Jemus de healer

Recent pronouncements by Yahya Jammeh (Jemus) that he has found cure to Aids, asthma and other diseases came as no surprise to me and of course many Gambians who have been keeping a close eye on the brutal dictator.

I was not surprised but was disappointed that the dictator waited until now to make it public. Since coming to power in July 1994, Gambians have seen a ruthless and blood thirsty dictator who repeatedly claims that Allah (God) is his world bank. Yes the mighty and ever rich financial banker who provides loans with high interest demands to build Arch 22 and other projects that yield no returns and will not improve the living conditions of average Gambians. Yet the very Gambian people most of whom in their majority cannot provide three decent square meals daily are paying the loan to the mighty banker.

What would have stopped the weird looking President from going that far? Remember this dude claims to have supernatural means. A man who claims to have dinned on many occasions with djinns living in some funny trees in the bush covers of Kanilai. The same djinns he claimed to have made his hair fell off when they were mysteriously preparing to give him the presidency hat.

Again, this is the same mystic creature who claims to have divine powers that shows him things about to happen even in a hundred years time. Yes, the same Jammeh who posses mysterious powers that renders any military arsenal aimed at him to be useless. Yet he roams around Banjul with over 25 heavily armed body guards ready to shoot and never hesitate to pull the trigger on any taxi driving while the majestic president idly patrols the highways of Gambia.
Yes, here is a president whose sees the future but cannot stop locusts from ravaging the country's farm produce, cannot stop the murder of veteran journalists Deyda Hydara which he claimed to have been carried out by foreign elements.

It is not the same man who goes even to the UN summit with a sword and satanic beads, who promised to turn The Gambia into an oil-producing nation to supplement its main export, peanuts, and yet Banjul has been unable to find any crude oil in its shores?

The same Jammeh had promised to: " transform The Gambia into a financial centre, a tourist paradise, a trading, export-oriented agricultural and manufacturing nation, thriving on free market policies and a vibrant private sector, sustained by a well-educated, trained, skilled, healthy, self-reliant and enterprising population and guaranteeing a well-balanced eco- system and a decent standard of living for one and all under a system of government based on the consent of the citizenry." For over a decade since coming to power, none has been achieved so far.

I raised all the above points to prove one thing. The President lied to the nation and to the whole world. He has made us the laughing stock of the world and I call on him to step down.
Coming back to the Aids issue, we are all aware of the increasing HIV/AIDS infection rate in the country. Many Gambians have died and many more continue to die everyday since the disease was discovered in Banjul. In response to the pandemic, millions of Dalasis is being spent to fund the National Aids Secretariat.

For 20 years now, medical researches around the globe have tried and are continuing to do all they could to find cure for the world's deadliest disease by which bodies' defence systems ravaged its immune system to the point where everyday infections become life-threatening.
Like Prof Coovadia, a member of South Africa's Treatment Action Campaign who heads the HIV research team at the University of KwaZulu Natal said, "A response within three to 10 days and a three-day course is almost inconceivable for a disease like HIV/Aids. It was tragic that The Gambia had a political environment that allows a minister of health and a president to violate every foundation of science and public health. The entire exercise is circumscribed by secrecy - that's not how science works. It would be impossible to measure the negative impact of Mr Jammeh's claims, but it could lead to risky sexual behaviour, instead of following preventative advice," he said.
Another funny thing is the staunch support being given to crazy Jammeh by the secretary of state for Health, Tamsir Mbowe. Well, I don't blame SoS Mbowe because he is serving his master. We all know what will happen if he disagrees. Secondly knowing the true colours of Jammeh, which Gambian medical institution will dare say that the condition of the HIV positive people being treated by Jammeh have not changed? Well if he can order the sacking of two journalists for doubting his cure, then a medical practitioner who exposes his lies will be buried six feet deep.

Jammeh needs to know that we are now in the 21 century. We are in a century where people are wiser and will not accept to be fooled in broad day. He said during the 2004 World Aids Day, our religious leaders, family heads and all of society should strive to be aware of Aids, to understand the consequences of the epidemic, including examining personal attitudes and actions as well as becoming knowledgeable about the scientific and socio-cultural facts about the disease. What happens to that advice now that Jammeh tells the world he is able to cure HIV/AIDS?

He should also not forget the call he made on all leaders to use spiritual teachings and religious scriptures to emphasise morality in society as well as compassion, healing and support for people living with the disease.

Jammeh needs to be reminded that a mad president cannot lead a nation. It is unto us Gambians to cure Jammeh's madness before it spreads to advanced uncontrollable proportions.