President Adama Barrow of the Gambia is refusing to add the doctorate title to his name.
Mr Barrow was Monday conferred with a honorary Doctor of Laws and Human Rights degree by the University of The Gambia.
But the president said while he appreciates the award and thanks the University of The Gambia for the gesture, he would like to be called Mr Adama Barrow.
“The President accepts the honour and sees it as a challenge to him, his government and the people of the Gambia to maintain and keep improving on our Human Rights as a country,” a statement from his office stated.
The key question here is why the dog and pony show in the first place and who exactly are/were the proponents of this exercise.
President Adama Barrow should have politely declined the offer from the show masters in a show of good leadership and instead offer to redirect resources employed in this charade to boosting capacity at the University of The Gambia (UTG) central library.
Don’t we have more pressing issues to attend to at the UTG?
We must collectively hold the Vice-Chancellor, the council and other heads of schools/faculty to account for this charade.
What exactly are they thinking here? Drs Ousman Nyaan, Pierre Gomez and all others involved in this buffoonery must share the blame for orchestrating what, on hindsight, amounts to sheer disrespect for President Adama Barrow.
Should we make inferences on this and other UTG exercises in futility going forward?
Isn’t this the same UTG that’s urging peers in the diaspora to come to the table to discuss the way forward for higher education in The Gambia?
This buffoonery certainly doesn’t tell well on the image, character and mindset of the UTG administration.
Mr Adama Barrow is deserving of an honorary degree from UTG. His decision to be appropriately addressed as President Barrow shows maturity and respect for decorum. Well said and well done.