2. Yahya Jamme of the Gambia
The Gambia is a river, and also a country. One of the smallest countries in the world, the national borders follow its namesake river. In fact, at its widest point, the country is only 30 miles wide. The nearly two million people who live in the Gambia live under a brutal “Islamic” dictator, President Yahya Jamme.
Jamme seized power in a coup back in 1994, and has since ruled the Gambia with utmost ruthlessness. As is often the case with dictators, conditions on the ground often blur the line between horrific and surreal.
If you happen to find yourself meeting Jamme, make sure you use his full title and name: His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Azziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh, or you could find yourself in hot water. Oh, but Mr. Excellency Sheikh Professor can cure AIDs. If you happen to be a member of the LGBT community, however, you might end up being decapitated.
While much of Western Africa has been enjoying economic growth and the strengthening of democratic institutions, the Gambia remains exceptionally poor, and democracy is nothing more than a pipe dream. The Gambia has also isolated itself internationally, having left the British Common Wealth, a collection of former British colonies and the United Kingdom. Why? Commonwealth officials had the audacity to criticize Jammeh for bringing back firing squads to speed up executions.
Jemmeh will be reelected again this year in yet another fraudulent election. The only chance of him being removed from power appears to a coup, health issue, or something similar.
While Jemmeh has many flaws, local citizens generally do hold him in high regard as he keeps crime under control. The Gambia also remains popular among tourists, with tens of thousands of Westerners flocking to the country each year.