Sheriff Nano Hydara and Mr Yaffa the leaders of Rawdatul Majalis
By Landing Ceesay
Rawdatul Majalis, under the leadership of Sheriff Nano Hydara, convened a press conference on Saturday afternoon to address the actions of a recently formed breakaway faction within the organization.
Established in 2017, Rawdatul Majalis is an Islamic organization dedicated to fostering unity among the global Muslim Ummah.
In recent weeks, the organization has faced internal turmoil, with a splinter group electing a new executive body, in direct opposition to the current leadership under Sheriff Nano Hydara.
At the press conference, Momodou Lamin Yaffa, the 1st Vice President of Rawdatul Majalis, provided insights into the origins of this dispute.
“In any human entity organization, you have people who are moved by emotions. Some of them, are just adamant that the current President should go as simple as that. It is a question of like or dislike. But unfortunately, they are engaged in wishful thinking. That is to say, they believe that what they wish and think is what reality is, unfortunately, that is not the case. But for them, their wish is for this gentleman (Sheriff Nano Hydara) to go away. Come what may, this has to happen, and that’s why they are engaged in this brinkmanship, appointed a President, and formed an Executive Bureau. That is all that brought this problem. It cannot be anything else apart from that.
“For them to impose their own desire on us, they started getting into conspiracies and the like. By bringing in people as representatives who could vote even if they were members of Rawdatul Majalis they were dormant members. They never participated in anything related to Rawdatul Majalis over the past six to seven years since Rawdatul Majalis was established in 2017. Or people who are not even members, fictitious representatives, that’s what they are. That’s why we talked about terms of references. Let us sit down and agree but they are not ready to do it. All they can do is recalcitrance, insubordination, indiscipline, and rebelliousness period. That’s the main cause of all this nonsense,” Mr. Yaffa told the media.
Mr. Yaffa reassured the public that the core values and mission of Rawdatul Majalis remain unchanged. He described the faction’s decision to elect a separate president as “indiscipline.”
“In a nutshell, the organization called Maj’muatou Rawdatul Majalis remains intact. It was Rawdatul Majalis, it is still Rawdatul Majalis and will always remain Rawdatul Majalis. Those who declared that they have now appointed a President and set up their own Executive Bureau cannot be termed anything but a Splinter Group, as dissidents. Their act is an act of insubordination and indiscipline. Every Organization has a President and a Secretary General. Rawdatul Majalis President has been Sheriff Nano Hydara for the past 3 years. His first Vice President is myself, Momodou Lamin Yaffa. The Secretary-General is Ababacarr Kebba Darboe.
“So if these people are in their positions, and other members of the Executive Bureau still owe them allegiance, as far as we are concerned and legally speaking, the organization is still what it is. It is intact as I just stated. Nothing has happened to the organization. So these people who appointed their President or whatever, as far as we are concerned, they are a Splinter Group. I think that’s how the world should see them, and that’s how the authorities should see them. In fact, there was a time when our case was brought before the Police. Not that we reported the matter there, but we went there to apply for a permit to hold our 3-year congress or General Assembly,” he testified.
Mr. Yaffa said It was then the Police noticed that there were two separate requests for Permit from the same organization and brought them together, to discuss the matter, for them to understand better.
Mr. Yaffa said the Police noticed and realized that there were differences between them.
He further emphasized that Rawdatul Majalis, under Sheriff Nano Hydara’s leadership, will persist in pursuing diplomatic avenues to resolve the ongoing conflict.
Mr. Yaffa asserted that the Police advised them to abstain from staging any congress and go and find a way out of it, establish a line of dialogue, until such time is agreed, and get back to them and ask for a permit and they will give it to us.
Mr. Yaffa said Rawdatul Majalis is along the path of dialogue as the principle they are now complying with.
Mr. Yaffa said under Sheriff Nano Hydara’s leadership, they will keep liaising and approaching the elders of the various Majalis of the country to arrive at a consensus.
“So that we can either renew his term and extend it or appoint someone else, but all based on consensus. Our constitution does not talk about anything close to what is called an election. Simply because our organization is a Muslim organization. This being the case, unlike a political entity, we should base our decisions especially major decisions on consensus and mutual respect. So as you can see, the Splinter Group has failed to do so. They have participated in what is called in political jargon brinkmanship, making themselves brave men going ups and downs when they have nothing with them.
“That’s what they (Splinter Group) is doing. It is unfortunate because it shouldn’t have arrived at what we are witnessing today. The one spearheading their group is just the PRO (Public Relations Officer). So where is the President? Where is the 1st Vice President? And where is the Secretary-General.? The only prominent member of their Executive Bureau is the 2nd Vice President. So you can imagine. But they are a Splinter Group, and they are rebels. We will continue our spirit of dialogue. We will continue getting closer to our elders for them to prevail upon them. Not upon us, because we are abiding by the rules,” Mr. Yaffa told the media.
Mr. Yaffa said Rawdatul Majalis is very peace loving.
“All that we do is guided by the Muslim principles of dialogue, of brotherhood, and of mutual understanding. We are following that path and we will continue to do so until we arrive at an amicable outcome to this embroil,” he said.
Since its inception, Rawdatul Majalis has been a significant force in The Gambia, often standing as a rival to the Supreme Islamic Council, particularly in matters related to the celebration of Islamic feasts. The organization has consistently championed peace, love, and unity among the Muslim Ummah and humanity at large.