AS DIASPOREANS POISED TO STORM GAMBIA FOR ROOTS FESTIVAL -  PRESIDENT JAMMEH URGED TO BEHAVE 

 BY WISE MAN
As thousands of cultural connoisseurs  including Africans  in the Diaspora gear-up for the eagerly-awaited and much-talked about forthcoming  International Roots Homecoming Festival slated to place in The Gambia  , the inhabitants of Juffereh,  the birthplace of the legendary slave Kunta Kinteh have called on the Gambian President to give the event a fitting attention.  The concerned residents posited  that they are grossly unhappy with the way and manner President Jammeh has been   handling the all-important cultural galore in recent years . "The Roots Festival is a unique opportunity that the government and people of The Gambia should capitalize on  to sell the country's   rich  cultural diversity  to the wider world.  But instead of allowing  the visitors   to have eye-opening experiences about country's rich cultures , the President is now using the event to promote only the Jola culture," says our source.  
 

Kebba Jatta , a native and a resident of Juffureh told Freedom newspaper that  President Jammeh has virtually reduced the event to  a "Putampaf" ( a jola cultural show).  " The actual roots festival started in here Juffureh but  today most of the celebrations are  done at Kanilai  which has no important role in history of the Gambia .  If you  look around Juffereh  village you can see lots of interesting historical sites. 

The slave houses and James Island among others  will remain in the history books of the world. These are what  visitors want to see and not  Kanilai," he said. 

Also speaking to Freedom Newspaper,   Sheriff Cessay one the elders of the Village  said that well before President Jammeh came to power they  were organising  roots festival annually in their village, adding: " But  when Jammeh  came to power he joined us and later took over the festival and transferred it  to his home village of Kanilai. He  has now  gave the event different meanings and it's unfortunate that  the windfall of the event goes to him alone.  We benefit little  in roots festival now".Ceesay therefore went on to  say  "we want our event back;  we are the founders. How can the president play advantage on us,  this not fair" he stressed.