By Yunus S Saliu
The Honorable Minister of Tourism and Culture could not burry his worries over the current position of the most famous ecotourism site in the country when he visited Makasutu Culture Forest in Kembujeh village, West Coast Region on Wednesday.
Honorable Hamat NK Bah who noted that Makasutu Culture Forest has received many accolades said the renowned and award winning Culture Forest said in no circumstance or condition should the management and stakeholders allow it to run-down.
The visit to the place was part of his annual tourism facilities tour across the country and he was accompanied by some high rank officials from the Ministry which includes Mrs Cordu L Jabang-Senghore, Permanent Secretary, Mr Mamadi Dampha, Deputy Permanent secretary, regional governors, the board chairpersons of National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) and Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute (GTHI). Others include officials of the Ministry, GTBoard, GTHI, NCAC and members of travel and tour writers.
The Minister who had taken his time to conduct a thorough tour of the ecotourism facility lamented with heavy heart that “Makasutu has won so many international recognition, prizes and awards. It is a unique project in Africa but to see it dilapidated is a blow in our hearts.”
“To be honest this place should never be like this, it is very disappointing, this place is extremely good but it is present condition is very bad for our tourism,” Minister Bah added.
The workers affirmed to the Minister that the place is among facilities that had received the disbursed Covid-19 support for resilience and recovery fund. This he (Minister) advised them to start the renovation gradually without further delay no matter how small or big the amount is.
He went on suggested to the management that the renovation can start from the public area gradually “because if the public area is done there is chance for attraction as people can come for lunch and other activities as usual.”
Honorable Hamat Bah reiterated that “something needs to be done because we cannot let this place dilapidate, we will not, because it is part of the qualities we are expecting and the name and brand of the place cannot be left to go down. I want this place back to its glorious days. Really, we want to talk to those (the management) that can make decision on over this place, we want to talk to him (proprietor) to know how prepare he is what need to be done and see how to move forward because this place cannot be grounded it is not possible!”
Myths and Facts About Makasutu Culture Forest
In brief, Makasutu Culture Forest is located inside huge forest covers over 500 hectares piece of bush while the rooms are built on water and called them floating house. Myths and facts about this famous ecotourism place is that people in the surrounding areas called the bush a devil’s home. The narration is that there in the forest is a devil in form of a dragon that protect the hidden crown and clothes of King Jatta who was from Busumbala. But King Jatta was killed over 200 years ago by the Moslem King – Kombo Sillah on his way to the East to take over the country. But Jatta’s men collected the crown and clothes and hid them for safe keeping around Makasutu a place knows as the ‘Big Forest.’
The place was left untouched by people of Kembujeh and its environs until 1992 when a British architect and a friend British engineer discovered the vast land and decided to make it a perfect location for retreat and oasis for overland travelers. Since the place was bought, the bush once again found a new protectorate.
However, Makasutu Culture Forest over the years has become a model for ecotourism beyond the destination Gambia and West Africa but Africa as a whole.
