By Yero S. Bah
It is a common adage in Africa and other parts of the world that, ‘youth are the future leaders’, but the likes of Babucarr Sidibeh are already leaders as he headed several youth-led organizations, and is currently eyeing the most powerful position of the Basse Regional Youth Chairmanship in this year’s 2020 forthcoming congress.
Sidibeh served in various positions of responsibilities at youth organizations, videlicet: Chairperson of Fulladou East District Youth Committee 2018-2020; Country Coordinator International Youth Summit 2020; President Kansala Youth Association 2017-2020; and Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Youth on the Quest for Development Networking, just to name a few.
A native of Basse Kabakama, Sidibeh is an avid youth activist who is now vying for the Youth Chairmanship in his region of Upper River Region, with a vision of uniting all youths in that region for a collective progress and prosperity. As per his explanation, he wants to create opportunities for all young people of his region by exposing them to the available chances in the country. His aim is to take over the regional chairmanship to unify the youth of the area, create equal share of opportunities, ease transportation of district executive and to end what he called “tribal ruling”, describing it as divide and rule concept. He continued that in serving his communities, about 39 villages were under his jurisdiction as a youth leader. “It was going fine; I was able to exposed youths to opportunities and create some for others,” Sidibeh said.
The seasoned youth activist and educationist promised to consult his people before taking any decision, unify them and bring changes to the region if voted into office. He would also encourage teamwork and inculcate the culture of sharing opportunities.
Meanwhile, Sidibeh has registered his dissatisfaction with the current occupier of the chairmanship, claiming that he has failed in moving the office and the region forward. Alleging that he has failed the people of the region, Sidiheh said of the current youth Chair, “Since the incumbent assumed office, things are not working as expected, the region is stagnant.”
According to Sidibeh, one of his (Sidibeh’s) achievements as District Chairperson was that he’s able to affiliate over twenty (20) youth groups with the National Youth Council (NYC). That he mobilized youth groups to fight against climate change in URR through tree-planting exercises as well as intensified irregular migration sensitization through community outreaches. He described irregular migration as a phenomenon that retards the progress of the country, saying he was able to reorient and organize training for youth organizations on capacity building for youths whilst trainees accessed the Youth Empowerment Project grants in which over 36 youth from URR benefited from the mini-grants under his watch.
The candidate for the Basse regional Youth Chairmanship believes one of the biggest challenges youth are facing in the Gambia is lack of information sharing from the top. He also pointed to imbalanced access to opportunities in the country and lack of jobs for youth, noting in decision-making processes youth are not taken onboard. “The planning of youth projects, they are not involved,” he claimed.
He said youth are politically sacrificed or frequently used during political euphoria and campaigns whilst they gain nothing from it at the end of the day, since they are not given dutiful portfolios to handle for themselves.
The youth leader opined that, the solution to all the hurdles highlighted, is to actually do the opposite to the those realities, by involving youth in decision making processes, give them dutiful positions, include them in everything that will move this country to the promised land. Sidibeh did not hide his feelings, saying he’s not satisfied with the current level of progress in his region. But he promised to do his best to propel development in URR with his team if entrusted with the chairmanship.
“We need to fight for the common just, no need to vote on tribal lines or based on friendships; it is not good, we have to vote people on competences. We have to go away from the era of being used for selfish interest, and see country or region first,” were his final words to the youth of the Gambia.
