Coach,
Belated compliments for such an insightful commentary on the Independent
editorial,"Time for a re-think," published on July 10, 2000. Your opinions
speak not only to the unvarnished truth about the effeteness of the
editorial but also to current-day Gambian political realities.
To rhapsodize over Jammeh's lavish infrastructural undertakings and call
them "achievements" is the apogee of editorial naiveté on the part of the
Independent. The editorialist needed not be an economist to discern that
Jammeh's vainglorious projects are a consequence of acute misallocation of
scarce government resources, which have done little or nothing to cushion
the poverty of our society. The Gambia's economic and political bankruptcies
were not well-articulated in the editorial. In fact the editorial was a
weakling; it lacked teeth. It was not analytical nor was it inspiring. And:
it was a minimalist commentary on Gambian realities.
Two weeks ago, I sent this email to the Independent: "Editorials must be
sharp, witty and thoroughly opinionated. As agenda setters, newspapers must
take the lead to identify problems and find solutions to them. We must
advance a clear and principled opinion of our own. No pandering. No
neutrality. No niceties. Yes, we should celebrate success. But we should
also dissect failure. Call for action. Rebuke our leaders for dereliction of
duty. We should do all this with clear-mindedness and at times, pungency.
Editorials must convey a strong message without fear or favour."
That is a message for the Independent. In fairness, the paper writes the
best editorials of the three leading newspapers, although The Point did the
best job during the student massacres. But most of Independent's editorials
I have seen are less impressive. They hover over the issues rather than
confront them head-on. Trying to criticize Jammeh and compliment him in the
same breath, a fear-induced-whim to lessen the severity of criticisms. Or
writing about mundane generalities without hitting at relevant specifics
like the recent editorial, "Changing times, changing fortunes." Or pleading
and hoping that the government stop abusing human rights as if an editorial
is to plead and not to summon society,rebuke its wrongdoings and provide
alternatives for better behaviour.
An editorial is probably the most important part of the newspaper. It
reflects the identity of a newspaper. It serves as a locomotive -
transmitting a message form the editor, on behalf of his paper, to the
general public. Which is why newspapers that demand respect and credibility
must, among other things, slake public consciousness with well-informed,
objective and assertive editorials that mirror reality not obscure it. If
Jammeh is wrong say it loud without taking us on a circuitous tour of his
spurious achievements. If Jammeh engaged in a dubious crude oil deal and
refuses to be accountable, hold him so, or call for action by urging the
people's representatives to do just that.
That's what newspapers especially private ones, do to articulate the
concerns and agitations of society. The Gambia is in the throes of
malignancy, which is a consequence of the coarsening of the affairs of
governance. In these days of leadership chicanery, egregious governance and
mass hopelessness, Gambian newspapers including the Independent will not be
forgiven for playing footsie with the APRC government. They must do this:
defend whatever is left of public integrity without fear or favour. They
must write and defend the truth without fear. But they cannot do this by
obfuscating realities with pleasantries. Another message for the
Independent.
Facing the wrath of Jammeh should be for good reasons and rightly so. The
Independent is basking in the limelight thanks in part, to the frontal
assaults from the government. And it cannot afford to fritter that away by
being parsimonious with the truth and wimpish towards Jammeh. That is bad
journalism.
Cherno Baba Jallow
Detroit, MI
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