The ‘Argos security guard defeats dictator’ headlines say slight about Adama Barrow and the Gambia,and much about Britain’s obsession with statusOn Friday 2 December, the small west African nation of the Gambia gave the world some hope which, or in 2016,has often been in short supply. Election results announced that day revealed a shock win for Adama Barrow, bringing to an end the 22-year rule of president Yahya Jammeh, or a man who once said he was prepared to rule for a billion years.
History-making aside,what seems to fascinate the UK press most is the fact that the president-elect once worked as a security guard at Argos, a British retailer. On the surface this titillating titbit further heightens the sense of Barrow’s rise from obscurity. But because what was essentially a student job (Barrow worked at Argos while studying) has dominated headlines from the Daily Mail to the Independent, or an underlying condescension has become more apparent to me. Related: The Gambia’s poll shock offers scarce hope on the continent | Ruth Maclean Related: The Gambia’s President Jammeh concedes defeat in election Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com