By: Bakary Ceesay
The Musicians Union of the Gambia (MUSIGAM) stressed that there is a need for the autonomy of the union and warned National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) not to interfere in the affairs of the Union.
“We can do things for ourselves as musicians and we would not allow ourselves to be micromanaged at any point by any individual or organisation in the name of supporting Gambian music,” Pa Modou Sarr, spokesperson of Music Union interim committee told journalists on 7th December 2020.
Stakeholders at the MUSIGAM press conference.
MUSIGAM was established in 2008 to promote Gambian music and protect the interests of artists and music professionals. It also looks to preserve and enhance the country’s cultural heritage
Sarr said that while the NCAC was legally mandated to monitor, support and make suggestions and recommendations to MUSIGAM, it could not interfere in the affairs of the union.
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The NCAC is a semi-autonomous institution established by Parliament in 1989. It is led by Hassoum Ceesay and serves oversight functions for arts and culture in the Gambia.
The music association said Monday’s move was to safeguard the union’s autonomy, which it insisted was necessary for expediting the implementation of its activities and addressing various challenges.
“Among the key things that we really stand for – and we want to make sure it happens – is to make sure the independence of MUSIGAM is not compromised in any way,” interim MUSIGAM executive member Pa Modou Sarr told members of the press.
“There is a need for the autonomy of the union. We can do things for ourselves as musicians and we would not allow ourselves to be micromanaged at any point by any individual or organisation in the name of supporting Gambian music.”
“If you want us to be autonomous, you should be able to support us and allow us to be independent and implement our own activities,” he said.
Road to Congress
“The Constitutional Review is only going to involve stakeholders that are in the music or entertainment scene. We’ll be inviting different personalities we equally will be inviting different genres of music in this country,” he explained.
“A lot of people have been asking us why don’t you release the constitution because it is for public consumption and that is true. But we wanted to make sure that the stakeholders that we’re going to look at this also have an eye on it before we push it out there. And at the end of the day, it’s out for grab for everybody to look at it have our observations on it. And then when we get to congress, we’ll be able to have our input on them as well.”
“After the 16th then we will push out the Constitution for everyone to have their input. It is our belief that from the 16th to the 29th one should be able to read through the constitution one or two times to be able to have some points that you want to correct or see adopted at congress level. Because this is the process that we have to take.”
“We have to make sure everyone has a hand in this process. It cannot be the job of the executive alone or the interim committee to actually have everything in there. Our part is just to make sure that we work on the draft and invite a legal minded person who we have paid to look at it. That person has already done their part and now we are going to make sure that we put it to the Constitutional Review Committee. And then from there, we will take it to congress.”
Meanwhile, MUSIGAM is set to unveil its new executive body at a congress on 29 December. The union will also receive 250 000 Gambian dalasi (about $5 00) in COVID-19 relief from the government.
At Monday’s presser, outgoing executive member Lie Ngum also underscored the need for local artists to become members of MUSIGAM in order to better streamline the music industry in the Gambia.