Sir Dawda Jawara Attends Senator Barack Obama’s Presidential Nomination
By EBRIMA G. SANKAREH, Editor-In-Chief
As a fitting tribute to his tolerance, peaceful persona, adherence to the doctrine of the Rule of Law and democratic legacy, The Gambia’s premier President, Alhagie Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara is among several hundreds of world dignitaries to attend the historic nomination of Senator Barack Hussein Obama’s candidature as the Democratic Party’s presidential contender. He is accompanied by his wife, Lady Njaimeh Jawara and two state security agents assigned to him by the dictator that overthrew his constitutionally elected government. Sir Dawda, who was ousted in a military coup on July 22, 1994 and now lives in The Gambia as a private citizen, was invited by the United States Democratic Party to grace this historic occasion in Denver, Colorado. While several Senegalese officials and politicians, among them Speaker Macky Sall are among those invited, Sir Dawda is the only Gambian known to have been so honoured with this invitation. An estimated 80,000 people are expected to attend the 45th Democratic National Convention. Television and radio stations the world over are beamed on Denver to report this rare political extravaganza.
According to our unimpeachable sources within the corridors of state power, the Democrats pay for Sir Dawda’s entire expenses. He flew out of Banjul International Airport aboard a Monarch jumbo jet on Tuesday August 19, and had a night stop in England from where he boarded a Delta flight that jetted to Atlanta en-route to Colorado. Sir Dawda and party arrived in Denver on Friday and will as customary, rob shoulders with the high and mighty; a fitting tribute to a rare breed that peacefully and democratically ruled the mini-West African state for almost 30-years with a human rights record that ranks nulli secundis.
No doubt, like all mortals, Sir Dawda too has his baggage which arguably, created the Frankenstein that now threatens our civilization but that apart; in the gallery of statesmen, Sir Dawda Jawara is a rara avis, a political journey-walker, never tied, always courageous with ideas and a temperament that defy description.
Sir Dawda in his youthful days
Born Saikou Almami Jawara on May 16th. 1924 at Barajally, MacCarthy Island Division to Na Ceesay Jawara and Almami Jawara, Sir Dawda was educated at the Methodist Boys’ High School in colonial Bathurst (now Banjul) under the tutelage of the late Pa Yoma Jallow, a revered Islamic scholar. Upon completion, he climaxed to Ghana’s prestigious Achimota College where he encountered the Ghanaian scholar, Kwesi whose influence on the young Sir Dawda was to be profound. He converted to Christianity adopting the name David Kwesi Jawara.
From Achimoto, Sir Dawda matriculated to the prestigious University of Glasgow in Aberdeen, Scotland where he trained as a Veterinary Surgeon. He returned to his native Gambia and was appointed Principal Veterinary Officer of the Colony, a post he relinquished in 1960 to lead the Peoples Protectorate Party. He was elected to the Gambian House in 1960 and simultaneously served as Education Minister and later in 1962 became Gambia's Chief Minister. He led The Gambia to independence on February 18, 1965 and held on as Chief Minister until 1970 when the country became a Republic.
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II knighted him in 1966 at the Court of St. James.
As was the norm with most provincial boys within colonial Bathurst in those days, Sir Dawda married into a prestigious and well-educated Creole (Aku) family, taking the hand of Hannah Augusta Darling Mahoney in matrimony, daughter of the late Sir John Mahoney an elitist and influential leader in colonial Gambia as a member of the then Legislative Chamber. That union is blessed with five charming children, Dawda, Nema, Na Ceesay, Almami and Kawsu. Lady Hannah Augusta Mahoney was the first woman to contest in a general election whilst her sister, Louis Antoinette Njie was the first woman to serve in Parliament and was at various times, Jawara’s Education and Health Minister.
Alhagi Sir Dawda has won international admiration as a true democrat who during all his years in power adhered to the principles of human rights to the letter. This led to the great stability under his watch, an isolated case given the fact that West Africa was a troubled region during this period. It was no coincidence, that then Attorney General, Fafa Edrissa Mbai during a legal year opening eulogized Sir Dawda as, “the Father of our Nation, the champion of Human Rights and the architect of the sovereign Republic of The Gambia…” which is the very reason why The Gambia under Sir Dawda's reign was chosen to house both the African Center on Human and People's Rights and the African Center for Human Rights Studies on Kairaba Avenue, the very boulevard named for him.
When he was tested by Kukoi Samba Sanyang in a bloody coup d’etat with the lives of his Wife and family on the line, Sir Dawda responded with the diplomacy that led him to become Chairman of the Islamic Peace Conference in these words, "I hold them individually and collectively responsible for any hostages they may be holding, should any harm befall them, the retribution will be total and terrible.” In those dark days in Gambian history the only thing comforting and reassuring to The Gambian nation was that beautiful voice of his from across neighboring Senegal and Gambians will never forget these immortal words penned in semantic precision by none but the very Father and Founder of the nation thus: “I am deeply pained to see forces of evil, riding on a combination of treachery, obscurantism and brute force holding our dear country by the throat with an intention to choke it to death.” He could not have said it any better. The Jali that composed DK SABARI should have been around today to sing it one more time or the iconic master broadcaster, Saul Njie should lead us down memory lane with his trademark, "Alhagi Sir Dawda in a flowing gown."