In 2024 The Gambia hosted the Organization of Islamic Conference Summit. His Excellency President Barrow is the current Chair of this large international organization. Other diplomatic success include the 9 year tenure of Gambian jurist Fatou Bensouda as head of the International Criminal Court; the hosting of the 2006 African Union Summit under former President Jammeh and President Jawara’s hosting of the 1990 ECOWAS Summit, when the West African grouping agreed to send a peace keeping force to Liberia to help stop the civil war. This decision set the pace for other ECOWAS military interventions in Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau and The Gambia. As we speak, Gambian diplomat Dr. Omar Touray heads ECOWAS, and our Foreign Minister recently had the well informed audacity to vie to head the Commonwealth.
This diplomatic success was realized in part due to President Alhaji Sir Dawda Jawara’s strong believe in human rights and rule of law, and friendship with the world. Under him, The Gambia maintained regular multi-party democratic elections from 1951 to the army coup of 1994. Banjul is the Human Rights Capital of Africa!
Indeed, The Gambia has maintained an uninterrupted tradition of independent press since 1885. We don’t have political prisoners and civil society is growing. The Gambian multi-party democracy system is the most trusted in Africa, where voters cast a marble inside a box and a bell rings to ensure one man has one vote. In The Gambia, when people lose elections, they concede defeat or resort to the courts, not to the streets. This is our pride and shows the maturity of our political leaders.
Such strong democratic record was sown in the early days of nationalist politics. Edward Francis Small, 1890-1958, was a crusading journalist, activist and father of Gambian nationalism. He mentored the future leaders like I.M Graba Jahumpa, P.S Njie, Rev J.C Faye and Alhaji Sir Dawda Jawara. These men, assisted by strong women party militants Yai Compin, helped to nurture political tolerance through coalitions, alliances and mergers of political parties. In 1982, Ms Nyimasata Sanneh Bojang became the first women elected into Parliament, opening the door for many more women and youth to take up leadership roles.
Yet, the start at 1965 was tough: there were less than 30 university graduates to run the country. In 1971, we established our own currency, a strong symbol of our sovereignty. In 1965, it took 4 days to travel by car from Basse to Banjul through bush tracks; and 6 days by boat called Lady Wright. Now it takes 6 hours! Life expectancy in 1965 was below 40; now it is about 60.
Also, through self-help, modest policies and strong friendship with the UK and other Western and eastern countries and the Arab world, the country moved from uncertainty into strength. Strong ties have been maintained with Senegal, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Guinea, Mali and Kenya; The Gambia supported the liberation movements in Africa during the 1960s and 1970s.This is why Nujoma, Arafat, Nyerere, Cabral visited Banjul.
Our artists like Jaliba Kuyateh, Jeli Nyama Suso have popularized the Kora; the Super Eagles and Ifanbondi were music band sensations of the 1960s and 1970s. Abdoulie Samba played the Wolof Xalam at the Kremlin! Through our UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Biospheres, our cultural identity as a nation is reinforced and more tourists are attracted to our shores. Poets like Lenrie Peters, Tijan Sallah have mesmerized the world of letters with their beautiful verse; the painter Njogu Touray’s splash of colour has gained a unique niche in art galleries and private collections.
In addition to this artistic fervour, we now mint lawyers, engineers, medical doctors and Phds here in our universities. There are more girls in school than boys. So far, our country has attended two African Nations Cup soccer tournaments, and Gambian footballers dot the major soccer clubs in Europe and Asia. Our press is boisterous and free.
Although, the 1981-attempted coup put the country to a severe test as the looting and massive killings resulted in a stunned nation, and so did the 2016 political Impasse, such measured reactions as the reconciliation tactics, upholding of the rule of justice, the wound soon healed and The Gambia continued to be at peace with herself, her neighbors and the rest of the world, with her flag aloft.
The colours of our National Flag reminds us of the need to protect the environment, our great River Gambia and other resources, the stanzas of our National Anthem are a harangue for work, work and work, and for honesty and accountability, for continued prosperity. The future is bright.
Long live The Gambia! Long Live her leaders and people!
Hassoum Ceesay, ORG
