The president of the Republic of Senegal, His Excellency, Maitre Abdoulaye Wade who concluded a working visit to The Gambia yesterday was Tuesday evening, hosted to a state banquet by his Gambian counterpart, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh at the Jama Hall of the Kairaba Beach Hotel in Kololi.

The banquet brought together top government officials of the two countries including the Gambia’s vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Her Excellency Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy. The night was enlivened by a display of musical performances that featured prominent Gambian musicians like Jaliba Kuyateh and the Kumareh Band, Jalex, Sambou Susso amongst others. Various cultural troupes also took stage to entertain the two leaders and other guests.

In a brief statement at the occasion, President Jammeh described President Wade as a relative of the country who came to visit home. The Gambian leader spoke at length on the unique friendly and peaceful nature of the country. Expatiating further on the tranquility that pervades The Gambia, President Jammeh said the country does not tolerate segregation in all its forms such as nationality, tribe or race, noting that people of different nationalities are residing peacefully in the country.

He also spoke on the unique family bond that unites the two countries, emphasising that The Gambia and Senegal are one people divided by British and French colonial imperialists. He vowed that people of the two countries can never be divided, despite the fact that they were split into two different nations by the colonial imperialists. He then observed that the two countries are the only one in Africa that share everything in common ranging from culture, tradition, language, tribe, religion amongst others, describing the two countries as being like “head and tongue.”

President Jammeh used the opportunity to call on all and sundry to work towards the development and unity of the Senegambia region, noting that the two countries could serve as examples of the strength of African unity. To this end, he stressed the need for peace and unity to be nurtured in the continent and for Africans to toil hard and work towards the development of the continent. He stressed that the continent must not rely on the West for development, reiterating the call for Africans to unite and rise up to challenges of uplifting the continent from the status of underdevelopment.

As a Pan-Africanist who is known for his strong advocacy for African unity, President Jammeh also stressed the need for the unification of the continent, asking that if European countries that fought two devastating world wars are now united and developed, then why not Africa. Like his host, President Wade also acknowledged the fact that the two countries were one but got divided by colonial imperialists. Describing his visit as the beginning of efforts towards consolidating the already existing bond of ties and unity between the two countries, the visiting Senegalese leader voiced out the need for the two countries to cooperate more so as bring about development to the people. He hailed President Jammeh’s development strides in the country.

Commending the religious tolerance that exists in The Gambia, President Wade also underscored the need for the people of Africa to work hard so as to bring about development and unity. He also used the opportunity to call for concerted efforts to fight the menace of climate change and to protect our coastlines. Modou Saidy, press officer at State House moderated the state banquet.