WOMEN’S WEEKLY - a charismatic Gambian woman

The most talked about Women’s Weekly column in the Daily Observer this week had an encounter with one of the most patriotic Gambian woman, Fatou Mas Jobe, the managing director of The Gambia’s Premier Resort Entrepreneur which is the Dunes Resort and Casino, located in the Sandy beach of Kotu.

Madam Jobe, 42, was born and nurtured in the heart of Serrekunda. She has since her early age, took up national and international responsibilities in various disciplines.

Speaking in an interview with the Women’s Weekly anchor at her office in Kotu, Madam Jobe gave her educational background and has this to start with;

“ Haven’t start with my educational background, even though it was not easy for me, especially in those days. I lost my father when I was at the age of three, I was brought up by my grandmother, Mam Anta Khan, who was taking care of me and my education. She has contributed a lot to my success in life, because she has make sure that I have my full education completed”, she revealed.

I attended Serrekunda Primary School, from there, I proceeded to St Joseph’s High School, and what motivated me to choose this school was that, my sister was then going to that school and I admired the uniform so much.In 1984, I proceeded to London Executive College, were I acquired a Certificate in Business Administration and in the same college to pursue my Diploma in Business Administration and the Advance Diploma in Marketing and in 1987 to 1989, I proceeded to the Institute For Financial and Management Studies to pursue MBA at the University of WolverHampton, U.K.

According to her, having spent 10 years working with Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), she decided to move to the Hospitality Industry and took up the challenge of setting up and managing The Gambia’s Premier Resort and Casino, located in the sandy beach of Kotu. The resort boasts of 22 units, with breath taking view of the Atlantic Ocean,

“In my drive to gain more experience within Standard Charter Bank (SCB), I moved to CR as Relationship Manager.

The job purpose is maximizing overall customer risk adjusted profitability and share wallet within the existing MNC portfolio and target MNC customers.

In August 2003, I took up the challenge of managing the second biggest SCB branch with a staff count of 35. I registered rapid progress in the areas of sales, Know Your Customer (KYC) and staff management within a very short period of time revamping morale to an all time high.

She added that, she also served as Marketing Officer at The Gambia Telecommunication Ltd (Gamtel), from March 1994 to November 1996, and set up the marketing department of The Gambia’s first television station and also the Assistant Financial Controller at Sunwing Hotel.

Major achievements that differentiated Fatou Mas Jobe from her peers is that, she has been awarded, a Heroine Award by Mervyn Davies (CEO Standard Chartered Bank PLC) in February 2002 in Sentosa, Singapore, Business Woman of the year Award, The Gambia, in 2001, Enterprising Woman of the year Award, The Gambia in 2000.

Following the disclosure of such positive achievements and holding certain high portfolios, Madam Jobe then told Women’s Weekly that her view on the status of the Gambian women is the fact that they mean business and they are focus and see it as a responsibility to ensure that they live by example, as hey are the mothers and as mothers, they should always make sure that their children copy from them to be better adults of tomorrow . “Gambian women are moving on, and of course as I always said, we Gambian women should not be left alone to do all the work. We need the help and support of the men who are equally working with the women” she appealed.

She disclosed that Gambian women are already role models and cited Vice President Dr Aja Isatou Njie Saidy and Musu Kebba-Drammeh as my role model and my stars.

According to her, women should be seen to be participating in socio-economic development of the country.

This she said does not just mean to sit in the office but should start from their house. “A woman to be a role model, she should be able to take care of her home, which should be her first priority and then her children, the environment of her house, her husband and herself. A role model starts from the house and then the way she comport herself in society” she noted.

Women’s Weekly: As a woman, always in the forefront of youth activities in this country, what would be your message to the young people?

Fatou Mas Jobe: Young people have to see themselves as the key to success of the Gambia tomorrow. If you look at the Gambian population, majority are young and should make it their responsibility to that they grow to be responsible adults. So several ways and plans have been outlined by the government all geared towards youth development.

The president of the Gambia Red Cross Society, leading the volunteer bas e of fifteen thousand, urged young people to be focus, self reliance and look at the opportunities that are available for them today, which were not available in the past.

Of course, am still young, as I said to you earlier on, my childhood time was very tough. Young people should take it upon themselves, they don’t have to sit back and said that things are hard in this country. So I want to travel but travelling outside is not easy. Europe is getting very difficult, especially with the wake of the EU.

Can’t you stay home and do something for yourself. We have the University of The Gambia and many other technical training institutions in The Gambia. Why the need for taking risk adventures to travel to Europe. Let the young people of this great land, venture into technical studies and have better foundation”, she urged.

Women’s Weekly: Are you a politician?.

Fatou Mas Jobe: I see myself as a politician in my own way. Every single day, I am doing politics that is whether to win a customer, to motivate my staff or to be a friend to the media which is another political strategy. I am a real true politician. Politics is all about winning others over.

Women’s Weekly: What is your advice to the Gambian women?

Fatou Mas Jobe: I think you are very unfair, why are you only focusing on women, women at all times.

What about men? Anyway, my advice to The Gambian women folk is that, let them not be sitting on the executive chairs and look low upon their husbands and think that they are earning more than what their husbands earn. Do not look at the money and forget your responsibilities at home. As a Muslim woman, you have to take care of your husband, children and look after your marriage.

Thanks!!!!!.