uncivilly civil conversations is actually just prone to it for no apparent reason, especially when it's someone who used to have the most cheerful and liveliest personality.

I know these things. In fact as I was writing this piece, I checked and the time was 12:20 PM, and I was still in my room, in boxers still, and loving being left the hell alone.

In life, shitty things happen, and sometimes people are just depressed by circumstances - depression is real yo! So the sooner we start forming our opinions about people upon observation and reasoning rather than our selfish feelings and intuitions, the more we will learn to go easy on one another, and the better and healthier for society.

Ease it up folks...

I think folks are being way too cautious, and perhaps justified, because of the unlimited discretionary and spending powers of the former regime. The Nigerians say If a mad man beats you up once, when you see a mechanic you will run.

However, placing a billboard NOT to nurture omnipresence of leadership, like in most dictatorships, but as a notice calling public attention to a forthcoming event? C'mon man, that should be passable. Just tell your GSM companies that it isn't an easement to launch another billboard erecting competition. Same way, a little 'njansa' (token) here and there even though by a head of state, but the significance of the gesture being one of cultural than "political patronage," that cannot necessarily cultivate sycophancy.

In my opinion, if there are functional and empowered oversight institutions, really and truly independent audit offices for instance, a policing Parliament, no-nonsense prosecutors and a fearless judiciary, we can all rest assured that public funds will be utilised for the purposes intended, and that whatever the Head of State is being generous with is his own dough.

Lastly, if going to be a National Assembly Member (NAM) is gonna be based on popularity, or on a certain competence even though no sufficient command of official English language, the Senegalese Parliament's under Speaker Moustapha Niasse won't be bad: ratify law allowing NAMs to debate in vernacular, if they're more comfortable with that, and enable all to express themselves clearly on issues of national importance. I heard we used to have a NAM who when challenged will say: "Ndeysan, how I wish this forum was in my mother tongue." Pointing to his head he'll say: "the idea is here but it cannot come out."

Facebook opinion monopolists...

I haven't seen any as scolding, as apt to condemn, and as severe in making condescending remarks on others as a typical facebooker, but even worse with the wannabe opinion monopolists, tending to be so picky about it, using the well-worn generalisation: "chei Gambian bi...!" like it's not "what's on your mind" on here anymore. Me? I think it's this simple:

If a thing's not the latest to you, it's news to someone else. If you were gonna say something that someone else's just said, 'maandul' (take possession of your chill) and don't lynch the person's take. If Omar Touray wants to talk about Julius Nyerere and some other facebooker prefers to talk about the Paramount Chief of Kombo, it's only fair that he respects the person's right/chance to express an opinion, or to participate in a decision... and this is no retort to anyone's.

Everyone's career is valid...

Nothing you can make a career out of should be underrated; it's valid. Sincerely speaking, I've been tending more on skills training lately, tailoring to be precise, primarily because of our thing for the 'feycha ak taachu' (dancing and clapping), and the demand for 'Ashobi' following it as a result. Yes, I've my reservations regarding the relative importance to academic education, but this ain't about that. I am because I've seen first hand how gainful the so named "waacha rahasu" could be, if the environment is enabling that is.

Some people will make it seem so inelegant and as if useless. I say when they're looking for that clean-cut or combed-hair, shaven-face, well-dressed, clean-breath, I-do-not-do-weed type of image, because of its intangible prestige, focus on nurturing your talent; make it a skill and make it gainful. In the end, all what they're working to own, from electronics to other facilities are products of the skillful. So do your thing like your future depends on it and see who's gonna be plentiful on the day of harvest.

From once the muse to do it hits, don't procrastinate like I always do, knowing that having an idea is your first capital. In fact, sometimes you don't need a big start, remember Serena Williams that we are all celebrating as the greatest of all time said she went on the courts with just a ball and a racket and a hope...because that was all she got, but sometimes all what you need doesn't have to be more than those basics at your disposal - you just need to proceed one step at a time.

Trump

I am beginning to think that Trump just went into politics for the heck of it, as it is with most rich folks tending to do something different. Unfortunately, he got America with his foolery, who thought he was just keeping it real. Now that he's the President like, for real, he's cueing the world in on the fact that he's unable to discharge the powers of the presidency, and in fact, he doesn't want to be president anymore, hence all the un-presidential decisions, and I think he's provoking an unprecedented invocation of The Twenty-fifth Amendment... I swear down, it's obvious.

Apparently, some who voted for Trump that I know and are reasonable human beings are beginning to question his legitimacy. Some things won't wait for Christ’s second coming. We are all immigrants in this world, and the realm's such that all the different ethnic and national cultures can mingle freely - that diversity is God's doing. Any political, geographical or social policy that cannot support or encourage such coexistence is rebelling against God's, and will fail - you'll see.

Let's give ours a just valuation...

If you know me you know I'm not xenophobic, and have nothing against all these accomplished Naija singers that we make idols of. I have always respected them for being hard-working, high-achieving, and ambitious. But I'm not gonna have to pretend like there is no difference between some of their songs and dope.

In fact, if there's any that I've listened to, which though popularised, but whose lyrics are not a repetition of one thing over and over, and over, like, d'oh! with so many interjections in between, it's not more than a fistful.

If only we can give ours a just valuation and a better appreciation like we do others, and promote brand Gambia as religiously, I swear down ours will no longer be at the mercy of anything from outside. In fact, any divergence from how we do it may someday be equivalent to lacking in delicacy and refinement, and it's possible - especially now that all these emcees and public performers have this freedom to release their creativity from fetters and self censorship.

But, mtcheew! Maybe President Barrow will fix that too... lol

Envy is bad...

When you're too desirous, especially of recognition, Gary Allan said: "you can be the moon and still be jealous of the stars" and I agree. I think it's lack of due thought, because me, I'm probably older than a lot of y'all on here, and I've never seen someone become awesome by making someone else look terrible, or a man gone higher by bringing another man down.

My point being: in this world, even if you're yet to realise your gift, nature's blessed everyone with a little something. So you can be the best at your thing, and keep your approval rating up there without downplaying the next person's. Always tending to question the cause, reason, or purpose for everyone else's but yours may seem unjustly attacking, and it can end in some sort of fracas. I thought I should say that.

GMB - the Cabinet naming...

So, I had this conversation with myself:

1. The President is in the position to name his Cabinet.

Now what?

2. It is a coalition government.

So what?

3. It's not unnatural for every member to believe that he or she holds an equal stake.

What if they all do?

4. It behooves the President to avoid arbitrariness as much as possible.

But isn't he the President?

5. Yes, but it's in his, and in our best interest to ensure that his administration is reasonably representative.

But who and whose get there shouldn't be a biggie, bruh?

6. It is, especially if each member believes that his or her candidate of choice is topnotch.

But then are they all suitable?

7. Now that's the thing. It will require separating out the chaff from the grain; a painstaking process at that.

Shouldn't that be left to the President's discretion?

8. Fact is, we have not been lucky with discretionary powers, and the man may not be emotionally prepared for the tsunami of complaints thereof.

With what authority do you speak?

9. I'm not saying that's the case. Mine is just a theory, and the reason I'm not so bothered by the piecemeal appointments so far. Besides, we have seen some governments take months to constitute one.

10. I guess then we follow the patience of Ayyūb‎‎ (Job).

Wise thing to do... and one more thing: given how the former regime ingeniously put in laws to keep genuine political challengers out of play, including many of our top-level professionals either exiled or politically incarcerated, caution is required, lest some appointments may be seen as "illegal," and can open another Pandora's box, like it is with the VP's, whose legitimacy I still defend on the premise that the seeming reluctance to countenance that 'con-stitution' whose constitutionality is questionable cannot be called unconstitutional - and by 'con-stitution' I mean one instituted by fraud. But what do I know.

GMB - political hoo-ha

To begin with, everyone has the right to express any opinion without restraint, and every addressee of such opinion has the right to object... that’s no censorship. It's just like you reading this have the right to break it off. But when we have different opinions and want to have a healthy conversation, tact, giving good reason for disagreeing, and suggesting alternatives is important. If one exercises an entitlement to a diverging opinion, but cannot introduce a better proposal, the motivation to enforce that position may be defeated, because it may not be premised on logic.

Secondly, I fear that a collision may befall this coalition and we are gonna be catalysts, but that’s by the way. My opinion today is this: any person who feels that the window of opportunity to get catapulted to Cabinet is closed, or is closing, but qualified and willing to run for Parliament shouldn’t hesitate, if political input is the only way you know to serve country that is. That’s what genuine people do when they feel aggrieved; they organise, not agonise. They cultivate odd-defying spirits, but in accordance with reason, not emotions.

Third, here’s some good news: the parliamentary branch allows for more participation than the executive, so there’s still an opportunity to not only serve, but to observe as well, and to steer governing actions. But then your qualities tending to result in you being voted for is another thing. Remember, the average voter in your consistency is not aware of your e-heroics on here. It’s not like you’ll say “I’m in, so spoil me! Serve up your votes on a plate for me.”

Finally, we should overstand that a coalition government is one where parties swallow emotional attachments in the interest of combined action. It’s often temporary and just groundlaying –that is to help navigate the course of reforms. So, having ripe repositories of institutional memory may not be a silver bullet, but essential material for the purpose. Now considering the task and just three years, we need more than just plain ‘ole pretty boy guts, especially of novices but pretended political and juridical scientists, who may end up begging for time to learn by doing.

Brute rule just sucks...

Brute rule is such that even the aftermath is cruel. The secrets are so deep, so dark and so many that each time you want to accept your own scars and move on, another previously unknown cruelty is revealed and it messes up your mood.

My thoughts and prayers are with all victims brutality, known and unknown. By God, all who preyed on others will pay, and their vicious chapter will haunt them anywhere they go. To those who have lost loved ones, take comfort in knowing that they're in a better place. God would not make the righteous suffer twice. Amen!

Mind your grammar...GMB

I don't usually do this, because I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to grammar, but I thought I should say this:

For an average person like myself, being grammar deficient may not be a big deal, nor is being with it a measure of intelligence. But for someone who makes a living aggregating, writing, editing, and presenting news, decent use of basic grammar is a proficiency one would expect, because in order to make the sense of what is written easier to determine, tenses should be tight, subjects and verbs agree, and punctuation marks properly placed.

Once upon a time, anything goes, provided it is information that most of us wanted to hear so badly; tyranny inveighing news mostly. But now that all that is almost gone and a "New Gambia" is being built, quality is non-negotiable. No more satisfaction with mediocrity!

If you think punctuations do not matter, check this story that I saw somewhere:  "An English professor wrote on the board: 'A woman without her man is nothing.' The class was then asked to punctuate the sentence.

The men wrote:
"A woman, without her man, is nothing."

The women wrote:
"A woman: without her, man is nothing."

The same sentence, same amount of words, but see how the mere positioning of a colon and a comma changed everything, and sincerely tell me that misplaced punctuation marks cannot misinform.

Everyone has a past...

You wouldn't know how good at history and biography folks are until you decide to befree yourself of your shitty past to move on. If you ask me, fuq what the envious tongues bring up; their own chapters that they will never read out loud are prolly uglier.

From once your spirit's determined to reparate, you're with divine aid already. No amount of dirt that one digs up against you shall be able to cast you off as worthless of what you've become, nor shall it cause your shine to escape notice. Let them go and seek Babalawo's intervention if they wish, it won't work.