By Ousman Saidykhan
On Monday morning, hundreds of Gambians, including the Vice President, state ministers, religious leaders, and family members, gathered at the National Assembly to honor the former Speaker, Abdoulie Bojang, during his state funeral.
Bojang passed away in Bijili on Friday, November 29, after suffering a stroke. According to a report, he is survived by two wives and seven children.
His body was sealed in a coffin, placed in the center of the parliamentary floor, and draped in multi-colored cloths—red, white, blue, and green—representing the Gambia’s national flag.
His picture, in a sizeable frame, was attached to the coffin facing the Speaker of the Parliament.
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Fabakary Tombong Jatta, who worked with the late Speaker, said the late Abdoulie Bojang was a man who “loved his country and its people,” further describing him as a “selfless servant.”
“He is a brother, a friend, and a colleague,” said Speaker Jatta, who was the majority leader when the late Abdoulie Bojang was elected Speaker of the Assembly in 2010.
A former managing director of Gamtel/Gamcel and a friend of Bojang said the former Speaker would be “greatly missed” and forever be in their hearts.
“He is a good man. He is a very, very good man… The first thing you notice about him is his eagerness to say “hello.”
“He is gone, but I’m sure he will never be forgotten,” Babucarr Sanyang said in a much lower voice, lowering his head.
The National Assembly Member for Foni Kansala and a family member of the late Bojang described his brother as a “guiding light” for the communities of Foni and a “symbol of unity.”
He urged the family to be each other’s keepers in what he said was a sorrowful moment for them.
While mourning the demise of whom many say is a “great son of the country,” the Vice President said the late former Speaker should also celebrate the “profound impact” he had had on the country.
“He is an extraordinary leader…a devoted servant of the people,” said Muhammed B.S Jallow. He said the late Bojang was an “exemplary” public servant and a mentor to many.
He was later his body was later taken to his home village in Foni, Sangajor, for burial.
Bojang’s political career began in 2007 when then-President Yahya Jammeh nominated him as a member of the National Assembly,
Bojang served as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament in 2017 after he was nominated by the former president, Yahya Jammeh. 2010, he was appointed Speaker of the National Assembly, a role he held until 2017.
Following the change of government in 2017, the coalition government appointed Bojang as The Gambia’s Ambassador to South Africa. He held that position until he was recalled a few years later. Bojang was a teacher before entering politics.
