By Mam JT Ceesay
"I am not going to accept those who will preach hate. It is for education and not to preach hate and cause disunity. I hate saboteurs. Kindly report such people to me and I will deal with them myself." Declares Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh Wednesday. The Gambian leader was addressing students of The Gambia University Wednesday when they called on him to brief him about their 4TH Convocation scheduled for Saturday at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
Jammeh in an uncompromising tune warned students to avoid actions that might endanger the country’s ailing peace. Jammeh called on University authorities to report any student bent on showing seeds of discord in the country as he puts it “ I hate saboteurs and would always deal with them.”
Jammeh say he would not allow anybody to use the University of The Gambia as a stage for saboteurs. He says students bent on disturbing the peace should quit as he had rude awakening for them in the event of any showdown. Jammeh would not disclose where he received his intelligence about the student’s plans, but maintains that any attempt to disturb the peace would be crushed without any mercy.
This was a situation for Jammeh to express his feelings about what he Jammeh considered as “the wrong things going on at the University.” He advised all lecturers and said Gambia is a place for all Allah's children. "I am not going to accept those who will preach hate. It is for education and not to preach hate and cause disunity. I hate saboteurs. Kindly report such people to me and I will deal with them myself." He posited.
Jammeh’s threats against students followed internal problems at the University, where students accused the University Vice Chancellor of being a stooge. The University has becomes a place for hatred and bad governance, as the students are not happy about it. Many students pray to God to finish and swear never to return there. The students say they received very little stipend.
The vice chancellor praised Jammeh for receiving them. He said Jammeh was potraying the iimportance of the university himself for others to follow. "And we want it to be important." He said.
Mr. Touray the chairman of the convocation committee commented on their challenges. He said 72 graduated last year with BAS. He said another very important institution was instituted that is the Science and Technology. This time round they will give awards in the name of Jammeh's two children, Mohamed Yayah Jammeh Award and Mariam Jammeh Award during the convocation and they were in for the grab by deserving students