President Adama Barrow Mockingly calls Opposition Political Bureaus ‘’Boutique Narr’’ and their parties ‘’Bana-Bana parties
SOURCE: KERR FATOU
FINDINGS
President Barrow cause up controversy with his remarks during the NPP’s new political bureau’s launching ceremony on Thursday, May 23, 2024, held at Kerewan in the North Bank Region. In an amusing video released by the Kerr Fatou Online News outlet, he called opposition political bureaus “Boutique Narr and Bana-Bana Parties,” asserting that his party, the NPP, is the only proper party in The Gambia and that the others are “Bana-Bana” parties.
He went on to say, “Some of them scheduled to open their bureaus on May 11, but they didn’t after hearing that President Barrow is set to inaugurate new hospitals and his political bureaus.” He described them as small fish that, when using the back way, jump and rotate, but when the crocodile stands, they relax and calm down.
President Barrow’s comments can be considered hate speech because they aim to belittle and demean his political opponents using derogatory language and metaphors that suggest they are insignificant and cowardly compared to him. Referring to opposition parties’ bureaus as “Boutique Narr” and their parties as “Bana-Bana Parties,” and likening them to small fish cowering before a crocodile, not only undermines the democratic process by discouraging political diversity and healthy debate but also fosters an environment of hostility and division. Such rhetoric can incite further animosity and polarization among supporters, eroding the foundation of respectful political discourse necessary for a functioning democracy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, President Barrow’s comments at the Kerewan meeting on 23rd May 2024 exemplify hate speech. His description of opposition parties as “Boutique Narr” and “Bana-Bana Parties,” and his metaphor of small fish cowering before a crocodile, are intended to belittle and demean his political rivals. This type of language not only stifles political diversity and constructive debate but also creates an atmosphere of hostility and division. Such rhetoric can escalate animosity and deepen polarization among supporters, undermining the respectful political discourse essential for a healthy democracy.
By Momodou Dibba
Researcher
