Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – In today’s Gambia, tribal whispers infect politics, gossip masquerades as news, and envy turns success into a target. Reputations now fall faster on social media than in any courtroom. Worse still, the silence of friends and colleagues often delivers the final blow. We have seen this before.

Thione Seck’s decade-long ordeal in Senegal is a warning written in pain. Accused of crimes he denied, defended by his lawyer Maître Ousmane Seye, he faced years of humiliation while truth stood waiting. His name was cleared—but ten days before his death. By then, the damage was permanent.

So we must ask: what kind of justice arrives when the accused is already in the grave? And what kind of society mourns a man it never defended?

Betrayal – The Quiet Knife

Wally Seck, Thione’s son, has captured this truth in his new release, Diégué Kiraay. More than music, it is protest in melody, sorrow in Wolof rhythm: “Benn loo waral lay dëkk, sax duma sonn.”

“If there is even one reason to live, I will never give up.”

But for those with nothing left to prove, what reason did you give them to hold on?

Diégué Kiraay carries the haunting refrain “xor bakhol” — “to betray someone is not good.” Betrayal is not always the loud betrayal of enemies.

Often, it is the betrayal of friends who say nothing, of colleagues who look away, of relatives who avoid defending your name because it is inconvenient.

This betrayal is not always born of hatred. Sometimes it is cowardice. But cowardice destroys just as surely.

Often, it is the cowardly silence of friends, colleagues who look away, and relatives who find it inconvenient to speak up. Betrayal thrives in silence. And silence kills.

Envy – The Punishment of Excellence

The deeper poison is envy. In our society, those who dare to rise—whether in music, leadership, or public service—are dragged down. Instead of celebrating excellence, we conspire to destroy it. Instead of learning from those who shine, we rush to dim their light.

What kind of nation punishes merit and rewards mediocrity? What kind of Gambia are we building if the instinct is always to pull down the one who climbs?

Silence – The Comfortable Complicity

Not everyone spreads rumors. But many choose silence. And silence, no matter how comfortable, is never neutral. When lies are told and you say nothing, you side with the lie. When gossip spreads and you remain quiet, you strengthen it.

Let us be honest: silence is not innocence. Silence is complicity.

Hypocrisy – Flowers on Graves

Then comes the hypocrisy. The same people who shared rumors are the first to send condolences. The same society that laughed at a man’s fall is the same one that praises him at his funeral.

But there is no honor in eulogizing those you failed to defend. There is no virtue in mourning only when it is safe. Flowers on a grave can never replace a word of truth spoken in time.

Both scripture and conscience warn us:

“Say: Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished.” (Qur’an, 17:81)

“A man reaps what he sows.” (Galatians 6:7)

Make no mistake: envy, silence, and hypocrisy do not escape the judgment of God.

A Reckoning for the Living

So let us be clear.

To those who heard the lies and said nothing,

To those who whispered them louder,

To those who envied those who rose,

To those who joined the mob but later pretended to mourn:

Look in the mirror. Your hands are not clean.

Diégué Kiraay is not just a song; it is a mirror. And if you dare to look, you will see yourself—the betrayal, the envy, and the silence that helped destroy another human being.

When your time comes, who will speak for you? Who will defend your name when falsehood flies faster than truth? Will The Gambia again mourn too late, as it did for Thione Seck? Or will your own legacy be swallowed by the silence you once condoned?

The Choice Before Us

Rise above betrayal. Rise above envy. Break the silence. Refuse hypocrisy.

Protect what is true. Defend what is excellent. Speak when it matters. Otherwise, you will be remembered not for what you achieved, but for what you allowed.

Because in the end, you always reap what you sow. And when the world turns, no flowers, no music, and no songs will defend you—only the echo of your own silence.