The most anticipated Northern Entertainment Festival has been officially launched at the Makeni City Hall on the 15th of October 2022 graced by stakeholders from all facets of life including the Deputy Mayor of Makeni City Council Santigie Brima Mansaray.

Chief Executive Officer of the NenFEST Lansana Hassan Sowa during his overview statement noted that “it is a vision that started two years ago, wherein I thought about the idea but shared it with some stakeholders in the entertainment, and they see the need to collaborate in making the dream becomes a reality” he asserted.

He further stated that this event will be the biggest in the Region’s history bringing all entertainers including, Artiste Union, Disc Jokers Union, Model Union, and Promoters amongst others on one platform, and called on all to own the event because many hands make light work, and acknowledged the fact of the challenges faced by the entertainment industry nationwide,

“I am not new to entertainment, I have established a group that has staged a national award, I have an entertainment NGO, and also have a record label, ao I have invested in entertainment which is the biggest challenge as many stakeholders shy away to put money with the notion, entertainment is a dropout field, but I believe there are people in this industry that have stood the test of time and can make a good career path. We can achieve this if the stakeholders are ready to invest in entertainment and the players are ready to make it happen” he challenged.

Sowa concluded by encouraging all the entertainers to be together as that is the right direction to attract help from stakeholders and the government because a divided unit cannot succeed and solidified every partner to involve and not him alone.

One of the key speakers, Iscandri Sankoh, the CEO of Summit Empire urged the organizers of the NenFest to see the need to include the other sectors that were left out, like the Film Makers and Comedians and a few others, more so acknowledged the idea as a brilliant and great move and hope it is a success without no divert and divisive along the line.

MCC’s Deputy Mayor Santigie Brima Mansaray, expressed delight in attending such a gathering and exhorted those present to live in peace and together as the only way entertainers attract funding is when they are together and single out the Musicians to emphatically told their importance and pledge to work with the NenFest if he becomes a Mayor of the city, a position he is vying for in the next election.

The CEO of Youth Build Sierra Leone Mohamed Robinson Sesay, climaxed the event as he launched the Northern Entertainment Festival for its first edition slated for December 17th,2022 at the Makeni City Plaza.