Is holding onto personal values tenable?

Just over a fortnight ago, two presidents — Barack Obama of the US and Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia — vacated office at almost the same time. The similarities and contrasts between these two leadership transitions are interesting. On January 20, Obama handed over the reins of leadership to his successor, Donald Trump, in a tense but colourful official ceremony. Trump had been declared winner of the November 2016 presidential elections, but had to wait the two months transition period before his inauguration. In the meantime Obama stayed in office and oversaw the transition. After handing over, the former US President boarded an official helicopter and headed to his peaceful retirement.

At almost exactly the same time, on January 21, President Yahya Jammeh left the country having lost the presidential elections. Unfortunately, there was no handing over ceremony because his successor, Mr Adama Barrow, moved to Senegal after Jammeh refused to vacate office. Troops from several West African nations, including Senegal, were deployed to The Gambia to help drive Mr Jammeh out of office.