By Sainabou Sambou
Aminata Alice Yajoh, a multi-talented female artist skilled in painting, photography, singing and dancing, shared with Gambia Daily Life& Entertainment her inspirational works, and the challenging journey into stardom as a person with disability.
Aminata is also a public health officer, having graduated from Gambia College School of Public Health, and an entrepreneur.
A self-taught visual artist, Ms Yajoh says her love for arts started since when she was a little girl, and that the skills have boosted her self-confidence. “I want to continue being an artist because I have the talent. Also, I am always passionate about art works,” she says.
The young arts entrepreneur revealed that she also has great love for music and that her favorite artists are Lucky Dube and Michel Jackson. She says she sings and dances to make people happy, while using art of painting and photography to tell stories.
Aminata is also into beauty pageantry and her interest was derived from her participation in a beauty pageantry organised by Gambia College.
Further on her experiences, the creative artist had this to say: “As a professional artist my first experience was when I did an artwork for a particular company and got paid for the service. I did five different kinds of painting for them. It was challenging because it was my first time of working for someone”.
Ms. Yajoh lamented that she does face stigmatisation in her artwork as a women and person living with disability. Being a disabled person people do not expect you to do certain things; especially when you are in a competition with a man. They do not believe in you until when they see your work and become shocked,” she observed.
She went on: “The society always wants to test your ability and I always prove myself as a professional artist”.
