Oko Drammeh’s Rise to Hollywood Fame

“For some of us who grew few up with Oko Drammeh, his rise to international fame which has landed him at Hollywood is not by chance or empty luck.

His mother -Ya Arret Mboge - was an organiser philanthropist and, above all, a pan Africanist who devoted part of her life for the emancipation of the African.

“That was why Hagan Street in Banjul, where she lived, was a pride in the days of Bathurst and was envy by other areas in the then capital.

“Little wonder Oko, who started his music career at a young age, could make a name for himself and the Gambia not only in Holland but in the Mecca of entertainment of the world -Hollywood,” a boyhood friend of Oko, who prefers anonymity, confided to me in a telephone conversation after last Friday’s appetiser on Gambia’s most renowned music promoter and producer.

When I met Oko to comment on this, he smiled, as usual, and said: “let those who know me well say what those who don’t know me would want to know about me.

“Frankly speaking, I’ve been in the music business for almost three decades –from Bathurst then, as Banjul was called, to Holland and the USA.

“Now, I concentrate on the states of the Pacific where there is a large African descendant population who wants to know about the true traditions of their forefathers”.

When I asked what impact did he create while in Amsterdam, Holland, in music, Oko gave me a series of newspaper clippings on the largest African event –the African Music Festival in Delft. Said one clipping: “Oko Drammeh was not only the driving force of the huge success, but he was the creator of that wonderful African showpiece.”

Oko has successfully promoted a number of musicians in the world including two leading Gambian musicians – Paps Touray and Abdel Kabirr. Oko’s characteristics are humility and hardwork for satisfaction and pride. We don’t need to envy him as he is doing his bit in little corner to put not only this country, but also African music on the world stage.

We of The Point Entertainment team would wish him well; wish him every success in promoting our culture, and above all, more grease to his elbow.

Oko, the sky is your limit in your drive for higher heights in our cultural musical exposure.

This article was first published in September 8, 2000. It is reproduced purposely to take you through memory lane.