Momodou C Joof, the director general of the National Centre for Arts and Culture, has spoken extensively on the need for unity and mutual understanding among people for the interest of human development.

Unity according to Joof is strength and a powerful force towards achieving sustainable development in the world. "With unity, development has no limitation. It is high time that we preserve the spirit of unity especially within artist folk", he said. The NCAC boss made these remarks yesterday in his office, during a courtesy call paid to him by the organising committee of the   Banjul Fine Arts Festival.

He received the delegation on behalf of the minister of Tourism and Culture, Nancy Njie. The Banjul Fine Arts Festival is a sub-regional event scheduled to take place from the 4th to 17th January 2010. The NCAC boss made an extensive reference to the lack of unity among the country's artists, saying it was extremely difficult to bring them together in order to form a strong viable union. He cited the difficulty encountered in the formation of The Gambia Music Union and gave a detailed account of numerous artist associations that came and went due to circumstances including lack of unity.

Joof  welcomed the idea of organising the Banjul Fine Arts Festival, describing it as a step in the right direction. He assured the committee of both the ministry and the NCAC's support at all times.