Hon. Hamat NK Bah. Minister of Lands and Regional Government And Religious Affairs
By Buba Gagigo
The Bakindik Village Development Committee (VDC) has submitted a formal petition calling for the removal of the village’s newly appointed Alkalo, following the death of the previous leader in 2023.
The VDC’s petition cites the Alkalo’s controversial actions and the divisive impact they believe he has had on the community. The committee also pointed fingers at Chief George Sonko and Governor Lamin Saidykhan for their role in the appointment.
In the petition addressed to the Minister of Local Government, the VDC expressed deep concern over the new Alkalo’s leadership, claiming he has sown division and created a hostile environment in the village.
“The Bakindik Village Development Committee on behalf of the general people of the said village hereby writes with a deep sense of dismay on the current affairs in which the newly installed controversial Alkalo. That this petition is necessitated on the basis that this Alkalo has bent of causing division and threats among the people of Bakindik,” the VDC said in a petition to the Minister of Local Government.
“The people of Bakindik from every angle have been living as one big family, sharing the same resources such as the forest, health facilities and all other social amenities for centuries. There was never an Alkalo in the history of Bakindik who made an attempt to split the village, only this recent Pa Manneh Jammeh who was imposed on the people of Bakindik by the chief George Sonko,” they said.
The VDC also claims that the Alkalo has been obstructing developmental initiatives in the village. One such initiative, an effort to extend water taps to remote areas of Bakindik, was halted after the Alkalo reportedly threatened to block the project.
“The Bakindik Village Development Committee has with open arms called on him on several occasions to join us in our development process, but he has decided to ignore all those calls, reasons best known to him,” they explained in the petition.
“The petition further accuses the Alkalo of being an outsider who has failed to integrate with the community. “As such, we expect that when he is brought to lead our village he would be a unifying figure, but instead he turned out to be a dividing figure, and this is mainly due to a few individuals who are bent on their own interests. Individuals who controlled the sand mining for a decade without accountability to the people of Bakindik. Individuals who hid an account with a closing balance of 175,000 dalasis from the people of Bakindik. Individuals who left the people of Bakindik for four years without water after all the revenue they were collecting from the sand mining and the forestry,” the VDC explained.
The VDC’s petition also highlights the questionable appointment process, claiming that the Alkalo was chosen without regard for traditional leadership protocols.
“Interestingly, if all were to go as the case, maybe he shouldn’t be the Alkalo of the village. Bakindik Alkaloship is interchange between two Kabilos. In the case of this one, the elder among these two Kabilos was not chosen. This came as a great surprise to the people of Bakindik, and it left the people at the mercy of someone who became an Alkalo by default, and this Alkalo has brought nightmares and a condition of uncertainty to our people,” they said.
The VDC has urged the relevant authorities to urgently reassess the process of installing the Alkalo to prevent potential conflicts within the village.
“To act in the spirit of doing justice to the people of Bakindik, to act with a view to restore serenity in our village. To act with a view to allow peace and unity to prevail in Bakindik.“The general people of Bakindik are saddened to see that this Alkalo has turned the village reserves into family property. They have partitioned the land belonging to the village among their family. A land measuring about 7 (seven) kilometres by 5 (five) kilometres has been unilaterally claimed as their own. This is the bush where animals graze and this is the bushes where the villagers have their natural resources,” they said.
The VDC described Bakindik as a united village, emphasizing that its residents have upheld this spirit of unity for centuries. They expressed concern that Pa Manneh Jammeh, recently appointed, is attempting to divide the village for personal gain and the benefit of a few supporters.
“It is important to draw the attention of your noble office that all the three Alkalos consented for the composition of one VDC and this was since 2018 because they realised that Bakindik is one village that share all resources and institutions. It is only this new Alkalo who want to bring division, and this is mainly because he wanted to have control of the resources that the whole people of Bakindik share.
“To substantiate this fact, sir, we have attached a document showing the stamp of all the three Alkalos. Our VDC has been in operation since 2018 and the coming of this new Alkalo to split this existing body will only bring chaos and development retardation in our village. As such, we call on your office to disapprove any attempt by this new Alkalo to bring division in our village. The general population of Bakindik wants mutual unity under the banner of one VDC,” the VDC explained.
After outlining their concerns, they called on the Minister of Local Government to take swift action and remove the Alkalo, whom they claim was unlawfully appointed and lacks the necessary qualities to lead their community.
“We thank you in advance and hope that you will take the necessary actions to bring smiles and hope to the innocent people of Bakindik who are enduring so much hardship under the rule of Pa Manneh Jammeh,” they concluded.
In a prior interview attempt by Kerr Fatou, the current Alkalo declined to comment on accusations that his appointment was orchestrated by the Chief and the Governor. However, the Governor of the North Bank Region, Lamin Saidykhan, denied any involvement in imposing an Alkalo on any village.