In African tradition, childbearing is an essential aspect of every family. Apart from cementing marital bond, the presence of children injects real life into the family. Of course, it is a blessing that is attributable only to the will of Allah, the Almighty; but so much value is attached to it that our unfathomable human weakness tends to let us overlook this fact. Many families have suffered unrest, and many others have broken apart for good because  of childlessness.

Thus, you can imagine how welcoming the infertility treatment of President Jammeh is. What's more, this treatment - being one of the most expensive in conventional medical practice - is being offered to Gambians at absolutely no cost.

The Almighty Allah rewards his subjects on the basis of the contents of their hearts; vis-a-vis their relationship with Allah and mankind. It is therefore no accident that history was made last Monday, 26 November, 2007, when the first son of the first family of this great nation of ours was born. Muhammad Jammeh, a namesake of the Holy Prophet of Allah, is a symbol of joy and unity not only for the Jammeh Kunda family but for the entire Gambian nation.

In a great many societies, the greatest ill that can befall a man is to live your life and die without leaving behind a heir. No matter what your good deeds, your name dies with you and in a short time, you are forgotten. To others, the male child symbolises continuity of the family lineage. So you can understand the reaction of family members of the President to the birth of the first son into the family of their kinsman.

Obviously, the state of happiness of the first family has a direct bearing on the nation at large and that is why we want to join the rest of the country in congratulating Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh and Madam Jammeh, on the birth of their first son. We do pray that young Muhammad lives to follow the footsteps of his father. Happy naming ceremony.