Although the mindset problems are far beyond Africans, the needed re-education in Africa is both huge and easy, except our journalists must step up their game. Human evolution from cultural sayings to religious sayings can be dangerously misinterpreted, but I will have to limit it to wealth and leadership to avoid a book-like article.
Using the Gambia as an example, I sometimes hear both religious and political leaders quoting and misinterpreting verses that our journalists failed to challenge. Of course, the re-education is not just against the political leaders, but the religious leaders and even the average person, including indoctrinated children. The role God plays on wealth and leadership must be interpreted beyond ‘what’, but also with ‘why’ and conscience. Above all, our responsibilities as humans on wealth and leadership should never be ignored.
Real Examples: I have repeatedly heard both President Jammeh and Barrow echoing the statement in the Quhr-aahn that ‘leadership is chosen for the people [as a test to both the leaders and led]’. Of course, both the political and religious leaders were not explaining the important details or interpretation. Since the Quhr-aahn is a bulky book that admits certain verses need further explanations to even Arab Muhammad (pbuh), as per ch.75:19, then engaging the Lord of conscience is eternally vital for proper explanation. The ordinary Gambians sadly misunderstood that verse and many other critical verses, thus often worshipping leaders and refusing to challenge them where need be. The biggest ‘culprits’ become journalists who failed to challenge misleading statements. Well, Jarga, maybe all or many of the journalists do not know better, or what do you suggest? The journalists should try both directly engaging with the Lord of conscience, but also humbly engaging my type to contrast towards best interpretation. The reason I use my type is not to brag, but because I am one person who repeatedly challenges the traditional Imams on many issues and none of them dare debate me, beyond the Gambia. I challenge any Imam to show I have more than 10% wrong interpretation in this article or anywhere I quote religious books.
Simple Challenges Journalists Refuse to Use: From formal decent challenging to satire against defiant leaders, small Gambia is easier to re-educate, but even bigger Nigeria can be conquered within weeks, provided teamwork is used sincerely. It is not very hard to say: Did God choose Pharaoh, Trump, or xyz, for the people to accept the evil choices, all choices, to resist with their limited powers, or wait for Moses as the newly chosen leader for further testing? The irony is that sometimes people respect bad leaders more than good leaders, which often leads to a cycle of testing or harder tests until we get it right. The religious folks can debate why God chose Pharaoh for some, David (Dawda) for others, Moses as replacement, etc. The atheists or secular and religious blended folks cannot claim President Faye over Sonko and Macky with his favorite was void of God’s influence. The test was not just about individuals, but perhaps what Senegal deserves as a new test, through ‘who’ may then influence God to choose Faye over Sonko for how long. To those unfamiliar with the situation, Prime Minister Sonko was actually the leader of Faye, then imprisonment of Sonko paved the way for Faye. I am hearing conflict between the two and what will that mean to Senegal and the World? A similar situation is how President Barrow came to power, after the jailing of Ousainou Darboe, who is now his main opposition. So I am not doubting God’s involvement in choosing leaders, but ‘why’,, and the test of the leader(s) and the led seem more important because it may ‘force’ God to re-choose?
Universal God with Universal Tests: You cannot tell me God is 100% happy with every president He helped towards the presidency or how the average citizens react to the choices of their leader. The leaders are like a thumbnail picture of an ever-changing country. Leaders are humans who may be guilty of ignorance and sometimes terrible human beings who may lie or be cruel. When you are within the inner circle, cabinet or same party as example, how will you respond to an ignorant choice of a president or xyz versus lying and cruel choices? Ask similarly for the opposition leaders and private citizens? That is good classification, but levels can also change how you should react. People like me think lying is too dangerous for an ordinary person, let alone a leader. So I almost have zero tolerance for lying, but I believe great leaders can be guilty of ignorant words or even ignorant actions, especially if the inner team refuses the best parts of ch.103. Those ignorant words can be a hard test for the opposition, but how can a honest journalist react to such versus private citizens? To every leader, especially Muslim leaders, you should deeply read ch.38:26 and others. It reveals leadership is not a blank check/cheque even with prophethood, the importance of justice, the dangers of desires, and even potential punishment of even leaders after evident ‘blessing’.
You cannot tell me ‘free speech’ is good for westerners+ but bad for Africans and Arabs+. Although speech will be re-judged by God, ch.103 and many other verses clearly show ‘free-speech’ is not just a right, but sometimes a responsibility. When the average person in a country accepts a bad leader without enough resistance, can we blame God or expect what or which type of new leader? The number one re-education humans need is balance, balance, balance. How do we balance respecting the good to great choices of a leader versus resisting by how much to their evil choices, and tolerating which ones with at least words of rectification?
Leadership tends to affect the health and wealth of citizens, except God still has doors and windows, which does not exempt you from your responsibilities of ch.103 or as right to be indifferent. For example, yesterday, I went to the hospital for a professional urine test and physiotherapy. Luckily, my urine test came out perfectly, but I couldn’t even see the ‘Examiner’ for immediate physiotherapy, but was appointed for Monday, then only God knows when the actual therapy may start. A typical Gambian would have just called the minister, because he happens to be my distant friend and I have his number. He may or may not pick up or help, but that’s helping myself and is indifferent to the poor system? Any healthy journalist can visit the labs and physiotherapy to see too many people at the labs and too long an appointment for physiotherapy. Jarga! A few years ago, it was much worse, or was it your article we helped you on that contributed to the improvement? Well, I do not know precisely, but I will love it if this article helps a lot more and I remember writing against the health system when my late blood brother was the minister of health during Jammeh’s time and when my friend is the current minister. A typical Gambian will not criticise his blood brother or friend, or are you an alien Jarga? No! I am only using the word ‘criticise’, but my articles tend to lean on feasible suggestions and in the spirit of ch.103.
I am not criticising to hurt feelings, but to awake brain cells and sometimes even offer very feasible suggestions. Hello God, a ‘Pharaoh’ called Barrow believes in infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure, but only with roads and not enough roads, ignoring the ‘infrastructure’ or physical health of his citizens? Jarga! Barrow is your big brother and friend, our culture says so and so with one eye, and there is a hadith that says so and so, which implicitly means you ignore conscience, ignore ch.103, and ignore the poor Gambians and focus on self… Hmn, Don’t you know God sent me to the Gambia and the world, tested me ‘hard’ and inspired me for a purpose? How many tens or hundreds of millions of dollars did President Barrow invest in road infrastructure versus improving human infrastructure? I suspect the minister of roads+ has a bigger mouth for votes more than the minister of health, who may or may not suggest rightly.
A great minister of health should be able to push for Preventive Health Centres in every district, by the private sector or spearheaded by the government. Such will not just reduce the need for physiotherapy by what percentages, but may also improve many sectors of production if the Lord accepts the efforts. The pessimists may argue only 15 to 25% of Gambians may make use of them, but that is still a big number with spin-off effects and more acceptance. Whereas building can be costly in the Gambia until hemp is legalised, not training enough physiotherapists is a big shame from the Minister of Health to the President. You cannot keep on with the pathetic ‘at least’ mindsets. Do not tell me ‘at least’ Kanifing now has a physiotherapy center or we trained under 100 more people per year or decade. A great journalist or angel should count the number of physiotherapists in Kanifing, Banjul, and if anywhere else.
A country of about three million people cannot have about two physiotherapy centers and under 100 or 200 trained folks. A great minister or journalist must convince the sleeping president how many thousands of physiotherapists we should train; what percentage may escape for money, but still better than dying through wrong immigration routes or seas; what percentage can we further train as chiropractors, doubling to help? Can you ask help or import Chiropractor ‘professors’ for a few years and use what percentage of distant training (online) towards thousands of trained folks. Remind UK, U.S, or xyz that some of the students may end up working for them. We are not training all for government employment, but private and self-help, plus family help. Any time I visit the hospital, I tend to feel sorry for others and forget my personal problems or the ones I rarely visit. The cost of a five kilometre tarred road is enough to at least train over one thousand sitting Gambians and buy or make reasonable physiotherapy equipment.
So, Mr. President and Minister, I think it is a question of priorities. Where is the evidence that the minister or xyz top official ever made the request with what level of vigor, privately and/or publicly? How happy is God with the minister of health in the Gambia versus Cuba, u.s, Rwanda, and every country is both a question of standards and reasonable contrasting, including efforts and even willingness to resign with public shaming of a defiant president or xyz. I will support laws that demand no one will nominate a minister unless you have written articles about the ministry you are to be nominated for. Yes, you cannot force media houses to publish your writings, but we all have social media accounts… You must believe in educating the masses and government before you ascend to power, or you may become a very dull ‘leader’ under a questionable leader. The public deserves to know a bit about the person, not just so-called congressional or parliamentary hearings.
Did the minister ever write about self-help on health, dangerously murmured, or just buy over-priced machines as curative health? Another less important law is demanding that ministers should submit a proposal to parliament or xyz record Office before full consultation with the executive/President. The importance of such a law is to see if the minister of health or permanent secretary demanded enough training as an example and the executive forced them towards what they deem may attract voters. We know the executive powers of ministers and how many ministers will bow to Trump and not just Barrow, Tinubu, etc, so we can lawfully protect Permanent Secretaries and demand they write a ‘mock’ proposal of budget demands. I call it ‘mock’ , because the president deserves the right to present what s/he considers the best budget or direction per ministry. However, by having that ‘mock’ budget (proposals) from two or xyz permanent secretaries, it gives us arguing points against questionable executive, it further give us opportunity to be grilling permanent secretaries in parliament and in public, plus which one we can promote as minister or xyz with change of government… Imagine every ministry having such beyond the Gambia or you can foolishly say I am helping or fighting against my friend, the health minister and every minister in all countries?
By doors and windows, I mean even if God shows me the exercises I need before Monday and heals me, that may be because He appreciates me somehow and wants to save me ‘pain’, travelling cost, and the nightmares of that environment. I entered to an empty desk, fans were greeting me against the arthritis that brought me there. I wish we spent more on cameras and glass houses more than fans and air conditioners, then the minister or president can tour surprisingly and improve where need be. I had to look for someone to book me and that was how I saw the overcrowded patients. She told me the boss is not here, the examiner can see you on Monday, which does not guarantee when your physiotherapy sessions starts by when? If the minister truly believes in ‘self help’, then he must have enough primary and secondary Examiners and guarantee every referral must be seen within 24 hours.
Like an arrogant president can claim ‘I am the only one who can rule the Gambia or xyz’, an arrogant examiner or xyz can claim none of our staff can be trained or smart enough to do ‘secondary’ examination and recommendation while I am away? Change the system. Mr. Camara or xyz worked enough as a physiotherapist, so tell them to dedicate at least fifteen minutes to every new patient, advise them , and inform them the chief examiner will re-examine you come which date? I and how many people went there on Thursday, if my proposed system helps even half the patients, then their existing system may be worsening patients’ conditions through disrespect of time and the contents of time (ch.103), including efforts or enough efforts.
Mr. Camara or xyz can certainly do at least 75% of the ‘perfect work’ of the so-called chief examiner, so after examination, s/he can perform and/or recommend one to five movements that may help. Let’s say the problem was level 3, the recommended exercises from Thursday to Monday will likely help more than harm, and may reduce it to level 1 or perfect healing. In contrast, no movement or exercise can worsen it from level 3 to level 8 within days, and add work and pain to multiple parties. The super-examiner will not only get the chance to re-examine patients, but also gauge which of the regular or senior physiotherapists should be promoted as examiners when need be.
On wealth, do you honestly believe God predestined everything before you were born or as choices are made, every day, every year, or every ten years? I believe God acts, but reacts to our choices, even on financial successes, despite my ‘poverty’, which may mean riches to others. From a secular point, we should train children that our part matters, not just God. Your first responsibility is respecting education and up to learning, then working enough, compared to the standards before your counterparts in your country and around the world. Can God override? Perhaps yes! But hopefully in good ways. Meaning, I may not be a millionaire or billionaire yet, but God can give me better health, better character, or happiness more than the average or top millionaires and billionaires. I certainly believe that wealth is a major blessing that facilitates everything man creates or sells as a product or service. Anything major cannot be trivialised, but if you live enough on earth and learn at my speed or even half of mine, you may understand the limitations of wealth even on earth. So may I be rich, but never over worry over riches, especially if you have enough, not hungry, not homeless, etc.
So before you quote me any verse or hadiths (sayings), humans were instructed: ‘Learn’!, perhaps that learning can lead to wealth and bigger than wealth. Recently, I learned that ‘Boko Haram’ means ‘books are Haram’ to a very sick group. Further in that ch.96, it reads, ‘who teaches man what he never knew [to benefit and/or re-teach]. ‘ So how are Nigerians and other journalists re-educating against those who mislead in ignorance and/or arrogance? I do not want to quote countless verses now, but journalists should consider learning and quoting certain verses to help the masses that God of the continents is gauging not just how we utilise products of conventional learning, but how we seek it and resist those who forbid it or any blessing.
Now let me quote what some may still misinterpret : [Quran Chapter 34]
35. And they say, “We have more wealth and more children, and we will not be punished.”
36. Say, “My Lord spreads out His bounty to whomever He wills, or restricts it; but most people do not know.”
37. It is neither your wealth nor your children that bring you closer to us, but it is he who believes and does good deeds. These will have a double reward for what they did; and they will reside in the Chambers, in peace and security.
Verse 35 shows verse 36 is a response to a group. So yes verse 36 is real, but verse 37 shows we should strive for ‘double or more reward’ as best. Humans’ love for wealth is so huge that God may test us with ups and downs on wealth, except a few. Some people are born wealthy and feel free to argue they worked for it in a previous life, but will they be tested on health and character, or the very wealth they inherited or discover later. Do your part with wishing for God’s positive response, but care little about what God does if Patience of ch.103 comes with many branches, including but not limited to wealth. Well ‘each other’ means that patience is actually between creatures, primarily. So you can search and read my article on it: ‘Time: The thesis… ‘ by Jarga kebba Gigo.
We know some liars and cruel ones do get rich, and we know some poor people are varyingly guilty. We know some rapists and robbers may be healthier than me and you, but are they more blessed until when? So you can endlessly debate how God decides by the groups or individuals, but I prefer God guides me towards what will help me and help others, especially the victims of the leaders and not worshipping those leaders. President Barrow and every president is privileged with Gym+, but how many of them refuse to help every district to have Preventive health centres before one good road per district? The minister can help me come on Monday, not just as a friend, but as a special citizen who gives him and others more than many paid consultants.
A guilty journalist or xyz may wonder if it is for self or why I am trying to help multiple countries? Above all, God can help me with perfect health, wealth, and every good. Self-help is real, but starts with education and may require buying some equipment. So the government should help both with education and some equipment, before reminding citizens of some self-help. May God bless Showlove Trinity: let’s learn, let’s work, let’s have fun.
By Jarga Kebba Gigo
An Activist and Transformer
Author of Juts Quhr-aahn.
