Mr Jammeh, who was addressing a group of over 200 Roots Festival participants from the diaspora, mainly Jamaica, US and the UK, said the relationship between Africa and diaspora should go deeper than the festival.
“It was an accident of history that we were physically and geographically separated but spiritually we are one and there is togetherness. It is not to be the beginning and the end to say I came for the Roots. That is not enough. The brothers and sisters from the diaspora must attach themselves to the cause of development in the communities. Roots must not be ended with only coming to festival, something more should be added.
“Roots gives people the opportunity to revive the culture in which we are born and which has made us what we are. Tanzanian president Julius Nyere said ‘We Africans must understand that we need no more lectures in democracy or to be converted into socialism’. We must understand that all these are embodied in the African culture. Roots ensures cultural survival and revival which is also a unifying force. The most advanced stage of human civilisation is cultural interaction.”
Governor Jammeh on Monday hosted the diaspora delegates, including Jamaican singers Sizzla Kolongi and Mutabaruka, who made a pilgrimage to the birth village of Kunta Kinteh as part of the 11th edition of the ongoing Roots Homecoming Festival.
By Essa Njie
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