By Makutu Manneh
President Adama Barrow on Tuesday urged Gambians to reject tribalism and embrace national unity, saying ethnic divisions offer no benefit to the country and could undermine efforts to advance its development.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Sanyang Beachside Road, Mr. Barrow said The Gambia’s communities have long been shaped by people of different ethnic backgrounds living alongside one another, making attempts to divide citizens along tribal lines both unnecessary and harmful.
He noted that Fulas, Mandinkas, Jolas, Wolofs and members of other ethnic groups live together in communities across the country, often sharing neighborhoods and forming families through interethnic marriages.
“Inter-tribal marriages are common in The Gambia, with many citizens having parents from different ethnic backgrounds,” Mr. Barrow said. “So how can we be tribalist?”
The president called on Gambians to focus instead on what unites them, arguing that cooperation across ethnic and political lines is essential to the country’s development.
He urged citizens to support one another and resist rhetoric that seeks to divide communities on the basis of ethnicity.
Mr. Barrow’s remarks come amid heightened public debate over tribalism in The Gambia, after comments by several individuals in recent weeks were widely criticized as divisive and potentially damaging to national cohesion.
The controversy has prompted renewed appeals from political and civic leaders for Gambians to avoid ethnic politics as the country moves closer to the presidential election.
Mr. Barrow, Ousainu Darboe, and Talib Bensouda are among prominent political figures who have recently spoken publicly against tribalism, urging their supporters and the wider population to reject ethnic divisions.
The issue has taken on added significance during the election season, when political rhetoric and competition for support can sharpen existing social and political tensions.
On Tuesday, Mr. Barrow sought to frame national unity as not only a matter of peaceful coexistence but also a prerequisite for economic and social progress.
For a small country whose ethnic communities have lived together and intermarried for generations, he argued, development should take precedence over divisions based on tribe.
Comments are closed.