Mr Kaabully Nimaga, director general of the African Arts Collection and inventor of the Soni Alphabet, has said his discoveries will serve Africa and the rest of the world, especially the one dealing with the Iron Age stone smelting site at his native village of Kumbija in the Upper River Region (URR). The site was discovered in 2003.

The stone smelting site is believed to have played a very important role in the  socio-economic, political and human development of The Gambia, Africa and the world at large. The stones were used for different purposes, especially making of traditional cultural instruments, weapons and for the famous barter trading before the introduction of money as a medium of exchange. The stone site can be traced to 250 BC.

Mr Nimaga, commenting on use of iron, at his "Sabu-Nyima" Avenue office opposite the LK Upper Basic School on Kairaba Avenue explained  that iron smelting is an ancient art practised by people for different purposes. He added that iron was often called the king of metal and that it has traditionally brought increment in military power and agriculture as well as control of rich natural resources across West Africa and beyond.

"Blacksmiths throughout West Africa earned themselves a name in the use of iron. Iron was made into different shapes by the blacksmiths," Kaabully Nimaga said.