48 percent of the population are considered to be below the poverty line. The total debt is 75 billion dalasi making debt per capita to be over D30,000.
In the case of such poverty Gambian musicians should not be singing praises to any Gambian political figure since independence.
Those who had the chance to govern have not lifted the country from poverty. Those who are yet to govern are being waited for to lift the country from poverty. Gambian musicians should sing about the poverty and misery of the people and call on political leaders to be sensitive to such poverty and misery. They need to rekindled love of country and people and keep the fire burning in our hearts so that we could continue to have the energy to feel the suffering of the people. They must ensure that no political leader goes to rest until we fulfil that great mission of eradicating poverty from the soil of our motherland.
This is the task whose fulfilment embodies the greatness of our people. It is a task when fulfilled should earn Gambians the happiness and pride that they deserve as a people. They could then sing about joy and happiness from generation to generation. Now we should sing about the sorrow of our people and inspire all to work for a better tomorrow. This is the verdict of reason and truth and it is incontrovertible. All musicians rise up to the call and be no one’s praise singer. Be the teacher of the nation for a better tomorrow through songs geared towards liberation of the mind from ignorance so that we can all work together as one people to eradicate poverty and misery from the face of The Gambia.
