Gambia independence day celebrations
The history of The Gambia’s independence tells a fascinating and unique story within West Africa. On the 18th February each year, its population of over 2 million gather with celebrations, dances and festivals held in McCarthy Square, Banju and around the country.
This year marks the historic 60th year anniversary, so let’s take a journey into this intriguing African history to celebrate the diversity and rich heritage of this unique West-African state.
The Gambia today
As the smallest country in mainland Africa, with a population of 2.7 million, The Gambia in West Africa shares only one land border with Senegal. With a territory and population largely based around the Gambia River that stretches the length of the country, it has a multicultural society of diverse ethnic groups. On average every Gambian can speak an average of four local languages.
Today The Gambia has become increasingly known as a tourist destination, with sunny climates, many pristine beaches and a rich natural biodiversity within short travelling distances. The Gambia has only 50 miles (80km) of coastline, but is home to the Abuko nature reserve with over 5 km of paths accessible by foot, hosting over 250 recorded bird species, the number increasing to 540 unique species across the whole country.
The Gambia | A River that Became a Country
Origins of The Gambia’s independence: liberation and decolonisation
The country became a British colony in 1888 after years of French and British rivalry to colonise the region. During colonial rule, representation for Gambians was minimal, with colonial interests focused largely on the exploitation of crops such as groundnut, one of the country’s main exports.
The Gambia’s Journey to independence
In 1901, the country established a legislative council within the colonial system as part of a movement towards self-governance. Organised political opposition to colonial rule began to gain momentum in 1959 via the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) founded by Dawda Jawara. Jawara’s party appealed to the Mandinka majority and rural farmers, helping to build a strong support base in opposition to British colonial rule, towards independence.
The Gambian Struggle for Independence
Decolonisation and independence
On February 18, 1965, The Gambia officially gained independence from Britain with a ceremony in the capital Banjul in which the national flag was raised, replacing the British flag. After independence the country was a parliamentary democracy until 1970, while Queen Elizabeth II officially remained as head of state. But in 1970, a national referendum voted to form a republic, abolishing the monarchy and making Jawara the first President.
Yet after gaining independence The Gambia’s stability was questioned and it experienced pressure to merge with Senegal. In 1982 the Senegambia confederation was formed between the two countries, but was ultimately dissolved in 1989.
Gambia: Nationalism and Independence
Legacy of the independence movement
Gambian newspaper The Standard highlights that “in 1965, The Gambia had only 11,000 wage employees. The number … rose to 12,000 in 1970, and to 22,200 in 1975” as part of the post-independence economic plan.
Yet Jawara’s legacy is disputed by some, who point to the economic policies that prioritized western financial interests over benefits for Gambians, highlighting the financial struggles faced by ordinary Gambians today. Momodou Taal highlights that, post-independence, Jawara chose to largely overlook the Pan-African movements popular in many African countries, recently independent and looking to strengthen their trade links with Africa.
The 21st century Gambia
The Gambia continued on an independent path, until a military coup in 1994, led by Yahya Jammeh, brought a new era to the country. Muslims constitute 96.4% of the population, and the country was declared an Islamic republic in 2015.
The Gambia is included in the regional trade bloc, Ecowas and nowadays around 80% of The Gambia’s population work in agriculture, one of the largest shares of the country’s GDP.
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As we celebrate this historic event of The Gambia’s 60th year anniversary, let’s come together to celebrate African history, independence and resilience to organise and support sustainable community movements.