GAMBIA IS DEFINED BY ITS PEACE AND SECURITY - NIGERIA HIGH COMMISSIONER HER EXCELLENCY ESTHER JOHN AUDU

BEING THE FULL TEXT OF HER SPEECH ON BEHALF OF NIGERIAN FORMER HEAD OF STATE OLUSEGUN OBASANJO AT THE LAUNCH OF KAIRABA THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SIR DAWDA KAIRABA JAWARA AT THE KAIRABA BEACH HOTEL ON SATURDAY 10 APRIL 2010

Your Excellency Sheikh Prof.Dr. Alhaji Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh President of the Republic of The Gambia,

Your Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabba, Former President of the Republic of Sierra Leone

Your Excellency Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara

Former President of the Republic of The Gambia

The Speaker of the National Assembly

The Lord Chief Justice

Your Excellencies

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

Let me begin by conveying the best wishes of the Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to His Excellency, Sheikh Prof. Dr. Alhaji Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh and to the former President of The Gambia, His Excellency Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara for the invitation extended to His Excellency , Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to chair the launch of the autobiography Kairaba, written by Gambia’s illustrious son, Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo would have loved to be here in person among his brothers to participate in this historic occasion of the book launch. As a Pan-African, he said in his words yesterday when he called that he would have loved to use the occasion of the visit to further strengthen the bonds of friendship between our two countries, more so, that he promised Mr. President, His Excellency, Sheikh Prof. Dr Alhaji Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh that he would be here today. However, due to logistical reasons, he has been unable to attend today's occasion and has therefore mandated me to represent him.

Your Excellencies, I consider my presence here as a really great privilege and a very high honour to stand before this august assembly of very distinguished statesmen and women to represent the immediate past President and former leader of Africa's most populous country H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. May I inform that former President Obasanjo still recalls with a sense of nostalgia how you Sir Dawda Jawara received him very warmly in The Gambia  when he vacated office in 1979 following his handover of the reins of leadership as a military Head of State to the civilian government of President Shehu Shagari.

I must confess that Gambia is a unique country, unique in terms of the prevalence of peace and security in the country. I have noted with delight the fast pace of development in the country and this can be attributed to the structures of good governance which over the years have become the bedrock of this great nation. I have no doubt that The Gambia is firmly on course to becoming a major player in both sub-regional and regional affairs.

Your Excellencies, permit me therefore to thank you for the invitation and for the opportunity to participate in this historic launch of the autobiography Kairaba. I wish to commend the resourcefulness of His Excellency Sir Jawara for his exceptional courage in trying to keep alive the flame of history by capturing his thoughts in Kairaba. It is a lesson we in our generation should imbibe and for that I wish to commend this historic book to each and every one of us. It is a document that should be in every library.

May I at this juncture Your Excellencies, appreciate the presence of His Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of The Gambia His Excellency Sheikh Prof. Dr. Alhaji Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh for his support and encouragement to His Excellency Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara for his presence at today's occasion in spite of his heavy work schedule. May I also thank the visiting dignitaries especially His Excellency former President Ahmed Tejan Kabba for finding time out of his very busy schedule to grace today's occasion.

I thank you all for your kind attention and may God bless you all.