For their surrogates, President Adama Barrow and MP Halifa Sallah are names that cannot be in the same sentence but what has been repeatedly evident is the respect and love the two men have for each other.
Sallah is a fierce politician, a firebrand who will not easily compromise his position and Barrow, a humble leader and a listener who is very measured and decisive when making decisions.
While Sallah has been a leader in Gambian politics for decades, Barrow is a novice, described to be unassuming, some referred to him as accidental president but one thing that is not a mistake is his desire to have Halifa Sallah in his administration and his respect for Sallah’s decision not to take job from which he can be fired.
I had personally supported Sallah’s run for MP instead of working in the government. I even wanted him to become the Speaker of the House but sometimes I forget Gambia is not the U.S.
But the self-appointed soldiers of these two fine gentlemen are always at war. It is so silly I find it hard to explain what their fights are about.
Neither group will ever accept the mistake of their political leader, accusing each other of sabotage and blatantly refuse to give credit where it is due.
It seems this war has not influenced Sallah and Barrow and allow such hullabaloo to over cloud their sense of fair judgment.
Barrow knows the importance of having Sallah and Sallah knows the value of having a leader that listens and thinks things through before acting.
The admiration is undeniable. If their surrogates want to continue this behavior, which would not be approved by these two gentlemen, they should rewind the tape to the first post-Jammeh State of the Nation address.
To see Barrow hug Mr. Sallah and even Mr. Jatta tells the world there is a new dawn in The Gambia and in the way we do our politics and run the affairs of our nation.
I can barely remember an African president hugging a supposed opponent, not especially in The Gambia.
It shows Barrow’s humility and respect for a man, who will help make his administration one of the best in our nation’s history, regardless of whether he served as his advisor or as a parliamentarian trusted to ensure checks and balances.
Sallah and Barrow have a lot to learn from each other and what a refreshing state of mind it is to look at them hug and send a message of unity and love to all Gambians.
Source: smbc
