By Landing Ceesay
The President of the Republic of the Gambia, His Excellency, Adama Barrow, has described his former Vice President as a naturally gifted leader of rare courage and integrity.
“Honourable Badara Alieu Joof will be remembered in multiple ways, among other reasons, owing to the uncountable lives he touched, the various institutions he influenced or served in, his multi-faceted character and talent, and the numerous roles he played during his sixty-six-year lifespan.
“Badara was without question a formidable statesman, a scholar par excellence, a talented administrator, and a naturally gifted leader of rare courage and integrity. He was a compassionate husband, a loving father, a trusted friend, and a colleague of many shades,” the Gambian President said at the State Funeral of The Late VP. The veteran Civil Service and former Gambian Vice President died Wednesday in the Republic of India where he went to seek treatment.
The Gambian President in an emotional tribute to his former Vice stated that Badara Joof’s experience, spanning from the First and Second Republic to the new democratic dispensation under his leadership, makes him one of the most exceptional and accomplished Gambian citizens.
President Barrow said As Permanent Secretary, the late Badara Joof led the mid-term review of The Gambia’s fifteen-year Education Policy 1988-2003, which he said significantly changed the education landscape in the country.
Barrow said His former Vice President boldly master-minded the famous Local Government Decentralisation Policy.
“As a Cabinet Minister, Honourable Joof worked like a real professional to oversee the development of the Tertiary and Higher Education Policy, the review of the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority Act, and the formulation of the current National Research Policy. He also passionately championed the transformation of The Gambia Technical Training Institute into the emerging University of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology, and The Gambia College into a degree-awarding institution,” he said.
The Gambian President said the late Badara Joof’s rise to the position of Vice President was occasioned by the integrity, competence, and industry he “outstandingly” displayed during the five-year transition period he served as Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology in his government from 2017 to 2021.President Barrow said Badara Joof was among the highly reputable brains of The Gambia who worked under various government institutions as well as International organizations before his appointment to the country’s number two administrative position
The late Badara Joof served as Administration Cadre, Assistant Secretary as well as Permanent Secretary in several Government Ministries including the Ministries of Basic and Secondary Education, Youth and Sports, and Local Government, Lands and Regional Administration.
The Badara Joof worked for the World Bank as an Education Specialist for over a decade.
Until his appointment as Minister in 2017, Badara was a World Bank Regional Director for West and Central Africa.
The veteran Educationist and Civil Servant was laid to rest this afternoon at Banjulinding Village after the State Funeral.