Hello and a warm welcome to this special edition of Bantaba, a weekly column publication that comes every Friday.

In this edition, we bring you the interview we had with Isha Fofana, a renowned Gambian artist who has returned home after almost 10 years in an international career. During her time in Europe she has had exhibitions at the UNESCO music award given to Youssou N ' Dour of Senegal, Oumou Sangaré of Mali and she also did other exhibitions and  award given to Waris Dirie, Kerkrade, NL. Her gallery in Germany was a cultural centre for people interested in arts and culture from all over Africa.

After an audience at the Vice President of The Gambia, Isha Fofana decided to return home and help her country in her field.  Isha, an International Representative of the Gambian artists and member of International Artist Association” IKV Germany is currently, the proprietress of the Mama Africa Museum and Art Center in Batokunku, a project she established through her own creation after penetrating the world of arts that earned her a strong international reputation and a role model. Please enjoy reading this special edition.
    
Bt: Many Gambians do hear about you as a successful artist but know little about your life. Who is really Isha Fofana?

Isha: Thank you. Isha Fofana is a woman full of energy and I belief that is a gift from the Almighty Allah because He (God) is behind anything that turns successful. I belief I am definitely not a person who comes into this world to look for money if I could check all over my life.

I lost my mother by the name Ouri Outman at a very early age and so I didn’t know her. She has three children and I was the last born of her. I was born in Banjul on December 28, 1965, the independent year of the Gambia.
Bt: Could you share with us your educational background?

Isha: I attended St. Mary’s Primary School in Banjul. When I attended school, I was in the hands of my aunt who really have taken a great care of me. I didn’t even know that she was my mum because I found she in my life and she really love me, taking care of me and nobody told me that she was not my mother. I started school from her and when I went up to primary five, she also passed away in the 1970s and this was shortly when I knew that she was not my mum.

My father Alhagie Gassim Fofana is still alive thanks God and he is a great man. But I was not with my father because when my mother passed away, we were separated and every one of us went to a name shake. After the dead of my aunt, I then lived with my father together with my stepmother at Lancaster Street in Banjul. From primary school, I attended St. Joseph Technical secondary school where I finished my education. Although I stop at that level of education, but I am not really ashamed because I think that is not everyone who goes to a university can be able to make it.

With my education I am always very happy because seeing myself not going very high level in school but I see myself in Europe for example standing in very great places with intellectuals with PHDS, doctors, lawyers, judges and so on. And then I always looked at myself and I know in life is not only the higher education. And I always want to send this message because is not everyone that is expected to be in the higher level of great in life to be able to make your life career. It depends on your ambition - get your own feelings get your inspiration and if you are hard working, I think you could make it anyhow even if you have never been to school.

This is one of my best topics even in Germany where I talked to many people given the fact that many people comes to that country for hustling and some of them have not finish their education. I always talked to my fellow Gambians and Africans that let them not look at their educational background because it doesn’t matter but what matters is to learn from their host and bring back home the knowledge.

Bt: What happened after finishing your education at St. Joseph Technical Secondary School? Did you travel or?
Isha: No! No! I did not travel but stayed in the country but got married with my ex-husband by the name Ebrahima Cole. While in the country, I was very creative and strong. But unfortunately I did know where to put my creativity. Sometimes I always feel that there was something in me, which have to come out. I was fighting with this since I was a child. Anything I am making was never enough. I always looked at what I am doing and say that there is something more. I was never satisfied with what I was doing.
Then as time goes on, I thought in mind that I have to do something. It was then I decided to venture into tailoring where I was by my aunt to learn how to sew.

Bt: Was this before you met your first husband Ebrima Cole at the time you ventured into tailoring?
Isha: It was before and even when I met Ebrima, I was on tailoring and learning from my aunt. But my aunt ever saw me ever very different. When I started to learn tailoring from her, I was just fast with everything. And anytime she has to make tux or whatever she called me. I met six other girls training from my aunt, but within two weeks I was really perfect and fast on with whatever I was doing. But all these were the artistic inspiration in me.
But when I got my second child, then it was starting to get too much. Then I move with my husband to Bakau and this was in 1984.

In Bakau, I started to make batik but it was very difficult due to household responsibilities. It was during this time that I really discovered myself as an artist. Then I joined the Gambia Black Africa Art Club (GBAAC) the same year where I later took over the gallery. Things were going on smoothly until when government allocated a plot for us in Kanifing. And then when it happened to be in Kanifing, we had a meeting as CIDA, an organization based in Sweden gave us some money, which could build a gallery. But I was really opposing the idea to make the gallery in Kanifing.

Bt: Why did you oppose that move?
Isha: Because I was thinking then that Kanifing is an industrial area. So I think when you talk about art, you talk about nature and when you talk about nature, you talk about art. For my philosophy, I could not see the art gallery in Kanifing. So we had a meeting and talked to the boys that the allocation was from the government, but still we can ask for somewhere that could give us inspiration to our work. For example when you are in the bush, you would have more inspiration as you will see trees, things and this can boost our creativity. But I was not having so much saying because I was a lady.

Bt: Did they eventually heed to you when you made that proposal to have the gallery in an area conducive for artwork?
Isha: No they did not and I accepted their decision and they went ahead with the construction. But I was not involved the construction.
Bt: Is the GBAAC still in existence?
Isha: Yes but they changed it now to Artist Association
Bt: How did your relationship ended with the GBAAC?

Isha: My relationship is not bad with them because I am still in good terms with the artists, and trying to gather them, and trying to show them the real way that we could help the development of tourism and culture in the country because I don’t want any waste of time. This is because I see myself as very energetic woman and I think that if I wanted to wait, then it would be like how people sit and talk and don't do nothing. So I just want to show and bring out my inspiration.

However, my inspiration did not come out when I was in The Gambia. I was full of energy to bring out something but could not. Then after I started to get very sick.

Bt: What made you sick?
Isha: This was because when you want to do something, you are full with energy and you could not. This is what can give you stress. You have something inside you but you cannot do it and then this gives you real problem inside you because it cannot come out. Something has to come out otherwise it gathers in your body and you get sick. As a result of this, I really started to get sick and this was in 1998.

I started getting admitted in hospitals. What saved my life was when I traveled to Germany in the Millennium year, 2000. Although many people thought that I spent long time in Europe but that travel was my first to Europe.

Year 2000 while in the country, I was really sick but I had the opportunity to travel to Germany to really check what went wrong in my body. Prior to that I could remember the Millennium while in the Gambia I went to the seaside alone and pray to the Almighty Allah to make me to survive because I thought I was going to die. I was praying to God because I think I deserve to survive. Two days later after that, I got really sick again and I saw myself at the Medical Research Council. I could remember one day as I was lying on my sick bed, I just wake up from the bed and screamed saying no I would not die because I felt at that moment as I was feeling that I was dying. I said am not going to die and I want to get out of that hospital.

Then I discharged myself and went out of the hospital. I said I am not sick; nobody detected any sickness in me. RVTH and MRC did not see anything. I asked myself what the problem is and why am I sick?
Bt: Was all this because of the lack of the opportunity to explore the natural talents that you felt God has gifted you?

Isha: Exactly. That could have killed me three months more in The Gambia in that year. So when I ran out of MRC, a week later I was at the RVTH. There I also escaped because they wanted to operate me to see what happened but thank God it was not possible because the doctor critized that If they operate me I would die. Just the following week, I had the opportunity to travel to Germany and everything went very fast and smooth. When I went to Germany, the next morning, I went to a hospital and they checked me. And when the results came, the doctor told me that I was not sick but very healthy.

Bt: That sounds interesting?
Isha: Yes he told me that there was nothing happening to me. The doctor told me plain that I have something that I am full with; something that I needed to bring out from me. He then asked me to go home and think about something about my life. He advised me to do only what I like doing and not stress myself with anything as that could lead to loosing my life. He advised me to relax and think about what nice things to do. And then I became the happiest woman at that time when I discovered that I was not sick at all but health.
Then I went back home, laid on my bed and think about myself.

I said to myself that I am here for treatment and now the doctor told me that I am not sick. And he told me that I could not come to Africa because if that happened I would start to get the same feeling which will harm me. So then I have to stay there. So I looked at myself and said what I can do in Germany. My education is not that high but I always see myself as someone very creative. The only thing which will help me was to take out my creativity in that land and to learn as well. And learning is not that I have to go to a university and learn but I could also spy them like they did to Africa. Then my German husband Bernd Ax, who is still marrying to me, came and looked at me and asked me what I would like to do? Then I replied that I want to do something that I have never ever have the opportunity to do it in The Gambia due to certain circumstances. So I want to take it out.

He asked what it was. I replied to him that I am an artist and it is my occupation and I know I can do a lot. But I had never practice all that in me in The Gambia due to so many things. I said now that I am here I can really start something because the environment was good for me to do that. My husband said that it was find. Then I think of batik, which I was doing in the Gambia. But I later said no to it because if I want to do batik in Germany, I am a natural woman and I want to use some kind of natural colours like the kola nut, leaves, roots to boil them so as to have a natural colour and avoid chemical. So I decided to do painting. Then my husband said it is ok. Then the next day, he said we could start but I said no and that we should take time as you cannot just get up and do something.

Bt; is your husband an artist too?
Isha: No he is a film director working at a German Television, one of the second biggest television stations in Europe after BBC. And then one time he was coming to the Gambia to make a film about tourism. So he left me with painting materials. I didn’t go anywhere but just painting. Within one week, I had painted 150 paper works just taking out what is in me. I was feeling so good at that time that I had never felt like that before in my whole life. I felt relieved and concentrating.

This period was in 2001. When my husband returned, and entered the house, he was shocked with the exhibition that I make in the house. He was amazed and immediately called Dr Adam Oellers, the museum director in Aachen and asked him to come for a dinner as he had a surprise for him. Dr Oellers then came the next day for the dinner. When he saw my artwork, he too was shocked and told my husband that your wife has a life career in her and one day she would become a great artist. Dr Oellers has two museums, and these are museums that hang artwork costing millions of euros.

He was very proud of my work and said he could not keep quiet with it.  After Dr. Oellers had seen my artworks, he started to promote me and he was the expert in almost all exhibitions of Isha introducing my art at the openings.
In 2003, Oumie Sankareh of Mali who sings a lot about women won an award at Aachen, Rat House in Germany. Then Aachen, (a city in the west of Germany at the border to Nederland and Belgium) government called me the time they were organising the UNESCO Award Giving. Together with the UNESCO they had chosen me to do the exhibition together with the award giving. And after a meeting with the UNESCO people and after checking my artwork, they said they would like my artwork to be hanged inside the Rat House, which is a big place in Germany and it is where they make award. And then I see myself as a Gambian, not being into the University level to study about art to make an exhibition of that nature.

This was a pride for not only for me but also for my country as well. From this exhibition, I met a group of female artists, who are really great artists. They do art for hobby and not for money like other artists do. They are very rich. Every year they go to one country and do landscape painting at seaside. When they saw my work they asked me where I studied art and I replied that I did not study art. And then they said look Isha Fofana, we are getting courses and we want to pay for you and invite you for this course only because we want to work with you. So they took me for that course and I started. All of them like me during the course because I always come up with something different with good explanation.

Then after I spent one week there the course ended. After when the course ended, I went to the professor and he told me that they paid for you but now he want to give it free for me. He then asked me to stay there for the next course. This was in Germany. Then I stayed for another one week till Christmas when I received a present from the professor. And he made me to stand in the middle of the class.

Then he said Isha Fofana, every artist in this world is looking for a way to study it; how to make colour, what you can do. He told me with great honour that “I can’t teach you art because you have it already inside you. We love you very much, we would like you to stay longer, but I don’t want you to get inspired from something else thinking that that is the best whilst what is in you is great.” He told me that every artist looks for his or her way and that I have my way already. Then I left.

Bt:  We also understand that you have traveled a lot in Europe attending many exhibitions. In those occasions, how did you feel like being a Gambian at such talent events?
Isha: As a Gambian, I feel good. Any time I see myself in these stages, I looked at myself and the whole crowd I always shed on tears because I know I came from the Gambia. I don’t boast of coming there to show myself as the best artist and so on. But I go there to see what I could do and go back with it. I see myself loving by many people in Europe; appreciate my work with some calling me to say that anytime they see my artwork in the morning, they become relieved because it is also a therapy art. So people buy my artwork and hang them. I cannot tell you enough how proud I was in all my traveling and times in Europe. But anywhere I go no matter where, I always think about home (The Gambia).

Bt: How many exhibitions you have done in Europe?
Isha: I cannot really count them. In November, 2007, I was nominated the “Best African Artist in Europe”. I could not be present at the award because I was really feeling something. I felt to come to the Gambia and nothing could stop it. And this was my reason of coming back home. I told them if they give me an award I can receive it anywhere but I feel my home was calling me. And when I came, I met the Vice President Njie-Saidy who also inspired me to come back and I promised that I would come back home.

Bt: When did you finally came back home?
Isha: In 2008
Bt: But what really motivated you to come back and invest your knowledge to the development of the art industry?
Isha: Simply because I love my home. Since I started coming to the Gambia, I never stopped to come. I come three times to the Gambia in a year whilst in Europe. I also come back to see what I can do for this country. I have all opportunities in Europe, but tell me one reason why I should stay there if I have already all these knowledge.

Anytime I come to the Gambia, I see developments done by the president. I belief one person cannot do it alone so there is the need for support. Since I came within two years, I opened this Center, which construction took only six months. And I want this museum to be a lasting one forever. If they know me in Europe, I want them to also come here and meet me here too.

Bt: During your recent interview with reporters at State House in Banjul, when you met President Jammeh, you expressed your resolve to make Gambia an “art paradise”. Are you still onto that commitment?
Isha: I swear to God I am on that goal. It is a mission that I have to accept it. I will fulfill my mission because since my childhood, I feel like there was something in me and I will follow it up to the end. And certainly, one day you will see it. History will talk about it. If the Gambia will push me, the sky is the limit for me.

Bt: When one enters in to your Mama Africa Women’s Museum and Art Center, you see real artistic creation. Virtually all the materials in the centre are a collection of local materials that you transformed into something useful especially depicting the rich cultural heritage that we are endowed with. What is the rationale behind that?
Isha: Nature and art are something we need in our country. This is because tourists coming to the Gambia want to see Africa. They don’t want to see luxurious hotels or whatever. Because when they were coming, they have already seen those buildings in their country.

Tourism is not only in the Gambia and therefore tourists want to see arts and culture as that is what is bringing them. If it were sun and sea, they would not have come. We must not let our culture to fade away as a country without culture is very sad. Hotels must also strive to introduce local diets like peanuts oil and so on. If every hotel introduces baobab, wonjo, ginger juices, tell me how much money will come to the Gambia. Tell me whether all those cultivating these crops will be poor?

Bt: We have already come to the end of this marathon interview. But before I leave, what message would you send to the general public?
Isha: My message is that the Gambia is very small and so as we can see it, the president is trying to do a lot of things. Let’s believe that we cannot all go to the offices for work. Let’s work hard and be cleaned; respect our country; have clean heart for each other since we are all family here. Let’s put our hands together and work hard for the country. Let us not be lazy and work because working itself is a blessing to Allah.
Bt: Thank you so much Isha Fofana for this meaningful interview that you have granted us.
Isha: Thank you too and is a pleasure.