I assumed you've heard this phrase probably in literature classes at High School. Its said to have biblical origin (Jesus) but frequently used to inform that we have more pressing matters as living being to be overly concern with the dead.
A compatriot, Mr. Buba Baldeh - a member of Parliament and Minister in the so called first republic, recently passed away at his hide-out in Senegal according to my sources. RIP!

Hours/days later we learnt authorities in Banjul denied the return of his body for burial as would be preferred by his family. Sad! Isn't it?

That's where I would stop with the late Mr. Baldeh.

Some thought provoking quotes:

"No one is free when others are oppressed." - Author Unknown

“First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—
and there was no one left to speak out for me.” -Martin Niemöller

Should I add anything to the above? I don't think so!

For 50 years we've let ourselves to be tools of one administration and/or another. At the dawn of independent nationhood we probably lack many human capital to assume citizen's role in a republic but with passing time especially in the last 20 or so years we have/had all it take to be citizens in charge of the republic.

Instead we kept fighting over membership of one group or another, one party over another, diaspora vs home-based, election vs boycott, etc. Are these problems? The answer - an emphatic no!

The problems are 'Non Existence Of A Functioning Democratic Republic". If you bring your reasoning around this founding creed (A Democratic Republic) of our nation you will begin to realize certainly Yahya is a problem but not the problem. More importantly this gave us latitudes and ample opportunities to 'Clean-Up Banjul on People's Terms. Yahya will simply be one inconsequential being like I and you would. The only consequential would be the 'Free Majority of Citizens.

Bad seeds were long broadcast in our nation and Yahya is simply watering the germinated crop to his advantage so long it last. Reduce whining about Yahya and lets begin to do something about it. Something realistic! Something Practical! Something the citizens dictate on their terms!

Stop dreaming Yahya will evaporate in thin-air. Yahya will die soon! Waiting for coup! An election declare him a looser. None of those are likely to happen but if they do, the aftermath will not be dictated by the people. It will the beginning of another dictatorship with a different leader.

Please bring an idea to the table and/or listen with openness what others have to say.

Whether Mr. Baldeh was a noble public servant; Whether he was God fearing! I can't make those calls from my small world. What is without doubt PPP wrong our nation big time.........the lingering effects continue to hunt us both in governance and even in the so-called struggle. Today Mr. Baldeh couldn't be buried as wished by love one's. Tomorrow is my turn and/or yours.
The only way to avert it happen to another citizen..........come to the table with new idea or openness to listen. The old ones' are stale.

Burama Jammeh

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