Why wasn’t his second wife, Sarjo Barrow allowed to sit next to him?

This was the question many asked following the inauguration of President Adama Barrow on Saturday at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.

It was only the first wife, Fatoumatta Barrow who was allowed to sit beside the president whiles her co-wife was seated chairs away.

“Where is the second wife? I think they should sit beside each other,” one Ndey Amie Faye in Brikama wrote on What’s On-Gambia’s Facebook page, where photos from the inauguration were shared.

An online political activist and an ardent supporter of the Coalition government told What’s On-Gambia that President Barrow could have used his inauguration to demonstrate to the world that you can have two wives and treat them both fairly, irrespective of whoever is watching and your status in society.

According to him, the president is sending a wrong signal to the upcoming generation about being a fair husband and father, and that it is okay to treat wives unfairly. 

“That's not right at all. Since we can't do away with polygamous marriage given that it's ancient traditional institution, he has a chance to show the world that we can be fair between wives.”

The activist, who prefers to remain anonymous, added: “In my opinion, it is not fair to publicly segregate between the wives. Both wives could have sat by him at the inauguration ceremony and it would be seen as normal. In the same vein, both of them can be in charge of the Office of the First Lady and alternately share responsibilities that come with it (Of course headed by the first wife). Just imagine how beautiful that is!”

However, some of President Barrow’s supporters were quick to dismiss suggestions that he was not fair to his second wife, arguing the positioning of Fatoumatta and Sarjo was decided by the organising team led by Minister James Gomez.