A Gambian–US based scholar, Professor Abdoulie Saine, has described the former President Yahya Jammeh as a person with “dog eat dog” mindset.
Professor Saine who has submitted a 59 page report to the Truth Commission on the mindset of dictator, is a university professor in the United States of America for more than three decades. He has authored over 5 books including numerous newspaper articles, TV and radio interviews across the world.
“Yahya Jammeh is a by-product of African Jola, Islam and Christian together with a Ndongo mentality that influence his decision,” Professor Abdoulie Saine told the Truth Commission.
“It is my view that Jammeh has a mindset of dog eat dog…the Makaveli approach of getting it all,” he added.
The US based scholar has taken the commission on the antecedents of the July 1994 coup. He spoke about the individual motivation, justification and background of the coupist. The monetary and socio economy of the country at the time.
“Coup de’ tats happen not what they say but what they do. They would always look for justification but there are deeper reasons,” he told the Commission.
He went further to analyse the socio political and economic conditions of the former PPP regime under the late Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara. He commended the country’s democracy, stability and respect for human rights.
Prof Saine also mentioned the PPP National Congress at Mansakonko in 1992. The congress that created deep political divide in the ranks of the party leadership towards the 1994 coup.
“There was a general perception that Sir Dawda could not be dislodged by election,” he remarks.
At the time of the 1994 coup, the Gambia has become divided on socio political equation, charges of endemic corruption and per diems.
He further explained how Jammeh perpetuate himself in power through legal means by tailoring the constitution to satisfy his own whims and caprice that eventually turned him to a dictator. Source-Watch Gambia
