Gambia's former President, Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, who led his country to independence and ruled for nearly three decades before being overthrown in a military coup in 1994, will launch a book on his life.
Titled 'Kairaba', the book will depict the man's his life and times as leader of the tiny West African nation, PANA reported Wednesday.
A statement issued by the former president's office announced that the launching ceremony would be held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel on 10 April, under the chairmanship of Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh, with many former presidents from the West African sub-region expected to grace the occasion.
Jawara worked in Gambia first as a veterinary officer before getting into politics to lead the People's Progressive Party which ruled the country for some three decades after gaining independence from the British colonialists.
The former Gambian leader is popular among his people as a man of peace, tolerance, respect for democratic governance and rule of law.
Kairaba is said to have profiled Jawara as a leader and catalogued events that happened under his watch, leading to his overthrow in 1994 and subsequent exile in London as well as his reconciliation with Jammeh who came after him.
The autobiography is said to be a good source of information on Gambia's political and socio-economic development.
Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria's former President, will serve as chairman of the occasion, while high profile figures expected to be in attendance include: James Victor Gbeho, the President of ECOWAS Commission, Senator Liyel Imoke, the Executive Governor of Cross River State in Nigeria, as well as some ex-presidents, including: Ahmad Tejan Kabbah from Sierra Leone and Alpha Omar Konare of Mali.
