Lawrence Toyinbo, a Nigerian born artist resident in The Gambia for about 12 years, over the weekend on Saturday December 16 2006, organised an arts exhibition at the African Art Gallery, Senegambia Beach Hotel.

Mr Babucarr Gaye, proprietor of the former Citizen F.M who served as guest speaker at the occasion said the exhibition marked yet another trend of change in African arts work.

According to him, the efforts of artists have to be recognised and encouraged in the interest of positive sustainable political, socio-economic and human development of the country. He used the occasion to call on Africans to be proud of African arts and culture and to show to the rest of the world that Africa indeed is a great continent. He described arts as a noble profession which needs to be encouraged for the preservation of our cultural heritage.

For his part, Lawrence Toyinbo, organiser of the arts exhibition, thanked his counterparts and invited quests especially Mrs Anna Braen, proprietor of the African Art Gallery and Top Shop, Senegambia Beach Hotel, for her untiring and selfless effort towards THE successful organising of the arts exhibition.
He amplified Mr Gaye’s comments on the role of artists in achieving positive sustainable development in a country. Mr Toyinbo gave a brief overview of his artistic skills and inspiration from his school days to date and described the work of artists as a real challenge which requires courage.

Mrs Patricia Alsup, chief of mission US embassy, called on the general public to visit the arts exhibition and see what is being offered to them from the point of artistic work. She spoke of her institution’s open door policy to artists in the interest of national development. She also encouraged the organiser Mr Toyinbo, to maintain the momentum.

Mr Michel Dara, former communications programme officer at the West Africa Insurance Institute, chaired the occasion.