On 30 August 2017, eight officials from the Freetown City Council (FCC) will be going to Hull City, UK, on a cultural affairs programme. The Mayor of Freetown, Franklyn B. Gibson, said, “It is a six-day visit from the 30 August to the 6 September 2017.”
The travellers are: Mayor Frankly Gibson, Councillor Tejan Cole, Abdul Karim Samuara, Mateneh Conteh, Alusine Conteh, Elkainna Thomas and also a popular comedian Ernest Briwah commonly known as Vamboi.
The Mayor said, “Since Hull won the Council of the Year in the United Kingdom, it is in that light they have laid the foundation to embark on such a trip and try to figure out what exactly they did right, that enable them to get such accolades.”
He maintained that for 37 years they have been working in partnership with Hull city, citing that William Wilberforce once a member of the British parliament advocated for the abolition of slave trade. He said due to the strong tie between the two Councils, they have been able to establish Freetown society in Hull and in return Hull society in Freetown. According to the Mayor, “The trip is fully funded by the Hull City Council. The Hull Council helped them to establish the local Council by providing us with garbage trucks and fire engines.” He pointed out that the relationship between the two is very cordial and they want to keep it as such.
The Mayor said, “We are working on our culture and the main features of the cultural affairs will be published in Sierra Leone. A five-minute video will be played in Hull depicting Sierra Leone culture and it is because of such video, they came in contact with Princess Earl at British Council.
Ernest Briwah expressed his delight to be part of the delegation. “It will be a great experience and the country will stand to benefit a lot after such a programme.
MJB/22/8/17
By Mohamed J. Bah
Wednesday August 23, 2017.
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