Nyimasata Sanneh-Bojang

Aja Nyimasata Sanneh-Bojang (1941 – 15 July 2015) was a Gambian politician. She was the first woman to be elected to the Gambian National Assembly, when she won the seat of Northern Kombo for the People's Progressive Party. Although she kept the seat in 1987, she was deselected by her party and did not contest the 1992 election.^[2]

Nyimasata Sanneh-Bojang
Personal details
Born	1941 (1941)
Died	15 July 2015(2015-07-15) (aged 73–74)[1]
Nationality	Gambian

Sanneh-Bojang was born in 1941. She started her career as a nurse and later worked as a teacher. She was part of People's Progressive Party and later the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction. From 2006 until her death in 2015, she served as the Director of GAMCOTRAP, working for women's empowerment.

Early life

Sanneh-Bojang started her career as a nurse and then as an unqualified teacher. She qualified subsequently in different places in the Kombo and North Bank regions. She rose to the rank of Head teacher in the school. She went on to become the Public Relations Officer of the Women’s Bureau during 1980s.^[3]

Political career

Sanneh-Bojang won the parliamentary elections in 1982 when she was a candidate of People's Progressive Party (PPP). She was appointed as a Parliamentary Secretary of Education during the regime of Jawara.^[4] She was a staunch opponent of female genital mutilation (FGM) throughout her career.^[5]

She was named Member of Parliament by Jammeh under the candidacy of Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction party. She was then nominated to the National Assembly by Yahya Jammeh.^[6] She became the first elected women member of the National Assembly of The Gambia.^[7] She was voted to replace Duta Kamaso at the ECOWAS parliament on 8 June 2006.^[8] She served in Board of Directors of GAMCOTRAP from 2006 until her death in 2015.^[3] In the role, she effected a series of women empowerment initiatives in The Gambia.^[6]

References

1. "Tribute to the Late Honourable Aja Nyimasata Sanneh-Bojang 1941 – 2015". thepoint.gm. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
2. Arnold Hughes; David Perfect (2008). Historical Dictionary of The Gambia. Scarecrow Press. p. 244. ISBN 978-0-8108-5825-1. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
3. "A Tribute to the Late Honourable Aja Nyimasata Sanneh-Bojang 1941 – 2015". The Point. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
4. Jawara, Dawda Kairaba (2009). Kairaba. Alhaji Sir Dawda Kariaba Jawara. p. 362. ISBN 9780956396808.
5. Profile, foroyaa.net. Accessed 25 January 2023.
6. "GAMBIA: EX MP Nyimasata Sanneh Bojang Dies!". 15 July 2015. Archived from the original on 30 January 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
7. Faye, Pa Malick (1 February 2002). "Gambia: Nyimasata Sanneh Bojang Speaks". Retrieved 1 February 2002.
8. "Hon. Sanneh Bojang Replaces Detained Kamaso". The Daily News. 1 February 2002. Retrieved 1 February 2016.