The announcement came as the president addressed supporters in the coastal town of Brufut on Thursday, and the comments were later broadcast on state television and repeated on his website.
"Gambia's destiny is in the hands of the Almighty Allah.
As from today, Gambia is an Islamic state. We will be an Islamic state that will respect the rights of the citizens," he was quoted as saying on the presidential website.
In television footage of the address on GRTV, seen by AFP on Saturday, the president did not go into detail about what the change would mean for the country, but he reassured Christians and followers of other faiths they would be able to worship freely.
"Christians will be given their due respect. The way of celebrating Christmas will continue," he said, adding that no one had the right to interfere with others' "way of life".He also warned against trying to impose a dress code on women.
He said:
"I have not appointed anyone as an Islamic policeman. The way women dress is not your business," he said.An impoverished former British colony nestled within Senegal, and famed for its white-sand beaches, The Gambia has a population of nearly two million, 90 per cent of whom are Muslim.
The remaining eight per cent are Christian and two per cent are defined as having indigenous beliefs.
Jammeh, 50, a military officer and former wrestler from a rural background, has ruled the country with an iron fist since he seized power in a coup in 1994. The main opposition party on Saturday poured scorn on the president's unexpected proclamation of an Islamic republic, saying it had no legal basis.
Earlier this year, Human Rights Watch branded Jammeh's regime one of the most repressive in the world, blaming paramilitaries and secret police for torture, disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
In 2013, Jammeh withdrew his country from the Commonwealth, saying it represented "an extension of colonialism".
AFP
75 comments:
Na him sabi.
Thats his headache.. ISIS should be glad about it
~TexyCarter~
Thats his headache.. ISIS should be glad about it
~TexyCarter~
Thats his headache.. ISIS should be glad about it
~TexyCarter~
Condemned religion.
Thats his headache.. ISIS should be glad about it
~TexyCarter~
Thats his headache.. ISIS should be glad about it
~TexyCarter~
Whatever
God help africa
Im surprised with the heartache religion is causing on the planet,some countries are still declaring their countries as Islamic/christian.Soon now,some sickheads amongst them will start enforcing ridiculous laws,thus belying the purpose of that declaration. Na wa oh.
Wrong move.
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Okay it's been noted from tday.
Na them sabi.
Congrats to them.
Smh that's fucked up
Russia put ur Google on this. Isis will soon kick off there. Engr Emy
Black man with black sense
WTF! What is wrong with Yahya Jammeh? Nd why he it want to die in power? Na wa oh!!!!!
So the smallest state in Nigeria is bigger than Gambia, Nawa oh! That means they should allow the igbos to go then Nigeria is too big abeg...
Hmmm,, good for them though..
The country is doomed already.
I pity those citizen who ain't muslims. They better move to another country because all these things this man said about preserving their rights is all false. Its an initial way of making light the gravity of the matter. Very soon.... Soonest, we'll start reading scary news about the Gambia.
Sincerely speaking the mind of Amadioha
That statement is quite expensive...definitely, it's goin to be interpreted differently by religious fanatics and uniform men. God help the Christians in Gambia.
I hope Buhari doesn't start having ideas sha, it will mean war.
End time islamic state,ok ooo am not goin dere for now anyways
Stupid decision. Mr President don't even bother thinking of thus else...
~D great anonymous!
Na small small before u know it.they will change it
Issokay
Hmmmmm
Nawao isilamic kwa, God I dey your hand o
21yrs years of dictatorship?
That sounds like modern slavery to me.
Congrats to them on the declaration of Islamic State.
I hope the Christians in that area are getting ready to move cos that president has awoken the "terrorist" in an average Muslim now they will start oppressing the Christian minority.
<< LIB Addict >>
...Wise christians should start relocating b4 it becomes 2late..
Everyday bringz forth fresh assholes with retarded decisions.
May Almighty God reward you for ur good deed.
I pity the people of Gambia. They have just been sold off to Sharia stigmatization. Tourism, the main driver of their economy just died because their President just pocketed some pittance from the Taliban Arabs. Now imagine that you are a tourist and you came in for the tropical sun and someone says you shouldn't expose your skin on the beach or drink alcohol. Well good luck Gambia. Life is full of gambles and errors
Na wa o
Hummmmmmmm
Congrat to dem....wish dem all d best
Welcome development
Nigeria should follow suit as well
...waiting for Nigeria's turn...we should take it in good faith when ours will be declared
Ewu ugbo
My dear crawl back into ur mothers womb and sleep so ur brain can retrieve the remaining components it left in her womb.nigeria muslim population has been declining over the years.there were more muslims by far in africa and nigeria 20 years ago.now christianity is way ahead in africa and nigeria(no doubt due to the stupidity of islam)despite muslims borning and marrying like rats...right now we have about 37 percent muslims in nigeria.u need to be born again to gain sense.
I'm happy for Gambians.
And u criticized donald trump when he said what he said.hypocrites.....nigeria christians God help u ohhh.Look at the people u support against trump.people who u want to save and fight for unconditionally but they want to see u dead unless u become like them.Read ur bibles and gain sense
Buhari should do same joor. Make nigeria an Islamic state.
Welp! I guess we have to change our honeymoon destination now! Because there is absolutely no way that I'm still going to The Gambia anymore!
Whatever rocks their boat.....
Abi o! Dats their headache. Linda take note!
End time country
Good for him..
Good for him..
Very disturbing.. Won't be surprised if bombs start going off there.
Hmmmmmmm
Dis is y its good to hav christian leader's in power so dattins lik dis wil b rare to pop up its head.
Comment frm ROYAL PRIESTHOOD (royalpriesthood007@gmail.com)
May God give Igbos Biafra In Jesus Christ's name, Amen. Thanks you for saying the prayer.
Let's pray for christians over there.
There's no sense in Nigeria being together. Muslims n Christians are polar apart. Would be nice to have a totally Christian country
You are a fool. Nigeria can never be an Islamic state in Jesus name.
You are happy that their life is doomed forever
Ewu Gambia
I can't believe somebody said " May God reward you for your good deed".
Good deed?
All these passive roaming bigot behind laptop screen. They will do worse than ISIS or BH of given the chance to.
na dem know as their allah is alive
This is not good for them at all.
It is only with states where muslims are the majority that u see these kind of thing. Have u heard ever about Hindu Republic, or Budha Republic or Christian Republic? just to tell u there is smthg wrong wt this religion. To me, there is no difference in the way the ordinary almajiri thinks and a prof who is a muslim, their thinking and fanaticism is the same. dnt be surprised very soon in Nigeria they will start carrying placards for Nigeria to be declared an Islamic state. Gradually it will spread like ISIS is spreading....
That's exactly what Buhari has been planning codedly... That's d reason begin his numerous travels.. That's the reason boko haram are killing and bombing everywhere. He is going underground seeking for Nigeria to be declared Islamic state as the only reason his boko boys would stop killing. We know every every. Thank God am already on my way to Biafra.. Land ordained by God himself. #FreedomFighter☝️
nonsense religion jammah should b remove through coup detact
Tell dem jare stupid ppl
Abori e yii ni?
@Musa for ur fucked up mind abi??? Onye nzuzu
this is just the beginning of the troubles, in the world.. it will only get worse, AMERICA is all behind this trend of using ISLAM as a tool in setting the stage for the ANTI-CHRIST, islam would be used in a subliminal way in eliminating CHRISTIANS(and non christians) thereby causing a 3rd world-war, which would culminate in alineating religion from the world. christians a prime target since we have caused more damage and shame to the kingdom of darkness across the universal, a religious war would solve the trick and this are the simple steps taken. END TIME AGENDA.
Gambia is as big as Kano. #RememberThat
Authoritarian f#ck!! This does not bode for the minority Christian cos we humans have a way of oppressing the minority. Book haram is a by product of sharia law.
that destructive religion on the rise again. na wa oh!
Daz very bad of him
What nonsense
Na small small like dis e take dey start
May b de nxt president dey wil hv wil act on de dress code issue
Rubbish
# oneandonlynwa@gmail.com#
# oneandonlynwa@gmail.com#
Nah there palava
He has no right to make the country an Islamic state because he wont be president forever. What if a christian becomes president and declares it a christian country? People should have rights to their religion. Smtchew
if Buhari think am, we would go to war.i go carry my own gun. rubbish. this Jammeh or wetin be him name? just open door of future troubles. i be wan go Banjul b4 , but i changed my mind.
if Buhari think am, we would go to war.i go carry my own gun. rubbish. this Jammeh or wetin be him name? just open door of future troubles. i be wan go Banjul b4 , but i changed my mind.
I don't believe that bit about respecting Christian rights. Let's not be deceived. It's part of Islamic belief that 'infidels' should convert or be killed. Is the world standing by and watching this? A national religion in the 21st century. Terrible.
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