Momodou Sabally, Former Secretary General and Head of civil service
By Ken Hamut, Chief Correspondent for Lighthearted Realities
Let’s all give a hearty applause to Momodou Sabally, Gambia’s very own “magic pen.” The man understands government better than he understands his morning coffee. And hey, who can resist a self-touted Keynesian economist who seemingly spots fiscal remedies as easily as the rest of us spot a yellow taxi?
When President Adama Barrow said, “No more foreign travels for officials,” Sabally was right there cheering louder than fans at a pop concert. Now, I’m no economist, but if we’re trying to fix a leaky budget, maybe just maybe, asking those implicated in the Janneh Commission to return a few millions might be a tad more effective than grounding everyone’s passports. It’s like trying to fix the Titanic with a roll of duct tape.
Picture this: instead of “No more vacations for you,” the government goes all dramatic and says, “Return our money in 30 days or face the music.” It’d be like an episode of “Money Heist,” but with a better ending for Gambia’s economy.
Oh, and speaking of drama, have you seen the state of Jammeh properties? It’s more tangled than my earphones after a good jog. But hey, it’s just another Monday in the Gambia.
Then there’s our good old UDP. They have the unique joy of having Sabally singing their praises. That’s a bit like having a fish teach you how to climb a tree. Especially when he once sung duets with Jammeh and tried to hop on the Barrow bandwagon. But alas, life’s a reality show, and sometimes the script just doesn’t favor you.
Look, Sabally’s educated. I get it. I have a degree too. It’s in “Advanced Satire” from the University of Taking Things Not-So-Seriously. But all the degrees in the world can’t save you from sometimes missing the plot entirely. Or from being trapped in a bubble. It’s bubbly in there, I hear.
Gambia’s in a tricky spot right now. We need solid ideas, not just fun Facebook statuses. The game of political hopscotch Barrow seems to be playing could use some fresh players. Maybe ones that don’t get distracted by shiny things and actually focus on cutting through the bureaucracy stifling investments in Gambia. And hey, if Sabally wants a cozy seat next to Barrow, maybe he could just send over his CV instead of serenading us all with his economic lullabies.
In the end, let’s remember: Sabally isn’t just your average Joe. He’s a Joe with a big microphone. Hopefully, next time, he sings a tune that makes a bit more sense. Until then, I’ll keep my satire hat on and wait for the next episode of “The Gambia Chronicles.”