Gambian vice-president Badara Alieu Joof has died while seeking medical treatment in India, the presidency confirmed in a statement in Banjul on Wednesday.It is not clear what was the cause of his death although sources say he had been diabetic for many years and was flown to India late last month.

President Adama Barrow confirmed news of Joof’s passing with ‘a heavy heart’ and led Gambians in mourning a skilled and dedicated civil servant whose professional honesty was beyond reproach.

In government circles, Mr Joof was reputed as an honest and serious-minded public servant who was celebrated for his eloquence and lauded for his iron-clad will to serve his country with distinction and honour.

Joof was appointed vice-president shortly after President Adama Barrow’s reelection in December 2021 and led what was described as robust reform initiatives which sought to restructure the civil service and restore sanity to government business.

Joof, a former teacher at The Gambia College and later permanent secretary under the Education ministry, was Minister of Higher Education, Research Science and Technology in President Barrow’s maiden cabinet shortly after the latter assumed power following his shock election victory over long-term ruler Yahya Jammeh in 2017.

The top civil servant survived several cabinet reshuffles under Barrow and eventually became a popular pick for vice-president in 2022.

Shortly afterwards Joof’s national ratings skyrocketed thanks to his powerfully persuasive speech exhorting top state officials against mediocrity and corruption while professing common cause with ordinary citizens that the government was not only aware of the biting economic hardships blighting their lives but would act decisively to assuage this plight.  

A Bachelor of Education degree holder from Bristol University, Joof also held a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of East London and a similar degree in Development Economics from the University of Berth.

Joof also worked in several role under the World Bank including as its liaison officer for The Gambia and as an education specialist based in Dakar, Senegal.