Adama Barrow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adama Barrow
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| 𞤀𞥄𞤣𞤢𞤥𞤢 𞤄𞤢𞥄𞤪𞤮 | |
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Barrow in 2018
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| 3rd President of The Gambia | |
| Assumed office 19 January 2017 |
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| Vice President | Fatoumata Tambajang Ousainou Darboe Isatou Touray Badara Joof Muhammad B.S. Jallow |
| Preceded by | Yahya Jammeh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 February 1965 Mankamang Kunda, British Gambia |
| Political party | National People's Party (2019–present) Independent (2016–2019) United Democratic Party (2007–2016) National Reconciliation Party (2006–2007) |
| Other political affiliations |
Coalition 2016 (2016–2019) |
| Spouses | Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow (m. 1997) Sarjo Mballow |
| Children | 5 (including 1 deceased) |
Adama Barrow (born 15 February 1965) is a Gambian politician. He used to work in real estate. Since 2017, he has been the President of The Gambia.
Barrow was born in Mankamang Kunda, a village in the Jimara district. He went to Crab Island Secondary School and Muslim High School. He got a scholarship for Muslim High School. After school, he worked for an energy company called Alhagie Musa Njie & Sons. He became a sales manager there. In the early 2000s, he moved to London to study real estate.
When he returned to The Gambia in 2006, he started his own real estate company, Majum Real Estate. He was its CEO until 2016. He joined the United Democratic Party (UDP), which was an opposition party. He became the party's treasurer. In September 2016, he became the party leader after the previous leader was jailed. Barrow was then chosen to run for president in the 2016 Gambian presidential election. He ran as an independent candidate. He had the support of a group of opposition parties called Coalition 2016.
Barrow won the 2016 Gambian presidential election with 43.34% of the votes. He defeated the long-time president, Yahya Jammeh. Jammeh first accepted the results but then changed his mind. Barrow had to go to neighboring Senegal for safety. He was sworn in as president at The Gambian embassy in Senegal on 19 January 2017. Jammeh was then forced to leave The Gambia and go into exile on 21 January. Barrow returned to The Gambia on 26 January. In November 2021, Adama Barrow ran for president again in the 2021 Gambian presidential election and was re-elected.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Barrow was born on 15 February 1965 in Mankamang Kunda. This small village is near Basse Santa Su. He was born just three days before the Gambia became independent from the United Kingdom. His parents are Mamudu Barrow and Kaddijatou Jallow.
He went to the local Koba Kunda primary school. Then he attended Crab Island Secondary School in Banjul. He later received a scholarship to study at the Muslim High School. After finishing school, he worked for Alhagie Musa Njie & Sons. This was a Gambian energy company. He became a sales manager there.
In the early 2000s, he moved to London. There, he studied to get qualifications in real estate. He also worked as a security supervisor at a local store to pay for his studies. He later said that these experiences helped him grow. He mentioned, "Life is a process, and the UK helped me to become the person I am today. Working 15 hours a day builds a man."
Career Before Presidency
Barrow returned to The Gambia in 2006. He started his own company, Majum Real Estate. He was the chief executive officer (CEO) of this company from 2006 to 2016. In 2019, he received an award called The Great Builder Super Prize. This was for his leadership in building the Senegambia Bridge.
Barrow started his political journey with the National Reconciliation Party (NRP). In 2007, he left the NRP and joined the UDP. He ran in an election but lost. He then kept a low profile until he was elected President in 2016.
Presidential Campaign
The 2016 Election
On 30 October 2016, a group of seven opposition parties chose Barrow as their candidate. He would run for president in the 2016 Gambian presidential election. Before this, Barrow had not held any elected public office. He had been the treasurer of the United Democratic Party (UDP). He left the UDP on 3 November to run as an independent candidate. He had the full support of Coalition 2016.
During his campaign, he promised to bring The Gambia back into the Commonwealth of Nations. He also promised to rejoin the International Criminal Court. He said he would improve the security forces. He wanted them to be more professional and separate from politics. He also said he would create a temporary government. This government would be made of members from the opposition group. He promised to step down within three years.
In the election, Barrow won with 43.34% of the votes. He defeated Yahya Jammeh, who got 39.6%. The third candidate, Mama Kandeh, received 17.1%.
Becoming President
At first, President Jammeh said he would hand over power peacefully. But on 9 December, he announced on TV that he rejected the election results. Many people in The Gambia and around the world were upset. The UN Security Council told Jammeh to "respect the choice of the people." The African Union said Jammeh's statement was "null and void." Countries like the United States and neighboring Senegal also criticized Jammeh.
Barrow left The Gambia for Senegal because he was worried about his safety. He asked Jammeh to step down. Jammeh tried to challenge the election results in the Supreme Court. But the court said it could not hear the case for at least four more months. Jammeh then declared a state of emergency. He tried to stop Barrow from becoming president.
Barrow was sworn in as President of The Gambia on 19 January 2017. This happened at The Gambian embassy in Dakar, Senegal. On the same day, military forces from Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana entered The Gambia. This was part of an ECOWAS military intervention. Their goal was to make Jammeh leave. The Gambian military did not fight against them. ECOWAS stopped the intervention after a few hours. They gave Jammeh one last chance to step down. On 21 January, Jammeh left The Gambia and went into exile. This cleared the way for Barrow to become president.
On 26 January, Barrow returned to The Gambia. About 2,500 ECOWAS troops stayed to help keep the country stable. Barrow asked them to stay for six months. Hundreds of people were at Banjul International Airport to welcome him home. Military officials and members of the new government also greeted him.
On 18 February 2017, Barrow took the oath of office a second time. This ceremony happened inside The Gambia. It was held at Independence Stadium in Bakau, near the capital Banjul.
Presidency
New Government and Appointments
On 28 January 2017, Barrow announced that his chosen cabinet members would need to declare their assets. This had to happen before they started their jobs. On 1 February, 10 of the 18 ministers were sworn in. This ceremony took place at Kairaba Beach Hotel. This was Barrow's temporary home.
Important roles were filled. Ousainou Darboe became Minister of Foreign Affairs. Amadou Sanneh became Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs. Isatou Touray, The Gambia's first female presidential candidate, became Minister of Trade. Mai Ahmed Fatty, who had been in exile, became Minister of the Interior. Ba Tambadou was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
Also, Amie Bojang Sissoho, a women's rights activist, became Director of Press for the President's Office.
Changes in The Gambia
Human Rights and Other Reforms
On 28 January 2017, Barrow announced a change for The Gambia's official name. It went from Islamic Republic of The Gambia back to Republic of The Gambia. This reversed a change made by Jammeh in 2015. Barrow also promised to make sure there was freedom of the press in the country. On 14 February, The Gambia started the process to rejoin the Commonwealth of Nations.
In his speech on 18 February 2017, Barrow said he had ordered the release of all people held without proper reason. These people were detained under Yahya Jammeh's government. A total of 171 prisoners from The Gambia's Mile 2 Prison were set free. Barrow promised to end unfair treatment of people. He also stopped The Gambia's plan to leave the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. This is an international court that deals with serious crimes. On 23 March, Justice Minister Ba Tambadou announced a special group would be formed. This group, called a Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, would help victims of the previous government.
Barrow removed General Ousman Badjie, the head of the army, and 10 other senior officers in February 2017. Badjie was replaced by Masaneh Kinteh. David Colley, the director of the prison system, was also removed and arrested. Nine men suspected of being part of a special group under Yahya Jammeh were also arrested.
On 21 September 2017, Barrow signed a treaty to end the death penalty. This was part of an international agreement. He also signed other important treaties. These included agreements on protecting migrant workers and preventing forced disappearances. He also signed treaties on transparency in international agreements and banning nuclear weapons.
Intelligence Agency Changes
On 28 January 2017, Barrow said he would change the name and structure of the country's intelligence agency. This agency was called the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). He said it was linked to the unfair rule of Yahya Jammeh. Barrow said the NIA needed to continue, but it would now follow the law. He also said NIA workers would get more training.
On 31 January, Barrow announced the NIA would be called the State Intelligence Services (SIS). The next day, he fired the NIA Director General, Yankuba Badjie. He replaced him with Musa Dibba. Barrow also took away the SIS's power to arrest people. Police officers temporarily took over all SIS detention centers. As part of Barrow's changes, former NIA head Yankuba Badjie and operations director Sheikh Omar Jeng were arrested on 20 February. They were being investigated for possible abuse of power.
Other Decisions
Barrow lifted the ban on gambling in May 2017. This ban was put in place by Jammeh. Barrow hoped this would attract investors and create jobs. He appointed Landing Kinteh as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP). He removed Yankuba Sonko, who was appointed by President Jammeh in 2010. Sonko was moved to foreign diplomatic jobs. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ousman Sowe, was demoted. Former Director General of Immigration Service Buba Sangnia was put back in his job. He had been convicted during Jammeh's presidency.
Foreign Policy
In February 2017, one of Barrow's first actions was to reverse a decision by Jammeh. Jammeh had decided in October 2016 to leave the International Criminal Court. Barrow's government sent a letter on 10 February. It said The Gambia was committed to "promoting human rights." It also supported the rules of the Rome Statute.
On 8 February 2018, The Gambia rejoined the Commonwealth of Nations. It had left this group in October 2013.
Protests Against Barrow (2019–2020)
When Barrow first became president, he told the group of parties that supported him that he would call for new elections after three years. This was instead of serving the full five-year term allowed by the constitution.
He said in 2017: "It's eight parties that came together as a coalition and I am the head. There was an agreement that I will be transitional president for three years, then the parties will come back and we will get a level playing field then we will have an overhaul of the system. We will bring in democratic principles, have a very good foundation for the country, electoral reforms so that the field will be level for everybody. Then we go back to the polls to get a new president."
However, Barrow later decided not to keep this promise. In late 2019 and early 2020, there were protests in The Gambia. People called for Barrow to step down after three years. This movement was known as "Operation 3-Years Jotna," meaning "Three Years is Enough." Many protesters were arrested.
The Gambian government banned the protest movement. They called it a "subversive, violent and illegal movement." Barrow responded to the protests by saying, "No one can force me to leave the presidency before 2021." A group called "Five-Years Jotagul" supports Barrow staying for a full five-year term. Barrow now says he believes the constitution requires him to serve a full five-year term.
Background and Views on Unity
Barrow is reported to be a member of the Mandingo ethnic group. This is the largest ethnic group in The Gambia. He has also been identified as Fula, based on his mother's background. He grew up speaking the Fula language in a Fula-majority village. Both of his wives are Fula.
When asked about his background and his vision for The Gambia, he said he has a mixed ethnic background. He stated that he is not tribalist. He said, "It would be an inclusive country where tribalism will not have a place. I am the least tribalist person you will ever see. I have mixed ethnic blood in me. I am a Sarahule, Mandinka and Fula. Two of my sisters from the same mum and dad are married to Jolas. So tribe is not important. What is important is that we are all Gambians and should unite and work for the progress of our country."
Personal Life
Barrow is a Muslim. He says his faith guides his life and his political decisions. He practices polygamy and has two wives. His first wife is Fatoumatta Bah, whom he married in 1997. His second wife is Sarjo Mballow. When he became president in 2017, he named Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow as the First Lady of the Gambia. Both of his wives are from the Fula ethnic group. He has four living children with his wives. Sadly, his eight-year-old son, Habibu Barrow, died after being bitten by a dog on 15 January 2017. Barrow could not attend his son's funeral. This was because he was in Senegal for safety reasons after the election.
He is a fan of the English football club Arsenal. He started supporting the team in the early 2000s when he lived in the United Kingdom.
Honours
National
Gambia:
Grand Master and Grand Commander of the Order of the Republic of The Gambia
Foreign Honours
Guinea:
Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (2021)
Liberia:
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Pioneers of Liberia (2023)
Sierra Leone:
Grand Commander of the Order of the Republic (2021)
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See also
In Spanish: Adama Barrow para niños
