Chilel, Lady Jawara ( N'Jie; born 1952) is a former

First Lady of the Gambia The First Lady of the Gambia is the official title of the wife of the President of the Gambia, President or List of heads of state of the Gambia, Head of State of The Gambia. Since January 19, 2017, Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow has been First Lady. Sin ...

and widow of the late

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Sir

Dawda Jawara Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara (16 May 1924 – 27 August 2019) was a Gambian politician who served as prime minister from 1962 to 1970, and then as the first President of The Gambia from 1970 to 1994, when he was overthrown by Yahya Jammeh. Jawa ...

Biography

Chilel Jawara is the daughter of the wealthy businessman Momodou Musa N'Jie (c. 1914–1990), a member of the Toucouleur people. Her father was a supporter of Pierre Sarr N'Jie's United Party (UP). After his daughter's marriage to Jawara, he became a supporter of the People's Progressive Party (PPP). While still attending Gambia High School (now known as Gambia Senior Secondary School), she married Gambian

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

and later President

(1924–2019) in March 1968 at the age of 16. Her husband had previously been married to Augusta Jawara (1924–1981) from 1955 until they divorced in 1967. At her husband's side, she was the First Lady of the Gambia from 1970 to 1994. She had at least eight children with him. The Gambia politician is her niece. In 1978, the Gambian

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was named after her. In 1981, during the coup attempt led by

Kukoi Samba Sanyang Kukoi Samba Sanyang (1952 – 18 June 2013) was a Gambian politician and leader of the unsuccessful 1981 coup d'état against the government of Dawda Jawara. Early years Sanyang was born in the village of Wassadu in the district of Foni Jarrol ...

, Chilel Jawara was rescued by either the British

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or, according to other sources, the Senegalese military, from the coup plotters who had held her

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for almost one week. Chilel Jawara accompanied her husband on trips abroad, including to

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in 1975 and 1991, and

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in 1984. In 1993, she received the Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry from the

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. In 2018, she celebrated her 50th

wedding anniversary A wedding anniversary is the anniversary of the date that a wedding took place. Couples often mark the occasion by celebrating their relationship, either privately or with a larger party. Special celebrations and gifts are often given for partic ...

with her husband. Former President Dawda Jawara died on 27 August 2019.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jawara, Chilel Living people Date of birth unknown First ladies of the Gambia People's Progressive Party (Gambia) politicians Wolof people Grand Crosses of the Order of Prince Henry 1952 births Date of birth missing (living people) Wives of knights