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Letter From Birmingham: Baba Jobe, A Man Who Lived And Breathed For The APRC
Monday, 31 October 2011 08:33
(Column) - Baba Kajally Jobe was without doubt one of Gambia’s most powerful political figures. He was a ruthless
politician, who lived and breathed for President Yahya Jammeh and the APRC party.Born in 1959 in Jarra Karantaba, not much is known about his childhood but it is said that he spent his youthful days in self-exile in Libya, where he received military training and enjoyed a good relationship with key Libyan government officials and some dangerous elements in the West African sub-region.
Baba Jobe entered the Gambian political field during the military transition period when he was made assistant secretary Office of the President. During that period, the Gambian economy was in real trouble as results of western sanctions and travel advice from the British Foreign office.
And although he did not have any formal education, Baba Jobe was tasked with the responsibilities of helping President Jammeh and his government out of the economic troubles through his connections with the Arab world. And it was through such connections that the Jammeh regime was able to secure loans and grants to finance key development projects in the country. He also introduced many Libyan and Arab investors in the Gambia who spent millions in the hotel and construction industries.
Also through his connections, he was able to secure business dealings for President Jammeh. He was a key figure in President Jammeh’s owned Youth Development Enterprise (YDE) which was given a duty waiver by the Ministry of Finance to import rice and other essential basic commodities into the country. To beat the rice cartels who were making huge amount of profits, YDE as part of the terms of the duty waiver, sold its commodities below the market price.
Mr Jobe was instrumental in the formation of the July 22 Movement which was aimed at building and strengthening the support of the regime at the grassroots level. He saw President Jammeh as the only man who is capable of governing the country and never hesitated to use force against opponents of the regime or anyone who refused to obey his command. He was the most powerful man in the country- well maybe after the president- and during that time, he got away with so many things including kidnapping and torture of opposition supporters.
Using intimidation and money, Baba Jobe was able to build strong political support for the APRC in all regions of the country including key opposition strongholds thereby securing the 1996 election victory for President Jammeh.
In June 2001, Baba Jobe was slapped with a travel ban by the UN Security Council in pursuant of resolution 1343 (2001) on Liberia, adopted on 7 March 2001. He was described as an arms trafficker, who supported former President Charles Taylor’s regime in effort to destabilise Sierra Leone and gain illicit access to diamonds.
Mr Jobe was said to have conspired with others to run an arms smuggling ring in contravention of UN Security Council resolution 1343. And in between January and June 2001, Mr Jobe was said to have used President Jammeh’s New Millennium Airline as transiting companies for illegal weapons handled by gun running mafias, Samih Osailly and Aziz Nassour who were jailed in Antwerp, Belgium for illegal diamond smuggling and weapons purchases.
According to a commercial aviation database, Baba Jobe had also used the New Millennium Airline, a Russian-made passenger jet acquired from Centrafrican Airlines, to cover the transportation of weapons and minerals by Victor Anatoljevitch Bout [ a former Russian lieutenant, who has acquired the nicknames Merchant of Death and Lord of War] in contravention of UN Security Council resolution 1343.
When news of the ban was reported by the now closed Independent Newspaper, the Gambia Government vigorously defended Baba Jobe and accused the UN of trying to smear the name of the country. It even refused to comply with UN Resolution 1521 which urged all states to freeze without delay funds, other financial assets and economic resources owned or controlled by Baba Jobe and others.
After facilitating the re-election of President Jammeh in 2001, Baba Jobe was elected unopposed to the Gambian National Assembly where he served as majority leader. However, a year later on November 13, 2003, he was arrested and charged for the non-payment of ports and Customs dues.
Although both the ports authority and customs had never reported Baba Jobe to the police or filed any case against him, he was found guilty and sentenced to an eight year jail term. His assets were also frozen on March 26, 2004 by the government in compliance to UN Resolution 1521 two days before he was jailed.
Baba Jobe had always maintained that his problems with the authorities were not about the non-payment of import dues. “I know why I am in court but it is not because of the non-payment of customs and port dues.” he said.
Many of his supporters believed that Baba Jobe was a victim of President Jammeh’s politics of betrayal. They said Jammeh had felt threatened by the position of power Baba Jobe commanded within the APRC and the youth movement. Jammeh was also said to have received some classified intelligence that Baba Jobe was planning to use his connections with some dangerous elements in the sub-region- his former Libyan associates- to overthrow his regime.
No matter what may have caused his downfall, Baba Jobe has always remained loyal to President Jammeh and the APRC. He knew too many secrets of the President and the government which he took along with him to the grave.
During his economic crime trial, he behaved in a dignified manner and was even surprisingly calm when he was found guilty by Justice Madabuchi Abuchi Paul.
Baba Jobe may have died a poor man (as President Jammeh had once promised) the APRC will continue to benefit from his rich political contributions. He was a political Rambo and would always be remembered for the way and manner in which he electrified our politics.
Written by PK Jarju
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Comments
We all know that it was Jobe who introduced Jammeh to this nonsense July 22nd Movement and the stupid Green Boys. Jobe would brandished his weapon to any Gambian who dare challenge his authority; he would also threaten Gambians within the civil service. So Jobe I really don't feel sorry for your demise - I do feel bad for your kids and all your loved ones - but as a person who came with foul attitude on peace loving Gambians I really don't give a rat about Mr. Jobe's passing- rest in peace though.
Yes, while you are right to mourn his death, you should not forget his victims too. Many were kidnapped and tortured by Baba and his Green Boys simply because they supported the UDP. Baba mastermined the sacking of many Gambians from their jobs because they or their parents supported the UDP.
Baba was Jammeh's enforcer and he was stabbed by the very sword he had sharpened.
Yes, I am not saying that Baba had not done some good things for Gambia and his people. Yes, he have done many good things, the same as any other tyrant. But we should talk about his evil deeds too.
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