Poll winner sworn in – in exile
HE rose from nowhere, but Adama Barrow – an Arsenal fan who was once a security guard in London – was elected on people’s hopes of delivering long-wanted change in Gambia. A softly spoken, untried candidate who pulled off a shock win on December 1, Barrow’s unconventional route to the presidency has been overshadowed by a political crisis triggered by the man he narrowly defeated. Yahya Jammeh, president for 22 years, initially conceded defeat but days later performed a U-turn and is still refusing to quit office, leaving doubt over any formal transition of power. Barrow, 51, was finally sworn in as president yesterday, but at his country’s embassy in neighbouring Senegal’s capital where he sought refuge days before. It remained unclear whether force would be needed to ensure he can finally take office in Banjul. A former economic migrant, Barrow’s lack of political baggage endeared him to voters, in contrast to Jammeh, a longtime leader of the poor West African state seen as ruthless and self-serving. But he is still clinging to power despite African forces massing on the border ready to oust him. Barrow – who suffered personal tragedy on Sunday when his eight-year-old son died after being bitten by dogs – has been sheltering in neighbouring Senegal pending his inauguration. A businessman who owns an estate agency, he was previously employed at Gambia’s largest property rental firm, and lived in Britain for 3½ years when he was younger. His time in Britain saw him work as a security guard in London, where he developed a love for Arsenal. Soccer is one of his few distractions. A husband to two wives and father of five until his son’s death, he is a devout Muslim and self-confessed workaholic. “If you are a religious man it always influences you,” he said last year. Burly but soft-spoken, Barrow was thrust into the limelight following the jailing of top officials of Gambia’s United Democratic Party in July. During the election campaign his face was plastered on car windows, brandished on campaign posters, and printed on grey T-shirts popular among Gambian youth. Diplomats in Banjul said his previous lack of a profile may have worked in his favour, allowing him to deliver a fresh message. “I should assume office when the term of office of the incumbent expires . . . I do not want to preside over a country that is not at peace with itself,” he said. “I am calling on all peace-loving Gambians to work for a peaceful transfer of executive power, for the first time in our history since independence.”