-The Parents Behind Guyana’s Leader Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali
-From devoted educators to proud parents, how family, love, and education shaped Guyana’s president.
Before the world knew her as the mother of a president, Bibi Shariman Ali was simply a devoted educator with a dream to uplift lives through learning.
In the modest setting of Western Hog Island Government School, Mrs. Ali crossed paths with fellow teacher Mohamed Osman Ali.
Their shared passion for education grew into love, and in 1976, they were married.
Mrs. Ali advanced her training at the Cyril Potter College of Education, while her husband was transferred to Cornelia Ida Primary School.
Together, they were building more than careers; they were building a legacy.
The Birth of a Future President
Guided by their dedication to education and community, Mr. and Mrs. Ali’s legacy took a historic turn in 1980 with the birth of their son, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who would later rise to become one of the most beloved presidents of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
During a 2020 interview with the media, shortly after her eldest son was sworn in as president, Mrs. Ali spoke with heartfelt pride and gratitude, recalling moments from his childhood and reflecting on his remarkable journey.
“As a child, Irfaan was always very loving.
When everyone heard he had become president, my friend said, ‘I remember he was the one who used to tug at your skirt all the time; he was always rubbing your elbows.’”
Notably, Mrs. Ali shared how teachers who taught the president in kindergarten and the early grades often spoke of the deep emotional bond he had with her.
According to his mother, their gentle teasing led them to call him “Mommy’s boy”, not as a sign of weakness, but as a reflection of the heartfelt connection he had with her from a young age.
A Childhood Like Any Other, Yet Special
Growing up by his grandparents’ home in Leonora, West Coast Demerara, the president’s childhood was much like any other boy’s in the community, Mrs. Ali says.
With boundless energy and curiosity, the president’s mother recalled, he and his brother Aqtar, were adventurous and mischievous, constantly getting into the kind of playful trouble that every boy their age seems to find.
Whether climbing the many fruit trees in the yard or jumping into the trench to learn to swim, Mrs. Ali said, “He didn’t wait for you to teach him; he just jumped in.
If there was a little boat, he’d get in it… he had me on my toes.”
Balancing Public Leadership and Personal Challenges
Meanwhile, in 2020, while the weight of a nation rested on his shoulders, President Ali quietly carried another, more personal challenge: his father had fallen ill.
Although it was a time of immense pressure both publicly and privately, Mrs. Ali proudly reflected that even while dealing with political challenges, her son cared for his father with the same tenderness and strength he brings to everything else.
She also added that through it all, President Ali never wavered; he remained by his father’s side, ensuring he received the best care.
Describing him as the kind, loving, and compassionate man they always knew he would become, Mrs. Ali said, “As recently as March 2020, his dad, usually very healthy, suddenly got sick.
When Irfaan heard, I could actually see him trembling. He did everything for his dad; he took him to the doctor.
When he was out of the hospital, Irfaan came early in the morning to care for him, bathe him, feed him, and make sure he was groomed and had his hair cut.
He was here morning, noon, and night until his dad got back on his feet.
Irfaan was facing his political challenge, and at the same time, this was another challenge he was facing.”
A visibly emotional mother further described a deeply personal moment from her past: before President Ali was married, she had undergone surgery.
With no daughter of her own to care for her during recovery, it was the future president who stepped in and, being his usual compassionate self, made sure her nails were clipped and her needs met.
A Childhood Dream Rooted in Determination
Long before the campaign trails, public speeches, and presidential sash, he was just a little boy with a big dream, one he never stopped talking about.
“He always said he wanted to be president,” Mrs. Ali recalled with a smile.
Even as a young boy, President Ali practised giving speeches, his mother shared.
However, those early moments weren’t just childhood play; they were glimpses of a vision her son held with remarkable clarity.
While the family watched his ambition unfold with interest, President Ali’s mother explained they never discouraged him.
Instead, they anchored his dreams in something equally important.
“We never discouraged him,” she said. However, Mrs. Ali made sure he knew that to become president, you needed more than dreams; you needed a solid education.
That balance of nurturing belief while insisting on discipline became a guiding force in his upbringing.
As history would later show, the boy with the speeches grew into a man who turned his childhood words into reality.
“We never discouraged him, but the first step to becoming president is to make sure you have an education.
Ensuring you have a proper education, I also worked on his personality.
I mean, everybody has flaws,” Mrs. Ali explained.
Education, Politics, and Full Circle
Mrs. Ali further shared that President Ali earned his university degree, completed a master’s, and then achieved his PhD.
A testament not only to his academic determination but also to the discipline nurtured at home.
Subsequent to ticking every academic box, he returned to his parents with the next step in his journey.
“He came home one day and said, ‘I want to join the Progressive Youth Organisation,’” Mrs. Ali recalls.
They knew then that he was serious; this wasn’t just a childhood fantasy anymore; he had prepared himself and was ready.
With their full support, President Ali entered the political arena, carrying not just credentials but character shaped by years of hard work, quiet determination, and the steady belief of a family who saw the spark early.
A Son’s Dedication and Generosity
“Irfaan is very committed to whatever he does, very dedicated.
I’ve seen that when he was a minister, I’ve seen the dedication and commitment he puts into his work.
He is very innovative as well. He likes to think outside the box, and he is such a planner… He is such a good organiser, and he gets things done.
Irfaan is the most generous person you can imagine; he gives people his heart.
He doesn’t know how to say no, and I think he learnt that from his dad.
His dad is really like that, too.
They give people everything they have, even if it’s the last they have,” the loving mother said.
Humble Roots Remain Despite High Office
Now that her son is the President of Guyana, Mrs. Ali said her life will remain humble; nothing will change, even though her son is the President.
The president’s mother said that she will continue to live her life just as she always has, humbly.
She also added that if or when her son needs guidance, support, or a listening ear, she’ll be there, offering the same care and counsel she has given him all his life.
A Father’s Pride and a Family Legacy
Five years ago, President Ali’s father proudly shared how “great” he felt seeing his son rise to the highest office in Guyana.
According to him, “I felt so great, knowing that Irfaan is a boy who is very committed, very educated, and who never gives up.
He loves humanity, he loves Guyana, and he loves the people of Guyana.
I am sure he will do all that he can to help every single Guyanese, right across this country.
He’s a very caring boy who loves progress, and I am sure he will go all out to ensure development for each and every Guyanese.”
Five years later, the heartfelt words of President Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s parents still ring true.
They spoke of a son grounded in humility, guided by compassion, and committed to service, and time has only confirmed those qualities.
In every challenge he has faced and every decision he has made, President Ali has lived up to, and even exceeded, the character they so proudly described.
His journey is not just a reflection of personal strength but of the quiet, steadfast love and values instilled in him by his parents, a legacy of dignity that continues to shape a nation.
