By Nicholas Bass
Banjulinding Upper and Senior School had staged acolorful cultural competition featured various Gambia’s ethnic cultural groups to showcase talents and to also promote Gambian culture in particular and African culture in general.
The Wolof cultural group, Jola cultural group, Mandinka cultural group, Fula cultural group, and Balanta cultural group participated in the just concluded cultural competition, with position scores and certificates.
The Vice Principal of Banjulinding Upper and Senior Secondary School Assan Joof had encouraged his pupils to nurture their potentials and also to learn from others outside the classrooms for a better Gambia when speaking during a cultural competition held in the school hall.
He also advised them to take the cultural competition seriously, as it was part of their extracurricular activities.
Mr. Joof pointed out that learning does not end within the four-corners of the classrooms, noting that is important for one to know his\her cultural background, for one’s culture reveals his\her identity.
The Teacher Coordinator of the Press Club of Banjulinding Upper and Senior Secondary, Mr. FodayB. Manneh said the club’s motto is ” to inform, educate and inform” the society on current happenings, stressing that the media serve as a mirror to the society.
He added that it is part of the club’s plan to embark on a media operations that will expose the pupils to the operations of traditional media (Radio, Television and Newspaper)
“I am pleading with individuals, philanthropists, NGOs and State Owen Organizations to come to support us in our upcoming media tour that will help out students to develop interest in working with the media for a better Gambia”, Manneh said.
Fatou Trawally, a grade 12 A1 (twelve) pupil said that most of the Africans have forgotten their culture, but that no matter how an African might try to copy a foreign culture the person cannot be like the Europeans. “African culture is nice, rich and alive, we should not forget our good African culture’’.
Omar Jarra, a pupil who is also the chairperson of the Press Club, said that being a press club member makes one fulfill and fit to stand before any public platform to speak, and will desire to serve as a press officer. And that he encouraged his colleagues to make use of their talents with passion.
For the outcome of the cultural competition, the Wollofcultural group secured first position with 92 points; the Jola cultural group with 84 points, Mandinka cultural group secured the third position with 83 points; the Fula cultural group acquired 80 points while the Balanta cultural group earned score 34 points.
The ceremony was climaxed by the award of certificates.