President Adama Barrow nearly lost his composure on Tuesday, when a question arises at a news conference, where reporter Lamin Njie of the Paradise TV, asked him his reaction on Dr. Ismaila Ceesay’s, recent criticism of the President on the Freedom Newspaper, branding Mr. Barrow, as a clueless leader, who lacks the intellectual pedigree to rule the impoverished West African nation. A raging President Barrow couldn’t hide his anger towards Dr. Ceesay. He spent almost four minutes throwing jab at the UTG Political Science Professor. Barrow was not only temperamental in his response, but he could be seen sweating on the podium. His orderly had to come to his rescue to hand him some napkin to clear the sweat on his face.
“ I don’t want to talk about personality, but Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, has been a critic. But I asked this question and I am still waiting for an answer. There was a very bad system here and a lot of people lost their lives and a lot of people were jailed. People were afraid to come out and challenge the system. And when our leader Ousainou Darboe was arrested, we opened up and application; we advertised for the leadership position. Where were these people? You know how many people? Three,” Barrow said.
Mr. Barrow doesn’t think Dr. Ceesay, has the moral authority to question his leadership qualities—given what he called Ceesay’s decision to remain mute when the country was going through a full blown dictatorship. He said the UDP fought a lone, while the intellectuals were busy pursuing their own selfish agendas.
“ There were intellectuals, who were in the system and they fold their hands. They become beggars and they are not innovative. They could not create anything for themselves. Yes, I was a high school graduate, but I was not able to create something for myself. I was able to create employment for Gambians and I was successful. I contributed more than Dr. Ceesay towards this change,” Barrow added.
Mr. Barrow also credited himself for ushering the political change that sent Jammeh packing. He said he uses his own funds to finance UDP political activities, including the Fass Njaga Choi political standoff. He claimed to have spent close to two million dalasis in the past elections just to fund the opposition.
“It is very easy to sit at a corner and criticize. They want cheap popularity. Today, it is because we have been able to stand up against Yahya Jammeh, until we are able to make the change that is why some of them have the platform to go and sit down at a corner and criticize. Where were they when we needed them? When I talk about this I become irritated. I lose my temper. Where was he?” Barrow asked.
Mr. Barrow said he and his colleagues at the UDP had to put their lives on the line to take on dictator Jammeh. He said the likes of Dr. Ceesay are today enjoying the glory of UDP’s struggle to emancipate The Gambia and her people from Jammeh’s autocratic rule.
“It was difficult at the time. I was a matter of now or never. It was a matter of life and death. Now, the platform is open for everybody. They can talk. One thing they cannot take from me, I am the one who make this change. Nobody will tell you I sponsor Adama Barrow; nobody,” Barrow claimed.
The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: DR. ISMAILA CEESAY WANTS CHEAP POPULARITY-A RAGING PRESIDENT BARROW TELLS GAMBIANS appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.