By Mariatou Ngum & Abdou Mbye

Vice President Mohammed B.S. Jallow on Friday inaugurated the Dara (Islamic school) named in honour of the late Imam Muhammed Lamin Bah, situated within the Half Die Mosque premises in Banjul.

The event was attended by the Minister of Defence, Turkish Ambassador to The Gambia His Excellency Fahri Türker Oba, Advisers to the President, the Imam Ratib of Banjul Alhagie Cherno Alieu Mass Kah, Banjul Muslim Elders, Managing Director of The Gambia Ports Authority, members of the Mosque Committee, Alport Banjul staff, parents, community elders, and staff and students of the Dara.

The atmosphere was one of joy and nostalgia, as community members reminisced about their younger days spent attending the Dara.

Speaking on behalf of President Adama Barrow, the Vice President expressed gratitude to Alport Banjul for the gesture. “We really want to thank you,” the Vice President said, adding that the initiative reflected a genuine concern for preserving the community’s culture and traditions. He noted that even though many residents of Half Die have since relocated to other parts of the country, the mosque remains the community’s social centre, the gathering point for occasions such as weddings and funerals.

The Vice President described the inauguration as an honour for all those born in the area, recalling that Modou Lamin Bah was the first to teach in the community, beginning in his own home before the Dara was established. He said naming the new edifice after him was a fitting tribute for the people of Banjul, and particularly Half Die.

Ambassador Fahri Türker Oba also addressed the gathering, describing Alport Banjul as an important and specialised company delivering on a commitment made to the Imam Ratib during an earlier signing ceremony.

Alport Banjul Managing Director Salih Levent Kacar, speaking at the event, referenced the Islamic teaching that a person’s good deeds continue after death through three forms: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, and a righteous child who prays for them. He said the madrasa embodied all three, describing it as an act of ongoing charity for everyone who contributed to its construction and a foundation that would benefit generations to come.

He thanked all those who contributed to the project and prayed for the institution to serve as a lasting source of guidance and protection for its students and teachers.