Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh is a former Gambian military officer and politician who ruled The Gambia as its president for 22 years from 1994 to 2017. He was born on May 25, 1965, in Kanilai, a small village in Foni Kansala District, in what was then the British colony of The Gambia. Jammeh grew up in a Muslim family and received an education that included both local and formal training, ultimately joining the Gambia National Army in 1984.

Rising through the ranks, Jammeh became a lieutenant by the early 1990s. On July 22, 1994, he led a bloodless military coup that overthrew the government of President Dawda Jawara, who had ruled The Gambia since its independence from Britain in 1965. Jammeh and the coup leaders formed the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC), and Jammeh assumed the role of chairman of the council. He promised to restore civilian rule after a period of military administration.

In 1996, Jammeh resigned from the army to run as a civilian candidate in presidential elections, which he won. He was re-elected in subsequent elections in 2001, 2006, and 2011, though his regime faced criticism for alleged voter manipulation, suppression of the opposition, and human rights abuses. His rule was characterized by a highly authoritarian style of governance, including restrictions on the press, suppression of dissent, and widespread human rights abuses. Jammeh's government was accused of imprisoning and torturing political opponents, journalists, and activists. He also gained international notoriety for claiming to have discovered a cure for AIDS, a claim widely discredited by the scientific community.

Throughout his presidency, Jammeh was known for his unpredictable behavior, including eccentric proclamations such as renaming the country the "Islamic Republic of The Gambia" in 2015 and his declaration that he would rule for "a billion years" if God willed it. His regime's relationship with the international community was often strained due to concerns over human rights violations and his authoritarian style of rule.

In December 2016, Jammeh was unexpectedly defeated in the presidential election by Adama Barrow, a real estate developer and political outsider. Initially, Jammeh conceded defeat, but shortly afterward, he reversed his decision and refused to step down, plunging the country into a political crisis. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened diplomatically, and after weeks of negotiations and the threat of military intervention, Jammeh agreed to leave power. On January 21, 2017, Jammeh went into exile in Equatorial Guinea, where he has resided since.

Jammeh’s departure marked the end of over two decades of authoritarian rule in The Gambia. His legacy remains controversial; while some supporters praise him for his development projects and emphasis on Gambian sovereignty, critics emphasize the widespread abuses and repression that characterized his rule. Despite his exile, Jammeh continues to exert influence on Gambian politics, particularly through his party, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC).

REFERENCE:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahya_Jammeh