I highly recommend this exceptional book to all Gambians for their home libraries due to its rich content on the political history of the Gambia, from colonial times to self-rule, and from pre-independence to post-independence, including the military intervention that disrupted the Gambia’s longstanding democratic tradition. “A Political History of the Gambia, 1816-1994” is a 549-page paperback that serves as a testament to the profound knowledge and meticulous research of its authors, Arnold Hughes and David Perfect, in African history and politics. Their expertise shines through in the detailed examination of modern Gambian politics, from the inception of British rule to the deposition of the Jawara government. “A Political History of the Gambia, 1816-1994” is the first comprehensive account of the political history of this former British West African colony, drawing on a wealth of previously unconsulted or inaccessible British and Gambian official and private documents, as well as interviews with numerous Gambian politicians and former British colonial officials.
The book is divided into three sections. The first section traces the emergence and features of modern politics in colonial Bathurst (now Banjul) and its spread to the Gambian hinterland (Protectorate) in the two decades following World War II. By the time of independence in 1965, the older, urban-centered parties in the capital were overtaken by a new, rural-centered political entity, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). The second section examines how the PPP, led by President Sir Dawda Jawara, overcame both established and emerging rival political parties and thwarted a coup attempt in 1981. The final section explains the downfall of the PPP in 1994 due to a military coup.
The book highlights unique elements of Gambian political history and connects them to the wider regional and African narrative during the colonial and post-independence eras. A testament to Arnold Hughes and David Perfect’s profound understanding and thorough research in African history and politics, this book is crucial for grasping Africa’s political terrain.
Arnold Hughes and David Perfect’s book stands as the most comprehensive and meticulously researched political history of mainland Gambia. It spans from the British arrival in 1816 to the end of democratic rule by military coup in 1994, thoroughly examining the nation’s political evolution. The book opens with an overview of Gambia’s social, demographic, ethnic, sectarian, and economic contexts before delving into the constitutional history of the Gambian colony from 1816 to 1894. This period saw the British slowly extend their control along the Gambia River, contending with French territorial claims that ultimately left British holdings surrounded and limited to a slender tract of land along the river’s middle and lower basin. Throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Gambian politics were shaped by three main groups: the Liberated Africans (Recaptives) from Sierra Leone, European merchants residing in the area, and British administrators in charge of the enclave. These groups engaged in commercial and political endeavors, occasionally aligning to confront the persistent menace of French colonial ambitions. While European merchants initially held sway over local politics, the 1880s ushered in a selective, elitist, and non-elective African representation system, propelling African leaders to prominence in Gambian political matters.
