Adama Barrow, President of Gambia (re-elected on Dec 4, 2021 with 53.2% of the vote)
Adama Barrow (born 16 February 1965) is the third and current President of the Gambia since January 2017. He is a member of the United Democratic Party (UDP). Prior to his presidential campaign, he was the treasurer of the UDP and operated a real estate agency. He established the agency Majum Real Estate in 2006, after returning from studies in London, England.
Barrow was born on 16 February 1965 in Mankamang Kunda, a small village near Basse Santa Su, two days before the Gambia achieved independence from the United Kingdom. He is the son of Mamudu Barrow and Kaddijatou Jallow. He attended the local Koba Kunda primary school, and then Crab Island Secondary School in Banjul. He then received a scholarship to study at the Muslim High School. After leaving school, he worked for Alhagie Musa & Sons, a gas company, and rose through the ranks to become a sales manager. In the early 2000s, he moved to London where he studied for qualifications in real estate. Concurrently, he worked as a security guard at a local Argos store in order to finance his studies. He later described these experiences as formative, saying “Life is a process, and the UK helped me to become the person I am today. Working 15 hours a day builds a man.”
Barrow returned to the Gambia following his graduation. In 2006, he established Majum Real Estate, and from 2006 to 2016 was the chief executive officer (CEO) of the company.
Barrow is a devout Muslim and says that his faith guides his life and politics. He practices polygyny and has two wives, Fatoumatta Bah and Sarjo Mballow. Both wives are from the Fula ethnic group. With his wives, he has four living children. Habibu Barrow, his eight-year-old son, died after being bit by a dog on 15 January 2017. Barrow could not attend his son’s funeral because he was in Senegal for security reasons, following ECOWAS recommendations.
He is also a fan of the English football club Arsenal. His support for the team started in the early 2000s when he was residing in England.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adama_Barrow
Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Azziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh, Former President of Gambia
On November 24, 2011, Yahya Jammeh wins 71.5% of the vote.
DATE OF BIRTH: 25th May 1965
PLACE OF BIRTH: Kanilai Village
Foni Kansala District
Western Division
MARITAL STATUS: Married to
Madam Zineb Yahya Jammeh
CHILDREN: One Daughter
PRIMARY EDUCATION
1972 – 1976
Kanilai Primary
(Formerly St. Anthony’s School)
1976 – 1978
Saint Edwards Primary School Bwiam
1978
Passed Common Entrance Examination and attained a Government Scholarship
SECONDARY EDUCATION
1978 -1983
Gambia High School
1983
Passed General Certificate of Education (GCE 0′ Level) with Credits in Geography, English, French, Biology and Physics. Also obtained passes in Chemistry and Oral English
MILITARY CAREER:
April 1 1984
Joined the former Gambia National Gendarmerie
April 1 1986
Promoted from Private to Sergeant
December 1987
Promoted to Cadet Officer
September 1989
Commissioned
UNITS SERVED –
Gambia National Army
August 1984 to April 1986 Special Intervention Unit
April 1986 to December 1987 Mobile Gendarmerie
Special Guards Unit
December 1987 to August 1989 Gendarmerie Training School (School of Presidential Escort)
January 1991 to June 1991 Mobile Gendarmerie
(as Officer Commanding)
June 1991 to August 1991 Military Police Unit of
The Gambia National Gendarmerie
(as Officer Commanding)
August 1991 to July 1994 Gambia National Army
(Officer Commanding, GNA Military Police Yundum Barracks)
OVERSEAS TRAINING
September 1993 – January 1994 Attended Military Police Officers Basic Course (MPOBC) at Port McClellan, Alabama, USA.
Obtained a Diploma in Military Science (Military Operations)
PROMOTIONS:
September 29, 1989 Promoted to Second Lieutenant
February 1, 1992 Promoted to Lieutenant
November 17 1994 Promoted to the Rank of Captain along with other AFPRC Members
August 28, 1996 Promoted to the Rank of Colonel
SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS:
1990 Special Security Officer for Visiting Heads of State of the ECOWAS Summit at Kairaba Beach Hotel
August 1990 Officer in-Charge of ECOWAS Peace Conference for Liberia at Kairaba Beach Hotel
1993 Special Officer In-Charge of close protection of visiting ECOMOG Field Commander
February 23 – 24 1992 Officer In-Charge of close protection of Pope John Paul II and entourage
Officer In-Charge of VIP security in State functions including Heads of State
HONOURS:
November 1993 Appointed Honorary Citizen of the State of Georgia, USA
January 27, 1994 Appointed Honorary Lt. Col. ADC, Alabama State Military, USA
1995 Decorated with the highest Libyan Insignia -Grand Commander of The Order AL-FATAH
1996 Decorated with the highest Chinese Insignia -The Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand CORDON of The Republic of China
1997 Awarded the 1997 Pan- African Humanitarian Award by The Pan-African Foundation and The World Council
1997 Nominated Man of The Year by the American Biographical Institute in Raleigh,North Carolina, USA
1998 Awarded The Gold Record of Achievement for 1997by The American Biographical Institute in Raleigh, North Carolina,USA
September 1998 Appointed Honorary Admiral, Alabama State Navy by the Governor of The State of Alabama
November 1998 Awarded the Grand Order of Bravery by the Libyan Leader Colonel Muammar Gadaffi
December 1998 Awarded the Islamic Worldwide “Grand Prix” by The Cheikhna Cheikh Saad Bouh Foundation of Dakar, Senegal
February 1999 Awarded the Doctor of Civil Laws Degree from St.Mary’s University, Halifax, Canada
March 1999
Appointed Deputy Governor of American Biographical Institute Research Association (ABIRA) North Carolina, United Stated of America
March 1999 Awarded the 2000 Millennium Medal of Honour from the American Biographical Institute of the United States of America
March 1999 Nominated Outstanding People of The 20th Century by the International Biographical Institute, Cambridge, England
April 1999 Nominated 1999 Platinum Record for Exceptional Performance by the American Biographical Institute,raleigh, North Carolina,USA
April 1999 Awarded the World Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Biographcal Institute,Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
September 1999 Decorated with Libya’s Highest Honour The African Medal by Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gadaffi
July 2000 Decorated with Orders of The Distinction of Liberia
March 2001 Decorated with Grand Croix dans l’Ordre National du Lion
OFFICES HELD
July 22, 1994 Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council and Head of State
September 8, 1996 Retired from the Army
September 27, 1996 Elected First President of The Second Republic of The Gambia
October 18, 1996 Became President of The Republic of The Gambia
September 1997
to
November 2000 Chairman of the Inter-states Committee for the Control of Drought in the Sahel (CILSS) (Elected during the 12th Conference of Heads of State and Government of CILSS held in The Gambia in September 1997)
November 2001 Elected 1st Vice Chairman of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) during its 9th Meeting of Heads of State and Government held in Doha, Qatar
Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of West African Monetary Zone 2005
HOBBIES
Playing Tennis,
Playing Soccer,
Hunting in the Forests,
Reading,
Correspondence,
Driving and Riding Motorcycles, Browsing the Internet,
Watching Music Movies,
Animal Rearing and
Keenly following world events.
SPECIAL SKILLS
Possesses extensive knowledge in traditional herbal therapy especially in the treatment of Asthma and Epilepsy.
