Mr Halifa Sallah,
NADD Bureau,
The Gambia
West Africa.
Dear Mr Sallah,
Halifa Sallah-A HERO FOR EVER!
Mr Sallah,Please allow me as a citizen of The Gambia and a person who highly respects you to congratulate you for having stayed a long and painstaking course only to entrench democracy in our country. There is one old saying from a famous singer which is "The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory". This saying indeeds fits your person and character. Despite all the odds in this wild field of politics I for one and many others within the silent majority will never sieze supporting your efforts. If India and The Gambia were to exchange values of family geography I would nominate you to match those of the Ghandis. In my mind you are the Mahatma Ghandi of our time. 2006 marked the 20th year from 1986 when you openly started your educative programs in The Gambia. Prior to starting an active life in politics you used to run a radio program with Alhaji Assan Njie called:"Maggi Ellek" In wolof meaning the leaders or elders of tomorrow. Today you are reaping some of those sweet fruits in a very sophisticated method of approach. You have not failed my good brother! Philosophically specifics are not meant to determine failure because specifics can also be attributed to strange cases like accidents of history.There is also an old learned Indian who said this:"....where politics is considered to be the dirt of society,knowledge is the soap to wash it...". This laundry can be done during one generation,then be left hanging to dry during another one. Your role is to do,God's role is to destine. The destiny of our land does not lie in the hands of the incumbent regime. The destiny of our land lies in the hands of its people. These are the very people you have always chosen to serve at all cost. Serving one's people can never be buried by the unfair markers of history or society per se. This is why I chose to prepare this letter thus wait for the day that the destiny of our beloved nation will revive the wise words of great minds like you.Certainly God willing this day is on the way and it will be here!
Mr.Sallah,many Gambians and non Gambians can still remember the time you chose to come back home from the USA ready to serve your people. I had the privilege of meeting one of your respected classmates in Austin Texas who is today a head of a faculty at UTA-University of Arlington Texas. The latter is one of the most recognized universities in the globe. Listening to the good things your former school mate had to say about your character was so pleasing for someone like me,who has been your fan for all these years. I am naturally obliged to expose the other side of you that I came to know outside The Gambia. This is a positive side of your being therefore of great value and pride to Gambians home and abroad. This same positive side made you chop wood to pay for your school fees while traversing the cold streets during winter.This side shows great dedication from a responsible citizen who chose to ignore portfolio and wealth for the sake of one's people.This side makes you my hero for ever.
Mr Sallah,In view of the above my good brother take note that,my most sincere intension is to recognize the valuable services you have been rendering to our people,including me and others. The president of the incumbent government can of course never deny having benefitted from those services. You have indeed done so much for Gambia and Gambians home and abroad. I cannot see you be called someone who failed in elections when you succeeded in capturing the same seat on two occasions after having faced one of the world's worst media campaigns. Harsh insults dripping from the septic tank of the media machine of a sitting government towards decent folks like you my good brother.
The same adverse effects killed Marthin Luther King,Mahatma Ghandi,then led Mandela to jail. Today these names have been honoured by history and society. This is why I would want to salute you with my cap down on the ground. Winning elections does not mean winning confidence because confidence does not care about fuming popularity. Elections are meant to give mandates therefore mandates are a reflection of great expectations coming from people who have either been misled or educated. Where popularity comes into play understanding one's responsibiliy can either be misplaced or miscalculated. Where choice is based on principle and responsibility mandates will never be used to replace effective services. This is how you and Sedia Jatta captured Wulli without spending stolen dollars. This is why intelligence does not recognize regional feelings or social tags. The farmer in Wulli has proven popularity wrong because they voted Sedia again and again after having understood his message of sense and sensibility. Bravo! Foroyaa! Bravo PDOIS! Bravo NADD! Where great men are affected by negativity sensible souls search for reasons. Where characters that use popularity continue to be the sucking lice of men and women sensible souls will still search for reasons. Reasons can be plausible or not plausible but reasons are reasons in one way or the other. What are the reasons behind the current situation in our political arena in The Gambia and in many othe countries in Africa? This is where another responsibility waits for researchers like you Mr Sallah,Sam Sarr and Sedia Jatta. Start your new jobs right from this minute. Remember! There are streets named after Marthin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. These streets were named after people who suffered so much for the sake of liberating others. Therefore good legacies are so costly!
While expecting an open reply please accept the assurances of my highest regards and ever lasting support from a brother who admires you so much.
Yours Sincerely
Essa Bokarr SEY.