On 18th February, 1965, The Gambia was a constitutional monarchy with a constitution which gave executive powers to Her Majesty the Queen of Britain represented a governor general. The country had to hold a referendum in 1970 to become a republic on the 24th April 1970. The Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia 1970 came into being marking the end of the constitutional monarchy under the 1965 Constitution.
One would have thought that 24th April would be a national holiday and many programmes would be held to nurture the sovereign citizens of The Gambia on the rights and duties of sovereign citizenship. Foroyaa promises that as of next year the paper will hold a public lecture to mark 24th April 1970 when the Republic of The Gambia was born.
There can be no republic without a sovereign people. It is the republic that frees The Gambia and Gambians from owing any allegiance, obedience or adherence to the dictate of any foreign power or state. It is a day worth commemorating without any wastage of national resources.
