By Danjuma Aliyu

Boris Johnson is on a two-day visit to Gambia and Ghana. Mr Johnson the former Mayor of  London has already met with President Adama Barrow who took over from Yahya Jammeh last month.

The UK Foreign Secretary who tweeted to congratulate Mr Barrow in January, refused to answer questions about his views on colonialism.

Mr Johnson once called Africa as “that country.” Another of his public gaffe, includes calling black people as “piccaninnies” with “Watermelon smiles” which he later appologised for.

Mr Johnson, whose trip to Gambia makes him the first British foreign secretary to visit the small west African country, joked about the outgoing President, calling him m “Jammeh dodger.”

“There have been difficulties between our side in the UK and the previous regime of Mr Jammeh – Jammeh dodger,” Johnson joked.

The new President of Gambia has made his plan to rejoin the Commonwealth of Nations known. His predecessor had withdrawn from the group in October 2013, calling it a “neo-colonial institution.”

President Barrow’s decision to rejoin the Commonwealth headed by the Queen Elizabeth II, was welcomed by Mr Johnson, who spoke about building a relationship with the Gambia, saying: “I’m delighted to be the first foreign secretary to visit Gambia … and I am also very pleased that Gambia wants to rejoin the Commonwealth and we will ensure this happens in the coming months.

“The strength of our partnerships show that Global Britain is growing in influence and activity around the world.”