Gambia's sacred crocodile pool attracts politicians

A few days before the December 1 presidential election in the Gambia, politicians are visiting the country’s famous crocodile pool.

Visitors to the sacred crocodile pool usually include infertile women looking for a cure, businessmen hoping for better fortune and parents who want to protect their children during circumcision ceremonies.

The pool is also a major attraction for foreign visitors to the country.

Politicians have added up to the number and class of people visiting the pool in the hopes of finding good fortune in the elections.

Ebrima Njie, a guide at the pool said, “The top politicians come here to come and pray here to win the election, so that they can win the election. Because this place, they normally believe this place is a holy place. Because this place was (here) over 1600 years now”.

The crocodile pool in Bakau some 14km from the Gambian capital, Banjul, is home to more than 100 crocodiles who are used to people.

Rituals are performed at the pool and beneficiaries give tokens to appease the crocodiles.

It remains to be seen if the politicians visiting the sacred pools will have their wishes granted. The results of the December 1 elections will tell.