Shadows Over The Smiling Coast: Power, Ideology, And The Struggle For Gambia's Soul
Beneath The Gambia's celebrated moniker, "The Smiling Coast," lies a turbulent history of contested power, clashing ideologies, and a relentless struggle for the nation's soul. In this penetrating analysis, Edrissa Ken-Joof dissects six decades of Gambian history, exposing the forces that shaped mainland Africa's smallest nation from its hopeful independence to its uncertain present.
Ken-Joof meticulously examines three defining eras:
The Jawara Foundation (1965-1994): The fragile democracy of Sir Dawda Jawara, where pluralist ideals wrestled with economic stagnation and the seeds of future instability were sown.
The Jammeh Abyss (1994-2017): The terrifying paradox of Yahya Jammeh's rule - where revolutionary promise curdled into mysticism-fueled tyranny, rampant corruption, and brutal repression enforced by fear and state terror.
The Barrow Crossroads (2017-Present): The fragile coalition victory that ousted Jammeh, the disillusioning fractures within Adama Barrow's government, and the ongoing battle to rebuild amidst global democratic decline and persistent internal divisions.
Shadows Over The Smiling Coast goes beyond chronicling leaders. It delves into the deep currents shaping The Gambia's destiny:
The Poison of Tribalism: How colonial manipulation hardened ethnic differences into a weapon of political control, silently influencing politics, economics, and social life, and why confronting this legacy is essential for progress.
The Rise and Fall of Parties: Why political parties, plagued by "founder's ownership," organizational negligence, and fragmentation, have consistently failed to root sustainable democracy.
The Illusion of Unity: How the triumphant coalition against Jammeh fractured under ideological clashes and poor design, revealing the fragility of opposition alliances.
Power's Corrosion: The devastating transformation of Jammeh from soldier to self-proclaimed divine ruler, illustrating the absolute corruption of unchecked power.
Global Echoes: How The Gambia's fight for democracy mirrors the global "twilight of democracy" and the challenges facing post-authoritarian transitions worldwide.
Based on rigorous research and firsthand accounts, Ken-Joof argues that The Gambia's struggle transcends personalities. It is an existential battle for its soul: pluralism versus autocracy, accountability versus impunity, unity versus division. This book is an unflinching journey into the heart of a nation's political identity, offering vital lessons on power, belief, and the precarious path toward a just and enduring peace. Essential reading for understanding modern African politics, the fragility of democracy, and the enduring resilience of a people fighting for their future.
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