Today, as always, at this time of the year, Gambians from every tribe and tongue join their compatriots scattered worldwide to mark the anniversary of the Gambia’s independence from colonial Britain in 1965.

Moreover, as it is usual for many Gambians, it is a day of pomp and celebration from official quarters, characterised by restful holidaying, colourful pageantry by police paramilitary forces, and display of colorful march by school children. 

However, is this what the celebration of independence is all about? The flag, the anthem, the coat of arms alone does not make a nation.

A nation is founded upon the nurturing of the spirit of solidarity among its diverse inhabitants, of everyday pursuits of ideals and goals that are aimed at preserving it, sustaining it and advancing its status and relevance in the hearts of its citizens.

While Gambians take stock of the steady progressive steps made by this country on its journey to nationhood, we must not forget to reflect on the country’s current state. 

Despite the Gambia’s long years of independence, the state of affairs is still far from remarkable. However, unfortunately, the situation seems so bad that the development indices have become the reference point for measuring national growth shortly after independence.

When experts use socio-economic indicators to analyse the Gambia’s independence, some of them are quick to refer to about four decades ago, when the unemployment rate was a minimal single digit.

When the exchange rate pegged the dalasis to the dollar was strong, when social infrastructure and services were available and adequately managed. The quality of life was high and dignified. They claim that was independence.

Conversely, it seems that today, Gambians are being hamstrung by self-inflicted problems. The deeds of many Gambian elite or public office holders run at cross-purpose with their preachment of nationalism.

While the government calls upon Gambians to think of the Gambia first, the lives of public officers reflect maniacal greed, manifest selfishness, and insensitivity.

Whereas the change mantra of this administration is hinged on its acclaimed fight against corruption, its leadership structure seems to have been built on corruption. 

In an escalating sequence of entropic political leadership, the ruling elite has turned power, incumbency, violence, and money into instruments of statecraft, all to the forfeiture of character and moral purity. This is somewhat saddening!

On their part, the power elite and even the masses are oiling the wheel of decadence by maintaining a curious conspiracy of silence. 

Like unscrupulous public officers, they seem to have bound themselves with the same fetters of corruption by pursuing selfish and clannish interests and electing to remain apathetic in the face of institutional decay and inept leadership.

Indeed, no nation can be built with this particular kind of complacency and complicity in the world’s most populous black country. All this raises the question: What are we not doing right?

Primarily, it is the absence of the right attitude – by all the stakeholders.

Gambians seek change yet do not want to change the attitude that has made the Gambia the way it is today.

The elusive change that Gambians have so much sought after must include a change of attitude in our entire socio-economic and political life.

We (Gambians) need to re-evaluate our attitude to the common good, community, and public interest. There is indeed no doubt that we need cognitive restructuring too!

I believe that the current crop of leaders and aspiring public officers must wean themselves off the hangover of entitlement syndrome, lawlessness, and impunity bequeathed to them by the prolonged militarisation of the country. 

They must cultivate the virtues of commitment and social justice.

They also need to learn and imbibe a culture of community service through values that should drive leadership and public service.

We should not be carried away today by the meretricious ubiquity of our beautiful flags.

Our Independence Day should be another moment for Gambians to reflect on the prospect of genuine independence from the hands of selfish, insensitive, and callous politicians and dealers who masquerade as leaders. 

It is an opportunity to question again and again the meaning of governance and, thereby, confront the perennial malady that has dogged development in every aspect of our national life.

Fifty-seven years on, Gambians should raise questions about what has happened to the Gambian Dream. 

Yes, whatever happened to the Gambians Dream and exceptionalism that trailed us till 1994 when the soldiers struck down the democracy that nurtured it?

Why is it that despite the fabled vast human and natural resources in this country, we can no longer catch up with those who were non-starters when the Gambia was in the league of the continent’s champions of human rights and democracy?

Suppose the current administration has been a letdown in the reckoning of the masses, or the people feel short-changed by a legacy of lies. 

In that case, this Independence Day should be a moment to re-think the prospect of a Gambian renaissance. Thus, there should be a change from mere lamentation and rhetoric to action.

Genuine independence embodies actionable steps aimed towards unity. It entails a recognition of the deep diversity that makes up the Gambia.

It is the conscious effort by Gambians to challenge myopic leadership and narrow-mindedness that tend to enslave them.

It is also the endeavour by groups to extricate themselves from forced unanimity of any kind. 

However, from this diversity, a commonness of values that once made the Gambia a tremendous and enviable country could be harnessed even today for a greater Gambia.

Our sense of character, humanity, respect for human dignity, respect for ourselves, justice, work ethics and efficiency in public service, the rule of law, etc., are the values that we must re-cultivate if we want this country to be truly independent.

However, all this is anchored on proper education and enlightenment driven by culture. As Gambians approach April the legislative election, Independence Day should afford us another opportunity for sincere soul-searching about the kind of nation we want to build. 

As we started years ago, it bears repeating that an Independence Day preceding an election year is a “time for a systemic revolution that should upturn the tables of our national life. 

The Gambia cannot afford to plummet further by remaining the crawling smiling Coast of Africa and the beggarly, weeping boy in the comity of nations. The Gambia must demonstrate its coveted state of independence by exemplary leadership on the continent.

It must demonstrate an ability to find home-grown solutions to its problems, provide basic human necessities for its teeming population, eschew corruption and respect the rule of law and place a high premium on its human capital.” This is the meaning of being truly independent.

The conclusion of the whole anniversary message to the people today is a word of encouragement from an iconic figure of freedom fighting: Martin Luther King Jr., who once noted, ‘Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed.

By Alagi Yorro Jallow