Another 22nd July is here. We are again availed with another opportunity for prudent reflections.

We have expended quite a lot of time, energy and effort discussing the boundless development strides this nation of ours has cruised through. It has indeed been a success story; one that did not just emanate out of mere chance.

Our achievement have been the result of pure destiny; a fulfillment of a divine mandate that has evidently taken advantage of a combination of forfeiture of personal desires on the part of the nation’s leadership, and a reciprocal goodwill indulgence on the part of the masses, who are without a doubt endowed with wisdom; a people whose wisdom has evidently been re-shaped by the might of their loyalty to generations of Gambians to come.

The cascade of advancement The Gambia has realized within such an amazingly short period of time leaves us all with absolutely no reason to disregard the importance of the July 22nd, as the special day it means to us. Any attempt to do just that will tantamount to total disregard for an irrefutable and very important part of our history; a history that, no matter what happens in the next hundred years, can never be suppressed.

22nd July marks the re-birth of a new nation; a nation built on a foundation of truth, of loyalty, of progress, of genuineness, and of development. We risk forfeiting this set of guidelines that bind us together in our collective thinking for the good of our beloved nation, if we allow unwarranted divisions in our midst.

With 22nd July comes infrastructural development. Yes, we have talked about that quite a lot. And with 22nd July comes improvement in the areas of health, youth and women’s empowerment, agriculture, education, science and technology, and a whole lot of fêted development. But, must importantly, with 22nd July comes peace; one that is unmatched anywhere in this world.

This peace is what we ought to safeguard as it forms a fundamental element of this society of ours. One very important point that is worth taken stock of is that regardless of the magnitude of our commitment and readiness to deliver, the slightest distortion of the prevailing peace and tranquility we have will render all our efforts hollow. There is no point in history where development of any sort had taken place amid disorder; only retrogression.

Our obligation is to the generations of Gambians to come. We owe it to them, so we must ensure that we fulfill it. Happy 22nd July celebrations and many, many more in return.