Stupid Stubbornness Of A Dictator

By the time we finish composing this commentary, it is likely that Yahya Jammeh would have either been captured or made good his promise of vacating the presidency and going into exile.

He has so far exhibited stupid stubbornness; life-threatening one of course. Even before they accomplish their objective of advancing to contact their target, we cannot withhold a commendation of the leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

They have taken a rare decision and move which has earned for them a reputation which can only be rivaled by their role in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The difference here is that they have acted relatively faster to save lives and properties therefore obviating the challenges of the influx of refugees to already stressed countries in the sub-region.

The Yahya Jammeh story is a classic case of a typical African dictator who thinks his people can always be taken for a ride, unfortunately times are changing and regional bodies such as ECOWAS becoming emboldened to take decisions which in the past could have only be dreamed.

ECOWAS must be empowered not only financially but by actions such as was unfolded in the Gambia.

We do not expect bloodshed given the reluctance of the local soldiers to confront the ECOWAS soldiers whose firepower they definitely cannot contain.

It is a shame that this man sought to join the other dictators who want to die in their positions. Even nauseating is his clutching of a Holy Quran and pretending that his action is divinity inclined.

That is not the case anyway and so we would rather he stopped fooling himself and a few gullible persons.

That man, like other African dictators who do not want to vacate the seats they occupy, must be suffering from an undisclosed mental ailment.

Otherwise how can we describe a situation where leaders would decide to ignore the will of the people they claim to be serving?

We are pleased so far about the manner in which the Command has conducted itself, giving him all the time he needs to bow out. The theatricals from the time he rescinded his decision about conceding defeat in the election to when he slapped a state of emergency on the small West African country have been roller-skating.

Never again should bad West African leaders be allowed to disregard the outcome of elections.

Our countries are cash-strapped. It would be unwise for the good leaders therefore to fold their arms as dictators like Yahya Jammeh threaten the peace of their countries only for our countries to take in the refugees fleeing from the self-created flashpoints.

We call on West African countries to learn the important lessons from the Gambian experience and of course the Ivorian ones.

Periodic military exercises towards the management of future occurrences as confronting us now would be ideal.

Such exercises would lead to the harmonizing of commands and inure to the interest of regional peace.

Never again should the Gambian scenario be allowed to play out in the West African sub-region.