THE FALL OF JAMMEH THE GAMBIA DICTATOR.
The fall of the West African state of The Gambia ex-President, self -style Sheikh, Professor, Alhaji, , Dr.Yahya Jammeh is a lesson for remaining sit-tight dictators in Africa and elsewhere around the world.
In 1994, the former head of The Gambia national Army military police carried out the first successful military coup in Banjul, The Gambia capital ousting the post independence and democratic elected leader Dr. Dauda Jawara.
Captain Jammeh is no stranger to crisis, he played a small role in the Economic Community of West African State monitoring group, ECOMOG as leader of The Gambia contingent in West African state of Liberia during the brutal civil war in early 90's after few Gambia national Army soldiers on peace keeping mission were ambushed and killed by then major Liberia rebel movement National patriotic front of Liberia NPLF led by Charles Taylor; they withdrawn home to Banjul weeks later he seizes power and The Gambia joined the league of nations that had military coup in the world politics.
Overtime, Captain Yahya Jammeh returned tiny west African nation to democratic governance. Since then, Presidential election were manipulated to favour the incumbent; not because he has been popularly re-elected but rigged. Now it is just out in open that subsequent presidential election were overturn to his favour with what is happening. Ex-President , Alhaji Yahya Jammeh who runs a personality of cult under his leadership with his kinsmen in every spheres of The Gambia national affairs, many innocent citizens has been killed and political opponents summary executed in a frame up putsch charges against is tyrannic rule.
infact, there was a huge celebration in the Banjul and around the country when December 2016 presidential election results were announced and winner declared by The Gambia electoral commission and then President Jammeh accepted defeat and subsequently congratulated the winner, President Adama Barrow of then opposition party, who won a landslide victory. Two weeks after, he object the result of free and fair polls ever held in The Gambia, which is viewed as a setback to democracy in the sub- region and Africa as a whole.
Immediately, the regional group ECOWAS, continental body African Union AU and the United Nations strongly condemned the action of the long time ruler of The Gambia, his threat to peace and democratic governance.
African Union AU, it said, it will seizes to recognised Jammeh January 19, 2017 of rulership as the legitimate Head of state, with that he still ignored critical facts that exit is near and the fall down close by for the violent dictatorship.
Further more, to fortified is authoritarian rule extended is illegal stateship for 90 days and declared state of emergency. How times have changed, I would like to say, as a veteran of the armed forces of Nigeria which took part in ECOMOG military operation during the Liberian civil war in the 90, s; which I personally knew Yayha Jammeh as a Lieutenant, hot headed and overzealous individual.
The problem is that Jammeh has failed to take a cue from the late Liberia dictator, Samuel Kanyon Doe, Laurent Gbagbo and General Robert Gue of Ivory Coast, the strong man in the maghreb region Colonel Muammar Kaddafi or Gaddafi called by his disciples in Libya, Idi Amin Dada despotic leader of Uganda knowned as The Butcher of East Africa during his reign of terror, Emperor Jean Bedel Bokassa of the defunct Central African Empire now Central African Republic CAR., Pol Pot onetime tyrannic ruler of South Eastern nation of Cambodia, Jean- Claude Duvalier , popular known as Baby Doc of Haiti, Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire now Democratic Republic of Congo DRC etc all dead, apart from former Ivorian President Gbagbo standing trial at The Hague for crimes against humanity during his misrule. While in 1990 Hissen Habre former Chadian leader is ousted he took sanctuary in Senegal, 1991 when then Marxist leninist leader of Ethiopia Colonel Mengistus Haile Mariam is ousted he took safe refuge in Zimbabwe, in 2011, President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali who has ruled Tunisia with tight grip since 1989 escaped to Saudi Arabia during the Arab springs and Blaise Campaore the long time maximum ruler of Burkina Faso now lives in Ivory Coast etc.all in self exiled respectively.
lest I forget in 2011 during the Libyan uprising to oust then strong man of Tripoli, Muammar Gaddafi, The Gambia longtime ruler dictator Jammeh was the first President in the world to ask Gaddafi to step down for the interest of Libya and Libyans “ Given the unacceptable scale of violence in Libya. We hereby called on Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to spare the lives of Libyans by stepping down immediately. The most honorable act that Gaddafi owes to the Libyan people is the sacred duty to step down immediately and let valiant Libyan people take charge of their affairs and their country’s destiny”.
Let’s be honest, peaceful exit from one’s office on expiration of his tenure is the best option for a leader,but in Africa is a different story; episode.
Jammeh failed as people’s servant for not obeying the wish of The Gambia people and the good people
of Africa.
Thus, he faced formidable challenges, particularly from ECOWAS and African Union AU.the consequences of the conflict were enormous which he failed to remember that there is life after State House,the list of past leaders who peacefully handed over to the winners of their countries presidential elections were enormous namely, former Nigerian democratic leader Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCON, Dr. John Mahatma of the Republic of Ghana, Soglo of Benin Republic, Dr. Mrs. Joyce Banda of South African state of Malawi etc enjoying life after Presidential palace.
The Gambia gained independence in 1965 from Britain and geographical surrounded by neighbouring Senegal. Tourism and agriculture is mainstay of the tiny African nation.
It is a welcome development for the successful sworn in ceremony at The Gambia embassy in Senegal and international goodwill and support by Head of States of government around the world. The intervention of the United Nations UNO back ECOWAS military campaign led by Nigeria that easily ushered in President Adama Barrow in power.
President Barrow praises President Muhammad Buhari, Nigeria and ECOWAS for standing firm to ensure that the will of The Gambia people prevails.
Generally, now that President Adama Barrow has succeeded, he should improve the quality of life of the electorates, the ordinary Gambia. In Africa we have not achieved political development that will sustained economic growth for the people.
There are several possible reasons for Jammeh foolish behaviour to start with , African Union AU failed as continental body in Burundi under Nkiruziza, oppressive leader Joseph Kabila of Democratic Republic of Congo DRC etc for their continue stay in saddle of power in Bujumbura and Kinshasha against the wish of the electorates, people.
The fall of Jammeh, The Gambia dictator is now history in the world's politics, as once oppressive leader who successfully consolidated his powers, even if the entire citizens are killed for him to stay in government.
The political situation, even from those who had hitherto been his supporters, Ministers deserter him in is last days of 22 years of brutality.
History is key, now His Excellency, President for life Yahya Jammeh that will rules for a billion years,if Allah wishes has stepped down and went on exile in Malabo as a guest of the Equatorial Guinea government; is a lessons for despotic leaders still in the vicious cycle, hold on political power in Africa. Every Democrats and people of goodwill knew that since January 19, 2017 ex-President Jammeh was definitely fighting a loss battle against the wish of the people of The Gambia after 22 years of violent dictatorship.
For most of them the alternative to being in power is either death or exile. No wonder perhaps, they let power cling on them until it wrinkles.notably were late Ivorian post independence president. Dr.Felix Houphouet- Boigny, Siaka Stevens of Sierra Leone and Eyadema of Togo.
The good people of The Gambia have been waiting for good governance for more than two decades of oppressive rule under Jammeh. Now, does he President Adama Barrow sincerely have his people at heart? Such hopes are now needed in Africa.
In a nutshell, the progress made in The Gambia was a political advancement , therefore be called a victory for Democracy in Sub-saharan Africa.
Jinbobaraye Karibo-Nelson, JP, SCIPM, FECRMI,
A social commentator and security analyst. An Alumni of University Of Port Harcourt, a senior member Chartered Institute of Public Management Nigeria, Full member Emergency, Crisis and Risk Management Institute of Nigeria. Writes from Ogu Town, Rivers State, Port Harcourt via [email protected] , www.karibonelson.com