After visiting The Gambia I now fully understand what my grandmother meant by one of her many sayings. One particular comes to mind is “If you believe everything you hear you might as well eat everything you see”.

When His Excellency the President of The Republic of the Gambia Dr. Yahya AJJ Jammeh invited my selected Delegation and myself to his birthday Celebration and the opening of The 9^th Edition International Roots Festival. I immediately went to research the man, only to find a lot of harsh and alarming information. I thought to myself, that my close friend Dr. Badjie would never allow me or my guests to be placed in harms way. I reflected on the character of my Dear friend Dr. Badjie and his close knitted group of family and friends and said to myself, you have to go and see for yourself.

From day one of the arrival of myself and my guests, we were welcomed at the airport by Government Officials from the Mayor of Banjul  to the Tourism Department, they went beyond the call of duty to make all of us feel at home. We were able to walk around freely without restrictions or being monitored by any armed forces of any kind. I had total access to any part of the Gambia.  I walked the streets and visited each and every corner.  My question is what Dictator would ever allow such freedom in his Country?

Each day of this journey we could see the peace and tranquility of this small country. We had traveled all over this Country from the poor to the upper. The poor in The Gambia seem to be better off than the poor in the U.S. The children are healthy and happy. 

I observed new construction throughout The Gambia commercial and residential both are soundly built. The structure of their buildings has more of a European design. What puzzled my mind is the fact that The Gambia doesn’t receive a fraction of the financial incentives that most African Country receives, but they are more productive.

In my assessment the President of The Gambia has created a Dream Country to live. Under the current Leadership there are more Schools a University and Hospitals. The fact that there are more schools is actually an under statement.  The President not only built new schools and purchased new school buses, but he made it possible that girls could now attend them as the boys always had done. In the past it was that the girls in a family would learn how to do all the domestic work and the boys would go to school. In my book The No Child Left Behind program is in full force by the practices of President Dr. Yahya AJJ Jammeh. No child is left behind regardless to their gender. This isn’t just a slogan for the President it’s the Law. President Dr. Yahya AJJ Jammeh also gives scholarships to girls in The Gambia to attend the University of The Gambia.

The stand that President Dr. Yahya AJJ Jammeh has taken on Literacy, coupled with his compassion for the HIV infected, his policy on the empowerment of the females in his Country (Young and Old).  I feel the brother has it going on. Regardless of the corruption that most African Countries are known for this African Country is an exception to the rule.

The HIV Hospital in The Gambia   houses 137. I saw the infected people that own families have casted them aside. The President touches these people without a second thought.  While at the HIV Hospital I witness HIV Patients that had been written off by family and left for dead up walking around. One guy walked up to me and said that he felt good. One gentlemen was well enough to work his occupation is a tailor. He was making garments with ease. There were women and children laughing, talking, relaxing and gathered around just enjoying a summer day. To those who say it was staged, you are a liar it wasn’t staged. Nobody knew we were coming. I’m very watchful especially when I’m out of my comfort zone.

The thing that really touched me was the fact along with Dr. Tamir Mbowe, that His Excellency himself touches and administers the traditional treatments as well. The HIV Hospital uses tradition medicines that have been tested clinically with scientific data to support their findings. The other Gambia Hospital a patient has a choice of treatment plans; they may select the tradition or the conventional method of treatment. The patients only pay $5.00 per visit which is equivalent to less than .25 in U.S. value.  I was very surprised to see how clean the HIV Hospital was, and to see clean white sheets on every single bed was amazing, because on the same television that shows HIV patients in Africa all I’ve seen were living on floors and filthy and definitely not laying on clean white sheets. This facility was is a free Hospital funded by the President. This HIV Hospital has better standards than most Private Hospitals.

The amazing fact is that the small Country of The Gambia with its small budget is making Big Accomplishments.

The Children though they may not have Playstation 3’s or none of the must-haves of the typical  American children they were running, jumping, and being as mischievous as any other happy children.

The children in the Gambia are well taken care of. The ones without parents have something although it doesn’t replace the biological parents but comes in as a great second, and that’s the President himself. President Dr. Yahya AJJ Jammeh is a true Servant to His People.

On the day of our departure we finally got a chance to meet His Excellency the real Don da da as we would say in the Urban World. Amongst the Group from the U. S. that set with this Great Man were, Mayor Walter C. Porter Sr. of Epes AL, Graham Weatherspoon an Activist from New York and me Valerie Larche. The President warmly welcomed the group and said that every Diaspora African has a right to be anywhere in Africa. The President called for the unity amongst Africans everywhere. “Your roots give you confidence and when you are confident you can assert your right”, said the President to the U.S. Delegates. I asked the President what made him decide to make a difference in his Country? The President replied that he learnt about African history and culture as a boy and this is what has given him the strength to attempt to make a difference.

The President went on to say that “the average African has been programmed to believe in the detractors of Africa and their propaganda against Africa”.  “Anybody our enemies call a Dictator is someone they can not manipulate”. The President urged the group to have faith in their potential for the unity of Africans everywhere and the change for the better that we can bring about when united. “You can make changes” said the President. “From little countries big things can happen”. “I have my mind set on changing things” said President Jammeh.

Mayor Porter spoke about Alabama and the President also reminisced about his time in Alabama when he was training as a soldier. When I jokingly commented that I may need to come to Gambia and seek political asylum from the U.S., The President firmly replied “Gambia is your home and you don’t need political asylum to come to your home. I felt so humbled and touched by this man. 

Mayor Porter said the the trip to The Gambia was a life changer for him, Mayor Porter went on to say “that if one of the smallest Towns of Alabama can be upgraded with a little help so can one of the Smallest Countries in Africa”.

Graham Weatherspoon said "Upon receipt of the phone call I could only think of my father who sought to move us to Liberia in June of 1953.  He died on the 27th of June, 1953 and we remained in the U.S.  It brought tears to my eyes as I know that both of my parents would have loved to see the Gambia.  The disconnect that we living in the west have is indescribable.  We will never know our full ancestry as those in the Motherland.  Upon arrival I had to kiss the first plot of soil I saw at the airline terminal. 

The honor of sitting with President Jahmeeh and knowing that he truly cares about his people is quite unlike so many world leaders.  I pray that his tenure will allow him to be an even greater blessing to The Gambia.

The President stated that he wants to organize a Summit were we all can come together and lay it all out on the table. Discuss the rumors and lies. Talk and heal is what he wants.  While listening to the Powerful brilliant man he reminded me of another man that I know that I could never relate to any other man that I knew. But, the President reminded me of my best friend Mr. Vivian Blake of Tivoli Jamaica. Both love their people and Country, and they both have nuts. Now before you go and tell the President I’m talking under his clothes, he has been in the U.S. and he knows what that phrase means. To those that don’t know, it means he is a real man. That’s willing to die for what he believes.

I am sending out a call to all to visit the Gambia. It’s beautiful you won’t see little African children looking sick, they aren’t running around with flies stuck to their eyeballs. There are the most beautiful Hotels that I’ve ever seen in The Gambia. The people are great. They have pride and they aren’t begging for nothing. There aren’t any homeless people on the street. No the President didn’t kill them, he provides shelter and money for his people. To all those that believe all the bullshit that the media and different organizations tell you about Africa, go see for yourself. I can only speak for the Gambia. It’s off the hook for real. The best beaches and plenty fresh air.

In additional to the pleasure of the Country all Blacks and Whites too so you can see where we come from, mainly Blacks. You should go and research your Roots. Since I am apart of the 2010 10^th Edition International Roots Festival in the Gambia which is sure to be a Show Stopper. I’m bringing the hottest U.S. Artist and the Best that Jamaica has to offer. I invite you all. The travel information will be posted at a later date.

In closing I would like to thank Dr. Badjie for making it happen, the entire staff of the State House, all the Public Officials that I met, to my friend the Protocol Officer assigned to us thank you my brother and  the  Media you all are the Best, Thank you. Finally to my brother His Excellency Dr. Yahya AJJ Jammeh, you are a man after my own heart Sir. You are the epitome of manhood, leadership, and character. I admire you, respect, and was so pleased to meet you. Keep up the great work and I’m on my way…