Picking up the case from where we stopped Wednesday - registering our reservations to Gambia government’s reservations on ECOWAS’ decision to oust the self perpetuating Ivory Coast president – we maintain our position that the case of Ivory Coast should be an eye opener for other African leaders, The Gambia included.

Our own elections is just at the corner while some revert thinking political authorities are rallying support to transform our hard-earned republic into a kingdom.

What difference has Jammeh from Gbagbo by telling Gambians that elections cannot remove him from power until if he is tired and hand over to a successor?

At least, ECOWAS should be given kudos for departing from its toothless bull-dog stance to becoming a sub regional political and economic power that is capable of protecting and promoting the welfare of its citizens and its member states.

The Gambia government inference that ECOWAS’ intervention amounts to interfering in the sovereignty of Ivory Coast is unacceptable. For African leaders have been hiding under the cloak of ‘independent state’ to perpetuate injustice.

Sovereignty does not mean that a country can be an island. Even if one allies with Gbagbo, advising him would be the best for him than making a wrongful diagnosis.

Any president who is a Gbagbo in his country should be ready to dance to the same tunes the Ivorian Gbagbo might dance.

Furthermore, just because similar incidents have occurred elsewhere and ECOWAS did not intervene, as argued by The Gambia government, will not justify ECOWAS’s inaction against injustice which threatens its own existence either.

Ivorians have decided. Their decision must stand. Gbagbo must exit. Infact, one may wonder why The Gambia has not advised Laurent Gbagbo to step down rather than opting for what it called ‘peaceful solution.’ What is more a peaceful solution than throwing-out Gbagbo?

Or better still advice the military in Cote d’Ivoire not to support anybody who is not recognised by both the Ivorian electoral commission and the international community as the winner of the presidential elections.

Though it is natural for different people and different nations to have different views on an issue, any system that contravenes the promotion of peace should be condemned. Why should Gambia idly be opposed to the decision of a regional grouping like ECOWAS that has done all it can – peacefully and diplomatically - to bring sanity to a member country?

The impasse in Cote d’Ivoire has become a continental headache for Africa and a mockery to universal peace. Many Presidents have made efforts to play their part for restoration of peace and stability in Cote d’Ivoire where the incumbent Gbagbo refused to relinquish power after losing in the election.

Jammeh’s proposed crowning as king is being campaigned by parliamentarians and chiefs, and now being subjected to debate in the national assembly of the Gambia.

As a stark reality, it is worthwhile for every progressive effort to be made to bring an end to the current situation in Cote d’Ivoire. Anyone who understands the history of Ouattara and Cote d’Ivoire would not hesitate to point at the real problem that is tearing Cote d’Ivoire apart.

More than a hundred people have died and more than 15,000 people have fled the country since the announcement of the election results. This is an indication that the situation can turn into an uglier scene if international bodies did not intervene.

Instead of calling for Gbagbo’s compliance, The Gambian Government went on to describe the intervention of the international bodies as interference of the West in African affairs.

African leaders should try to be united in solving the problems of Africa. That is the only way to avoid outside interference. The frequent attack on the West is not the right way to become a Pan-African when Jammeh can threaten some Gambians of being deprived of essential development like good roads unless they vote for him massively.

Many good Pan-African have earned credibility for being internationalists. We have to tell our African brothers and sisters entrusted with state power to live up to expectation and have respect for the rule of law. No leader should sacrifice lives of his people in a merry go round just to stay in power.

President lacks intellectually honesty and moral authority to deal with delicate national and international problems. He could not even tell the nation why the Iran-Gambian relations were broken.

How can The Gambia lost sight of the need for peace in Cote d’Ivoire and only go against the decision of ECOWAS? The Gambia government still has the chance to tell the world what proposal it has to end the problem in Cote d’Ivoire rather than accusing the West.

For charity to begin at home, Jammeh should put his house in order by releasing all detainees who have been detained without trial, those who have disappeared for years without their families knowing their whereabouts.

What all peace loving nations in the world want in Cote d’Ivoire is lasting peace and stability.

Laurent Gbagbo is just an individual among many of his likes.