By Omar Bah
IEC chairman and former Scout Chief, Alieu Momarr Njai has on behalf of the Scout Community shared his condolences to the people of the United Kingdom following the news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death. Until her death, the Queen was the head of World Scouts. Njai said he had an opportunity to meet with the Her Majesty when he was active in the Scouting community, adding she was a “wonderful motherly figure who has no sense of discrimination”.
Njai who rose to the rank of vice chairman of the International Union of Muslim Scouts Member Africa Scout Committee said Her Majesty will be remembered as an incredible leader who provided inspiring leadership to the world.
“I was awarded the Queen Scout rank which is the highest scout rank by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and because of that really felt very sad and emotional when I heard the news of her death,” he said.
The IEC boss said he was selected to hold the Union Jack for five hours at McCarthy Square during Her Majesty’s coronation in 1952.
“When she came here in 1961 as a councillor together with my wife, we were part of dignitaries who welcomed her at Kanifing and also when her husband came here, I was delegated as the scout leader for his escort,” he said.
He said during the 100-year anniversary of the formation of scouts’ world in 2007 he went to the UK with some scouts to celebrate and he met the Queen.
“It is because of these connections that I thought I should on behalf of the scout community extend my condolences to the people of the UK through the British High Commission in Banjul,” Njai said.
He joined the world scouts in 1947 rising to the position of chief scout commissioner in the Gambia but he was later fired by former President Yahya Jammeh as Mayor and scout commissioner.
