Bujinga Hosts ‘Jamoral’ Festival

The Daily Observer (Banjul)

Hatab Fadera

23 May 2011

The first- ever Jamoral festival to be held in The Gambia began on Saturday in Bujinga, Foni Kansala District of the Western Region the home village of President Jammeh’s mother, Her Excellency Aja Fatou Asombi Bojang . The event to last for four days is being attended by thousands of people from The Gambia and the subregion namely; Southern Senegal and Guinea Bissau is meant to promote unity and cohesion among the Bojang,Manga and Bajan families in order to reaffirm their kinship ties.

Powered by the mother of the president of the Republic, Aja Fatou Asombi Bojang, The Gambia’s hosting of biennial event has been described as a historic boost given the high prominence attached to it by the president of the Republic, who is not only the son of the brainchild of the initiative, but also due to the fact that he has always been supportive of platforms that reinforce greater unity and harmony.

The hostess of the event, Mother Aja Fatou Asombi Bojang who was dressed in a green ‘Ashobee’ designed for the festival arrived at the venue amidst a tumultuous welcome by the large crowd that included the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, the speaker of the National Assembly, Cabinet ministers and other dignitaries. Her arrival was followed by the arrival of the president of the Republic, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, who was accompanied by the First Lady of the Republic, Her Excellency Madam Zeinab Yahya Jammeh.

Among the highlights of the opening ceremony was a procession by the participants, who were all dressed in the green ‘Ashobee’. They marched past the Gambian leader and Mother Aja Asombi Bojang in a style that symbolised their strong zeal and resolve to strengthen their kinship ties.

Declaring the event open, the Gambian leader expressed profound gratitude to his mother, whom he said conceived the brilliant idea of family reunion and worked towards its successful staging. He then harped on the significance of the festival, explaining that it was convened to celebrate and cement clan and family ties, especially those of the three outstanding families of Bojang, Manga and Badjan. President Jammeh pointed out that this particular festival stands out amongst many others in that besides the usual cultural displays and manifestations, it seeks to primarily bring together families who he said by reason of colonial rule and the artificial borders it created, have been divided into two or more countries. He stressed that this is the first time that the vital role of family and lineage ties is being celebrated, discussed and strengthened in such a form.

“In Africa, the family and lineage are the anchors we rest on in times of turbulence and need. It is a sort of a safety net, a social security outfit which assures us of support and security,” the president indicated. He added: “This is why any effort that is geared towards uniting African families through reunions such as this one should be applauded. The family is the most basic unit of the African society.” The Gambian leader also stressed that events such as the ‘Jamoral’ should teach a lesson or two to those who are serious about sub-regional, regional and continental integration and cooperation.

“The usual thing is to attempt to bring about closer cooperation among countries and regions starting from the bigger picture; this seems like a false start. The prudent thing to do is to start by fostering oneness among the most basic unit of our societies, clans and lineages, and then move up from there,” he suggested. On the home front, President Jammeh equally stressed that the event should task Gambians to evaluate the role that family lineages and ties can play in fostering peace, fighting poverty and unemployment and ensuring a healthy and happy populace.

In the same vein, he enjoined that the event should further inspire the people to better appreciate the significant role of women in their societies, saying, “it is important to note that a woman is the brainchild of the festival and that women make up more than half of the delegates”. The Gambian leader then expressed hope that participants will come out of the festival more inspired about the important role that family ties can play in nation building, and regional cooperation for peace and prosperity. He heaped praises on the organising committee for what he called their excellent preparatory work that culminated into a festival of this nature.

Speaking earlier, the minister of Tourism and Culture, Fatou Mass Jobe-Njie, who is the chairperson of the National Coordinating Committee thanked President Jammeh for what she called his material, financial and moral support that culminated in the successful hosting of the event. Minister Jobe-Njie equally thanked Mother Asombi Bojang for the trust and confidence reposed on them to handle the organisation of the festival. She harped on the significance of the festival, underscoring that “the cultural panorama in question is a cogent testimony of the cultural unity in diversity of our people”. While noting that the event cuts across genealogical and ethno-linguistic boundaries thus encompassing all and sundry, Minister Jobe-Njie underscored that it extolled the virtues of unity, solidarity, and social harmony that is characteristic of The Gambia, and the Senegambia region in general.

The governor of West Coast Region, Lamin Sanneh also dwelled on the importance of a festival of this nature, and commended Mother Aja Asombi Bojang for being the brain behind the initiative. He underscored its significant towards fostering unity and understandings amongst the people, especially the three families.

Family representatives

The representatives of the three families all took turns to dilate on the significance of the festival, which they maintained creates a better and unique platform to explore their ancestral relations, as well as re-uniting as family members. They described the Gambia’s hosting of the event as a great success, and thus heaped praises on Mother Aja Asombi Bojang for her outstanding efforts in cementing the bond of relationship that binds their families. Similarly, they also paid glowing tribute to President Jammeh for his support and his stance for unity.

Bajamba Bojang of Brufut, Lamin Bojang of Senegal, Kemo Badjan and Aro Bojang who all spoke on behalf of their families, respectively, expressed similar sentiments.

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