When he was only fourteen-years-old, he was selected to take part in the World Music Arts and Dance, WOMAD and today he’s become famous.

PaBobo Jobarteh, the popular singer of Peace, Love and Unity, who was invited by WOMAD at teen age said “every year WOMAD invites me to perform for them during festivals.”  He had performed with the renowned guitarist, Tom Toomey, who is currently running a music school in South Africa. He did a song with him called African Sunset, which was included in his CD.

In developing Gambia music during one of my conversations with this great guitarist, I told him the need to start a similar thing in The Gambia. He welcomed the idea and gave me the green light. “At the moment, I am building ten kora and later I am hoping to receive guitars and keyboards from him,” Pa assured many of the youths.

People might wonder how Pa became a well-known figure and recognised by WOMAD. This is not far-fetched as he gently explained that “when I was ten-years-old they once came to The Gambia and our house became very popular. They came to meet my father. When they saw me playing the kora, they became surprised about the instrument they saw me playing. They tied my eyes with a piece of cloth and instructed me to play the instrument again and I played it perfectly. From there, they started to built keen interest in me and in 1989, they negotiated with my father so that I can travel with them.”

However, Bobo started playing the twenty instruments at the age of six, under the guidance of his father, Ma Lamin Jobarteh and his brother Tata Dindin. In his recent show with WOMAD-UK, he was obliged to perform in various places like Reading, Edinburgh, among others.

One of the musicians who would not like his culture to fade away is Pa, because he believes that if all Gambian artists stay in Europe who will teach the young ones here? Apart from outsiders he still believes that lots family members need his guidance in the kora music. “Apart from that I don’t even think I will enjoy staying outside my country, because it is too lonely for my liking,” he said.

As everyone always says, when you ask them about what brought them into limelight: “I never thought it will reach such a level. In the song, I tried as much as possible to show the people what we Gambians have and that’s PEACE, LOVE and UNITY. His happiness know no boundary on “one Saturday,” according to him, “I was watching GRTS and they asked the President to select a music that they can play for him. His only answer was to play a song that has the meaning of peace. Surprise, my PEACE LOVE and UNITY track was selected. I was very happy on that day.”