By Kemo Kanyi
Amadou Jaiteh, leader of the People’s Reformist Organisation for Growth, Renewal, Equity, Security and Social Justice (PROGRESS), has condemned alleged tribal remarks made by Imam Baba Leigh, describing them as dangerous to national unity and social cohesion.
The controversy follows the circulation of a video in which the Kanifing East Imam was allegedly captured on a live TikTok broadcast making derogatory comments about the Mandinka ethnic group.
In a statement, Jaiteh, a former legal adviser at The Gambia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, said the comments were incompatible with the responsibilities of both religious and public leadership.
“He is seriously compromised and cannot be trusted to handle any issue concerning Mandinkas impartially. I strongly condemn his recent tribalistic comments against Mandinkas in all their forms and manifestations,” Jaiteh said.
He argued that Imam Baba Leigh should be removed from any position of public trust, including membership of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), if the allegations are substantiated.
Jaiteh said religious leaders have a duty to promote peace and unity rather than deepen ethnic divisions.
He warned that using tribal identity to inflame political debate or target any ethnic community threatens The Gambia’s national security and long-standing tradition of peaceful coexistence.
“The Gambia’s greatest strength has always been its togetherness, inter-ethnic marriages, shared neighborhoods and mutual respect across tribal lines,” he said.
According to Jaiteh, leaders who promote tribal sentiment undermine the values of responsible citizenship and religious leadership.
He called on Gambians to hold public figures accountable regardless of their status or platform, and urged Imam Baba Leigh to retract the alleged remarks and apologize to the nation.
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