By Ibrahim S. Bangura
The management of Ballanta Academy of Music and Performing Arts (BAMPA) on Friday June 28, 2024, has officially opened the refurbished building at 27 Liverpool Street in Freetown, after a period of six months’ construction, providing a more friendly environment for arts education. The event was attended by many government officials, including Her Worship Mrs. Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, the Mayor of the Freetown City Council, the Hon. Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs Mrs. Nabeela Tunis, the Hon Minister of Technical and Higher Education Haja Dr. Ramatulai Wurie, representatives from the People’s Republic of China, diplomats, students of the Academy, music lovers, etc. The opening ceremony was accompanied by entertaining musical performances from students and groups of the academy, among others. These performances showcased the many areas of music and music education that the Academy encompasses.
The event was chaired by Dr. Williette James, former Head of Mass Communication Department at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. She is a board member of the academy too.
In her welcome address, Mrs. Elvira Bobson- Kamara, the Acting Principal of the Academy, thanked everyone for attending the event.
She said that it was with great joy that they welcomed all at the grand reopening of the Academy. “Today marks a significant milestone in our journey as we unveil a space that has been transformed into a hub of creativity and artistic expression. Arts has the power to inspire, to heal and to connect people the way words could not. As we reopen the doors again, we are not only welcoming you into music, but into a community dedicated to nurturing talents, fostering growth and celebrating the beauty of music and performance,” she said happily. With state of arts facilities, dedicated in structure, and a curriculum designed to ignite passion, creativity, we are committed to provide students with full capacity to excel in their chosen course. Let us remember the rich legacy that we inherited and the bright future that lies ahead. Let us embrace the challenges and opportunities that come along with the growth and change, knowing that together we can create something fully remarkable. I invite each and every one of you to explore, to learn, to create and to be with us as we embark on this exciting journey. Thank you for being a part of this precious occasion. Welcome to the new era of artistic excellence,” she invited proudly.
Dr. Julius Spencer, Chairman of the Academy, said that they had not only reopened the renovated building but had also launched new courses in music, dance, theatre and film production. He elaborated that those new courses at Ballanta would help transform young people in Sierra Leone, give them a profession that would make them proud and also enable them to make a respectable living and contribute positively to the development of Sierra Leone. He thanked everyone who had contributed to the development of BAMPA. “We have been fortunate to get a grant from the World Bank under the Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project through Creative Hub Africa. This has enabled us to repurpose the building, renovate and change its roof. Again, under this project, we have been able to train some of our staff and additional people who could be staff here,” said Dr. Spencer. He went on to say that they had started the process of registering the academy to be accredited by the National Council for Technical and Vocational Award (NCTVA)….”so that we will start issuing nationally recognized certificates. We will start awarding the certificate and then the diploma. Ballanta intends to expand and provide more training for many more young people so that they could make a living from their talents,” he said.
Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, Minister of Technical and Higher Education, thanked and appreciated Ballanta for supporting young people for their future. She encouraged young people to embrace Ballanta and take their studies in arts seriously. “With the vision Ballanta has, we are ready to support it. I also encourage other institutions to come on board a give a helping hand to Ballanta not only for the benefit of the Academy, but also for the benefit of our country and young people. Ballanta is a place we should be proud of as Sierra Leoneans,” she said emphatically.
Guests were invited to tour the refurbished areas after the performances.