Demba Ali Jawo, Former Minister Of Information
By D. A. Jawo
There is indeed no doubt that the annual Koriteh courtesy call on the head of state has a lot of positive attributes which makes it quite relevant to the cohesiveness of the society. The very fact that it is a platform where Muslim leaders of all sects interact with members of the government and discuss issues of relevance to the country, certainly needs to be encouraged.
However, as we are living in a different era from that when the courtesy call was first conceived by the Banjul Muslim elders, it definitely demands some changes in order to conform to the present reality. In the first place, it is incorrect to continue to refer to it as Banjul Muslim Elders when it it has now taken a national characteristic.
Another aspect of the courtesy call is the complete exclusion of the womenfolk, who are the majority of the population, as if they have no stake in the welfare of the society. It has been determined beyond any reasonable doubt that no society can fully realise its full potential if such an important segment of the society is marginalized. It is hard to see any religious justification for such marginalization of the womenfolk from any forum where national issues are discussed.
Another notable phenomenon of the courtesy call is the apparent lack of regard for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at. It certainly makes very little sense to give the podium to other religious groups such as the Supreme Islamic Council, the Lebanese community and a few others and yet deny that opportunity to such an important group in the society like the Ahmadiyya Jama’at. If indeed the occasion was meant to bring together different sects of Gambian Muslims to discuss national issues, then there is no justification to sideline any group, especially considering the great role that the Jama’at had been playing in the society in so many areas including education and health.
Therefore, President Barrow, being the host of such forums should always ensure that Justice is accorded to everyone rather than allow a few people to manifest their biases in such events of national characteristic.
As usual, President Barrow did not miss the opportunity to highlight the achievements of his administration. However, while the government deserves commendation for its impressive infrastructural developments, but he should be humble enough to accept the fact that the achievements are as result of a collective effort rather his own personal effort, as he always seems to indicate.