Dr. Ceesay Dismisses Claims that President Barrow is Using Religion to Divide Gambians, Describes Him as a Unifier

By Fatou Sillah

Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, has refuted claims that President Adama Barrow is attempting to divide Gambians along religious lines. In an interview on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez, Dr. Ceesay described the President as a unifying figure and dismissed the criticism as politically motivated.

The controversy arose following the establishment of a new Muslim Advisory Council by the presidency. Critics, particularly from the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), argue that the move undermines the authority of the Supreme Islamic Council and could lead to religious division.

In response, Dr. Ceesay emphasized that the two bodies serve different functions.“Anybody who knows the president knows that he is a unifier; the supreme Islamic council has a different mandate. Their mandate is more expansive, and they are an authority, more statutory. So this is an informal advisory council that the president set up. I think the people complaining, particularly the UDP, like to politicize everything, and not everything can be politicized,” he said.

The minister emphasized that what truly matters is the president’s role as a unifier. He said the president consistently strives to keep the country united and to promote peace. According to him, the president would never take any action to divide the nation—such a motive has never been, and will never be, part of his intentions.

He further noted that even something as minor as the president coughing becomes politicized, describing the current situation as another example of such politicization by the UDP.“I think the complaint is only coming from the UDP; Gambians understand the purpose of this advisory council and its government on religious issues informally,” he said.

He stated that the Supreme Islamic Council holds broader and more comprehensive powers. “So for me, it’s a matter of politicization,” he said.

He further explained, “Nothing is wrong with this advisory council. I think the people who are in this advisory council—some of them are either in the supreme Islamic council or are once in the Supreme Islamic council, and if they know that it contravenes what the supreme Islamic council does, or it duplicates their mandate, they wouldn’t be part of this,” he said.

The minister emphasized that the government is prioritizing more pressing matters, particularly uniting the country and delivering essential social services to Gambians. This includes improving road infrastructure, expanding access to healthcare through the construction of well-equipped facilities, and ensuring the provision of quality and accessible education.

He noted that these are the government’s main areas of focus, highlighting their continued support for farmers. “No government has done it for farmers since independence and that is the fact, that is our focus, Let others focus on politicizing every issue the president does. The president is focusing on delivering to Gambians in line with his mandate to deliver and that is what we are focusing on,” he said.

The minister explained that one of the roles of the advisory council is to provide guidance to the government on matters related to religion.

The host then asked the minister to clarify what “religious affairs” entailed, noting that the council does not advise on Christian matters.

In response, the minister stated that the council is mandated to advise the president on issues concerning all religions in the country.“They can advise the president on issues that have to do with all religions in this country. It doesn’t have to only be Muslims. The purpose is to promote peaceful coexistence in this country,” he said. 

The minister was also asked when the president would establish an advisory council on Christian religious affairs, noting that both religions have equal rights to the president’s attention.

“Well that question is for the president to answer,” The minister answered.

The host asked the minister whether he would seek a response, given that Christians are demanding their rights as citizens. In response, the minister said their rights are already being upheld.

“I think this is one of the countries where minority rights are respected and promoted and nobody can really deny that. And as a government, the policy is to ensure that there is peaceful coexistence and that all minority rights in this country are promoted and protected, Both ethnic minorities, religious minorities, you name it,” he said.

The host pointed out to the minister that, based on their discussion, it’s understandable why the UDP considers the move divisive. However, the minister strongly disagreed, arguing that the UDP is merely politicizing the initiative.

“It is not divisive. What the UDP is doing is to politicize the move and which I think is trivial. They should not do that. The move is not meant to divide anybody, any religion, any ethnic group or any nation. The move is jar towards augmenting and promoting the peaceful coexistence we have in this country and promoting and consolidating the peace we have in this country. So for me, anybody who really thinks that it is divisive and the move is intended to divide, I think that is disingenuous and I think is politicizing an issue that should not be politicized,” he said.