President Adama Barrow and Vice President Ousainou Darboe have paid their respects to Aja Asombi Bojang, putting aside politics to honour the former president’s mother.
Aja Asombi, who was living in Equatorial Guinea with his son, was announced deceased on Friday, 27th July.
The Vice President and leader of the United Democratic Party expressed his sadness while tributes flooded in from different parts of the country and across all tribes and religions.
The State House wrote on their Facebook page: “Following news of the demise of Aja Asombi Bojang, mother of former President, Yahya Jammeh, His Excellency Adama Barrow on behalf of the people of the Republic of The Gambia, the first family and on his own behalf expresses his condolences to the former Head of State and his family.
”According to family sources, she passed away in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. President Barrow prays for Allah to grant her eternal peace.”
Nyang Njie, one of Jammeh’s critics, also took to Facebook writing: “The news of the demise of Asombi Bojang, the Mother of Yahya Jammeh has reawakened our sense of forgiveness and compassion. I am a stern critic of Jammeh but this is not the time for politics but a time to mourn.
“This lady signified something to certain quarters of our society and we must not only respect that but accord them the dignity and space to mourn respectfully.”
Another critic of the former president and leader of the Gambia Moral Congress (GMC), Mai Ahmad Fatty wrote: "While the Nation awaits in somberness, of the arrival of the corpse of the late Madam Asombi Bojang, on behalf of myself, my family and the entire membership and supporters of GMC, we expressed profound condolence to her extended family, and pray for Allah's Mercy on her soul."
Aja Asombi’s body is expected to be flown home on Saturday for burial in her native village of Bujinga in Foni.