OP

          Legal Luminary Shares His Views On The Etiquette Values Of Humanity 

By Almamy Fanding Taal

“Good moral character is not something that we can achieve on our own. We need a culture that supports the conditions under which self-love and friendship flourish,\" (Aristotle).

In the hubbub of the modern world, where time is a precious commodity and individual pursuits often take precedence over shared values, it’s essential to pause and ask ourselves: are the values we once cherished still alive in this synthetic age? Let’s explore this question through a realistic scenario. Imagine a teenage child of our neighbour starts dumping garbage in an open area opposite the home of another neighbour who lives and works abroad but her elderly mother and relatives taking care of her mother live with us in the same neighborhood , what is the obligation of the neighbours in this scenario?

The answer may vary, contingent on your personal circumstances. If we work late most days, and hardly  notice the piling garbage at the end of our street as others in the neighborhood follow this errant behavior of the teenage child of our neighbour  the likelihood of finding solutions diminishes. Because one is not even aware of the ‘problem’ in the first place and for the simple reason that one pays for garbage disposal privately.

In today’s fast-paced, self-centered world, the values that ought to be our moral compass are fast corroding. From minor transgressions, smoking, use of drugs and alcohol, human and drugs trafficking to organised crime syndicates, unethical behaviour appears to be on the rise. Worse, our children are unwittingly falling victim to drugs and illegal activities, all because they lack the guidance of value system and outdated educational structures.

Moral principles such as empathy, compassion, honesty, truthfulness, and generosity should have primacy in our communities, even above academic achievements. Focusing on these values can empower our  children to distinguish between right and wrong, to pause and contemplate their actions, and to listen to their inner conscience when making choices.

The key is to instill these values from an early age, ideally during their formative school years. Just as a building stands firm on a strong foundation, so too do children thrive when these moral values are deeply rooted. The responsibility of imparting these values falls primarily on the shoulders of parents and teachers and our wider community. Children closely observe their parents’ behaviour, paying particular attention to how they interact with the elderly, treat household members, avoid dishonesty, and more. They are like the ancient scribes, diligently noting and emulating their parents’ actions. 

Encouraging respect for elders, assisting those in need, teaching effective communication, promoting kindness to all living creatures, and nurturing humility are just a few of the principles that can guide the moral development of our youth. This is achieved through narrating stories with moral values, sharing the meaningful experiences parents have had in life and various other means. 

These values can be seamlessly integrated into the curriculum, tailored to the student’s age and understanding. Moreover, teachers can engage students with thought-provoking quotes from renowned personalities, sparking class discussions and different perspectives. To gauge their understanding and commitment to these values, teachers may also consider conducting unmonitored class tests. 

This type of exercise instilled the belief that upholding moral principles is a personal responsibility, even in the absence of supervision. Gradually, these principles become second nature, forging individuals of integrity. By embracing a values-based education, we pave the way for a society free of indolence, crime and misconduct. 

The cultivation of moral principles from an early age will encourage our citizens to lead lives guided by ethical considerations. In this endeavour, the hope is not only to restore values in our dehumanised era but also to create a generation of empathetic, compassionate, and principled individuals who will make our world a better place. As Nkrumah said  long years ago “For this end Africa needs a new type of citizen, a dedicated, modest, honest and informed man. A man who submerges himself in service to the nation and mankind. A man who abhors greed and detests vanity. A new type of man whose humility is his strength and whose integrity is his greatness.

About the Author

The author is a regular contributor to this medium

Publisher’s Note

Views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. Want to be a contributing author? Please email opmail220@gmail.com

Team Outpost

Lamin Manneh, UDP’s Deputy Senior Administrative Secretary for Diaspora and External Affairs has said that the move of Momodou Sabally to NPP is his prerogative right.

He made these remarks on Thursday in an interview with Peter Gomez on the popular Coffee Time show.  

“If he chooses to move to another party, that is entirely his prerogative right, and we must respect that

Sabaaly is a Gambian and it is his democratic right. He came to the UDP and we welcomed him with open arms, and he played his part. And he decides to move on.

 Constitutionally he has the right to move to any party he wants to. So we respected that. 

Anybody who comes to UDP from another party, we are open to all Gambians. We will accept you , and give you the treatment that we give to everyone in the party. we give everybody the benefit of the doubt.,” he asserted. 

asked about the fear of whether Sabally will leak information that will be damaging to the party.

He responded: “That\

Team Outpost

Gambians have reacted to the recent dramatic political move of Momodou Sabally, the former Campaign Manager of the United Democratic Party (UDP) to join the National People\

By Sheriff Saidykhan

The Gambia Press Union (GPU) in partnership with the National Democratic Instutute (NDI), have today began a two day capacity building training for 25 Journalists from different media outlets on Access to Information Act. 

The training seeks to equip journalists on the required skills on Acces of Information Act. 

The training held at Bakadaji in Kotu, brought together journalists to brainstorm ideas on Access to Information Act. 

Lala Touray, Senior Program Manager expressed delight and extended gratitude to the Gambia Press Union for it\

    Team Outpost

Marr Nyang, the Executive Director of Gambia Participates (GP) has said that the 2024 draft budget for revenue estimates and expenditure needs proper  restructuring for the growth and management of the economy. 

“I guess restructuring our fiscal policies and attitudes, how do we efficiently manage our public funds is something that need to be look at,” he said 

In a telephone interview with The Outpost Media on Thursday, he said there is need for the new draft budget to better explain the new projects included in the budget. 

“The budget need to be program base, and for the budget to be explaining it\

   | Author Shares His Views On The Current Political And Economic Criss Of The Country |

By Dembo Badjie

The ‘bread and butter’ issue has become the most important factor in the national discourse in

recent times. When we hear the people complaining and saying The Gambia is ‘hard’, they are

referring to the very high cost of living in almost all aspects of the people\

   Team Outpost

Forbes a global media company, focusing on business, investing, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership and lifestyle has recently named Fatou Bensouda among the 100 most influential African women. 

                    Early Life And Education 

Born on 31 January 1961 in Banjul (then Bathurst), Gambia, into a polygamous Muslim family,

she is the daughter of Omar Gaye Nyang, who was a government driver and the country\

                                                                       Au @60?

By Almamy Fanding Taal

 The lasting legacy of the Berlin Conference that partitioned Africa in 1864 is the foolish acquiescence of African leaders in maintaining the artificial borders that Europeans created for Africans.

When Dr. Kwame Nkrumah shared his vision of a Continental Union Government of Africa in 1963, there were no obvious models for the leaders assembled in Addis Ababa to look at. The closest model for the leaders to consider was the USA, also a post colonial nation which started its experiment in self Government with 13 colonies predominantly on the east coast of the USA.

For whatever reasons this model was not appealing to the assembled leaders, so despite Nkrumah\

Team Outpost

Alagie Said Barrow, former TRRC Investigator has called on the government of President Adama Barrow to take a comprehensive approach to eradicate the back way menaces in the country.

“Addresing the back way issue requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond merely passing strict laws. Conduct some form of root analysis, identify possible solutions, draw up a strategy or strategies, and implement the strategy and monitor progress; while holding staff accountable,” he posited. 

Speaking to West Coast Radio popular Coffee Time Show with Peter Gomez on Tuesday,Alagie Saidy Barrow responded to President Barrow\