Editor,

The Janjanbureh festival is fast approaching, please allow me space in your newspaper to share with the readers and organizers of the festival some of the things that have to be put in place before the festivals starts.

It all started in 1983, when some elders of Janjanbureh notably Alhaji Junkung Jobateh, Alhaji Kebba Sidibeh, Alhaji Sariang Marong, Alhaji Challaw Mamburay, came together to revitalize, our culture with a view to promoting harmony, unity and peace in the community, hence the birth of the festival that year.  Older readers can recall my article on this in the then journals. The event is once again about to unfold and I wish to remind all an sundry especially the organizers to soberly reflect on the declaration that gave birth to the festival.

This year round, getting to 30 years since the first was held, I want to take a projected bird eye view of the episode hence a good analogy to protect what it is aimed at.  First and foremost, the festival was calculated to bring the desired peace, harmony and unity that we all yearn for, but are we up to expectation in this regard?  This is the vexed question that I endeavour to answer hereby proffering suggestions to enhance it.

Yes, in the first edition, I was the defactor  General Secretary and that first edition of the festival was so successful that the Vice President of the then republic,  promised that government will take the episode on board to fully sponsor.

Unfortunately we never followed up on that pledge year after year that it was held as if the organizers are only interested in the merry making activities.  However in 2003 after 20 years, I took the bull by the horn to write an article to remind all that triggered, the Banjul based committee to be enticed to solicit my services as secretary to champion that edition.  Thank God with my foresight and reminiscent of that pledge I approached government through Yankuba Touray, then minister of Tourism and Culture to solicit support.

The delegations to and from Janjanbureh to meet and plan the festival, were fully sponsored by government and the high powered delegation led by Yankuba Touray himself spoke volumes, of the success of that year’s.  As every successful endeavour also has it own shortfalls, I fell apart with usurpers of that organization only to be relieved of my position or fear of the rate of activism, I was on to get the episode on the map coupled with some ulterior motives of some sinister ones who only wanted to undermine me.

Anyway, as my resolution for this year is to bury the hatchet and come to terms with all and sundry just to protect the town, regional and national agenda of development, I am swallowing all my pride and veracity to observe a truce of ceasefire in order to get the year’s edition to be the most successful by government’s involvement.  

Therefore, what must be placed is to build on my success episode of the 30th December 2011. The auspicious attendance of my episode The Vice President can now spur Janjanburayans to come together to formulate a seasoned committee to ensure the success of this year’s festival.

Can this be? Well if all indulge in my resolution, the sky is the limit as to what can be achieved for this year and for posterity. Therefore what must now happen is for Janjanburayans to engage each other candidly to plan for that. I hope there is food for thought here’.  As my first article for the New Year, I hope all will take note of my counsels and let bygones begones to cater for the needs of all for a prosperous 2012.