The man who led the Gambia to Independence in 1965 had finally got what he had been long waiting to see: the Gambia without Yahya Jammeh, an army lieutenant who headed a group of ragged-tag soldiers and dislodged the People’s Progressive Party government from power. Sir Dawda Jawara, who would be forced to go into exile in England where he battled hardship, later returned home in 2002 after being granted presidential amnesty. Jawara had since been living a quiet life in the country.
Despite challenging health resulting from old age, elders were upbeat that God would spare Sir Dawda’s life so he could see the end of Yahya Jammeh. So many elders over and over reiterated that Yahya Jammeh would not be around during Jawara’s last days. “Allah has accepted our prayers that Jawara will see Jammeh face humiliation,” one Jarra elder had earlier said.
Sir Dawda’s greatest happiness arrived last week when President Adama Barrow visited him. The visit is historic for many reasons. Gambians are grateful to Jawara and Barrow for freeing them from the yokes of colonialism and tyranny. Unlike Yahya Jammeh who ruled with iron fist, Jawara and Barrow are democrats.
After congratulating President Barrow for his election victory, Jawara offered him words of leadership wisdom and prayers.
President Jawara, a graduate of veterinary science, helped saved cattle population in the country from being wiped away by disease. He dabbled in politics and became minister and chief minister before assuming the office of presidency on April 24th 1970, when the Gambia attained republican status.
Ends
This is a great story . Sir Dawda Jawara and president Barrow are both democrats who are voted into office by indigenous citizens. We must be proud to see them together. Yaya was never voted into office by indigenous citizens but he has forced himself on Gambian people through treasonable crime. Yaya became a criminal leader since day one up to his last day when he was repudiated by Gambian people and expelled from The Gambia . He will never come back to our country as a free man.
Max, this is more than a great story. I could not hold my tears when I saw the picture. I strongly believe that the title is not apt as such. I would change it to “The Gambia and Gambians get what they want.”
The whole country have been praying for this… may Kairaba rest (touch wood) at a time when the Gambia and the whole world will give him the respect he deserves, acknowledge and thank him for what he has done for the country, be able to show to the Jawaras and extended family that Kairaba belongs to them NOT but to The Gambia. The Almighty has answered our prayers.
You went for exile but you’re back in the country freely without attending court but as for jammeh hw will face justice. Sir well done champion of democracy wish you good health and many more years to witness.
This is the song I grew up with and it is the only song I trust. It goes like so: “Asiko Gambia Campodala PPP Oh, fine Jawara!
Eat your Heart out Lady Gaga
Max, please do not hang your sword yet. Pa Nderry has started another front.
Mr conteh , I think Pa Nderry is making some mistakes right now because he seem to be continuing the same old tactics of journalism which was used to fight Jammeh’s dictatorship . Fighting dictatorship requires every kind of measure or tactics , but now that we have democratically elected government, we must ensure that we have responsible journalism and ways of holding our elected leaders accountable. Pa Nderry was a supporter of Mama Kandeh . I personally do not trust Mr Mbai for many reasons, among them he has never had any good working relationship with any genuine Gambian or organization. Pa does not have a job as it is reported by many sources. So he is depending on sensational journalism / propaganda to make a living . I recognize his rights to his political beliefs but pa must do his work within the ethics of journalism if he want to continue to be recognized and respected among diaspora . We have people who have played most important roles to ensure that we have coalition and victory, those people are silenced majority who should be commended . This is not to say Pa Mbai did not play a role in exposing dictatorship. We must continue to caution pa to do his job responsibly. Failure to do that he should be considered an opposition to any progressive
Maxs, Who decides what responsible journalism is? You a Functional illiterate passing for an Ethnic group demagogue. Please.
The fellow citizen Pa Nderry, makes lot of news but captions like ‘HONOR belongs to Pa Nderry’ for being Jammeh’s number ‘one enemy’, is dishonorable of Mr. Nderry himself even if he doesn’t understand that fact. To say so is indeed a journalistic misconduct and as embarrassing a notion of disrespect to the people of this profession in general in the Gambia, during her state of terror of 22years.
May Allah God guide and help the new government of Barrow to be responsive to people’s needs, in an atmosphere of democracy and the rule of law, and grant him and Sir Dawda good health and long lives. May Allah God grant the same to the people of the Gambia and on top of those peace and properity for all.
Maxs, Ggapm, Hairy and All who are now Blindly Showing their Ethnic Group Interest Politics, instead of the pretentiousness of Principled Democratic and Rule of Law Political Activists they Howled and Tooted about for 22 years. Never mind, the same things you have been splitting your Livers and Vile for 22 years, with the exception of the alleged extra Judicial killings under the leadership of the Second Republic, were the same as was in the First Republic. They say in these parts, it ain’t over until the far lady sings. In this case, until the fat man sings. Got the joke? it is funny but you may have missed it. It is not even the beginning. It’s more like the beginning of an end, the end of the beginning…. The writing is in the World. The Incompetence if the Franchise at hand, not to mention its ADHD Candidate, now President, with his Clique of yet to be Pardoned Offenders or should I say, Parolees need to be reporting to the Police for their weekly Monitoring. The Ursurping of the Constitution when Convenient and Hugging it when it is Not, would be the Death Nail of the Adama Barrow Transition Government, or should I say, a high school student committee board.