By Seedy Jobe
President Adama Barrow has called on members of the National People’s Party (NPP) Students’ Wing to remain patient, disciplined, loyal, and committed, telling them that the future of The Gambia rests in the hands of its young people.
Speaking at the NPP Students’ Wing Bantaba held Saturday at the party’s bureau in Bundung, President Barrow said the gathering marked the first time during his presidency that he had engaged directly with students in such an interactive forum.
Drawing from his personal journey, Barrow encouraged the students to believe in their potential regardless of their background.
“The chances of somebody from Mankamang Kunda becoming President of the Republic were very, very slim. But every leader has a story to tell,” he said.
The president reflected on his experience as a student who attended the country’s 1978 Independence Day celebrations in Banjul. He recalled the difficult conditions students from rural areas endured, including traveling for more than 10 hours on Public Works Department (PWD) trucks over poor roads and relying on fellow students for accommodation.
He said the late President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara addressed students during that celebration, urging them to remain serious about their education, committed to their country, and loyal citizens.
Barrow noted the significance of addressing students himself four decades later during the 2018 Independence Day celebrations, with Sir Dawda present at the event.
“Who would have thought there was a poor boy from Mankamang Kunda who would become president? The interesting thing is, I was an arts student, and I was very good at history. History repeats itself,” he said.
The president reminded the students that they represent the next generation of national leaders but emphasized that leadership is earned through patience, discipline, and dedication rather than attained overnight.
He also urged members of the NPP Students’ Wing to remain loyal to the party, describing the NPP as an institution that must outlive individual leaders.
“We want NPP to be an institution. We want it to be different from other parties. If the leader is gone, the party is gone. We don’t want that to happen to NPP,” he said.
Barrow said the interactive forum was deliberately organized as a Bantaba because dialogue remains the most effective way to communicate, resolve challenges, and strengthen understanding between leaders and young people.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to education, noting that the sector continues to receive the largest share of the national budget because of its central role in national development.
Sharing another lesson from his own life, the president urged students to value patience, integrity, and hard work. He recalled beginning his career in 1988 as a sales clerk earning D200 a month, saying he chose perseverance over the pursuit of quick wealth.
According to Barrow, assuming the presidency has not changed his character, adding that he continues to value patience and tolerance because peace remains essential to the country’s progress.
Concluding his remarks, the President said while development partners such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank can provide support, the responsibility for developing The Gambia ultimately rests with Gambians themselves.
“Our partners can support us, but the responsibility for developing this country belongs to us,” he said.
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