This feature is part of Blavity’s African Spotlight series ,which highlights heads of state , as well as other politicians and societal leaders, who are currently in power or influencing change on the continent. African leaders are making significant impacts both in their own countries and internationally. Growing diasporas and increasing interconnectivity make developments on the continent more relevant to Black America and people everywhere than ever before. Life can change very quickly in The Gambia, a small, predominantly Muslim West African nation of 2.5 million people that has seen its share of political turmoil over the years. These life changes have been especially quick for Adama Barrow, who has been President of The Gambia since 2017 and was just reelected for a new five-year term. When Barrow was born on Feb. 15, 1965, The Gambia was still a British colony. Three days later, it became an independent nation. Until Barrow’s surprise election win in 2016, the country had...
