By Fatoumatta K Jallow
The Mboka Festival of Arts, Culture and Sports, on Thursday, 29th December 2016, held a press briefing to inform the general public on their upcoming festival of distinction and diversity. The aim of the festival is to celebrate Gambian and African Diaspora cultural heritage to showcase the various good food market, organize a youth conference in leadership, a book fair, an art exhibition, a responsible tourism seminar, amongst others. The guest of honour will be Ngugi Wa Thiong’o.
According to the organisers, the guest of honour will be reading his work, presented with a book of his short history and the right up revelation in the Gambian languages which will be dramatized and watch the stage production of his play.
Mr. Adama Bah, one of the organisers of the event said the first mboka festival of arts, culture and sport will take place in the Gambia from 7th to 17th of January 2017, organized by Camp Africa, Global Hands and SABLE Publication.
He added that the guest of honour will be participating in various activities of the festival which will include a staged production of a play. “The guest of honour will also be giving a keynote lecture at the conference and the questioning of logic of systems in the festival,” he said.
Bah added that a critical look at southern perspective will be a dramatization of his story and the upright revolution from his work.
Ms. Kadija George also one of the organisers of the event, highlighted the meaning of ‘MBOKA” which is “ONE FAMILY” in Wollof. The range of events will offer festivals in 10 days of distinction and diversity that celebrates Gambian culture heritage alongside African diasporic culture heritage. She described the mboka festival as one world, diaspora, pan African experience.
