The leader of the Gambia Moral Congress, Mai Ahmed Fatty, has urged Gambia’s political leaders to avoid comments that could divide the people along ethnic lines.
On his official Facebook page on Monday, the GMC leader said Gambia is a country of tribes and “must avoid the terrible mistakes of the past”.
“We must eschew the temptation for historical revisionism. The Gambia is one country, indivisible. We are Gambians, a proud nation, compassionate people. Not a Mandinka nation; Not a Wollof nation; Not a Fula nation; Not a Sarahulay nation; Not a Jola nation; Not a Njago nation. Today’s Gambian is forward looking,” Fatty said.
“We are one people, one nation, indivisible. A politician who caricatures another tribe, particularly on public podium, represents ignominy of the lowest genre. We must extol nationalism, suppress myopic tendencies. Together, we as a people shall triumph.”
Though the GMC leader did not attribute his comments to any political leader but the leader of the National Reconciliation Party, Hamat Bah, was criticized last week for making remarks deemed offensive by a particular ethnic group.
Statement that was termed reminiscent of former leader Yahya Jammeh’s ethnic rants has made rounds on social media and on WhatsApp pages.
Fatty was the former interior minister of Gambia who was fired by President Adama Barrow for unexplained reasons.
Fatty was one of the political leaders in the country who formed a coalition to topple the former strongman Jammeh.