New Year Message From Ebou Gaye

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New Year Message From Ebou Gaye

Monday, 02 January 2012 01:15

(Mailbag) - As a new year- 2012 dawns, I would like to spare a moment to key my reflections on the past one- 2011 and give suggestions on the way forward, with the aim of making the New Year a more peaceful, enjoyable year.

During the year 2011, we witnessed important developments whose accompaniments can play a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of the world. These include political turmoil and civil unrest giving rise to regime change. The issue is double-facetted, one can say. In other words, there are good and bad aspects, or advantages and disadvantages associated with the developments. Whether the former outweigh the latter or the other way round is debatable. Whatever the case may be, we should try to nurture the former and lessen the latter, or mitigate its effects- at least.

Now, allow me to scrutinize the effects of the aforementioned developments. Undoubtedly, these developments can serve as a lesson or a deterrent to dictators JollofNews_Mailbag

and would-be dictators, and hence minimize bad governance, maladministration or misrule. This, in turn, can go quite a long way in guaranteeing global peace and stability. Dictators all over the world have been given the lesson that those villains who rule with iron hands and loot the resources of their countries while portraying themselves as saints, salvagers or saviours and indispensable, invincible leaders are bound to be deposed through violent means and mistreated or exposed beyond redemption in the long run. Hence, it is left to them to see reason and change attitude for the better or continue to live in a fool’s paradise till they meet the fate befitting scoundrels or pay the price for oppressing their compatriots.

Turning the other side of the coin, we can see that the developments mentioned at the beginning of the discourse are a cause for great concern, as they have wreaked havoc on the countries concerned and the world at large. The accompanying damage is colossal and will take ages to repair. Thus, changing a regime via peaceful means is a better option. However, I hasten to note that violent change of government becomes inevitable and legitimate where peaceful change is impossible, for regime change is unavoidable. This is evidenced by the Arab Springs which have sent some powerful dictators packing and shaken some tremendously to the astonishment of many people who viewed them as unconquerable leaders. It is therefore advisable for heads of state to demonstrate sense of responsibility, consideration and fairness by paving the way for peaceful change of government rather than trying to cling onto power at all cost.

Shifting gears to our motherland- The Gambia, one can say that 2011 was marked by gloomy news serving as bad omens or foreboding of a doom. God forbid! We- for times more than many- read or heard reports of Gambians brutalizing their compatriots, killing or threatening to kill them, boasting of having been licensed to kill them, or predicting their death. Such a beastly, dastardly, uncivilized and misguided behaviour was alien in our country which used to serve as a safe haven and dubbed the Smiling Coast, until recently. Owing to this negative attitudinal change, I am inclined to believe that one is amply justified in renaming our country the Weeping Coast or the Frowning Coast. This nasty behaviour should not go unchecked. Those involved in it should be given a rap over the knuckles or criticised blisteringly, for it has negative ramifications. This brutish behaviour begets rancour whose concomitants are disastrous and undesirable. Superfluous to say, it runs counter to the teachings of religion, particularly Islam, which the overwhelming majority of the Gambians claims to be adherent of.

Islam enjoins kind treatment and forbids cruelty of all forms, even cruelty to animals. According to Islam, anyone who deliberately kills an innocent believer will be sent to hell fire as a punishment: ‘MAN QATALA MUMINAN MUTAHAMIDAN FAJAZAA-UHU JAHANAM.' We are further taught by Islam that tormenting is graver or worse than killing: 'AL-FITNATU A-SHADU MINAL QATAL.' According to the Islamic teachings, Allah has no mercy for those who lack mercy for their fellow human beings: ‘LAA YARHAMU ALLAHU MAN LAA YARHAMU ANAASA.’ In Islam, mercy should be extended to animals as pointed out earlier. A woman is reported to have been sent to hell fire for locking up a cat and denying it food for sometime out of cruelty. Our venerable prophet (peace be upon him) banned the brutal practice of tattooing animals and advised his followers to sharpen their blades when slaughtering animals so as to reduce their suffering during the process.

Hence, it is flabbergasting, mindboggling, heartbreaking and sickening to hear people, particularly those who claim to be Muslims, treating others with cruelty or threatening to take their precious lives for no just cause. What can they gain from this inhumane behaviour? Nothing, except notoriety and Allah's wrath! Additionally, they expose their savagery, barbarity, narrow-mindedness and lack of respect for human rights and human dignity, thereby placing their own lives in jeopardy. Allah has said explicitly that He honours mankind: 'LA QAD KARAMNAA BANI ADAM.' Allah the Almighty created man without seeking help or permission from any human being. Therefore, anybody who sets out to afflict or kill people is challenging Allah the Omnipotent. Wishing people death or predicting their death is very unwise and utterly un-Islamic. One can implicate oneself or have fingers pointed at him- and rightfully so- if such a wicked wish or prediction materializes. Moreover, no one knows when and where he will die, and such a prediction can backfire. Allah has said that no one knows on which land he will die: 'LAA YA-ARIFU AHADUN FI AYI ARDHIN YAMUUTU.' According to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), deeds are judged by intention, and everyone gets what he intends: 'INA MAAL A-AMAALU BI NIYAATIN WA INAMAA LIKULI IMRI-IN MAA NAWAA.' It is for this reason that he advised that everybody wishes others what he wishes himself: ‘HIB LI NAASI MAA TUHIBU LINAFSIKA.'

It should be borne in mind that whatever pretext used to kill people is known to Allah the Omniscient and that those who kill, harbour killers or license people to kill others are not powerful enough to resist death or immune their agents from death or save themselves or such feebleminded agents from Allah's chastisement. It is also worthy to note that no work in the service of mankind can be meaningful or beneficial or attract Allah's reward in default of kindness and respect for human rights and human dignity.

Talking about malicious threatening-remarks, one may ask: Why do people make such wicked, foolish utterances? The answer is simple. They are arrogant. Some people, by virtue of their status or positions, become too haughty or full of themselves to the extent of seeing themselves as demigods who can behave anyhow and get away with it. This is particularly the case where the individuals concerned are unqualified and know fully well that it would be extremely difficult or impossible for them to attain such a status or occupy such positions under normal circumstances. I put it to those, uncultured, unrefined people that their boorish, aberrant behaviour is unwarranted, for there are other people of equal or higher status or positions who humble themselves and behave maturely. Arrogance is a dangerous, unethical behaviour. According to our prophet (peace be upon him), anyone who has an iota of arrogance in his heart will not enter paradise: "LAA YADKHULU ALJANATA MAN KAANA FI JAWFIHEE MISQAALA THARATIN MINAL KIBRI.' By behaving superciliously or arrogantly, one alienates people and earns enemies. Hence, arrogance doesn't pay. Abhor it! Don't trifle with people! Don’t look down on people!

Thus, those merciless, sadistic rascals who have nothing to offer other than torturing, tormenting or assassinating their compatriots, threatening to kill them, wishing them death or boasting of having the power or authority to kill them and go scot-free, should be enlightened, or exposed to the whole world as a way of discouraging their odious, damnable acts. It is incumbent on all Gambians, especially their relatives or loved ones, friends and associates, to try to edify such errant, stone-hearted people, for their acts could be detrimental to all and sundry.

In conclusion, I wish all peace-lovers and patriots a happy, prosperous New Year.