Human rights advocate and well-known Gambian Islamic scholar Imam Baba Leigh has urged political and religious leaders to be accountable and show ethical leadership.
Imam Leigh exhorted officials, especially the president and ministers, to fear God and behave in a way that honours justice and integrity in his eid-ul-fitr sermon. Imam Leigh stressed the value of contentment, claiming that it is a vital element for a decent Muslim. He is well-known for speaking truth to power, which has frequently set him at clashes with the former president, leading to his arrest and torture at the time.
There has only been one trial of a permanent secretary in the Ministry of Fisheries, but occasionally you hear about a corruption case in a government agency. He said, “What he was accused of is minor compared to other cases.”
He emphasised that public expenditures are not meant for private benefit but rather for the construction of roads, schools, and hospitals.
“Public monies should never be used for private gain. Islam forbids that, so in carrying out their responsibilities, the president, ministers, directors, and imams should be afraid of God. He pushed everyone to fear God, even the parents at home.
In addition to addressing the growing number of sex workers in The Gambia, the esteemed imam, who is a member of the National Human Rights Commission, said that parents must do more to adequately raise their children, particularly their girls.
