INFERIORITY COMPLEX

Perhaps this very long piece is going to be a recipe for trouble, but I will say it anyway; because on my mind right now is that if there is one BIG misery of a situation that has overcome [or is engulfing] the consciousness of the average Gambian, that misery will surely be INFERIORITY COMPLEX and the weird behaviour in its compensation.

I believe I have read widely and fairly traveled at length, but there is almost not a place where neediness is as blissful as this ‘Trying Coast’ of ours; where we [broke people] keenly fritter away cash and no one appears to see anything wrong with that; is like we don’t even know how serious times are; these times that even bigger people are making the most of austerity… Can’t we think!

Don’t get me wrong, I am attracted to people who make it obvious [I mean those who flaunt it] provided they have it, and that’s perhaps the reason I’m a fan of William Leonard Roberts II [Rick Ross]…but I am also easily incensed about people who will complain daily about their undue cost of living, about their evident hand-to-mouth salaries and all that, yet turn out to live lives they cannot afford… it doesn’t make sense, does it?

How unsound is it that one cannot afford her kid’s tuition fees, but can donate ‘Aji Ndella’ a cool D25, 000 simply because she gave her 20Gs during her own ‘Xew’; is like reciprocating nonsense? How hopeless is it that one cannot afford a balanced diet, but willingly be a ‘loyal patron’ for Samsung and Apple’s newest editions? One cannot afford to miss a free ride to school, but can find the money for town-trips and entrance tickets to every “Birthday Bash” in town?

You said you haven’t saved much for a proper wedding or naming ceremony, so you settle for a ‘Taki-Gorr’ or ‘Nyambor’, which ‘low-key’ mostly turns out to be more wasteful than Dennis Rodman’s 1992 week-long birthday? You can ditch Alagie Morr’s adjacent cosmetics store, but waste time, money and energy to go and buy the same piece of shit at ‘XYZ Chicly Boutique’, just so you can flaunt the branded plastic bag to work or school the next day?

Sometimes even a sound breakfast can be a BIG problem, but a Bredda can afford three times 25Dalasi-joint a day? You find it exhausting not to take a taxi between American Embassy and the Sankung Sillah Building, which walk could’ve been good exercise, but you’ll rather pay a fortune for gym membership?

You claim that your reputation cannot allow you to politely say no to a ‘Chief Patron’ invitation, but you can in respect of that same reputation, get down to begging and borrowing for what to put in the envelop? …I can go on Man; these things cyaan done!

And sadly when things get really twisted, you blame it on people, on your rich uncle or your semester sibling’s lack of assistance. Some will even say their parents have not tried enough or outrageously accuse the evil hands of their innocent aunts, half siblings, their mothers' co-wives etc; does that really make sense? Can’t people just think these days? SMDHHard!