The Future Ambassadors of Movie and Entertainment in Africa (FAME Africa), was last Friday December 12th launched in the conference hall of the Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi.

Fame Africa is a product of Lexicon Communications, a renowned marketing communications outfit under the leader of Moses Nwanze. It is being organised in collaboration with the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Gomis Promotions and InTouch Company Ltd.

The launch in The Gambia is the first ever. The program has been endorsed by the Department of State for Tourism and Culture; Department of State for Basic and Secondary Education; the Department of State for Higher Education, Science Research and Technology; the Nigeria High Commission and the Actors Guild of Nigeria. 

The Gambia has been chosen as the venue to host FAME Africa based on the strong conviction that the country has all the potentials for development and promotion of movie and entertainment industry.

FAME Africa aims among other things to develop and promote movie and entertainment in The Gambia, to promote sustainable and positive tourism development, promote academic excellence, and the socio-economic, human and cultural heritage of The Gambia.

The programme also aims to rationalise development of film and video industry in The Gambia as part of efforts to create mass employment opportunities for the youths.

Fatim Badjie-Janneh, SoS for Communication, Information and Information Technology, declaring the FAME Africa programme officially launched, said the programme is timely considering the numerous benefits that The Gambia stands to gain from it such as the promotion and development of academic excellence throughout the length and breadth of The Gambia and employment opportunities for Gambian youths, especially in the world movie and entertainment industry.  

According to SoS Badjie Janneh, the movie and entertainment industry is fast growing due to the advent of computer technology and there is a need for The Gambia to adopt to the changing trend.

She however called for preservation of what she called our cherished traditional cultural norms and values.  She implored the Gambian movie and entertainment industry to embrace best practices of the Nigerian industry.

The launching ceremony was graced by security chief such as Lang Tombong Tamba, CDS of The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), IGP Ensa Badjie, senior government and private sector officials.

The president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Ejike Asiegbu, also spoke at the ceremony.