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Kuno
Malawi
17 Posts |
 Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 00:06:19
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Folks,
I don't know about you but I am less than happy with our fellow Gambians in the UK. Do they care about the mess back home? If they are, where are their efforts? I see nothing....it is a disgrace! There is so much going on in Gambia that it will demand of every Gambian in every part of the world, total commitment to ending the Gambian tyranny...it means Gambians all over the world must unite and aggregate their efforts for a joint cause. In this struggle, we know who is who and we know where the efforts for Jammeh's displacement are coming from...certainly not from the UK. Our fellow Gambians in London and kindred cities are the laggards in this race to replace Jammeh! They are too busy scrubbing toilets and standing erect at security booths in grocery stores for a few pounds to work on a strategy for a new Gambia.
Just look at Gambians in the US...they are more educated, more established, more organized. All the online newspapers are in the US...Gambia-L, Gambia Post...the July 4th programs and numerous conferences...the numerous petitions to release journalists and opposition activists...all this is coming from the US...WHERE ARE YOUR EFFORTS, GAMBIANS IN UK? Do something, organize yourselves and complement the efforts of your fellow country people in the US and Dakar, Senegal. Stop these endless parties and Grand Bals in Birmingham, Slough, Peckam, Bristol, Crawley, London, Leeds, Coventry, Manchester, Liverpool. It is a waste of your scarce pound sterlings and it shows a sense of directionlessness in this Age of Jammeh. I am sickened by the extravagance at these parties...I know because I have been to many of them during my endless trips to the UK....the costly dresses, mostly American copy-cats, the hessals, Lerrals and unkempt make-ups...yuck! During one Gambian fund-raiser in London, the Gambian audience booed and aahed their own fellow country man, the performer Freaky Joe. They laughed him off the stage quick for the next act, a senegalese. He was mad and fired back at them..calling them ignorant and announced his admiration for Gambians in the US who he said were more conscious and supportive of him during his concerts in the Land of Lincoln. I was in the audience and he put a smile on my face. How lucky I am that I went to the US instead of the UK.....American society provided me with a lot of personal growth and development not least of which, is my keenness of and concern about terrible situation in my ancestral land. I am not sure if the same is true of most of my fellow Gambians in the UK. Their lack of collective effort on our national crisis is embarassing to say the least!
Kuno, The Bird
Lilongwe, Malawi.
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kaanibaa
United Kingdom
1169 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 00:29:34
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| Hear! hear! brother well said.Perhaps this will push us to put our acts together and do something about this. |
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snuggels
960 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 01:23:19
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| You have opened up a can of worms But good luck to you |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 05:38:02
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| zzzzz |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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Prince
507 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 09:23:54
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Well said Kuno. Your post may raise some eyebrows because the truth is sometimes too hard to swallow.
I don't totally believe that Gambians living in the UK are deliberately unwilling to help in salvaging the situation back home, its just that most of them can't help out. The environment in the old world isn't conducive for developing political sophistication in "Lamin, the Gambian Janitor."
As you rightly mentioned, most of them are "...are too busy scrubbing toilets and standing erect at security booths in grocery stores..." The UK folks are also generally poorly educated at apartment complex institutions... in their quest to hold very menial jobs. They do not have the environment to develop the political sophistication accessible to Gambians living in the US.
Compared to America, the UK isn't very nice to first generation immigrants. It still has a glass ceiling and a good old boy system, which limits certain opportunities to immigrants. I think the best thing that happened to folks like us is realizing that the UK has these limitation. That's why I'm ever grateful for moving from the U.K. to the US.
The UK isn't technology and media savvy either. I mean, their primary media is still taxpayer sponsored. Lobbying as we know it in America is absent in the UK. All these factors carve out complete different individuals.
Given these reasons, it would be virtuous to be a little nicer and understanding to Gambians living in the UK. However, they could help in some other ways that isn't necessarily political... like sponsoring underprivileged kids or donating to hospitals.
Just me two cents... |
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Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 17:50:10
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A bird’s perspective has a wide-angle therefore a better aerial view than impressions gotten from land and water.
Don’t you think comparing UK and USA is a little bit ambitious, say, from a historical perspective and with both population and size in mind?
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Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
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Kuno
Malawi
17 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 19:17:21
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Prince,
Your points are noted...I admire your analysis of the Gambian situation in the UK. I am also aware of the structural roadblocks that UK society places on the road for individual progress especially for immigrants like Gambians. British society is still inward looking..not as inclusive as American society..therefore Gambians are forced to live in a continuum of apathy and discriminatory edifices...trust me, I am very read of British history and of the politics coming from Westminister.
However, I would still hazard that Gambians in the UK can and still need to form themselves into something worth the while of national progress. I agree with you that it needn't be just political or about toppling Jammeh..that wasn't my gist in my previous posting...I should have been clearer...and I wasn't (sorry!). It can be something that the Gambian universe can learn and benefit from. I am sure some of us are learning and benefiting much from the enterprise and creativity of our fellow Gambians in the US whether it is about online newspapers or the multiplicity of ideas on the online pages or elevating the Gambian profile within the vicinity of American power and influence. I, for one, am learning a lot from this medium, Bantaba (www.gambia.dk) which is a creation out of Denmark or the newswatchgambia.com, coming out of Sweden. But what are the Gambians in the UK doing? I frequent the UKgambians website but it is a disgrace what you see there...people are either talking about what this or that chick wore at the last Thione Seck concert or the usual complaint, "Wakka Jagne cheated us"...the show was cancelled..it started late or something along those lines. Some years ago, a lady gave a good piece of advice on that site to young gambian footballers..this when they were struggling in form and in the pitch against other teams in Africa...she cautioned the Gambian boys to concentrate on their careers and leave the women alone..."Bayelen Chepaye" she cautioned them...I still think about that...and it was the only thing worth my attention that I ever got from the ukgambians site.
Look folks, it is not funny anymore. We have long passed the date of idle chatter, unimportant gatherings and fruitless undertakings. Gambians in the UK should know or be told to know that....they should concentrate their efforts towards the personal and the national...although I am more concerned about the latter here.
Good observations, Prince.
Kuno, The Bird
Lilongwe, Malawi. |
Edited by - Kuno on 23 Jun 2009 19:32:17 |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 19:18:41
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UK is a conservative society where societal lines have been drawn clearly. There is hardly any policy of effective integration of minorities. You will find the Asian community for example mainly in Yorkshire region around Leeds, and Bradford and some in Birmingham. Out side of these locations they are dotted all over. There should have been a policy of dispersing immigrants all over the kingdom for effective assimilation.
For the people of African descent, Manchester seems to have the largest share and in south london too. The apartment complex institutions mentioned by "Prince" have a name too but very drogatory and dont want to mention it here.
As i pen this posting, children born to parents who arenot citizens of the UK are not automatic citizens. The problem lies in not recognising birth rights. Citizenship is heriditary and not by birth.
If any country should be a called a melting pot, its should have been the UK, having colonised almost the entire human race and yet their society has remained very much British. It says something. In the whole of the Kingdom, there is only one Black farmer who owns a land. He is of jamaican descent and is infact rumoured to be the next Obama in British politics.
Watch out for him. He will be running for office soon and i will campaign for him if he wants me to work for him. He lives in Heath, a small village ouside of Birmingham. Not a suprise he lives in this location. His name is Wilfred Emmanuel Jones. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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kaanibaa
United Kingdom
1169 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 19:53:16
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| "Kori konto kolleh tai" as the old Mandingo sages would say on issues of difficulty, I would say here also that with the absence or lack of online news outlets by Gambian here, I am more than happy to use Bantaba whilst reading other outlets you have mentioned as in existence elsewhere. I suppose you know that people here are contributing even if it is a little by posting their opinions on some of those sites. This is not to say that we should not go on and do the same here. As we are endowed with different capabilities , this means that not every one could go on and open such outlets , but we can contribute by commenting on issues via those existing sites, as it is now a well established fact that we are in a globalized world setting , the global village so to speak. It is not easy to see the sweat of a bird because of its feathers , one has to look very close to discern it.I want to believe that there are some dedicated Gambian here too doing their bit though not necessarily as overtly as the ones you mentioned. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 20:06:41
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Kaaniba
Well, if they get to "TAI",(back against the wall) then they must bounce back and realise that no one will do it for them. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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kaanibaa
United Kingdom
1169 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 21:07:30
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| Mining mining tafal tafal toonya lebe labangna! the eyes may not be the carrier of a load but surely can tell/gauge what the head could carry; we all know what we are capable of doing even if others do not. Let those who can , do what they can and those who have no such capability use what they have available to them. That was what I was alluding to in the last posting. It is true though that no one would bell this cat for us , we got to do it ourselves.Wasalaam! |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 21:42:47
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| Well a guess we are talking about the same thing. BAA BULA JULO LA; JULO BULA BAA LA |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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mavaric
Turkmenistan
94 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 21:50:31
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| A majority of Gambians in UK don't care about education or better yet, helping improve the situation back home. I've witnessed a lot of young comrades fall behind the enemy lines of illiteracy as they become hostages of the desire to make a quick buck. Most can't wait for the next Senegalese star in London or their next trip to Gambia to showcase their latest mobile phones & gear. The need for a politically stimulated and engaged youth has never been greater in the face of a growing threat to the cherished stability of our nation. I said “youth” as I don’t think the elder generation can save this country, they have demonstrated time & time again that they lack the capacity to effect change. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 21:55:51
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maverick
Its asad situation if they should turn their back on education. Any nation that out educates us will do better than us. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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LEMON TIME
Afghanistan
1295 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jun 2009 : 01:23:14
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| well done guys your comments are very interesting,a big BRAVO to Kuno. |
There is no god but Allah |
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Moe
USA
2326 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jun 2009 : 04:41:08
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Well i will tell you why they booed Freaky Joe out of the stage. His next Album is dedicated to Yahya Jammeh for transforming Gambia into a developed nation according to Freaky Joe ............Peacequote:
Originally posted by Kuno
Folks,
I don't know about you but I am less than happy with our fellow Gambians in the UK. Do they care about the mess back home? If they are, where are their efforts? I see nothing....it is a disgrace! There is so much going on in Gambia that it will demand of every Gambian in every part of the world, total commitment to ending the Gambian tyranny...it means Gambians all over the world must unite and aggregate their efforts for a joint cause. In this struggle, we know who is who and we know where the efforts for Jammeh's displacement are coming from...certainly not from the UK. Our fellow Gambians in London and kindred cities are the laggards in this race to replace Jammeh! They are too busy scrubbing toilets and standing erect at security booths in grocery stores for a few pounds to work on a strategy for a new Gambia.
Just look at Gambians in the US...they are more educated, more established, more organized. All the online newspapers are in the US...Gambia-L, Gambia Post...the July 4th programs and numerous conferences...the numerous petitions to release journalists and opposition activists...all this is coming from the US...WHERE ARE YOUR EFFORTS, GAMBIANS IN UK? Do something, organize yourselves and complement the efforts of your fellow country people in the US and Dakar, Senegal. Stop these endless parties and Grand Bals in Birmingham, Slough, Peckam, Bristol, Crawley, London, Leeds, Coventry, Manchester, Liverpool. It is a waste of your scarce pound sterlings and it shows a sense of directionlessness in this Age of Jammeh. I am sickened by the extravagance at these parties...I know because I have been to many of them during my endless trips to the UK....the costly dresses, mostly American copy-cats, the hessals, Lerrals and unkempt make-ups...yuck! During one Gambian fund-raiser in London, the Gambian audience booed and aahed their own fellow country man, the performer Freaky Joe. They laughed him off the stage quick for the next act, a senegalese. He was mad and fired back at them..calling them ignorant and announced his admiration for Gambians in the US who he said were more conscious and supportive of him during his concerts in the Land of Lincoln. I was in the audience and he put a smile on my face. How lucky I am that I went to the US instead of the UK.....American society provided me with a lot of personal growth and development not least of which, is my keenness of and concern about terrible situation in my ancestral land. I am not sure if the same is true of most of my fellow Gambians in the UK. Their lack of collective effort on our national crisis is embarassing to say the least!
Kuno, The Bird
Lilongwe, Malawi.
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I am Jebel Musa better yet rock of Gibraltar,either or,still a stronghold and a Pillar commanding direction
The GPU wants Me Hunted Down for what I don't know ..... |
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