When a nation of emotion is in motion
When a nation whose citizens should be more entangled in building a democracy through a transition after long suffocation in the ruthless hands of 22 years of dictatorship are manifesting only emotions, development becomes the casualty.
Surrogates of different political divides are often carried away by their over developed perception of political rivalry often used against each other to the point of using verbal assaults which mostly results in violent conflicts.
Our politics must be free from sentiments to be able to develop as a nation or remain a nation of emotion in motion only wandering politically and ideologically lost.
Most the political ado about nothing still refuse to be evaporate in the thin air for good even amid the need for fierce fight against the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Pundits have considered sentiments in politics as irrational, especially when wrought with emotions like anger and fear.
More often than not, the opposition and the ruling party have this double emotion – fear and anger – towards each other at the same time.
This state of double emotion in politics cause both the opposition and the ruling party to weaponize all the strategies in their command only to score political points even at the detriment of national interest.
The media, political parties, civil society, educational institutions and religious leaders can be very instrumental in the positive transformation of society in that perspective.
The media with its role to educate, inform and entertain have enough in their archives to draw a distinguishing line between the past and the present dispensations and play our role effectively.
To be able to do this, society must be viewed with progressive and realistic lenses without any sectarian strings attached.
It is imperative to engage more in accountability through working collectively by holding the duty bearer of our country in both private and public sector accountable.
This takes courage, responsibility and truthfulness.
The civil society that has been almost rendered a moribund in the last two decades should begin invigoration process and extend their tentacle to the less privileged and those who are illiterate or not formally schooled to cover all strata of society.
Proper civic education should be compulsory in all educational institutions and beyond the classroom in order to tackle the menace of lack of political awareness.
Religious leaders in all their spiritual endeavors should put partisan politics aside and use their fora to preach peace and discourage people from propagating hate.
The Gambia should move from retrogressive politics and cherish their collective power as citizens of a great country in a diverse but a unified fashion.
The politics of nation building cannot begin if political parties as political schools did not guide their members, supporters etc to achieve the highest standard of political awareness and maturity to be good ambassadors of their camps and be in the service of their country.
We cannot be a nation of mere emotion in motion and have a good sense of direction.
Let’s be reminded and warned that the purpose of all efforts to create a new political dispensation is not in jest or only to wander about politically without any remarkable achievements.
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