The liberty and freedom that The Gambia has enjoyed for the past six decades resulted from a long and consistent struggle in many parts of the country in different forms. 

In the run-up to the Gambian independence, it was not easy for the country to attain self-rule; neither was it easy to unify other regions, tribes, people of other languages, and cultures into the idea of one nation. 

Many eminent Gambians played significant roles in raising the national consciousness. Nevertheless, the notion of a struggle to fight for our freedom finally resulted in the country’s independence. 

In that regard, one cannot overstate the invaluable role of activists, politicians, and freedom fighters in all the liberties we enjoy. 

We are independent and free today only because of the efforts and sacrifices made by our country’s freedom fighters and activists, and politicians.

Over the decades, the meaning of what freedom for the Gambia looks like has oscillated. 

While, at one point, we needed economic and political emancipation from the constraints of Imperial power, now the Gambia is desperate for political and economic freedom from the deleterious outcomes that have sprung from that liberty. 

The Gambia is presently going through a calamity of sorts, a bizarre time of endemic corruption, a warped identity crisis, a condition wherein chaos, despair, defeatism, fear, confusion, catastrophe, cynicism, and the amnesia and assumptions from which they often prosper.

In a time that calls for present-day activism/politicians, the rebirth of activism and a new breed of politicians who are courageous enough to stand up and speak on the need to sanitise the nation is required. 

Into that locus saunters a man who, at the age of 16, from his student activism days at the university in the United States of America, is not new to activism, politics, or governance in the Gambia. 

However, in the past three decades, a  son of Serekunda Sering Dara  Halifa  Abubacarr Sallah has emerged as one of the most profound national activists/politicians and a statesman, calling for a positive change in the Gambian mindset. 

The American historian and political scientists  Francis Fukuyama, who had coined “the end of history” in an essay the year before, was much in demand. 

Halifa Sallah would likely have been inspired by the fervor, which would explain this passage retiring tonight in representative politics.

Honourable Halifa Abbabacarr Sallah, National Assembly member for Serekunda, served his tenure in the National Assembly. He made every single day count. He is a gentleman and a statesman. 

A true champion for the Gambia, for the poor and the vulnerable, for justice, Halifa is a man of substance, character, and integrity. He is a big-hearted workhorse who dedicated his life to standing up for the downtrodden, holding the powerful accountable, and making the government work more effectively for the Gambian people.

Halifa Sallah is a brilliant policy wonk, a big-hearted workhorse with a detail-oriented approach, a son of Serekunda with a self-deprecating sense of humor, unfailing civility, and fierce intellect. 

They fondly joked about his often disheveled African attire appearance. 

They spoke admiringly of his steadfast commitment to public service and the traditions of the National Assembly over his tenure in office. 

Halifa Sallah epitomised what a parliamentarian should be. Member for SereKunda is a person of complete character and integrity, a person who knew the issues, whatever they were, a person who served decades of public service. 

Halifa Sallah could take his word for anything and often turned to public service for his take on a range of complicated issues in recognition of his intellect and preparation. Halifa’s approach to oversight is tenacious.

Moreover, his approach to legislating is to thoroughly study the issues, listen to what others have to say, and work with those with different viewpoints. 

He excelled at disagreeing without being disagreeable. That helped him reach a principled compromise, achieve common goals, and get things done for the Gambian people.

Tonight, as Halifa  Sallah retires to bed, the office weight for the Serekunda constituency has been lifted off his shoulders after he retired from representative politics; a nation applauds in gratitude for his service. 

His legacy will be debated for many years to come but what will not be contested is his unimpeachable integrity. Honourable  Halifa Sallah dispensed his duties with conviction and character, always guided by what is right, not convenient, or politically correct. 

He forced us to look at our shortcomings and told us we could do better as a country. He was the conscience of our fledgling democracy. 

Through his actions and words, he showed us that public service is not about big offices, high-end suits, and big ‘Ganila grand boubous,’ big cars but about working for our common good, about each of us doing their small part to push this country to where it should be. 

Halifa  Sallah has restored the public’s faith in the legislature’s independence amid relentless attempts by the executive arm to undermine its independence. 

He spoke unvarnished truth to power. When the executive ignored its responsibilities and obligations, he spoke out forcefully. He used his perch as the people’s representative to speak for the voiceless. 

His colleagues would gather around him, both the majority and the minority, and say, what do you think of this issue? What did you study? 

Moreover, he would get it chapter and verse. It was always accurate. Halifa Sallah is what I consider a dean of the parliamentarians. 

However, many have been called “model politicians,” but few earned the title as Honorable Halifa Sallah did. Furthermore, they called Halifa “Mr. “Integrity and Mr. Constitution.” He was no-frills, hyper-focused on policy and results, and fearless when taking on entrenched powers. 

Halifa, well, may have been disheveled in his appearance, but there was nothing, nothing disheveled about his mind and principles. 

His intellect is fierce, a sharpened blade designed to cut to the core of an issue or, sometimes, cut through the un-impressive answers of a witness in front of his committee. 

He is an example that inspired one to aspire to a dutiful, diligent, and detail-oriented approach, which led him to build expertise and respect across a wide range of issues. 

Still, the pinnacle of his career is his time in the National Assembly. He is earnest. He is solid, forthright, and devoted to the defense of our nation in ways that he thought best. 

However, he never let short-term political facts cloud his long-term judgment in that crucial area. Halifa had no interest in the “trappings” of political celebrity never chased front-page headlines or the cameras on National Assembly debates. 

He just wanted to get things done. Folks and electorates around Serekunda will tell him how much they respected Halifa Sallah as their representative. They knew that even if they disagreed with him, he was thoughtful, he was considering. 

They respected his decision-making. They trusted what he was doing and thought it was best for Serekunda and the country. Those same principles inspired such strong loyalty in his party that some party members worked for him for decades. 

However, he always parted in the right part of history. He took extraordinary courage, and history has shown that he was right. 

He will leave a powerful example of what we can achieve in life and politics when choosing integrity over ideology and the common good over confrontation.

Honourable Halifa Sallah delivered an unprecedented verdict during the 2016 political impasse with courage, even with the knowledge that you were potentially putting your life and that of your family in danger. 

It was all about doing what was right even when all you could have done was like others and retiring to the serenity. It was not about being comfortable. 

Instead, he saw his vocation as doing God’s work and living up to the precepts of his conscience and faith. So tonight, he can retire to bed with a clear conscience, knowing that he did what is required of him to run the race and keep the faith.

Ever since, Halifa Sallah has been fraught in a battle to gain his freedom and exercise his liberty to continue standing up, speaking out, and striving for his nation. 

To an extensively growing Gambian community, watching the travails of Halifa Sallah over the last several years, he is considered the kind of unpretentious politician the Gambia needs because he is playing a pivotal role in speaking out about the canker eating up the soul of a promising nation. 

The spirit and sense of  patriotism and nationalism that Halifa Sallah represents broadens perspectives with specific possibilities, ones that invite or demand that people act for what they

believe in.

Honourable Halifa Sallah exudes in his struggle to protect the freedom of the nation he loves. Like the politician who stood for the Gambia in her time of need, Halifa Sallah understands that the best way to attain freedom is by writing history with ‘a presence,’ ‘a vision,’ and ‘a collective voice.’ 

If the original freedom fighters had not contributed to the freedom struggle, there would not be a Gambia democratic republic today. 

This warrior appreciates that and knows that the nonviolent persistence he is so doggedly pursuing is much more potent than regimes, state security, and even armies. 

Furthermore, it will eventually become a remembered history of victory and transformation that will change the Gambia and the world.

Honourable Halifa Sallah believed in good governance and policies that connect hard work to a more incredible opportunity. He dedicated his life’s work to making government accountable and an instrument of opportunity and justice. 

I will always admire Halifa Sallah as a person and a politician. I am proud to call him my friend and so profoundly saddened by his retirement from representative politics. He leaves a remarkable honour, integrity, service, and achievement legacy.

By Alagi Yorro Jallow