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The Gambia: "Third World people with First World problems" - Nyang Njie

As the social media trial of the much talked about matrimonial saga of Bob Keita and Sainabou Mbye takes another turn, Economist and Social commentator Nyang Njie has cautioned Gambians about the use of social media for all the wrong reasons. Mr Njie described Gambians as “"Third World people with fFrst World problems"


Below, we reproduce verbatim, Mr Njie’s commentary about the Gambian social media space and the consequences on Gambian societies.


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The soap opera that is evolving will undoubtedly be the biggest case in Gambia's legal history. It is a tragedy of epic proportions and social media has propelled it to greater lengths. The lesson we should all learn is our use and abuse of social media. The societal pressure for success, instant gratification and recognition have exposed the frailty of the Gambian social fabric.


Social media is an effective tool if used properly. Sainabou Mbai is a victim of her own circumstance but unfortunately our society is to be blamed for producing a generation that has completely lost their humanity in search of glory and success.

Amidst all of this, the saga is a melancholic drama reminiscent of a Greek tragedy. The pulpits and minibars should now be effectively used to preach values and morals. Successful amongst us are those that are quietly grinding and adding value to humanity and their communities. Generation X is a lost generation and they are surely not helping the generation to come. It is not their fault but a collective failure of society.


The decadence and reward for instant gratification will put to waste a whole generation. An entire family have been put under distress and the chance of recovery are slim to none. The chances of their offsprings to excell in society have also been compromised. No one including society will emerge victorious. My heart bleeds for Sainabou despite the bravado, arrogance and ignorance she displayed over the past years on Gambian social media circles.


This tragic saga must force us all to have a somber reflection and introspective look at self. Our timelines, Tik Tok reels and snaps are filled with garbage posing images of self gratification and validation. A lesson not learnt will surely be repeated and that is tragic. Imagine kids who will likely loose a parent to incarceration and the societal stigma associated with this story. Time for all of us ( male and females) to embark on a self audit. Slaying, boasting and actualising on these social media platforms are nothing but deficits we possess due to our misconstrued societal norms and values. Despite the prevalence of these harmful traits, our society is ill equipped to redress these social anomalies in the form of therapy and life counselling. Many amongst us are cryiing for help out of material deprivation, love and other life experiences that have shaped the meta humans we have transformed into due to the addictive nature of social media to mold our behaviour and attitudes.


My prayers to Bob, Sainabou, the kids, the young girl that was alledgedly raped, baby Muhammed and the families on both sides of the saga. This case is a lesson for all and if our social media interactions are not changed, we will have more of such cases in the future. We are third world people with first world problems. Unfortunately, we lack the resources to handle the consequential effects of the attendant problems associated with these technologies. Social media is the new cheerleader that validates the desires we have but we fail to comprehend the virtual nature of these technological platforms. It is not real and our lives are transformed for good. Let us pray for all affected and take a moment to reflect. Just look at our social media interactions and see for yourselves how convoluted and misplaced our minds are. Poverty of the mind is the highest forms of poverty as it entraps the human into vices that are destructive and degrading.


Photo: Nyang Njie - Economist and Social commentator

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Copyright: 2017 - 2022 | GunjurOnline™
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