The items which were handed over to the president, on behalf of the Grand Marabout, by Aja Fatou Nana Conteh, eldest daughter of the Marabout, is said to be a Salibo to the first son of the First Family.

Presenting the materials, Mrs Fatou Nana Conteh convey her parent’s warmest greetings to the Gambian leader on the recent Muslim feast of Tobaski. She told the president that her father is all the time praying for him, his family, and the entire nation.

Mrs Conteh then informed the Gambian leader about her father’s acknowledgment of his selfless service to the country. Reacting to the gesture, Professor Jammeh thanked the Grand Marabout and his wife for their continuous solidarity. He said the gesture is another show of generosity from the Marabout‘s family. He recalled that the Grand Marabout had done a lot for him, his party, and the nation in general.

He expressed satisfaction with Marabout Conteh’s prayers, noting that even without the gesture, the prayer alone was something that cannot be overemphasised. He described his excellent relationship with the Gambisara Marabout as God’s will, disclosing further that the Grand Marabout has, since 1994, stood beside him, his government, and the nation at large.

“His stance on the development of the nation,” Professor Jammeh said, “cannot be overemphasised. We cannot really pay the Grand Marabout; only God can pay him.

Someone who have good intention for you can only be paid by the Almighty Allah,’’ the Gambian leader noted. He spoke at length about Marabout Conteh’s generosity, saying that he was even responsible for providing logistics to his people during the meet-the-people-tour.

While conveying his warmest greetings to the Grand Marabout through his eldest daughter, Professor Jammeh also used the opportunity to pray for Allah’s blessing and guidance for him.

Ismaila Sambou, secretary of state for Local Government, Lands and the Religious Affairs, described the Grand Marabout as generous, considering his continous prayers for the Gambian leader, his government and the nation. SoS Sambou expressed gratitude about the gesture and conveyed his greetings to the Grand Marabout.

Nancy Njie, secretary of state for Tourism and Culture, expressed similar sentiment. She joined the rest in thanking the Grand Marabout and his family for their magnanimity.