Four short film by Gambian Spoken Word Poet, Muhammed Dibbasey

MaximillianGroup Produces Groundbreaking Gambian Short Films 

Muhammed Dibbasey, a gifted poet and spoken word artist, has released his debut collection of short films, "OBAFA," globally on YouTube. Produced by Cellular Vibrations, one of Gambia's premire digital marketing company founded by Dibbasey and MaximillianGroup, these four short films represent a rare achievement in a country where film production is infrequent.


I Like Words

"I Like Words" is a beautiful and powerful expression of the love of words. It is a reminder of the importance of words and their power to shape our lives. It is a reminder that we all have the power to choose our words wisely, even in the face of adversity.


Sleepless Nights

"Sleepless Nights" is a powerful and moving poem about the struggles of insomnia. The poem is both personal and universal, and it will resonate with anyone who has ever experienced sleepless nights. The speaker is haunted by his past, and he believes that his insomnia is a gift from his ancestors, who are trying to help him understand the world around him. The speaker is also hopeful about the future, and he believes that he will use his insomnia to help him make a difference in the world.

They Say

 "They Say" is a powerful and moving indictment of the corruption and injustice that the speaker has experienced in his life. It is also a commentary on the nature of power. The speaker seems to be saying that power is not always about who has the most money or the most resources. It is a cry for justice and equality, and a call for change

Attitude

"Attitude" is a powerful and thought-provoking piece of spoken word poetry. The speaker seems to be struggling with a sense of powerlessness and lack of control. They feel like they have no rights and that they are at the mercy of others. However, they are also determined to stand up for themselves and to not be taken advantage of. The poem is a reminder that we all have the power to choose our attitude, even in the face of adversity.

"OBAFA" is a brilliant reflection of Dibbasey's journey and the struggles he has faced. His works have received acclaim from artists and audiences alike"

Max Barrett, Film Editor, "OBAFA" 

"a mind-blowing reflection of a dream of opportunity"

- Lift-Off Film Festival 

"an exciting reflection of the past of a young man navigating the present"

 - Lift-Off Film Festival

Film Festivals and Honors


Cover artwork of OBAFA a collection of four spoken word pieces by young, Gambian poet Muhammed Dibbasey.

CREDITS

Voiceover: Obafa Onema
Produced by Cellular Vibrations in association with MaximillianGroup
Director: Muhammed Dibbasey
Executive Producer: Muhammed Dibbasey
Spoken Word: by Muhammed Dibbasey
Video: CottonBro  Studios
Film Editing: Max Barrett / MaximillianGroup
Art Direction: MaximillianGroup
Cover Art: Max Barrett / MaximillianGroup
Distributed by MaximillianGroup / Cellular Vibrations

Copyright © 2022 Cellular Vibrations. All rights reserved

OBAFA  the collection of all four spoken word pieces can be viewed here. The YouTube playlist takes you through each of the four works by Gambian poet Muhammed Dibbasey

Through his spoken word poetry, Dibbasey depicts a young man's struggles with failure, opportunity, and success in Gambia. His four poems, titled Sleepless Nights, They Say, Attitude, and I Like Words, express hope, frustration, of a young adult seeking to find opportunity, understand of the world, and to some extent the impacts of Gambia's history of the slave trade and colonialism. Sleepless Nights has already garnered recognition on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) for Dibbasey's work in writing and executive producing the four short films, of which the video was  produced and edited by MaximillianGroup.

OBAFA a Collection of Spoken Word by New West African Poet, Muhammed Dibbasey

ABOUT OBAFA ONEMA

Obafa Onema is a young Gambian who is seeking to understand and navigate the opportunities, rights, politics, and the life he is faced with. His spoken word pieces are a powerful perspective on life in the Gambia, West Africa.

Obafa grew up in Busumbala, the Gambia, with his mother and eight siblings. When he was 15 years old, his father was killed in the war, leaving Obafa, the eldest male, as the head of the household. To provide for his family, he was forced to quit high school and get a job, ending his dream of becoming a medical doctor. Reading became his passion, and he writes continuously. Today, he works in construction as a day laborer. He is 24 years old.

Obafa is a talented and insightful writer. His spoken word pieces are both personal and political, and they offer a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities of life in the Gambia. He is a powerful voice for change, and his work is an important contribution to the conversation about the future of the Gambia.

"OBAFA" is a brilliant reflection of Dibbasey's journey and the struggles he has faced. His works have received acclaim from artists and audiences alike, with some describing it as "a mind-blowing reflection of a dream of opportunity," and "an exciting reflection of the past of a young man navigating the present"


Muhammed Dibbasey

Dibbasey's story is one of perseverance and self-made success. Growing up in Busumbala, one of Gambia's poorest neighborhoods, Dibbasey became the family's eldest male after his father died fighting in the war when he was only 15 years old. He abandoned his dream of becoming a doctor to support his mother and eight siblings, most of whom were orphans whose parents were killed in the same war as Dibbasey's father. Despite these challenges, he never lost hope and eventually started a record label and talent management agency, Cellular Vibrations, representing some of the top hip-hop, afrobeat, and afropop performers in the Gambia. Partnering with MaximillianGroup, the talent management business unit is being spun off into a new business and record label called Afrobeats Africa.

Muhammed Dibbasey is a dynamic and ambitious 24-year-old entrepreneur who is highly regarded within the community of Busumbala. He is passionate about the arts and has made it his mission to unite the youth in his community and beyond, igniting their passion for music and creating a platform for them to showcase their talents.

As the Executive Producer of Grab Di Mic, Muhammed has been instrumental in transforming the music scene in Gambia. Under his leadership, the event has grown from a small concert for 500 people to Gambia's fastest-growing performance event, attracting over 2000 attendees and featuring the country's top hip-hop and pop artists.

Muhammed, with the involvement of MaximillianGroup, is currently working to transform Cellular Vibrations from a music promotion company to a digital marketing agency. It will be one of few Agencies in The Gambia, let alone West Africa, that at it's core is a focus on Marketing and will provide Social Media Marketing, Web Development as well as marketing for musicians, artists and poets.

The short films are now available on YouTube, and digital audio recordings are streaming on AfrobeatsWest, Audiomack, and Bandcamp.

Cellular Vibrations

Cellular Vibrations is a Gambian-based talent management and creative marketing firm that offers record label and concert event production services. In 2018, Muhammed Dibbasey and MaximillianGroup founded the business collaboration to provide subsidiary-like business support to creative marketing clients in West Africa and extend MaximillianGroup's capabilities to support musicians worldwide.

Cellular Vibrations partners with artists, songwriters, music producers, studio producers, and tour and performance promoters in Gambia's Afrobeat, Afropop, and Dancehall music scene. This collaboration strengthens Cellular Vibrations by providing access to music distribution, video production and editing, video distribution, music publication, copyright/rights management, business management, and a full creative marketing agency.