BANJUL, Gambia -- President Adama Barrow returned triumphantly to Gambia on Thursday, nearly two months after winning an election disputed by the country's longtime dictator, to the cheers of hundreds of thousands who jammed the roads in welcome.

"That's my president!" the crowds cried, eager to see Barrow fulfill the promise of democratic reforms and newfound freedoms in this tiny West African nation.

The impasse after the Dec. 1 balloting had brought Gambia to the brink of military intervention, as regional leaders vowed to install the democratically elected Barrow despite legal efforts by longtime ruler Yahya Jammeh to overturn the result of the vote. Barrow had flown to Banjul from Senegal, where he had waited for Jammeh to leave Gambia.

"Barrow! Barrow!" people shouted from atop vehicles as far as the eye could see at sunset Thursday as the president's convoy made its way through Banjul.

Women danced on minibuses, and the sound of drums and music blared in the streets. Spontaneous parties erupted.

Barrow stood out of the roof of his vehicle and waved as he slowly made his way on a tour of the city and back to his home.

"I am a happy man today," Barrow said amid the crush of his arrival. "I think the bad part is finished now."

He promised to get his Cabinet in place and "then get the ball rolling," adding a commission would be set up to address reconciliation.

Gambians eagerly had awaited Barrow, who has promised to reverse many of the authoritarian policies of Jammeh.

The former leader oversaw a government accused of imprisoning, torturing and killing his political opponents. Some political prisoners have been released, but the fate of many who have disappeared remains unknown.

"Every Gambian must be free. We suffered for 22 years, but now enough is enough," said Seedia Badjie, 37.

Jammeh, who had been accused of rigging previous elections during his regime, initially called Barrow to concede after the balloting. But when the talk began about whether he could be indicted on war crimes charges, Jammeh shocked the world with a dramatic about-face, saying he would not cede power after all.

The international community, alarmed by Jammeh's unpredictability, said the election was fair and threw its support behind Barrow, a 51-year-old businessman.

Concerns emerged for Barrow's safety, and regional mediators urged him to wait for Jammeh's departure in neighboring Senegal.

Ultimately, Barrow was sworn in Jan. 19 at the Gambian Embassy in Dakar, though officials said another celebration will be held in Gambia.

Jammeh finally left Gambia last weekend, bowing to international pressure and ending his more than 22-year rule.

The West African troops were poised to oust him if talks failed. Since then, they have been securing the country for Barrow's arrival.

A larger, more formal ceremony to welcome Barrow home will take place at a later date, spokesman Halifa Sallah said.

About 2,500 of the ECOWAS troops remain in Gambia -- in the capital, Banjul, as well as at key crossing points between Gambia and Senegal and at the port and airport, according to Sweden's U.N. ambassador Olof Skoog, the current U.N. Security Council president.

Barrow has asked the troops to stay for six months to provide security, said Mohamed Ibn Chambas, special representative of the U.N. secretary-general and head of the U.N. Office for West Africa and the Sahel.

Gambia, with nearly 1.9 million people, has become an example in West Africa as the region strives for stable, democratic changes of power.

The world watched as Gambians showed they wanted change, supporting a coalition of opposition parties whose aim was to oust Jammeh and put the country on a path toward greater freedoms.

Jammeh ended up in Equatorial Guinea, taking luxury cars and other riches amassed during his presidency, and accompanied by family and trusted security guards.

When he left, Banjul exploded in celebration, with music blaring from speakers and people dancing in the streets.