Part 1
In every generation, a nation is gifted with a mind so luminous, a character so resolute, and a vision so unyielding that it becomes impossible to ignore. Dr. Lamin J. Darboe is such a figure, a scholar, jurist, and constitutional sentinel whose life has been a quiet rebellion against mediocrity and a steadfast defence of dignity.
Long before he became one of The Gambia’s most respected legal minds, Dr. Darboe was already making history. In 1979, as a student at Saint Augustine’s High School, he emerged as the global winner of an international essay competition organized by the International Union for Child Welfare in Geneva.
The contest, held to commemorate the United Nations’ International Year of the Child, drew submissions from across the world. Dr. Darboe’s essay is an incisive reflection on the sporting craze and its exploitation by Black September, delivering a bold message to the international community. It was not only intellectually daring but morally profound. It earned him first place globally, placing The Gambia on the map of youthful brilliance and civic consciousness.
Historical Context: Black September and the Politics of Protest
To appreciate the depth of Dr. Darboe’s essay, one must understand the historical context in which he engaged. Black September refers to a series of politically charged events in the early 1970s. It began with the Jordanian Civil War in 1970, when tensions between the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Jordanian monarchy erupted into violence. In response, a militant faction known as the Black September Organization emerged.
This group gained global notoriety during the 1972 Munich Olympics, where it orchestrated a hostage crisis that led to the deaths of 11 Israeli athletes and a German police officer. The incident shocked the world and revealed how international platforms such as sports could be used to convey political messages, however tragic or controversial.
Dr. Darboe, then a teenager, dissected this phenomenon with remarkable insight. His essay explored how the spectacle of sport had become a vessel for global protest, and how children—often the most vulnerable—were caught in the crossfire of ideological battles. His ability to connect geopolitics, media, and youth welfare at such a young age was truly visionary.
A Life of Principle and Precision
That moment was not an anomaly—it was a prelude. Dr. Darboe’s early achievements foreshadowed a life of principled defiance and scholarly excellence. From editing Sunu Kibaro and TINGOL in his school days to earning advanced degrees in law from the United States and the United Kingdom, his trajectory has been marked by rigor, reflection, and resistance. He holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence, a Postgraduate Diploma in Law, and an LLM in International Law and Criminal Justice. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales by Lincoln’s Inn and later enrolled as a legal practitioner in The Gambia.
However, it is not his credentials alone that distinguish him; it is his character.
In 1999, while serving as Principal Magistrate in Brikama, Dr. Darboe faced immense political pressure to reverse a judicial decision in a high-profile case involving Imam Karamo Touray and others. He refused. Rather than compromise his oath, he resigned. That act of moral courage—rendered in silence, not spectacle became a defining moment in Gambian legal history. It was a reminder that justice must never bow to intimidation, and that integrity is not negotiable.
The Leader The Gambia Needs
Since then, Dr. Darboe has become a guardian of constitutionalism, a voice for civil liberties, and a mentor to a generation of lawyers and reformers. His writings, judgments, and public commentaries are not just legal texts; they are civic sermons.
He speaks not to impress, but to awaken.
However, for all his brilliance, Dr. Darboe remains profoundly humble. He rarely smiles, not out of cynicism, but out of solemn responsibility. His demeanor reflects that of a man who knows the law is not a tool of convenience, but a covenant of justice.
In a country still healing from the wounds of authoritarianism, Dr. Lamin J. Darboe embodies a distinct kind of leadership, one grounded in knowledge, ethics, and national dignity. He is not a populist. He is not a performer. He is a builder of institutions, a defender of truth, and a steward of legacy.
The Gambia does not need another strongman. It requires a strong mind. It needs a leader who understands that the Constitution is not a suggestion, but a promise. It needs Dr. Lamin J. Darboe.
By Alagi Yorro Jallow
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