Christmas Message by His Excellency, President of the Republic, Alhagi Dr. Yahya A.J.J Jammeh

Fellow Gambians

As Christians all over the world celebrate Christmas, I wish, first of all, to express sincere gratitude and thanks to the Almighty Allah who made it possible that we have lived to witness yet another Christmas season. I also take the opportunity of this great occasion to wish all Gambians and residents of The Gambia a very happy and joyous Christmas celebration.

The celebration of Christmas affords us the opportunity to not only reunite and enjoy with families, friends and loved ones to take stock of our attitudes and our relations to each other as human beings, belonging not only to one human family but to one Great Nation as well. If our attitudes and behavioural attributes have not been positive, then this is the time to change positively not only for our own good but for the good of our children, our nation in particular, and humanity in general.

In the Gambia, we take pride in the fact that Christians and Muslims live side by side with love, mutual respect and with the greatest tolerance of each other. This great tolerance to other people’s beliefs between Muslims and Christians in The Gambia would always be nurtured, jealously protected, and maintained at any cost by my Government.

As a country and as a people, we must always love and care for each other as Gambians irrespective of tribe, race, religion, origin or status if our Country is to be the greatest Nation that we aspire it to be; a Super-Power of peace, love, religious piety, tolerance and service to humanity and genuine hospitality.

As we celebrate we must strive to live by the examples set by Jesus Christ and other Prophets.

Let me ask you this question. As Muslims and Christians, do we normally compare our individual ways of life to those of the Prophets that we follow? If the answer is yes, how much do we differ from their exemplary ways of life and what are the similarities? If the differences outweigh the similarities then we must redouble our efforts, turn more to the Almighty God and ask for forgiveness.

The basic significance of both Tobaski and Christmas is total obedience and submission to the will of the one and only God through caring and sharing with and amongst humanity.

Our world today is characterised by racism, hate, violence and extreme evil caused by a Phenomenon – ‘Excessive Greed’.

This makes the teachings of the Scriptures more relevant in our lives today, than ever before, as individuals, communities, and Nation States. As there cannot be greed without evil, today’s world is a clear warning of how far we have turned our backs on the Almighty Allah, his Prophets and Holy Books.

Those evil men and women bent on destroying the world because of their excessive greed, hatred for anything Godly, Holy and Divine are doomed to Fail; Because Allah would never allow satanic and devious forces or Luciferlans to rule the world. It behoves us all as good Muslims and Christians to work together and fight against these children of the devil no matter their race, creed, origin, status or where they may be.

It is only when all the God-fearing people of the world, the righteous, unite against satanic forces of death, carnage, destruction and mayhem would we guarantee our children a better world to live in.

As we celebrate Christmas, a few days after celebrating Tobaski, let us all rededicate our lives to the fight against evil on earth at all times.