The Back to Africa Festival 2012 was officially opened last Friday in the village of Batokunku in the West Coast Region. Presided over by the minister of Tourism and Culture, Fatou Mass Jobe-Njie, the Back to Africa Festival 2012 is a week-long festival organised by Neil Fraser popularly known in UK and beyond as ‘Mad Professor’. Fraser is also the producer and proprietor of ARIWA Records Company in London.

Minister Jobe-Njie on behalf of the President Jammeh welcomed the guests to the festival. Her words: “It is good to see you return home for a visit. The Gambia and by extension Africa is no doubt the home of your ancestors and therefore, your home. As it is an indisputable historical fact and as a resilient people, we have weathered all storms and have remained strong while recognising the umbilical bonds that bind Africans on the continent with those in the Diaspora.”

Minister Jobe-Njie said that in spite of the negative effects of slavery, colonialism and neo-colonialism inflicted on Africa and her peoples, Africans have proven resilient to all these vices and have emerged strong as ever. She further said that with all these historical experiences, Africans continue to make significant contributions to world culture and civilisation.

She added: “We welcome all of you with open arms and to inform you that The Gambia is your home. Indeed Africans wherever they may be, should see Africa as home because all of us owe it to our ancestors to not only visit, but also to strive to contribute, in various ways to the political, social, economic and cultural development of the continent.”

The Tourism minister expressed hope that during their stay, they will find out more about The Gambia and how they can contribute to the socio-economic development of the country. She hailed Neil Fraser, the organiser of the festival who also marked the celebration of his tenth anniversary of ARIWA Records Company with this historic festival.

“I wish to commend and congratulate you Neil Fraser a.k.a. ‘Mad Professor,’ for having the wisdom and courage to come up with this brilliant idea of organising the “Back to Africa Festival” here in Batokunku village. For the past several years, you regularly returned home to this suburb village, and even established yourself as a bona fide member of the Batokunku community in particular and the Gambian family at large. We are proud of you and wish to assure you of the unflinching support of my Ministry in the consolidation, expansion and the development of the festival in its subsequent editions in the years that lie ahead,” she said.

She then informed the gathering that The Gambia has institutionalised two major international festivals that are held here on a biennial basis -the International Roots Festival under the purview of her Ministry and the Kanilai International Festival hosted by His Excellency, the President of the Republic himself, at his home village of Kanilai. She then implored on Fraser and all his collaborators including brothers and sisters from the Diaspora to work with her and her Ministry for the promotion, publicity and development of these two festivals.

She congratulated Neil Fraser on the occasion of his 10th ARIWA Records Company anniversary while urging the visitors especially those that are visiting The Gambia for the first time to find time to visit some of the country’s heritage sites and other places of historical and cultural interest in order to gain better insight of The Gambia’s history and culture.

Neil Fraser, who earlier addressed the journalists at the opening of the festival, said Back to Africa Festival would help the tourism and culture sector to grow because the guests are here to enjoy themselves and learn about the country. “Their awareness about The Gambia is low but through conversations, cultural activities and visiting our heritage sites their awareness will increase, as this will help them to sell The Gambia when they go back to UK,” he said.

Fraser promised that he would continue to talk about The Gambia to various people and interested groups both in UK and beyond, as a way of selling the country abroad. “It is going to be a constant promotion and constantly flying The Gambia flag high in order to take it to the next level,” he added.