Dear Saba Abraha Cham, Soone Cham-Taylor, Sennai Cham, Famara Cham, all members of the Cham family present here and those following from The Gambia. The Honourable Minister of Communications, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, the former United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Ambassador Thomas Greenfield, Provost Anthony Wutoh of the University of Howard and the entire Howard University Community.
Ladies and Gentlemen
I greet you all, and on behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of The Gambia in Washington D.C. I wish to offer my sincere condolences for the loss of our dear brother, uncle, scholar, mentor, and comrade, Dr. Baboucar Mbye Cham.
On behalf of The Gambia Embassy in Washington D.C. I rise today to pay tribute to a son of our soil, in the person of Dr. Baboucar Mbye Cham. His passing is a profound loss, not only to his family, to Howard University, and to his many students and colleagues, but to the entire Gambian nation and to the broader African intellectual community.
Dr. Cham embodied what we today call diaspora diplomacy. He represented The Gambia not with official titles or political power, but through his intellect, his scholarship, and his humanity. In lecture halls, conferences, and in everyday acts of kindness, he projected the best of who we are as a people.
Ladies and Gentlemen
The Gambia is often described as the “Smiling Coast of Africa,” a small nation whose strength lies in peace, in sharing, in humility, and in the warmth of its people. Dr. Cham lived these values. His deep humility, his generosity of spirit, and his brilliant mind reminded all who met him that greatness does not require size. In his life and work, he showed that even a small country can contribute immeasurably to the world.
Through his teaching and scholarship, he amplified African voices, connected diasporic communities, and built bridges of understanding across borders. His very presence in the academy served as a form of diplomacy—soft power diplomacy at its finest—shaping the image of The Gambia as a nation of learning, of dignity, and of promise.
For us at the Embassy, Dr. Cham stood as a quiet but powerful ambassador. He carried The Gambia with him wherever he went, not through protocol but through the way he interacted with people. In him we see the essence of diaspora diplomacy: the capacity of Gambians abroad to represent our nation in ways that elevate its name, inspire its people, and honor its values.
Ladies and Gentlemen
Today, as we mourn, we also recommit ourselves to this vision. Let us strive to follow Dr. Cham’s example—to live with humility, to share with others, to pursue knowledge, and to represent our country with pride.
On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of The Gambia, we extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Saba Abraha, his children, Soone Cham-Taylor, Sennai Cham, and Famara Cham, to his grandchildren: Camari Allen, Avé Tucker, Nariah Cham, Saba Taylor, Tafari Taylor, Ava Cham, and Sahar Cham, and to the entire Howard University community.
May God grant him eternal peace and reward his family and loved ones for the countless lives he touched.
