November 24, 2017 By Memunatu Bangura
Master Tutie Haffner (centre) flanked by members of Tangains committee
Director of ‘Tangains’ Festival, Tutie Haffner,has disclosed that his organisation has been given a clearance to go ahead with the festival, after it was earlier put on hold by the stadium management, reiterating that the upcoming event would mainly be a cultural display and strictly apolitical.
Mr. Haffner was addressing newsmen at a press conference organised by Freetong Players International, The Best Squad (TBS) and Management of Siaka Steven Stadium, at the stadium’s Hostel in Freetown.
He said Freetong Players and its partners have been organising ‘Tangains’ festival for the past thirty two (32) years but has never been involved in any political activities.
“Tangains is not a political event, it is a national festival for all Sierra Leoneans including the ruling All People’s Congress (APC) and the main opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) and all political parties,” he said.
According to him, his father, Charlie Haffner started ‘Tangains’ Festival in 1994 at Victoria Park and has never mixed it with politics, noting that he wanted to maintain his father’s legacy which has become a household name within and outside Sierra Leone.
He urged artists and entertainers not to mix their career with politics because it would serve as a distraction.
The Director disclosed that the festival will commence by 1st December, 2017 and ends by 1st January, 2018, with the theme, ‘Know where you come from.’
He however noted that official opening ceremony of the festival will be on 8th December, 2017.
He noted that the event will start with a float parade from up-gun roundabout to Siaka Steven Stadium on 30th November, 2017, revealing that there will be over five hundred (500) booths that would be allocated to customers from around Africa to display their various businesses.
“There will be other activities like cultural display, theatre competition, football gala and Miss Tangains beauty contest, among others, during the festival. The entrance fees for the festival would be three thousand Leones (Le3,000) on Mondays and Tuesdays and five thousand Leones (Le5,000) on Wednesdays including holidays,” he said.
Haffner said the event is not only a trade fair but one that has helped to showcase the rich culture of Sierra Leone, teach Sierra Leoneans about their culture and tradition, and sell the country’s arts and crafts, among other goodies.
He stated that Freetong Players and its partners are equipped to maintain sanity and security at the Siaka Steven Stadium during the festival.