The African continent has a vast wide ranging land space, which has gifted the continent with a  variety of natural resources. Although she doesn’t have organized green mapping and, the vast expanse of the continent is known to contain widespread reserves of natural resources, with a great potential for mineral beneficiation. Yet in the midst of this great wealth Africa is an irony of poverty and extended social violence. It is home to most of the least developed countries of the world. More than two thirds of the countries in Africa are weak and characterized by a combination of weak governance infrastructure, little or no service delivery, lingering social unrest and political violence, questions about regime legitimacy, inter communal strife, food insecurity, economic despair, disputed border conflicts and targeted attacks.

The existence of Natural resources such as gold, diamond, minerals, timber, and oil are essentially significant sources of livelihoods, income and influence for countries and communities around the world. If these natural resources are disappointingly managed or inequitably distributed. The sad reality is that business operations are carried out without putting into consideration the populace and communities, this can throw in a tension that can shoot up into violent conflict, and aggravated pre-existing conflict dynamics. Additionally, population increase and environmental deprivation are increasing struggle over already scarce resources, such as land and water is causing more causalities. The trends of climate change continues to threaten increase such competition even extra. This appalling situation comes as no shock, that many experts, scholars and governments expect natural resources to become key drivers in a growing number of disputes, with potentially significant consequences to globalization, international, regional, and National peace and security. 

Focusing on these risks in the articulation, renewed attention needs to be made in forms of mechanisms for mitigating and resolving natural resource disputes.
Our continent Africa is well vast as dwelling abode to most of the prime deposits of natural resources in the entire earth. Countries like sierra Leone, Angola, Algeria, Libya and Nigeria, jointly create a substantial portion of the world’s crude oil South Africa and several other African countries are a major source of the world’s gold output Botswana, the DRC, and Sierra Leone are main sources of diamonds, while other strategic minerals such as chrome, coltan, bauxite and manganese are major export products from a number of African countries. Looking at this superior proportion of the world’s tropical hard wood, coffee, cocoa and rubber exports are produced in Africa. The foreign exchange earnings from these and other natural resources constitute a major source of Africa’s income.

However regrettably, what we the youths of  today see, in much of these African nations are the trends of , the illicit utilization of natural resources which  is  a contributing factor  to continuing hostility and insecurity. In Liberia for instance in the past , the illegal misuse of timber and other natural resources equally help to fuel that country’s civil war, now fortunately for us it has come to an end. Going further see Angola, the unlawful utilization of diamond resources was a major source of funding for what was known as the UNITA rebellion.

 It also good to  note  that the political economy of natural resources is entrenched within the broader global power relations of our world today in this 21st century. It’s seen  that genesis , and  emergence of emerging  economies like China are fundamentally changing the locus and focus of power within the  African continent natural resource scene and that the implications of these new shifts are not yet fully understood nor comprehended. Nevertheless, they will continue to have insightful impact on the next few decades of resource politics on the continent of Africa and this seem inevitable

I am of the believe an notion  that a high level academic scholars will forward this to  government representatives bodies to adopt and be engaged in the discussions because the narrow perspective of governments on the issue at hand in Africa must be at the very centre of our deliberations this coming years. However its quite important to note that governments who set the regulatory surrounding environment  and make available permission for the Exploitation of natural resources. Note that there is the need to recognize other non-state actors that actively participate to a great extent that we call them stakeholders, that make up meaningful discussions such as the private sector and civil society, including the NGOs. In this context, I am pleading that this articulation be shared to these other stakeholders for perusal and to act upon.

This articulation is drawing its cottons here as it has taken an extensive overlook at the politics of natural resource extraction and governance in Africa. As a young scholar of the African continent, my appeal is that our thoughts should be primary focused on changing the narratives and learning lessons of the heartbreaking experiences of the precedent past, so that we can help to build a better future. . I  advocate an African Natural Resource Governance body that should be developed  to focus on key elements of good governance (especially democracy, rule of law, transparency and accountability, as well as efficient and equitable management of resource revenues) that are vital to governance, broadly speaking. Our aim should be to pinpoint the most visible and reasonable practices, to identify useful practical approaches, which will help post conflict African countries, working in close and effective collaboration with the appropriate international institutions such as the UN, to improve their capacity to use their natural resource to consolidate the peace and accelerate development. On this note, I solicit your contribution of my work through the comment section to get more insight of this delicate area of our developmental agenda in the world of globalization and peace building.


The existence of natural resources has a twist to both sides of a coin of development, advancement  and inconsistency in the continent Africa. There is a need to vividly peruse    dynamics of this instabilities with primary focusing into partakers of these imbedding conflict over these natural endowments .

African Map on the globe

IS AFRICA BENEFITTING FROM ITS NATURAL RESOURCES?

Unprecedented issues surrounding gender inequality continue to face critical attention in academia and policy development. This menace will not stop anytime soon, therefore, I can no longer remain close-mouthed. Gone are the days when war and violence were the primary focus, but over the years even in the midst of relative peace and tranquility, implications of gender disparity are still not uncommon. Some of these injustices continue unabated, such that we witness series of forced marriages, rape cases, sexism, etc. All these instances contribute to the struggle of women participation in the socio-economic development of nations, most especially, in the African continent. 
Consequently, it is quite fundamental to look into this issue bringing on board, its pertinent dimensions - psychological, social, economic, political and physical challenges women face. Although international organizations, Civil Society Groups (CSGs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Governments around the world have initiated actions over the years to create international platforms for discussion, have enacted laws, and passed resolutions, yet we need to ask these questions. Are they serving the realities of our day and age in relation to gender equality? Are the women in the remotest of villages beneficiaries? Is African culture and tradition giving space for women’s growth? 
It may be very hard to answer some of these questions because reporting issues on gender-based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM), rape, early marriage, etc., comes with a heavy price. This confonting situation is likely to continue because of inadequate research and resources. In addition, most of the institutions under whose domain such issues are to be handled, are mainly dominated by men who seem to lack the technical skills and capacity to address these predicaments of women and the girl child. 
Theories like the Just war theory is geared towards justifying the act of war. This, I will continue to argue, leads the crusade and activism that will never be just! Women continue to be used as tools of warfare through physical abuse, torture and rape. Human rights commissions seek justice for these victims by prosecuting perpetrators. Nonetheless, this may never be a healing mechanism for victims. 
In the context of the Gambian experience, sexual- and gender-based violence is prohibited but it's existence is still common. There exist the Sexual Offences Act, which criminalises every form of sexual assault, exploitation and harassment. Such a legislation rewrites the legal procedure and laws in relation with cases on trial, such as rape and other sexual offences. The Act deals with some of the drawbacks that have obstructed the trial of rape and other sexual offences in history. This Act widens the description of sexual assault and other misconducts, to include occurrences where the survivor is compelled into the sexual acts and incorporates perpetrators who would have fled the penalty prior to the modifications of this law. Even though, stories continue to unfold, the reality is that, some women condone violence as a habit of life, and either do less or care less about it. This culture of silence and indifference needs much to be desired. We need more dialogue and social interventions on this matter. 
Interestingly, women continue to be the world’s largest victims of situations, and they seem to be the hardest hit during pandemics, conflicts, education crisis, deprivation, etc. Be that as it may, they still strive to surpass these bad experiences. The world needs to act, and act quickly. Some of the measures which need to be taken to tackle the issue head-on include, creating and broadening awareness among citizens, sensitization of women themselves, legal redress, counselling and meting out punitive sanctions to offenders. We are sitting on a time bomb, and violence against women is one such bomb!


This piece is ariculating the predicaments attached to gender issues in the African continent.

IMG 4847

Women and Conflict in Africa

The reality of our new political dispensation is that we are democratic to a certain extent. But there are other key factors that affect political participation. These include religion, age, ethnicity, education, etc. Political engagement is very pivotal for political stability and vitality of societies. Corresponding with the quest and surge for democratization and economic liberalization efforts since independence. The magnitude of the social problem confronting the country is the compelling factor that should encourage the youth to be fully involved in the political discourse for the socio-economic development of the country. Looking at certain setbacks such as corruption, dictatorship and oppressive regimes, the perceived marginalization of certain ethnic groups, bad governance, etc. that have engulfed the country for several years, there are some who question whether we can still classify our beloved country, the Gambia, as a democratic state.
Democracy guarantees freedom of speech, of religion, of association etc. These freedoms are to encourage and propel the youth to engage themselves politically for the development of the country. But the question is: how prepared are the youth to engage themselves politically and run for political positions? Since they are the future leaders, how can they contribute to make sure there is justice in the electoral process? And how can they ensure that elections are free and fair and without violence?
Marginalization of Ethnicity in politics, abuse of fundamental human rights and corruption that have saddled our country have hindered our progress towards the Promised Land promised by former president Yahya Jammeh in his vision 2020.
Coalition 2016 saved us from the broad day robbery and slumber of a nightmare to the reality of having to decide our faith through the ballot box. However, the struggle continues to uphold the predication of the developmental agenda that writing cannot finish.
To begin with, let's ask ourselves, after five years of democracy, have the hopes and aspirations of democracy been realized or lost among the youthful population? Have we aligned ourselves to a political system that will save the next generation? Is the gap between the majority poor rural folks and the minority ruling and powerful class reducing or increasing. These rhetorical questions will always raise the eyebrows of the youth when they reflect and compare our dear country to other African countries like Rwanda that suffered a terrible civil war in the early 90s, but in their recovery process, they formulated innovative, progressive and educational programs that have either reduced or eliminated poverty to some extent.
This explains why the Gambian youth are not motivated to engage themselves in politics, a situation that has turned the Gambia to oligarchical state (a small group of people), bad governance, leading to youth unemployment, poor educational system, and youth migration. Migration experts assert that African countries, especially the Gambia, are suffering from brain drainage as their educated, experienced and talented people migrate abroad for greener pasture. African youth are marginalized politically, economically, and socially. Scholars use terms like a ‘lost generation’ or ‘a generation that is finding the transition from youth to adulthood’, to describe them, a challenge owed to the absence of educational and economic prospects. The youth should be given a chance to take an active part in the decision-making making at local, national and global levels.
The Gambian 2021 President Election is a crucial one for a lot of reasons, but the most significant is the participation of the Gambia youths. The ballot box remains the fundamental road map to choose our leaders who will effect system change and ensure economic advancement and opportunities for this country. We must fight against the attitude of staying at home on Election Day firmly believing that political parties and their leaders are more or less a carbon copy. So is either you choose to participate or better still sit and see the decisions political leaders take affect you in one way or the other.
I will therefore propose that we initiate youth voters’ engagement through digital means and social media that will educate young people to participate in the electoral process.
Let us all join the crusade, united in our voices, and make a symbolic difference in the country by voting in large numbers for leaders who will set our country on the path of progress and prosperity for all. Youth are to be given a chance to take an active part in the decision-making at local, national and global levels

Political participattion is very much key  in any political participation.Some factors to hinder this process but its pivotal to look at these dynamics in this article.

voting

Gambian Youths Must Vote

Political communication is pivotal in any democratic dispensation, the case of The Gambia not an exception! In a situation where a democratically elected government continues to turn a blind eye on one of the key principles of governance is disastrous. By remaining close-mouthed to appalling situations faced in the country is unacceptable. Again, when this situation becomes the norm, it hampers growth, stifles development and raises suspicion in politics.

In our modern era of governance, one of the most important elements expected from the leadership or political actors is trustworthiness. When this value is absent, the repercussions are not uncommon. When this happens, chaos and protests will be the order of the day. This has been the genesis of most revolutions of the 21st century most especially in the Middle East as witnessed in the famous Arab Spring. The uninformed and the somewhat ignorant continue to rape our infant democracy by taking the law into their hands. Some act on hear-say while others look at issues uncritically and without objectivity due to inadequate or lack of information.

Consequently, when all forms of political communication are inadequate or absent, the populace always sees this lacuna as an opportunity and perhaps, the only way for which their voices could be heard using civil unrests.  To make matters worse, dictatorial and authoritarian regimes seek to checkmate such cases as well as political assemblies by criminalizing their activities. This is done by making sure that even securing the permit in order to hold peaceful protests becomes difficult or impossible altogether! Such bureaucracies and protocols make those in power and authority decide the rules of the political game even in a democracy. Is this what we bargained for our nascent democracy? Is this the path for our new dispensation?

In order to forestall this problem calls for effective political communication. Political communication is a key tool in facilitating information flow between government and the governed, ruler and the ruled. At no point in time should governments leave the citizenry in a position of political dilemma. If not informed through the right channels, the populace of any nation will continue to be misinformed by unscrupulous elements in society who want to score cheap political points or better still who are bent on doing “poli-tricks”. Indeed, politics must bring in dividends not underdevelopment and division, and the earlier we tackle political issues objectively through effective political communication, the better for our democracy!

social media play a key role in modern democracy and so we need to get a proper insight on its dynamics

Media and politics

THE MEDIA AND POLITICAL COMMUNICATION

Historically, coalition governments all over the world exist for a purpose, namely, to clinch to political power. One will surely agree with me that they come into existence when either there is a common enemy to dethrone or that each of the parties lack the capacity or the majority in parliament in order to form a government on its own. The Gambia falls into the former situation while Israel, under Netanyahu, is a typical example of the latter.

Precedence has shown that African coalition governments usually fall apart after a short period of time. For instance, after the 2007 Kenya presidential election crisis which took many lives, a coalition government was formed between former President Mwai Kibaki and the opposition leader, Raila Odinga (April, 2008-April, 2013). Similarly, in order to quell political tensions in Zimbabwe, the Zanu-PF party under late Robert Mugabe had a power-sharing agreement with Morgan Tsvangirai’s opposition party, MDC, in 2008.

The question which baffles many minds is that, while other countries have run successfully with coalition or unity governments for decades, the reverse is the case in some parts of Africa. Could this be a result of unhygienic internal politics or that there are some external forces and manipulations? The 2016 unity government of The Gambia came into existence in order to fight a common enemy, former military leader, Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh. After having won elections, the coalition government is falling apart! Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart; the centre cannot hold” aptly describes the present situation in The Gambia.

Surely, some answers need to be sought when a particular political party within the coalition government begins to demand the lion’s share because they believe they form the majority. What were the terms of agreement which put the unity government into existence ab initio? Three years down the line, have these terms been followed logically and religiously? Are the rules of engagement being bent? In the right sense of the word, coalition means “coming together.” So, if the ‘coming-together’ is fraught with problems and the right channel is not explored to solve it amicably, then the ship will start to sink! The corollary is retrogression, a simple recipe for underdevelopment in the entire country! In the end, it is the citizens who will suffer. We have to ask ourselves sincerely: Is this what we voted for? Is this what we want for ourselves and the next generation? Are we intending to shoot ourselves in the leg?

Indeed, taking a critical look at The Gambian situation, we must admit, first of all, that in 2016, it was agreed that there will be a transitional government of three (3) years. It is said that the wisdom and sincerity of a person could be ascertained when they uphold the words they speak and keep the promise they make! The government of the day owes allegiance to the citizens, and everyone as well, must uphold the constitution, the supreme law of the land, which is binding on all. The Gambia, with its infant democracy must know that she is a developing country. Therefore, building the nation as a whole should be our agenda, our topmost priority and duty, rather than creating tensions which head in only one direction: doom!

It is pleasant that democracy has provided us with the breathing space to hold our leaders accountable. Nonetheless, we are equally responsible in the use of our freedoms. We are collectively responsible for our country. As one of the tenets of democracy, protests, must follow due process, the rule of law. It must not break the law, and cause mayhem and instability. We must not subscribe to illegality, taking the law into our own hands. As such, we as Africans, must not forget to uphold our time-tested social and ethical values which foster peace and unity.

We must remember that no single individual is or will ever be greater than the general good of a nation. Let’s build The Gambia for ourselves and our generations. Furthermore, constructive criticisms must be tolerated as we seek better solutions to our problems. Challenges are bound to happen in any process of change. If we tackle them wisely and judicially with the idea of the common good at the back of our minds, the transformation we seek would be awesome and great. Let us give peace and unity a chance in the Smiling Coast of Africa! We have gone a very long way to reach where we are. Taking few moments to destroy what we have achieved together is a load no one will be able to bear now or later!

protest politics in democracy is pivotal but does it yield divends is a concern for the  population.

3 years jotna

THE THREE (3) YEARS JOTNA SAGA NECCESARY OR NOT?

Many countries organize themselves under the authority of an elected person called the president. This name may differ based on the jurisdiction one finds themselves. We have moved away from the era of imposition of leaders on the people thanks to the common system of democracy. It is a system of government that advocates for the collective responsibility of all citizens of voting age to choose their political leaders. This franchise or right to vote comes with the responsibility of choosing the right leader with the right disposition to lead the country.

Furthermore, political leaders are to guide the citizens with good political decisions for the period of time in office as per the provisions of the constitution. Political participation is relevant for a populace who has the franchise to vote and be voted for, and to exercise their rights in terms of taking an active role in the decision-making process. It is interesting to note that even if we choose to marginalise ourselves from our governance system the decision of the masses will surely affect us in one way or the other.

Generally, the entire citizenry but particularly the youth, must engage in political sensitisation which is fundamental for the development of any nation. The level to which the citizens of a country take up such a role, will put governments on their toes and thereby push development agenda forward. Furthermore, citizens must grow in their level of analyzing issues of socio-political concern devoid of partisan politics. An objective analytical mindset of individuals in a country helps to promote development and makes political office holders accountable. How government is held accountable for their actions and deeds also anchors an educated population.

We must initiate a moving notion of giving leadership to those who know the way to show us the way. Enough of the trial and error method of choosing leaders! I am afraid that those with less influence may give up on this crusade. We must ask ourselves this question: what have we done or are doing for the generation that will come after us? There is no denying the fact that Rome was not built in a day. However, its foundation was laid down by its older generation.

The need to see leadership as a service to people not a self materialisation crusade.

leadership image

The Leadership

I can no- longer remain close mouthed to this sinking ship of the " New Gambia".
 We need to start by entrusting ourselves in the hands of those who see leadership as a service to the people not for self materialization crusade . We have embraced democracy but I tell you Solemnly we must not act contrary to its principles if not we will defeat the purpose of it all. We Gambians have chosen to be loyal to the political parties and leaders instead of the country. The country is bigger than any individual .Therefore, Gambians should revisit our commitment to national development than Political divisions. The capitalist world (west)will want to see us hate and fight among ourselves especially Africa in broader spectrum, But do we ask ourselves why is this menace so; Why do they want this ? It's simply a distraction to ease their continuous exploitation and never focus on national development.
 Divide abs conquer has been the oldest trick in the book and we still blindly get played. 
 Gambians we can only start believing in our intellectuals of our generation to lead the way forward or else shall remain doom. Nation have unique features which make it diverse when it comes to advancement. This country considering the size from a geographical and population point of view can develop rapidly. We need to develop public policies and strong institutions that have passed the models for maximum goals . Long term developmental machinery that will be driving force to substantially lead the next generation into the promise land of new Gambian . Then we can label our nation a safe heaven for every human being to call home .

The Gambia after effecting change through the ballot box in 2016 needed to embrace the tenents of dmocracy.

gam-flag

The Nation Address

Pan Africanism and patriotism has being a crusade by great men of the African continent over years but this is far from becoming a reality simply because of Tribalism and Ethnicity . To begin a write-up on such a topic, it is appropriate to draw a classification between the terms Ethnicity and Ethnocentrism. Ethnicity is simply the way a group of people from share a common origin live with common culture, customs and traditions. On the other hand, ethnocentrism is the unshakable belief of one’s own cultural superiority over others and that’s the genesis of tribalism . This(Tribalism )has added fuel to a burning fire by which a social group whose members have common ancestry, pays unalloyed allegiance to its tribe to the detriment of others in society. However, it is good to note that from a philosophical point of view human beings are driven by the struggle for recognition and favoritism.This has unconsciously fused into our political Terrain and assumed a pathetic and destructive character in which it has dissected into allotments that even writing can’t exhaust .The shed tears of distress by individuals are unjustifiable for the simple fact that no human being had chooses the race nor ethnicity to belong before existence.

Unfortunately for us , what is supposed to be an advantage to humanity has turned out to be a dangerous weapon of ‘mass destruction.’ Instead of ethnicities becoming a blessing, humankind has turned  that into a curse by becoming ethnocentric.How can Africa wean itself from this social canker? When will we end allowing ourselves to be sliced, diced and shattered into millions of factions and tiny economies?Again, when will we stop ditching some tribes against others in our body politic? All over the world, when politicians mobilise followers around ideas of parochial interests, other segments of the population feel that their dignity has been affronted and therefore, must be restored. So the notion put forward by regimes around the world most especially in Africa when they are in power is that it’s now their time get a glimpse of the National wealth.One will only get to feel the pain and anguish if you at doom side coin but if not, continue to milk out resources that could be used to remedy the problems of economic inequalities of our world today .

Narrowing it down to The Gambia it’s not immune from the menace of tribalism in Africa. Just before  the 2016 presidential elections, Ex-president Yahya A.J.J Jammeh triggered a very intense provoking statements which was self-destructive, to say the least! By playing the tribal and religious card for political gains. Even though, it backfired at the polls and sent him into  exile, such an action in a democratic dispensation does not predict well for progress and stability. As Africans, we need to ask ourselves critically whether tribalism has helped us in any way. Vividly looking at the 2007 post-election violence in Kenya revealed the vast extent to which tribal politics can bring a country, if not to the verge of war. Not forgetting the 1994 Rwandan Genocide saw ethnic cleansing involving the Hutu and Tutsi tribes. Therefore,   we need to rise up and wise up in transforming tribal affiliations into a national developmental goal for the common good of all citizens. This will forestall a sense of belonging and patriotism.

Defining people as citizens only on paper while they are primarily designated using their  tribe or ethnic group especially in a very opprobrious manner is dehumanizing and improper. For instance, if on paper one is a citizen, a Gambian for that matter, but their merits or demerits are predetermined by whether they are Mandinka or Fula or Jola or Manjago or belonging to any  other tribe is the height of insensitivity.

Our focus now must be building political parties that compete based on ideas and issues rather than embracing political activity based on tribal identities. True democracy in the twenty-first  century calls for economic advancement, sustainable growth, and better standards of living. To    this end, all our hopes and aspirations for good governance and democratic transitions, must be every citizen’s motivation. Ethnocentrism and tribalism only serve to produce mediocrities and  under-development. They have not helped Africa in any way! The earlier we harness the good   potentials embedded in our different ethnicities through mutual respect and upholding the tenets of the rule of law, the better for our common progress and development in nation building.

Tribalism has hindered our social economic advancement as a nation therefore it must be eradicated to safe the next generation.

tribalism and ethnicity img

TRIBALISM AND ETHNICITY

Misconceptions. Misrepresentations. Misconstruction. The war of words and ideas in Gambian politics has resurrected in our polity again! Gone are the days when the PPP government of the late Sir Dawda Jawara, the first post-independence president, will misinterpret the idea of socialism to the masses in order to garner support, score political points, as well as, win sympathy and get more people to be affiliated with them. This worked for them, since most of the populace, at that time, unfortunately, were not politically enlightened enough. Again, the literacy rate was neither impressive!

The fixation on religion coupled with the idea of secularism, is a complex phenomenon for which I can no longer remain close-mouthed. In all my studies the word secularism is a political philosophy which aims at the separation of religion and state in a governmental rule. However, this does not put God out of society but arriving at conclusions free from religious influences. The inclusiveness of the word secularism has been a hot cake on various tables of discussions. This has raised eyebrows on its inclusion or omission in the drafting of our Constitution. A guiding principle in the 1997 Constitution of The Gambia, section 100 (2)(b), prohibits the National Assembly, amongst other things, from enacting any law establishing any religion as a state religion in The Gambia. One pivotal factor in any democracy is freedom of expression. Hence, ordinary citizens regardless of gender, race, religion, etc, have a say in the political   process and the overall governance of the State.

Unfortunately, some fundamentalists of our generation misconstrue the concept of secularism and as a result, take it to be a struggle between religions. However, that should not be the case in the first place. Rather, it should be between the government (state) and the governed (people). Indeed, it is evident, that, religion has been used to camouflage series of bad governance particularly in and around Africa. We have the ex-president Dr Yahya A.J.J Jammeh of The Gambia using state resources to sponsor religious activities at the expense of other faith systems. Affiliation and sentiments built around religion can hinder development. For this reason, philosophers, during the period of Enlightenment, wanted to change this narrative. If  John Locke and Martin Luther who showed affection for religion, advocated for the separation of church and state, then the concept of secularism is not against religious values, morals and ethics.

The agenda for which secularism seeks to fulfil is state neutrality, and this is precisely to avoid favouring or disfavouring not just the major religions but all faith systems including the African traditional religion. In a pluralistic and secular society, one cannot be sympathetic to one particular faith and be unsympathetic to another without puncturing the bonds of unity, peace and harmony. Therefore, governments must uphold the rule of law, social ethics and cultural values. We must concur on the principle of secularism, at least, objectively, without at the same time subjectively stretching it to the extreme whereby God is denied and relegated to the background. That in itself, constitutes a denial of truth, and is detrimental to the existence and survival of the human person. Truth can impose itself on the human mind by force of its own veracity, and that is why religion also has its role to play in society.

History should always be our teacher so as to serve the benefit of hindsight. Our West African neighbours such as Senegal, Nigeria and Ghana are secular states and this finds very strong support in their constitutions, and indeed, it is yielding dividends. Let me conclude by reiterating that we live in a diverse and complex world. Inclusiveness, rather than exclusiveness is the way forward. Each and every one, regardless of religious beliefs is needed and must be brought on board to contribute their quota for national development.

There was a debate to great extent to include the word Secularism in the draft constitution .This was as a result of the misunderstanding of the term.To get a great insight read through the articulation.

reading book

UNDERSTANDING SECULARISM

We have seen how democracy has been able to provide the breathing space for the existence, growth and survival of multiparty systems, a level playing field for political and public office aspirations. This same system promotes a moving notion which is "a government of the people and for the people and by the people." In this sense, democracy ensures the achievement of the collective aspirations as well as the full participation of the citizenry in all aspects of the things which concern them.

Political opponents also have a place to participate in the governance of the people. In the presence of political opposition, any authentic and well-meaning government of the day treads with calculated caution and is always careful not to make avoidable mistakes. On the other hand, treading cautiously by a sitting government, keeps the opposition responsible. Therefore, opposition parties must focus on how best national development could be attained for the common good of the people.

Gone are the days when opposition parties existed merely as ‘opposition’ in the right sense of the word. The traditional purpose of serving as watchdogs must never be relegated to the background but must remain in the forefront of engaging in constructive criticisms. Notwithstanding the desire to exist in order to clinch on to political power, all political parties must align themselves with a political ideology which is deemed fit. In the absence of this, there will be no guiding principles to make their manifestos a workable document and a reality worth its salt.

With this in place, and serving as a driving force and working machinery, the result will be the generation of national development. One will agree even if not absolutely, that there are better dividends which come to people as a result of democracy. Opposition parties must re-surface after elections not just to campaign in pursuit of partisan politics but to complement government efforts at nation building.

It is worth admitting that sometimes, resources are very much limited at the disposal of opposition parties in comparison with the ruling party. For this reason, campaign methods will neither be the same nor proportional. Directly or indirectly, the government of the day will have the advantage of the continuous use of state resources ranging from state-owned media (television, radio, information services), to state institutions directly under the Executive arm of government. In addition, the power of incumbency coupled with good governance gains the support of the people.

Logically, it is possible for opposition parties to use their resources, however limited, to foster development if they truly engage in responsible and credible opposition. This will go a long way to speak volumes to the electorates. In doing so, we shall see the essence and importance of opposition. I end here with the popular saying: “To whom much is given, much is expected.” Anybody or group interested in politics must be ready to contribute effectively to society, the people from whom power originates. If society expects much from politicians, one should never forget that society is actually demanding what it has already given out to them, namely, the power to govern.

oppositions in politics nd o be productive.

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