Gambian women pay condolence visit to First Family
Monday, November 14, 2011
A cross-section of Gambian women Friday went to State House to register their heartfelt condolences to the First Family, following the demise of Madam Rhimou El Hassady Soumah, mother of the First Lady of the Republic, Her Excellency Madam Zineb Yahya Jammeh.
Presided over by the Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, the ceremony was also attended by the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, Cabinet ministers, deputy speaker of the National Assembly, and senior government officials among a host of others. Speaking at the solemn occasion, President Jammeh on behalf of the First Family including the Jammeh, Bojang, Soumah and Hassady families, thanked the entire women folk of The Gambia and all those who sympathised with them in one way or the other during this sad moment.
He said: “It was difficult for the First Family, but I want to thank all for the show of sympathy and solidarity as it has strengthened our faith. This is the world and if you don’t have the people, you have nothing.” The Gambian leader said since the day of the incident till date they have been receiving condolence letters from both Gambians in and outside the country. He therefore thanked the whole nation for the move. He also hailed the move by the Gambian women, saying he is not at all surprised by it. “It becomes more painful if you lose a relative, but becomes less painful if the whole nation is beside you,” the president further said, while praying to God to reward all those departed souls and those who symphathised with the first family. He also used the opportunity to announce that the condolence register will be closed Tuesday, adding that all those who want to sign it can do it as the book will be at the State House main gate.
Speaking earlier, Dr Njie-Saidy, the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, expressed sincere heartfelt condolence to the First Family. She explained that the world is a transition and as such, the loss of any mother is indeed a great loss, considering that mothers are very dear to their children. She prayed on behalf of the Gambian women for Allah almighty to grant the deceased eternal peace. “At times God tests people especially in the event one loses his or her relative,” she said. VP Njie-Saidy used the opportunity to register sincere condolences on behalf of all women in the country to the First Family and prayed that God grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable lost.
Dr Mariama Sarr- Ceesay, the minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology on behalf of the Cabinet ministers, expressed deep sorrow on the demise of the mother of the First Lady. She underscored the importance of mothers in Islam, stressing that they have a crucial role to play even in the hereafter. She assured the First Lady that the whole nation is beside her and will continue to offer their prayers for the departed soul to rest in peace.
For her part, Aja Fatoumatta Jah, the president of the Gambia Women Federation on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and members of the private sector, expressed heartfelt condolence to the First Family. She also used the opportunity on behalf of the Gambia Women’ Federation and Lala’s Cleansing Service to pray for the departed soul to rest in eternal peace in paradise. She described Madam Soumah’s demise as a great loss to not only the first Family, but the entire nation.
Aja Ndey Jatta, the APRC women mobiliser on behalf of the Gambian women and politicians, equally extended sincere condolence to the First Family. She described the First Lady as a mother to all, meaning that if she is bereaved they all feel it. She also prayed for the departed soul.
Presided over by the Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, the ceremony was also attended by the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, Cabinet ministers, deputy speaker of the National Assembly, and senior government officials among a host of others. Speaking at the solemn occasion, President Jammeh on behalf of the First Family including the Jammeh, Bojang, Soumah and Hassady families, thanked the entire women folk of The Gambia and all those who sympathised with them in one way or the other during this sad moment.
He said: “It was difficult for the First Family, but I want to thank all for the show of sympathy and solidarity as it has strengthened our faith. This is the world and if you don’t have the people, you have nothing.” The Gambian leader said since the day of the incident till date they have been receiving condolence letters from both Gambians in and outside the country. He therefore thanked the whole nation for the move. He also hailed the move by the Gambian women, saying he is not at all surprised by it. “It becomes more painful if you lose a relative, but becomes less painful if the whole nation is beside you,” the president further said, while praying to God to reward all those departed souls and those who symphathised with the first family. He also used the opportunity to announce that the condolence register will be closed Tuesday, adding that all those who want to sign it can do it as the book will be at the State House main gate.
Speaking earlier, Dr Njie-Saidy, the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, expressed sincere heartfelt condolence to the First Family. She explained that the world is a transition and as such, the loss of any mother is indeed a great loss, considering that mothers are very dear to their children. She prayed on behalf of the Gambian women for Allah almighty to grant the deceased eternal peace. “At times God tests people especially in the event one loses his or her relative,” she said. VP Njie-Saidy used the opportunity to register sincere condolences on behalf of all women in the country to the First Family and prayed that God grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable lost.
Dr Mariama Sarr- Ceesay, the minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology on behalf of the Cabinet ministers, expressed deep sorrow on the demise of the mother of the First Lady. She underscored the importance of mothers in Islam, stressing that they have a crucial role to play even in the hereafter. She assured the First Lady that the whole nation is beside her and will continue to offer their prayers for the departed soul to rest in peace.
For her part, Aja Fatoumatta Jah, the president of the Gambia Women Federation on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and members of the private sector, expressed heartfelt condolence to the First Family. She also used the opportunity on behalf of the Gambia Women’ Federation and Lala’s Cleansing Service to pray for the departed soul to rest in eternal peace in paradise. She described Madam Soumah’s demise as a great loss to not only the first Family, but the entire nation.
Aja Ndey Jatta, the APRC women mobiliser on behalf of the Gambian women and politicians, equally extended sincere condolence to the First Family. She described the First Lady as a mother to all, meaning that if she is bereaved they all feel it. She also prayed for the departed soul.
Author: by Sheriff Janko