January 18, (THEWILL) – The Vice President of Gambia, Badara Joof, has died in India.
Gambia’s President, Adama Barrow, disclosed the sad incident in a tweet on Wednesday.
He wrote, “Fellow #Gambians, it is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing away of my #VicePresident, His Excellency, Badara Alieu Joof. The sad event took place in India after a short illness. May Allah grant him Jannahtul Firdawsi.”
Joof had served as Vice President since 2022. He attended the University of Bristol, where he obtained an Education Degree before proceeding for a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of London and then bagged another Master’s degree in Development Economics from the University of Bath.
Before politics, Joof worked as a teacher, he started his career as a trained teacher teaching English at the Gambia College. He later became the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Education, a position he held for many years.
Joof further worked as the World bank Liaison Officer to the Gambia, he assisted in introducing a new education policy in the Gambia and led many World Bank projects in the Gambia.
On February 22, 2017, he was appointed Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology by the current President, Adama Barrow. A position he held till 2022 before being appointed as Vice President.