By Momodou Jarju
The winner of the Actress Of The Year category of the recently held She Award Gambia has called on Gambians, especially President Adama Barrow and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to support the budding acting industry of The Gambia.
“We need support. If we have the support we need, we would be heard like other nations’ industries. This goes to the President and Ministry of Tourism and Culture; we the actors of this nation are not being recognized and respected as you do to other country’s actors. We deserve better. Charity begins at home,” she told Foroyaa in an interview last week as she reacted to winning the Actress of The Year Award on Saturday, March 5, 2022 organized by the She Awards Gambia.
Held at Sir Dawda Kairaba International Conference Hall, Senegambia, this year’s award was the second edition. The first was held virtually in 2020, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Ida and two other prominent Gambian actresses—Mariama Colley and Monica Davies—were the three nominees for this year’s Actress of The Year Award category. The award was Ida’s first, while Mariama and Monica have both won other awards in the past.
Ida, whose acting prowess has gotten her the moniker ‘Da Gambian Drama Doll or Mendoza’, said the award recognized the work she is doing in the acting industry.
This, she said, would serve as a push factor for her and colleagues in the industry to strive towards a breakthrough both at home and abroad just like what the national scorpions did in the Africa Cup of Nations.
“It will soon happen, Insallah. I’m positive as we are on it already,” she said.
While dedicating the award to her mother who has been supportive from day one, despite living in a conservative environment, Ida said it was an honor for her to win it and that she felt emotional and outstanding about it.
“And is my first time winning an award and my third nomination. I was nominated by the Gambia Fashion Awards twice in the category of the Most Stylish Actress,” she revealed.
Meanwhile, Ida is a stage and screen actress who is passionate about acting.
She added: “I started acting when I was in junior school after completing my Senior school. I studied marketing and worked at a few places then later got the opportunity to study at the Gambia’s only state of the earth theatre, Ebunjan Theatre of Aunty Janet Badjan-Young. The artistic director polished my talent and I became one of the most popular faces of the theatre. It was on stage that I was spotted to do my first movie project which I so appreciate.”
