36 deserving personalities in The Gambia were recently bestowed with prestigious awards in the Gambia One Spirit National award dinner held at the stately Jama hall of the five-star Kairaba Beach Hotel.

Complemented by gastronomic and drinks activities, the Gambia One Spirit National Music Awards was organized by President award winning DJ, Lamin Cham, and was motivated by a desire to contribute to the elevation of The Gambia’s insipid music industry.

President Yahya Jammeh and Alhagie Mbye of The Point Entertainment column were among the 36 persons that were distinguished for the ‘sterling’ contribution they made and continues to make towards the promotion of music and musicians in the country.

DJ Lamin Cham was indeed grateful that a large crowd have turned out to grace the event, adding that it was solely conceived and organized to honour artists both performing and non-performing as well as people who contribute in one way or the other to the country’s music sector. He stated that the award ceremony was organized with the core objective of taking the Gambia’s entertainment sector to a higher plane of development.

“I was living in Europe for 17 years and was awarded in Belgium and the UK. Back home, I was given an award by the President, hence my decision to also honour others,” posited Cham.

He thanked Africell, under whose auspices, the ceremony was funded.

The Senegambian Mbalax king, Youssou Ndour, will later today arrive in Banjul for a three-day eye-opening musical performances.

The Senegambian music icon will today perform in a gala night at Senegambia Beach Hotel to be followed by dancing at The Independence Stadium. On Sunday, all roads lead to the same venue where the Mbalax guru will excite the senses in a musical show.

The events are organized by Gamtel/Gamcel Staff Association and according to the Secretary General of the association, Mr. Mustapha Conteh, the proceeds realized from the concerts will be used for the empowerment of women as well as to replenish the staff welfare fund and most importantly, contribute to the Operation Save A Baby initiative.