When former President Yaya Jammeh finally agreed to hand over the leadership of The Gambia to the newly elected President Adama Barrow, the impact of the decision on the Gambia and its people was widely celebrated.
Not only did it mark a new age of leadership after the former President’s 22-year government, it also marked the first successful transfer of power to a democratically elected leader in Gambia’s history.
For the African continent,and especially for West Africa, it also marked a shift in collaboration and collective responsibility – local leaders negotiating and resolving political uunrest without direct foreign intervention.
Following the swearing-in of the President Barrow, Gambians around the world continue to reflect on what the transition will mean for the small West African nation they call home. Here at Ashesi, Gambian students have been sharing their perspectives and outlook for their country through photos and quotes. In this blog post, students share their thoughts and hopes for Gambia’s future.
“I hope this serves as an indication to Africa leaders; that indeed, their accountability is always to the people,” says Muhammed Jammeh. “For the new leadership, we expect a system that would ensure equity to all and quality delivery of service.”
For Wuyeh Jobe, “The political impasse that struck the country means that the new government will be starting from scratch. The leadership is faced with a dwindling economy to fix, a divided nation to unite, and an education system to refurbish. This means that people are going to encounter challenges ranging from food production to wealth creation. Hence, the youth cannot be naive about their role in nation building.”