Practice What You Preach or Quit Public Office!

By Madi Jobarteh

For years, one well known NPP supporter Baboucarr Bahoum has distinguished himself in the art of raining nasty and rude insults on individuals, political parties, organizations and communities purposely, deliberately, willfully on behalf of the President Adama Barrow, the NPP and the Government.

If another person were to spew these rude and malicious vitriols on the President or NPP leaders or Cabinet ministers or against the person of the Inspector General of Police, there is no doubt that such a person would have been arrested. Long time ago.

Yet, this person Bahoum has over the years dedicated himself to insulting, caricaturing, disrespecting and abusing senior and responsible citizens on behalf of the President and his Government and party without any consequences. Why?

At the Government’s national dialogue at the SDKJ conference centre on Feb 16, both the Chief of Staff Mod K Ceesay and the Director of Press Amie Bojang Sissoho spared no effort in chiding individuals for what they term as uncouth criticisms. They trumpeted our good cultural and religious values as they lamented the erosion of these values.

But until today, neither Mod nor Amie ever confronted Baboucarr Bahoum for his uncultured and un-Islamic behavior. Let them show evidence if they did.

The President has gone on multiple platforms trumpeting decent politics, unity and peace, yet he is very much aware of a man who is out there insulting his opponents, journalists, activists and anyone who disagrees with the president. But Barrow never addressed this bloke.

Bahoum just insulted an entire region of the Gambia comprising fathers, mothers, imams, chiefs, Alkalolu and children on behalf of President Barrow and the NPP. Yet until today, Barrow has decided to completely ignore and protect this idiot.

The Minister of Information Ismaila Ceesay would go to West Coast Radio every Tuesday to put up a straight face in pontificating about disinformation and incitement, yet this morning on the same platform Ismaila was defending Baboucarr Bahoum by claiming that Bahoum does not represent the Government. Is Ismaila saying that the insults of Bahoum only matter if he was representing the Government?

The Minister of Agriculture Demba Sabally is notorious for going to platforms attacking people for what he calls incitement and hate. Yet Demba is nowhere to be heard about the despicable comments of this Bahoum boy.

The same could be said of Barrow’s advisors such as Dou Sanno, Henry Gomez and Lamin K Saidy etc who go on platforms pontificating about decent and respectful politics. But today, they are all in defense of Baboucarr Bahoum.

The NPP leaders Seedy Njie, Seedy Ceesay and Sulayman Camara spare no effort in issuing outlandish statements against those they claim are engaged in indecent politics. Today, they are silent when one of their buddies Baboucarr Bahoum goes out to insult individuals and communities.

Not long ago, the IGP Seedy Muctarr Touray said the police have a zero tolerance for insults directed at elders and leaders. Yet Seedy is quiet as a nonentity like Baboucarr Bahoum goes out to insult our imams, fathers, mothers, chiefs and Alkalolu in Kiang.

If this is not hypocrisy and double standards, what is this? Or is it cowardice and dishonesty perpetrated by officials who sing with two tongues?

It is indeed shameful that an entire government led by adults, well educated and put in responsible positions who have taken oaths on the Holy Quran and the Holy Bible renege on their oaths only to woefully fail in their duties. They sit there watching with their eyes wide open as a tiny brat break the law and violate human rights and dignity and threaten the peace, unity and stability of the country with impunity! Why?

But today, that same Government is out there arresting, detaining and prosecuting fellow citizens who criticize them. This is beyond disgrace.

All Cabinet ministers have seen these insults by Baboucarr Bahoum, yet they all stay mute. If you have values and are true to your word, why are you silent as a Cabinet minister at this injustice against other citizens? The Cabinet is the highest decision maker in our governance process hence they bear responsibility, individually and collectively for the state of affairs in this country.

If these men and women, from the President to the Ministers to the IGP to the NPP officially and rest of them worth their salt, have faith and a courageous, I Madi Jobarteh hereby challenge each and everyone of them to an open debate on these issues anywhere anytime.

Baboucarr Bahoum is insulting people’s fathers, mothers, husbands and wives and you just sit there watching it for free. If it was your father or mother, you will not accept it. Why are you allowing another’s father and mother to be insulted by a small idiotic brat?

If you are not fit to occupy public office, then quit. Do not assume a responsibility when you know you will not be fair, just, honest and truthful.

We cannot have a society of unequals in the eyes of the State. That in itself is the exact recipe for violence and conflict. By protecting Baboucarr Bahoum, the Government is encouraging aggrieved citizens to take the law into their own hands to settle scores since the Government is incapable and unwilling to protect them.

For example, I have never insulted Baboucarr Bahoum. Yet he is directly and wantonly wreaking invectives on my person, my reputation and dignity. What should I do to protect my name and reputation?

I have children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters, mothers and aunts, fathers and uncles and indeed friends and well wishers who are all within their rights to verbally, physically and emotionally confront Baboucarr Bahoum for insulting me without any provocation from me, since the Government has failed to protect me and others from the unprovoked and wanton attack from Baboucarr Bahoum.

Practice what you preach.

For The Gambia Our Homeland