Well Demba, "how about" it? At least the Islamic religious scholars, including Imams, prayed for you as a Gambian, and you ought to be grateful for that.

 

The Diaspora must ensure it is not left behind, and I think a team from GON, maybe staffers of other online media houses, including dons like Dr Jaiteh, and of course our resident icon of republicanism, should participate in this commendable national service. The danger from the weeds is unquestionably more immediate than the distant concerns of human dignity and liberty. I'm happy to liaise with the relevant home-based authority to work out the logistics of maybe a planeload of Diasporans descending on 'national farms' in fulfilment of the philosophy of "grow what you eat and eat what you grow".

 

 

LJDarbo

On Monday, 15 September 2014, 18:01, Demba Baldeh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Something else to ponder about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A broad spectrum of volunteers from all walks of life have continued to troop to Kanilai to help the president clear the weeds on his various groundnut, maize and millet fields at his home village and elsewhere in the country. 

The latest batch of volunteers who made it to help the president over the weekend comprises Imams from the Greater Banjul Area as well as members of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (GSIC), who joined over 2, 000 personnel of the armed and security services of the country.

Speaking to reporters on the farm, the GSIC prexy, Alh. Momodou Lamin Touray, said responding to a call that emphasises for people to eat what they grow and grow what they eat is a worthwhile venture which needs to be given maximum support.

Linking this call to the religion, he said the Almighty Allah has emphasised in the Holy Book the need for people to work and live on their sweat. He underscored the importance of farming, noting that apart from providing food for humans, it does so for birds, insects and many other living things as well. 

He cited some verses in the Holy Qur’an, saying it has challenged people to eat what they grow and grow what they eat. The GSIC boss also made reference to some Hadiths by the prophet, imploring on his followers to do farming.

“The Sahabas have responded to this call. We should pray for the president for ensuring that people in this country are not starved and are still living on more than three square meals each day. The president’s call for people to go back to the land is very important. It is in tandem with the dictates of Islam and Prophet Mohammad SAW had also emphasised this,” he said.

He continued: “We are here to pray for the volunteers, the president as well as the people of The Gambia. We thank them for their turn out to support The Gambian leader and to see how best we can also contribute our own quota as religious leaders. We the Muslim elders in collaboration with members of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council present here today under the leadership of the Imam Ratib of Banjul, Alhaji Cherno Alieu Mass Kah, are saying that nobody should be left behind in the pursuit of Vision 2016. This is why we have many Imams here today to lend a hand to the president. We are praying for him to achieve his dream of attaining food self-sufficiency for this country,” he stated.

Also speaking at the farm in Kanilai was Imam Cherno Alieu Mass Kah. He said: “We thank God because all the Imams have responded to our call despite short notice. This is a worthwhile venture. God has said that we should help and support each other on anything that would help the country and the Muslims.The president has called and so we should respond to his call. Let us support the president in his food self-sufficiency initiative. We have also recited Qur’an here and added that to the little work we have done here”.

Security forces

Meanwhile, over 2, 000 personnel of the armed and security services were again on president’s farms in Kanilai over the weekend to continue with the unfinished portion left during their weeding exercise a week earlier.

Elsewhere in Siffoe, Kombo South, West Coast Region (WCR), another batch of volunteers from Touba in Cassamance and Kunkujang Keitaya in Kombo North, New Jeshwang, Mandinary, Lamin and staff of the President’s Alternative Treatment Programme (PATP) also took part in a weeding and transplanting exercise on two different rice fields there.

Author: by Musa Ndow

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"Be the change you want to see in the World"

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