Local artists in Torit, Eastern Equatoria are calling on the state government to strengthen music industry in the region.
They say music is the fastest and best method of sending information of peace and reconciliation to communities at the grass root.
One of the artists, Oromo Alfred popularly known by his stage name Check B, said the state government and the country at large has ignored the music industry.
‘The government of South Sudan has ignored music fraternity probably even the state government because when you look at the way things are at the moment, there is no place where youth can develop their talents, develop their capacities even in Juba the capital city, but in Juba where the gifted and talented nationals are able to exercise their talent’, he regretted.
‘What I can tell our government is that they should look at us like unifying factor because we are the voices we can reach the masses of people with the voice of an artist so I just want the government that in everything they do they should involve artists’, the musician appealed.
Alfred said the music industry is down in the state and the country because people have not invested in it.
Anthony Mark, another artist in Torit known as Navy Boy, said little has been done by the government to promote the local music.
He said organizing for monthly peace concerts in the state is part of promoting peace and reconciliation in the country through the local music.
‘We are lacking support from the government from our leaders; sometimes some of the leaders dislike music while others like it for them to make use of us to pass that message to the population outside there. We are the one to bring people together for every word that comes from the government’, he said.
The musicians were talking in Torit, Eastern Equatoria State.