By Yaya Dampha
NPP Diaspora Coordinator
In Support of President Adama Barrow
President Adama Barrow’s recent description of Brufut as “Dubai” has ignited intense public debate. Predictably, the comment was seized upon by critics and reduced to mockery. Yet beyond the noise and political sarcasm lies a deeper truth that deserves serious reflection: the President was speaking in metaphor, highlighting progress, possibility, and the power of development-driven leadership.
A generation ago, Brufut was largely bushland with scattered compounds. Only a few years ago, travelling to Brufut was itself a struggle. The roads were riddled with potholes to the extent that many taxi drivers refused to go there unless passengers paid exorbitant fares. There were no streetlights, no pavements, and movement—especially at night—was difficult and unsafe. Today, those conditions are history. Brufut now boasts improved road networks, street lighting, walkways, modern housing, utilities, schools, and growing commercial activity. These changes are visible, tangible, and undeniable. Political disagreement cannot erase physical development.
Dubai is often referenced globally not because other nations seek to copy it wholesale, but because it represents what focused vision, planning, and disciplined execution can achieve within a relatively short time. That was the essence of President Barrow’s comparison. It was not a claim of equivalence, but a statement of ambition—a reminder that transformation is possible when development is prioritised.
Unfortunately, Gambian politics too often rewards outrage over substance. Instead of engaging with the broader message about infrastructure, planning, and national ambition, some critics chose literal interpretations and partisan ridicule. This exposes a deeper weakness in our political culture: we are more energised by election drama than by development outcomes. We argue endlessly about personalities, yet lose interest when discussions turn to healthcare, education, energy, or long-term infrastructure.
History teaches us that successful nations are built when leaders think beyond election cycles. Dubai’s transformation was driven by long-term planning and competence, not constant political agitation. Leadership of that kind focuses on the next generation, not the next rally. That is the lesson President Barrow was invoking.
Today, many Gambian elites travel abroad for medical treatment while our own hospitals struggle with limited resources. We demand express highways, modern universities, and world-class services, yet often resist the bold thinking and comparisons that inspire progress. A modern nation cannot be built with 19th-century political habits.
The real divide in Gambian politics is not between political parties, nor between so-called “progressives” and “regressives.” It is between those committed to nation-building and those consumed by perpetual campaigning. President Adama Barrow’s development-focused leadership—centred on infrastructure, stability, and gradual transformation—deserves to be evaluated fairly and honestly, not distorted for political gain.
The Gambia does not need to become Dubai or Singapore. It needs to become a confident, competent, and forward-looking version of itself. That means world-class hospitals instead of medical tourism, modern campuses instead of overcrowded classrooms, durable highways instead of temporary repairs, and an economy driven by productivity rather than dependency.
Whether Brufut looks like Dubai is beside the point. What matters is that progress is happening and that a vision for more exists. If we rise above petty outrage and embrace development politics, metaphors will no longer offend us—they will inspire us.
President Adama Barrow’s words should challenge us to think bigger, plan better, and argue less. Nation-building demands nothing less.
