It is moments like these that make us all believe in the essential goodness of God’s creation – his children descended from Adam and Eve; yes, us humans involved in so much horror and mayhem against each other all over the world.

It was wonderful to see His Excellency ex-President Sir Dauda Jawara sitting in the National Assembly that he founded as "Father of the Nation", to quote President Jammeh’s gracious words to his predecessor. Of course, it is hardly the same old National Assembly that I saw as a visitor at the State Opening by Sir Dauda in December 1993, but that is a mute point.

One is aware that the "Father of the Nation" has seen for himself all the tremendous achievements of his gifted nephew and successor, the current President Alhaji Dr. Yahya AJJ Jammeh. Inspite of the break occasioned by the events of the July 22 Revolution, one is aware that President Jammeh has in the spirit of national unity made the effort to keep this little great country’s sense of itself as a family.

Those extraordinary three words, "Welcome my uncle", are so impregnated with meaning for the peace and oneness of this nation that we must preserve the sense of this historical occasion for posterity.

The filial allusions and links do not end there. As Sir Dauda looked around the room, he must have felt that sense of national unity. His "nephew" President Jammeh was of course one of his own.

The Hon. Speaker, Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay, is the daughter of his Comrade-in-Arms, Garba Jahumpa, during the fight for this country’s independence from colonial rule. A few seats away in the front row sat Hon Finance SoS Bala Gaye who served in the same department as PS under President Jawara. A few more seats away sat SoS Crispin Grey-Johnson, for many years a UN diplomat in Ethiopia during President Jawara’s era. And a few more seats away in the same front row as President Jawara

sat President Jammeh’s Secretary to the Cabinet, one Hon. Abdoulie Sallah – who happened to have been a Secretary to the Cabinet for ex-President Sir Dauda too.

It is a unique moment that captures so well the oneness and togetherness of this small nation. One could easily see it down the years when another young President of The Gambia addresses a grey-haired ex-President from Kanilai and says: "Welcome my uncle – father of the July 22 Revolution".