“I don’t think we have Gambian plays in our schools. This is lacking. Since our days in school, I have assessed many plays but there were no Gambian plays. I can remember it was only The Trial of Busumbala which was written by Gabriel Roberts in the 1960s that was taken to our schools. But after that we have not been seeing Gambian plays. So I believe this is going to be taken on board by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to introduce Gambian plays in our schools, especially in the upper basic schools and even at the university.”
Also speaking at the ceremony was the director of performing arts at the National Centre for Arts and Culture, Sheikh Omar Jallow, who outlined the numerous improvements made in Gambian publications in recent years.
He noted that 11 publications have already been made this year alone, expressing conviction that more publications would be made before the end of the year.
Jallow expressed his office’s willingness to come to the aid of Gambian writers and also encouraged young people to take careers in writing.
Meanwhile, one of the books, A History of the Banjul Central Mosque, Imams and Bilals (1900-2013), explains the history of the Independence Drive Mosque, formerly Banjul Central Mosque, established in 1854 and how Islam spread into The Gambia from North Africa.
The second book is The Tragedy of Masanneh Ceesay and the third a collection of three short plays, Fippu Pakala; A letter to God and HIV and AIDS in the family.
By Essa Njie
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