Seedy Njie deserves condemnation, and arguably disciplinary action, for statements and conduct that promote tribal discrimination and bigotry. By his own admission, he discriminated against people of Mandinka origin, accusing them of supporting the opposition and allegedly denying them employment opportunities and promotions on that basis. Such conduct runs contrary to the principles of justice, equality, and non-discrimination enshrined in the 1997 Constitution and the Public Service Act. These are serious allegations that should concern every Gambian.
However, Seedy Njie’s hostility toward Mandinkas should not be interpreted as evidence of Fulani nationalism. In fact, the events surrounding this controversy demonstrate the opposite.
The origins of this debacle can be traced to the removal of journalist Omar Jallow from the Vice President’s Office, where GRTS had attached him. Omar was reportedly targeted because he was perceived as sympathetic to the opposition. Ironically, Omar himself is Fulani. The leaked audio in which Seedy Njie allegedly boasted about targeting Mandinkas emerged during meetings involving elders and officials from Omar’s village, who appealed to him to forgive Omar and reinstate him. They even attempted to reassure him of Omar’s loyalty to President Barrow and the NPP. Yet Omar was still removed, proving once again that injustice and bad governance do not discriminate; they ultimately serve personal and political interests, regardless of who becomes the victim.
When Omar Jallow was reassigned to GRTS after reportedly being interrogated by SIS officers, it was Information Minister Ismaila Ceesay, himself a Mandinka, who publicly defended the government’s position on Coffee Time with Peter. This further demonstrates that tribal identity alone does not explain the dynamics of abuse and political victimisation within the system.
Similarly, when the Seedy Njie audio surfaced, another video was circulating online showing Seedy dancing alongside Momodou Sabally to Mandinka drumming. Yet it was this same Momodou Sabally who, under the former regime, was used to deliver inflammatory rhetoric against Mandinkas on GRTS. History reminds us that authoritarian systems often weaponise individuals against their own communities for political convenience.
The same pattern can be observed elsewhere. Many observers have pointed out that whenever members of GALA are arrested, Alieu Bah is often subjected to harsher treatment and humiliation than others. Alieu Bah is Fulani. During the former regime, many believed Yahya Jammeh’s anti-Mandinka rhetoric was part of an effort to establish Jola dominance. Opposition figures from Mandinka backgrounds were rumoured to face particularly brutal treatment at detention facilities such as the infamous “Bambadinka.” Yet testimony before the TRRC later revealed that victims of torture and abuse came from many tribes and backgrounds, including respected Fulani cleric Imam Baba Leigh and even members of Jammeh’s own extended family. The TRRC also heard allegations linking the former president to the deaths of Haruna Jammeh and MbasseyJammeh, both his relatives.
The lesson is simple: bad governance and injustice spare nobody. Authoritarian politics thrive on division, fear, and manufactured ethnic tensions for political gain. This is why many Gambians believe President Adama Barrow and elements within the NPP alliance continue to exploit tribal politics.
A few years ago, Hamat Bah publicly accused Fulani herders along The Gambia’s borders of promoting extremism without evidence. On another occasion, after the 2021 elections, he blamed Fulani bakers from Guinea for allegedly sabotaging the economy through price increases. Yet Hamat Bah himself is Fulani.
More recently, Gambians witnessed divisive tribal rhetoric from Nominated National Assembly Member Maimuna Ceesay Darboe and presidential adviser Saihou Mballow. These incidents reinforce concerns that tribal polarisation is increasingly being normalised within the current political environment.
Seedy Njie is therefore not an isolated case or a “sore thumb” within the Barrow administration. Rather, many see him as reflecting a broader political culture built on division, corruption, and scapegoating.
I therefore call on all Gambians, regardless of tribe, religion, ethnicity, class, or region, to reject division and unite around justice, accountability, and national unity. Tribal politics only weakens our country and benefits politicians who seek to divide citizens for their own survival.
The future of The Gambia must be built on unity, fairness, and equal treatment under the law for every Gambian.
By Saikou Camara
