As the new government continues to tear down the Jammeh legacy at all cost, First Lady Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow (FBB) is busy borrowing pages from her predecessor’s playbook.
Shortly after her husband was sworn in as the country’s 3rd president, FBB quickly established a charity that has almost similar objectives with the former First Lady’s foundation, Zeinab Jammeh's Operation Save a Baby Foundation.
According to sources, FBB strongly believes that borrowing pages from Zainab’s playbook would offer her the global recognition the Moroccan-born enjoyed during the last ten years of Jammeh’s presidency.
Last week, the First Lady surprised many when she gave cash donations to the first babies of the New Year – a tradition that was introduced by her predecessor. Accompanied by Health Minister Saffie Lowe Ceesay, she visited almost all the major hospitals and health centres in Banjul, Kanifing Municipality and West Coast Region.
FBB has also shown interest in women’s empowerment and children issues, which were both championed by Zainab before her husband’s shock election defeat in December 2016.
The First Lady was recently among the dignitaries that attended the 4th Merck Africa Asia Luminary Conference in Egypt. In her speech, she revealed she is at an advanced stage of establishing a radio station that would raise awareness on issues affecting women and children.
On the family front, however, very little is known about FBB’s family. Many Gambians don’t know about her early childhood in the Upper River Region, her parents and how many children she has with President Barrow.