KassaTv

On Seedy Njie's Statement

First off, those of you who think some of us are making too much out of Seedy Njie's tribal bigotry, please let me be. You have the right to remain silent when a tribalist makes incendiary remarks about others because it does not bother or affect you. That is fine and dandy. But those of us who have issues with such bigotry also have the right to condemn Seedy Njie's mindless tribalism, and we will continue to do so as we deem fit. You do not have to read or listen to what we say.

Now then, if you cared to read Seedy Njie's crudely crafted statement, you would not find ONE INSTANCE in which he says he didn't make the bigoted statement we all heard. That alone is an indictment! Instead, Seedy employs the usual "my wife is a Mandinka, and I have many friends who are Mandinkas" narrative to claim that he is not what we all heard. It is akin to the “I have black friends” narrative racists use when confronted with their racism.

As someone once reminded a racist, being a racist is not a binary. As in, it is not that one has to be either a racist or not. Similarly, being a tribalist is not “binary.” It is not that Seedy Njie has to be either anti-Mandinka or pro-Mandinka. Tribalism, like racism, they argued, is a spectrum. Tolerating those around you does not mean you tolerate all others of the same kind. The Seedy Njies of this world can tolerate some Mandinkas to some extent, but, as evidenced by his own words, that does not mean he tolerates all Mandinkas. And his intolerance has nothing to do with anything else besides them being Mandinkas! So, having a Mandinka wife and friends does not mean much because, according to his own words, he targets others simply because they are Mandinkas.

The telling part of Seedy’s statement is when he tried to play victim, claiming his bigotry affected his family! Well, Seedy, do you know how many families you and your bosses have hurt over the years? Your history is littered with the tears and blood of Gambians. Please spare us the feigned pain. Your message was more for your political survival than any genuine contrition, and your apology to Adama Barrow says it all. Seedy never apologized for what he got caught saying; he apologized because he got caught saying it. Seedy Njie got caught saying things he says when he believes he is around friendlier, sympathetic ears. He thought he was among people he could "trust" with his tribal sentiments, and so what we heard was never going to be something he would say in public. Well, Seedy, too bad for you! I am sure you are aware of the ruckus your boneheaded tribalist remarks have caused within your party, and some are still nursing their pain, even if they pretend to have forgiven you.

Then Seedy has the nerve to preach to us about values. This man has been engaging in so much self-sculpting that he believes the image in his head is the one everyone sees. Can you imagine Seedy Njie preaching to anyone about values? Seedy, the trust you keep harping on is not a value you uphold. The respect, truth, and fairness you pantomimed in your apology to Adama Barrow are not values you live by. For someone who stood by a murderer, ra**st, and thief and became his mouthpiece when all others ran away, you have zero currency to preach to anyone about decency. It's better for you to keep mooching off Gambians when no one ever elected or voted for you. You know very well that none of the values you claim today got you where you are today. You can try to sanitize your sullied image all you want, but your history is not lost on anyone with a mind of their own. If this was your way of repolishing your tribalist soul, I am sorry to tell you that it is still corroded.
By Mmajiki Saidy-Barrow

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