Name: Adama Bojang

Title: Director of Planning and Development

Organisation: Brikama Area Council

Ms. Adama Bojang is Gambian and a Director of Planning and Development of the most rapidly urbanizing Local Government Area in The Gambia (Brikama Area Council).

She graduated from Saint Mary’s University Extension Programme, The Gambia, with a BA in Development Studies and also achieved a Diploma in Gender and Development studies from the Management Development Institute (MDI) the Gambia. She specialized in Development Planning. Ms. Adama Bojang has been a Practitioner of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Agenda 2063 and has participated in high profile events and conferences in Morocco, Kenya, United States, and Niger.

She is currently the President of the Network of City Chief Technicians of The Gambia Association of Local Authorities (GALGA) and the Voluntary Local Review (VLR) focal Person for the Brikama Area Council.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Adama's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

Getting focused as a team leader and being able to inspire the team to achieve the organisational goal.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I started as a rates clerk immediately after my sixth form in 1996, went back to school to read development studies, after my bachelors degree, I came a community Planner and rose to the rank of a Director of Planning and Development, president of technicians under the Gambia Association of Local Government Authorites and also the focal point of Voluntary Local review of the sustainable development goals. I definitely have a passion for grassroots work, planning, implementation, and reporting.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

As a woman leader, I have multiple tasks on a daily basis. My daily work plan is dependent on the flow of assignments from the office of the chief Executive Officer, ward level requests, and work plans as per my department. However, my challenge is that sometimes my work does not follow a plan.

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

A recent lesson I have learnt is that a leader is to show the way and not be a diminishing leader.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so

far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

The Post Development Reader

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Set your goal, stay focused, acquire Knowledge, and look for inspiring leaders as mentors/men tresses.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far? The story of great leaders like the longest serving vice President of the Gambia, Dr Isatou Njie Saidy.