The politics of justification: How rationalising wrongdoing threatens Gambia’s democracy

By Ebrima Ceesay

In the years following Yahya Jammeh’s departure, The Gambia has often been framed as a nation in transition, tentatively moving from authoritarian rule toward democratic renewal.

Yet, from my vantage point in the UK, I have observed a quieter, more insidious shift taking place alongside these political changes: the normalisation of unhealthy psychological defence mechanisms, particularly the rationalisation of wrongdoing.

This is not merely an abstract concern. It manifests daily in political discourse, public debate, and even in the way ordinary citizens interpret events. Harmful actions, whether by politicians, public officials, or partisan actors, are rarely confronted on their own terms. Instead, they are reframed, softened, or justified. The unacceptable is made to appear reasonable; the indefensible is dressed up as necessity.

Psychologists describe rationalisation as a defence mechanism that allows individuals to justify behaviour that conflicts with their moral standards. In moderation, such mechanisms may protect the psyche from discomfort. But when they become habitual, especially at a societal level, they do something far more dangerous: they distort reality. In The Gambia’s case, this distortion is increasingly visible in how wrongdoing is discussed, excused, and ultimately absorbed into the political culture.

What is particularly troubling is the consistency of this pattern. It is not confined to one political party or ideological camp. Across the spectrum, there is a readiness to defend “our side” at all costs. Allegations of corruption are dismissed as political attacks. Abuses of power are reframed as strategic decisions. Ethical breaches are minimised or contextualised until they lose their moral weight. In such an environment, accountability becomes secondary to loyalty.

This is how a culture of impunity quietly takes root, not through dramatic acts alone, but through the steady erosion of moral clarity. When every wrongdoing can be explained away, the very concept of wrongdoing begins to lose meaning. The line between right and wrong blurs, replaced by a more convenient distinction: what benefits us versus what harms us.

The long-term consequences for a fragile democracy are profound. A politically polarised post-Jammeh Gambian society already struggles with trust; therefore, when rationalisation becomes the dominant mode of engagement, that trust erodes even further. Citizens lose faith not only in leaders but in institutions themselves. Justice begins to appear selective. Truth becomes negotiable. And once these foundations weaken, democratic progress becomes precarious.

Moreover, this culture of justification, observed in post-Jammeh Gambia, does not remain confined to politics. It seeps into everyday life, shaping how people relate to authority, to each other, and to the idea of responsibility.

If public figures can evade accountability through clever narratives, why should ordinary citizens hold themselves to a higher standard? In this way, the rationalisation of “small evils” creates fertile ground for larger ones.

Calling out this trend is therefore not an exercise in pessimism; in fact, it is a necessary step toward safeguarding The Gambia’s democratic future. Confronting wrongdoing requires more than identifying the act itself; it demands challenging the stories we tell to excuse it. Without dismantling these narratives, misconduct becomes entrenched, shielded not by law but by collective acceptance.

Post-Jammeh Gambia stands at a critical juncture. Political transition alone is not enough to secure meaningful change. There must also be a moral and psychological reckoning, a willingness to reject convenient justifications and to insist on accountability, even when it is uncomfortable or politically inconvenient.

Because in the end, the greatest threat is not just the presence of wrongdoing, but a society that has learned to live with it, explain it, and ultimately accept it.

Ebrima Ceesay is a Gambian academic based in the UK. The author of many scholarly books was a former editor of the Daily Observer newspaper.