ECOWAS must not apply brute force in The Gambia - Rev. Boadum

ECOWAS is preparing for a combat action following President Yahaya Jammeh’s refusal to hand over power to Adama Barrow.

The instability in the Gambia continues to divide opinion over whether to use diplomacy to lure him out of power or subject him to brute force.

Founder of the Jesus Generation Ministries, Rt Rev Dr. Nana Anyani Boadum has urged West African leaders to refrain from shedding blood in the removal of Yahaya Jammeh from office.

In an interview with Peacefmonline.com, the renowned preacher noted that history has taught Jammeh not to place his faith in West African leaders.

Nigerian MPs have voted to give Mr. Jammeh asylum if he accepts his defeat but treatment meted out to Charles Taylor in the past, might have convinced him not to give in.

Rt Rev Dr. Nana Anyani Boadum claims “Jammeh has no confidence in any West African country due to what happened to Charles Taylor in Nigeria”.

He advised that the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) must be used to encourage political conformity in The Gambia.

“Let’s try to get him to another region. West African leaders need to work more on the Peer Review Mechanism in other to prevent such despots holding on to power. Jammeh should go but no blood must be shed."

In his opinion, “diplomacy and warmongering are not good bedfellows” and what ECOWAS needs is a tactful diplomacy to prevail in the Gambia. Nigeria and other West African states have backed a military action but the man of God is adamant it would yield good results.

He states that “we should not indulge in any hasty military invasion in the Gambia. That will be a foreign policy blunder on the part of West African leaders. Military invasion in the Gambia will mean human tragedy for the Gambian people.”

The instability in the country has led to the evacuation of thousands of UK and Dutch tourists whilst several Gambians have been left to fight for their own faith.

It appears there is a long way to tackling the matter and Nana Anyani Boadum has begged the political leaders to engage diplomats such as Kofi Annan if they are encountering any form of shortfalls.

“Foreign countries are asking their citizens to leave, where should the Gambian's go? If our political leaders are short of ideas they should engage diplomats like Kofi Annan.”

He wondered why other West African countries have decided to flex their military muscles in the face of a tiny country like the Gambia. He related the situation in the Gambia to that of a bible story and called support to avoid the shedding of innocent blood.

“Is it because Gambia is a smaller economy? The Gambian President is like Cain in the Bible who was banished by the Lord to go into exile. At that point, Cain needed an assurance of protection and security. The Lord gave him a mark to protect him.

You know why this guy has no confidence in any West African country? He is hunted by what we did to Charles Taylor. I don't support such despots, but the ordinary Gambian on the streets should not die for the misdeeds of greedy politicians”, he advised.