With a motto ‘No to Tribalism’ the NGO founded and registered in January 2024, is anchored on raising public awareness on the fundamental ideals unity and bolstering bonds among Gambians irrespective of tribe or religion, considering that unity and oneness is key to attaining greater national development.
It comes at a time when the country is at the cross-roads and in the healing process after rights violation committed in the past twenty-two years brutal dictatorship of former president, Yahya Jammeh.
In an interview with The Point, Muhammad Adama Jallow, deputy director of The Gambia First, disclosed that the NGO is anchored on the ideals of promoting oneness and togetherness, saying The Gambia First as the name implies is putting the country first before self.
Jallow reminded that the NGO is advocating for peace and bringing all Gambians under one family and one nation with mutual respect.
This, he added, it would greatly help in ensuring equity and respect for all citizens of The Gambia.
“Our objectives include to ensure that no single tribe is undermined or marginalised in the country; to collectively help nurture the already existing cordial relationship among all tribes in The Gambia considering the intermarriages Gambians share and to ensure that all Gambians embrace and see The Gambia as a nation that should come first before anything.”
He added that the NGO comprises elders and people with vast knowledge on the significance of all tribes being one with shared values and national interest.
“The platform seeks to create civic awareness on the effects of tribalism in a country with the aim of fighting the syndrome in people’s hearts and minds through positive dialogues. The initiative is conscious of the need to discuss not only the negative impacts of tribalism, its hindrance to a country’s development, but also to deeply highlight the importance of coexistence among citizens.”
The platform, he added, is also aware of the need to mobilise resources both material and financial to support core programs and activities to better improve public awareness, through radio stations, TV stations, newspapers and other media outlets.
He acknowledged that without good nationalism virtues, the country cannot go any further, further expressing their resolve to engage various communities through various platforms to discuss the beauty, significance and strength of coexistence.
“We need to know who we are as all of us cannot be coming from one tribe. Obviously, we have different tribes in any nation but that does not differentiate us as a nation. At the end of the day, we should consider our nation’s priority first but not as an individual.”
He also spoke about their plans to embark on nationwide sensitisations and engaging community leaders and even students to inculcate the virtues of nationalism among young people.
Muhammed Saho, head of Council of Elders for The Gambia First, said the NGO is ready to revive and bring back the county’s lost traditional values of oneness and putting the interest of the country first.
He revealed that tribalism is a new phenomenon in The Gambia and The Gambia before those days is anchored on the ideals of one tribe and one nation.
“We call on Gambians to inculcate the virtues of nationalism and protect our nationalism values. We need to do it for the sake of our children, who are the leaders of tomorrow. There is no tribe in the country that does not inter-marry.”
Abdoulie Fatty, head of the media, described the move as a laudable one in view of the fact that unity is the key to success.
He made reference to the country in the good olden days where unity and teaching young ones about discipline is a moral obligation on all.
He said these moral values are fast fading-away as people nowadays cling to changing lifestyle and modernisation.
