WHERE WERE YOU? A CHALLENGE TO GAMBIAN INTELLECTUALS

“Where were you?” has been obviously the question of the year. Many people give their opinions and interpretations about the statement. The opinions and interpretations vary; seemingly the majority condemns it. But in another way around, it is a huge challenge to the intellectuals to prove themselves. It is constantly perceived that the intellectuals have the know-how to effectively and efficiently steer the affairs of the country. But to my humble opinion, they fail to do what they got to do in establishing their presence in the political arena. The majority of the intellectuals therefore, fall their hands in respect to the political struggles and became merely spectators, which makes them scramble for employment from those perceived of lacking the intellectual pedigree to direct the affairs of the state.  

“Where were you?” when the clueless had the foresight, courage and determination with the support of others to bravely stand against a leader who was believed to be feared by many.  The majority of our intellectuals only manifest their support where they expect to gain employment not where the interests of the masses lie.  They should be ready to get into the geneses of politics; either to join political parties or form new ones in order to establish credibility for themselves, not to wait in the corridors of the game; only to be given food on a silver plate.

Laurent Gbagbo   of Ivory Coast was a history professor and a member of the National Trade Union of Research and Higher Education, who formed a small political party called Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) in 1982. He contested and won a seat in a parliamentary election in 1990. He later became the president of Ivory Coast from 2000 to 2011. He has shown his intellectualism not only in the classrooms, conferences and interviews, but practically in the political arena as well. It is relatively easy to articulate big ideas on different platforms, but implementing them is another issue.

Thus I sincerely salute intellectuals like Sedia Jatta, Halifa Sallah, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, Femi Peters, Mai Ahmad Fatty and others, who sacrificed a lot and used their intellects in the struggle of the emancipation.  They contributed immensely in creating political awareness among Gambians to gain the freedom we all enjoy today. They could have patronized the previous dispensation and lived a relatively better, but may be a selfish life.