My response to: Graham Rayman's article "Boy Soldier of Fortune"

Graham Rayman wrote:

On page 51 of A Long Way Gone, Beah asserts that he has always been able to "permanently retain everything that I have learned." He goes on to claim that he could memorize his schoolwork perfectly. "To this day, I have an excellent photographic memory that enables me to remember details of the day-to-day moments of my life, indelibly," he writes. But according to the scientific literature, there is plenty of debate about whether photographic memory actually exists. Alan Searleman, a psychology professor writing in Scientific American in 2006 on tests that sought to prove the existence of the phenomenon, noted that "virtually no adults possess the ability."
http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0812,boy_soldier,381308,1.html
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Ok, I've been meaning to keep quiet about this, though I don't think I can take it any longer. It really hurts to see the thrust of attacks and suspicion that has been thrown at this young man. It is also distressing to see Sierra Leoneans sit by and watch in essence a reflection of our image torched and torn apart with the utmost lack of sincerity nor sensitivity for our long horrific history.

I can only imagine a bunch of Australians with their expert tactical interviewing skills as foreign journalists, manipulating the answers of Sierra Leoneans, and twisting and turning their answers until they get the right answers they're looking for. I just don't see how difficult it is for any foreigner to go to Sierra Leone with a list of questions, and not get the answers they desire, by asking their questions in as tactical a manner as possible. I for one can controversially state that if they were to go and ask if the Amistad was a flawed story and find the right victims to ask, they could probably twist and turn their questions so cunningly that they might just come out with detailed accounts from those Sierra Leoneans that the Amistad story wasn't true, and then publicize those accounts as widely as possible with the attempt to gain fame through exploitation of a nation's history.

These journalists who have never been in any situation even slightly related to a civil war where atrocities of the worst kind beyondone's nightmares were committed feel as though they have the right to cast judgement about who's account of what happened while they were at war as the truth or not. Then they have the audacity to travel the world demonising Beah with no other benefit in my mind but to totally discredit and destroy the credibility and intergity of a young Sierra Leonean who's life was in essence destroyed and exploited by those who represented the other spectrum of evil. A young man who, living a good life was tarnished by those who were indeed evil, and after being rehabilitated decided to change his life and use it for the benefit of him and country, is now being tarnished by the other side which claims to be good. One can only imagine the state of confusion that must be in the mind of Beah.

Yes indeed Beah has gained much wealth from the sales of his book, but indeed this is what happens when your books is at the top bestselling books in the world. Are we to blame a former child soldier, who not by his own accord, was exploited in the most inhumane way possible, for not telling the whole truth, nothing but the truth? Is it impossible to entertain the thought that ok, he has been through more than I can ever imagine, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, as he is not using his skills to cause atrocities, rather he is using his opportunities to bring awareness to the cause and share his/others' situations through him, experiencess of what it was like in the world of a Child Soldier.

It pains when time and time again, I see these people raise Africans and african Americans as high as they can, and when they decide, they self-appoint themselves judge and bring that individual down as fast as they took him up. Yet we choose time and time again, to sit by as spectators, as if this experience is external to our own historical significance. Isn't it ironic that the person that started all this was an Australian Mining Engineer, who represents the image of the means of which the same civil war was fought and sustained, now the pioneer of truth and justice of one of our own? Why couldn't they have invested their energy to be the torchbearers of integrity in this world, by pursuing those who played an integral part in fueling the same war that got Beah to this point in the first place? How many stories of lies and deception have they chosen to write about the numerous Diamond Smugglers who had no problem exploiting our resources for their own personal interest, knowingly fuelling a war that transformed an entire generation of children into murdering victims? No, they chose to go after the child himself, in the hopes of exhilirating themselves for their sins. This is an outrage and it must stop now.

Were they there to know exactly what happened? Where do they know these sources from Adam prior to going to Sierra Leone for the sole purpose of this story? Have they lived the experiences of the Sierra Leoneans whom they interviewed, going through the daily challenges that are more significant than recounting the true story of one them who they hear is making millions. Is it possible that these sources jumped at it with the hope of increasing their hopes for other opportunities elsewhere, knowing our tendencies sometimes. I can only wonder what promises were made to these sources in the attempt of reeling out of them answers that only fit the underlying desires of these journalists.

The lack of involvement of Sierra Leoneans in the affairs of these victimized children, , leaves them only vunerable to foreigners who only seek personal gain from their exploitation, pumping the spirit inside of them only to squeeze it back out. It is only a reflection of how they have exploited our countries, exploiting our resources, our governments, our people, and now our own children. yet we stand by as spectators, as though it is external to our own historical significance, while symbols of our historical significance are thrown back and forth between them as in a tennis match, with the spectators looking on.

As a young Sierra Leonean who was blessed with the opportunity of not being in a circumstance where I could have suffered the same horrific fate as thousands of my generation, I am appalled at the lack of reaction from our people who haven't spilled a word, nor less a finger to put a halt to this continous demolarization of victims of war. Regardless of the credibility of Beah's story, which I choose to hold innocent until proven guilty, he has chosen to use his fame and wealth to benefit the millions of child soldiers alike worldwide, who may themselves lack the opportunities and resources to tell their own stories and experiences that they went through. How much of a crime is that more than the years of crime that victimized these young kids in the first place? Where were these foreigners during the eleven years of civil-war that befell our nation, where thousands more like Beah were killed or made to kill. There are more catastrophies in Africa, more significant and imminent than the story of a boy whose story tells the stories of other young boys and girls, who because of their circumstances cannot tell their own stories. Why won't these value-driven journalists not spend their energy questioning the integrity of foriegn nationals and companies who benefited from the murdering exploitation of children in our nation and other African nations alike? The best they could do was "Blood Diamonds", which ironically produced the foreign Diamond Smuggler as the hero who saved the native miner and his child soldier son. Or is their best effort "The King of Scotland" which also produced a foreign doctor turned Presidental Advisor depicted as the hero who escaped the wrath and madness of a murdering African President. It is only ironic that the African American actor who played the role of this murdering African President won the acclaimed Oscar for Best Actor.

This continous exploitation of a people, while masquearading as advocates for truth and integrity, are equally ironic for other reasons that may mean going back almost 300 years of historical exploitation and atrocities committed by the anscestors of those and the likes who now tour the world proclaiming justice and integrity. What a world of double standards, what a forgetful and naive society. If these journalists are finding it difficult to locate real instances of circumstances that lack justice they can give me a call and with my limited resources, I can at least point them to some places deep inside Africa that do not necessarily get the worldwide attention they deserve. If they are in need of attacking injustice and exploitation of people for wealth and fame, there are many, in fact, countless names of prominent people that are acclaimed as heroes on the surface, though they dig deep in hiding their secret doings, doings that cause the ruins of millions of lives across the world. There are people who know the truth of what really happened in those trenches, in those murdering fields, where children were turned into beasts, if you don't believe the children, don't victimize them further, rather have the courage and go to those who financed these atrocities, knowingly destroying our future generations, though their punishment are naggings from their wives, for coming home late after work. They can attempt to take many things from Ishmael Beah, though one thing they can never take from this victim, is the victim within his experiences, against his desire of living an innocent life as other priviledged children his age did, at a time when he was exploited time and time again, against his accord.

I am for justice and integrity, but I am also against injustice and exploitation. I am also against double standards and manipulation. I am also against a history of worse crimes committed against mankind. I am against the depiction in legitmized history books of Human Rights abusers as national heroes and world acclaimed historical icons. I am against a world that exploits the victim while exalting the victimizer. I am against anyone who self-appoints him/herself judge and jury over anyone else, without the slightest understanding of the experiences of the accused. There are thousands of child soldiers who either chose to not be rehabilitated but continue their lives of murder and crime, there are others who because of the deep scars left on their experiences couldn't even if they wanted to, and then there are those like Beah with the courage and rare gift to move beyond their experiences in the hopes of helping those who shared similar experiences but are not as priviledged as them. With Beah, the positives outweigh the negatives by far. His contributions to the lives and experiences of former child soldiers are more valued and filled with enough integrity and justice to make up for the supposed injustice of misrepresenting dates along his experiences, especially experiences that did not have the luxury of marking calendars along the way.

So in conclusion, I don't doubt that Beah may have gotten his dates wrong, honestly I don't know. I would hate to hold him to that accusation, knowing what the young man has experienced during the tender years of his young life. I don't doubt that people make mistakes and with public pressure may hesitate in being straight forward or direct. In the end we are all humans and neither of us are perfect no matter how perfect we may try to be. In our quest to be just, fair and promote integrity, lets at least try not to take it so far as to attack the victim, because in the process we do no good but to let the victimizer go free. We as Sierra Leoneans/Africans should also refrain from being mere spectators, and if there is justice to be found within our community, then lets be the door that the accusers enter and that which they exit, because the more we leave the doors open to them that are not of this home, then the more our home loses its value. As Africans, our community is our home, and we need to begin holding ourselves responsible for the members of our community, or else one by one, they will break up our home, and lest we gain back our integrity as a community, we could lose it forever, because outside of our home, outside of our community, those who are not a part of our community, only see our community as one. They see us as part of the other, while we see ourselves as external to our own communities. So inasmuch as we may think that none of this affects you, you'd be very suprised at what the world outside thinks when they group us together as kin and like. I'm outraged and I hope that for the sake of thoe millions of child soldiers who have suffered against their own accord, these journalists can shift their focus from attacking the victim, to shedding light on the root issues ongoing in Africa that are breeding grounds for future civil war. If they can't bare another Ishmael Beah, I can't bare another Civil War!

At the 2007 Sierra Leone Youth Empowerment Conference (SLYEC)

BOOK of the Month: Middle Passages: African American Journeys to Africa, 1787-2005: By James T. Campbell

“Life is like a Village”

Book Review of Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” by Akindele Decker

Okonkwo, from the Ibo village of Umuofia. The traditional hero. The fighter and father. The bearer of pain, fear, and strength. The typical traditionalist, with his warrior outfit and ancient beliefs. Of course, his wives, his children, and his Obi. How must I express my feelings as I read this book? I enjoyed it.

Chinua Achebe proves to be one of the most brilliant writers of my time. The way he manages the art of writing and applies it to the art of storytelling, then spices it up with African history, leaves me in a sense of illumination, not only due to the fact that I am an inspired writer, but as an African who have thought about the past and how we got here.

Achebe, in his masterpiece, aimed not only to entertain, but to also educate. His writing displayed a large array of information on the African culture for two audiences, the African and the non-African. As a non-African, reading this book will open one’s awareness to the cultural make-up of a traditional African society, and the impact of the early effects of colonialism with its two-sided win-lose attributes it brought to the African society. In colonialism, the African gained a new insight on doing certain things, but it came with an inequitable price, the loss of one’s traditional beliefs. In the first half of this book, Achebe indulges explicitly into the African society and the meaning and functions of each member of the society, in this case a village. After Achebe satiates the reader with more than enough of the African village, then Achebe, in the second half of the book, opens one to the drastic realities of an unprecedented movement that strove to cut up the very umbilical cord that connected the African to the motherland, which was the African’s tradition.

As I completed this book, I thought about how far we Africans have come, from loin cloths and machetes, to suits and stylos. But yet, if you look deep in our culture, "Life has always been like a Village". From the way we interact, to how we speak, even though some of us have adopted "western civilization" and "western religion" there is still an invisible but yet visible culture, somewhat secret not only to others but to ourselves. It may seem as if we have become products of western society as we parade in their outfits and speak their language, but really, unconsciously we secretly hold meetings with our soul. Even up till today, the traditional responsibilities still hold true for the man, grandmother, mother's brothers, etc., yet we disguise them with suits, ties, Accounting, and tea. In another way of perceiving this, disguising our Afro-centrism with the western culture is indeed practicing our very own tradition. I mean masquerades were always a sacred practice for us Africans. We always hid what was most valued and sacred to our belief. Some may see suits, ties, and tea, rather I see an African with a mask, heightened to the fact that no matter what culture one may find himself in, "Life is like a Village".....

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BBC: Africa Have Your Say

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Youth and the New Pan-African Renaissance: "Re-building Africa for the 21st Century" Conference - April 7-9th, 2006

On Friday April 7th, 2006, a group of Sierra Leoneans, set out for a three day conference on “Youth and the New Pan-African Renaissance: Re-Building Africa for the 21st Century” hosted by the Sweet Mother Tour (SMT) and the Cultural Agents Initiative at Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts. The 3-day conference was filled with workshops and panels exploring five unique themes: Economic Empowerment and Public Health, Technology, Education, Image and Identity, and Arts and Culture, and the role of youth (ages 18-35) in the building of a "21st Century Africa.

The Sierra Leone team consisted of five Sierra Leonean youth (ages 19 to 28) from different Youth organizations, and the facilitator of the group, Amadu Massallay from the Sierra Leone-Gullah Connection, an organization based in Maryland which focuses on the direct linkage between the Gullah of South Carolina and the Rice Coast Countries of West Africa.

According to Jonelle Williams, an American University Student and member of the Sierra Leone – Gullah Connection, the group, which included youth representatives from Youth for Sierra Leone Improvement (YSLI) and Young Leaders – Sierra Leone (YLSL), embarked on their eight-hour journey to Boston. The group, some of them meeting each other for the first time, engaged in several interesting conversations about Pan Africanism and what it means to Sierra Leone. Dr. Michel Sho-Sawyerr, the CEO for YSLI sparked a debate with his theories on the existence of racism in America. Michel’s argument floated around his theory that racism does in fact exist in America but not as extreme as some expresses it to be. While some disagreed, Jonelle surely supported Michel’s idea, stating that while their may be some exceptions, there are more opportunities available today for blacks and the reason why most blacks may be in a disadvantaged position is because they do not strive for these opportunities as they ought to. Akindele Decker, Vice President of YLSL and member of the Sierra Leone – Gullah Connection, followed up with his thoughts on the impact of western influence on African cultures, claiming that some of the problems being faced in parts of Africa are due to the fact that these countries are still struggling to adapt or transform their traditional cultures to contemporary western cultures. He opposed transformation into western cultures, stating that the culture is also the identity and without it, there will be no sense of direction. The group, after reaching Boston that Friday, treated themselves to a Gullah Experience documentary, which showed the early discoveries of the Gullah – Sierra Leone linkage. According to Amadu Massallay, a Sierra Leone History documentary followed after, which showed Sierra Leone during her early post-Independence days, illustrating the beauty and potential the nation had, with scenes of vast areas of agricultural capabilities and state of the art educational institutions, which branded Sierra Leone as the Athens of West Africa.

Saturday brought upon a new experience, as the six member group rose up early that morning to venture into the University that had educated great African and African American individuals such as Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, the first Prime Minister of Africa and W.E.B. Dubois, one of the pioneers of the first Pan – African Congress, also known for his Sociological writings on the “Philadelphian Negro”. Kadijah Jalloh, President of YSLI’s Maryland Chapter, and Zainab Sidique, Vice President of YSLI’s Maryland Chapter, were astonished and inspired, having the opportunity to go into the same halls where Africa’s first woman President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia had once roamed many years before.

The group, showing unity with their white t-shirt, which read “Gullah – Rice Coast Connection” on the front of it with the Sierra Leone flag in the center and “We know our History….Ask Me” on the back, embarked to their first workshop on Saturday, on “Tools for a New Age – Digital Distribution, Social Networking and the Democratization of Culture,” which focused on bringing Africans around the world together. “Taking Ownership of the African Image” workshop followed which included five panelists from Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, Kenya, and Washington DC. The focus of this workshop was to define the African image, share concepts on how to take ownership of our image and build a more authentic understanding of Africa. Jonelle Williams was successful in establishing a dialogue with a panelist from Kenya, who was not only the most eloquent panelist but also the most outspoken when he made a statement that he would choose not to wear shoes in America if only it was not so cold in Boston.

The Group went on to several other workshops including one focusing on Environmental Justice called “Do not call the forest that shelters you a jungle” - Bringing Development, Democracy, and Environmental Justice to the Pan-African Renaissance. Jonelle and Akindele who both attended this workshop claimed that much was learned from it. According to Jonelle, they had the opportunity to assess other African countries and their environmental and social issues such as South Africa and the remaining effects of Apartheid, as well as Angola and that country’s critical problem with land mines. The workshop, conducted in a discussion forum setting, allowed individuals to assess the case studies of both countries and propose different solutions to eradicate their environmental and social problems.


Networking was also a key activity of the conference. The Sierra Leone group took the opportunity to meet with different individuals from several African countries and organizations. Amadu Massallay took the opportunity to get contacts of several key individuals who’s skills and resources would likely benefit Sierra Leone, including developing and expanding the Sierra Leone Entertainment Industry and also organizations towards future projects for the Sierra Leone – Gullah Connection, which is expected to create a vital addition to Tourism in the future for Sierra Leone. Jonelle and Akindele made their debut on the conference’s video tape, as Steven Turner, an African American filmmaker and alumni of Harvard, who was very interested in the Sierra Leone – Gullah Connection story, interviewed the two youths with questions pertaining to Sierra Leone and her prominent history. The two gave a quick run-down on the rich history, especially history facts which connect Sierra Leone and the African American community, such as the story of Sengbeh Pieh and the Amistad, Bunce Island, and the Rice Coast Slave migrations to South Carolina during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. According to Zainab, the group also got to meet Derrick Ashong who was coincidentally a supporting actor in the movie “Amistad”, a world proclaimed movie that told the story of Sierra Leone’s very own Sengbeh Pieh. According to Michel and Akindele, the networking gave them the opportunity to get valuable information from other youth organizations and also present the missions of YLSL and YSLI in order to gain contacts and support for future projects towards youth development in Sierra Leone.

As the Conference came to a close, Kadijah, who seemed very enthusiastic about the whole experience, said that “it was really pleasing to meet other youth that are also involved and determined to help out Africa as a whole… it gives you that drive and determination to always continue doing what you’re doing because there are other people out there that need the help and are dependent on what you can do… seeing others being so passionate gave the motivation to push further.”


The night yet had to go out with a bang, as the group headed out to Amadu Massallay’s relative, where they all claimed to have eaten the best “Tola” soup, which they indulged completely with some rice. That night, the group also set out to a Sierra Leonean party in the Boston area, where they met up with some old friends and made new ones.

Armed with a learned experience, a broader network of contacts, and a new appreciation of African nationalism, the group set out on Sunday April 9th for another eight hour trip back home to Maryland. Along the way, Amadu Massally initiated several conversations about leadership, empowering culture and community, solutions on developing Sierra Leone, and the role of the youth in shaping Sierra Leone. Michel insisted that the first priority in developing Sierra is poverty, while Akindele suggested on also educating the people in order for them to sustain development. Zainab also stressed the fact that all the youth organizations in Sierra Leone, should in some way form as one, in order to share resources and manpower, especially since all are working towards the same goal of youth development and empowerment. Amadu also insisted that re-defining the Sierra Leone culture would play a big part on how Sierra Leoneans perceive themselves and hopefully decrease ethnic division while promoting nationalism in the country.

As each member of the group got dropped off at their residence, a sense of family was formed within the team. According to Jonelle and Kadijah, the experience had not only brought the youths together but also enlightened their minds through the many discussions and conversations about development, empowerment, and nationalism. “Amadu made sure that he passed on his wisdom to us during the whole trip, giving us advice and tips here and there on how to develop ourselves as leaders in society and also towards developing Sierra Leone…. and we definitely commit ourselves to fulfilling the dedication of our values based on developing the youth and improving our nation” said the youth.

As Sierra Leone moves from the debacles of civil war into an atmosphere for progress, the youth are a critical part of change in society. This trip gave youth leaders the opportunity to learn the experiences of other youth in different African countries. It stimulated their minds as they discussed about Sierra Leone’s issues and proposed solutions to them also. Amadu Massallay, an activist himself, proved that if focus is placed on the future generation of Sierra Leone, and the platform is set for them to learn and gain experience from others as well as each other, the benefits are priceless and the roadwork is cherished.

Sierra Leone has a long way to go, but with the determination and dedication of a united movement along with experiences which changes perceptions for the better, there is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel for Sierra Leone.

The trip was a blast!

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE CONFERENCE WEBSITE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE YOUTH CONFERENCE!

“The African Woman’s Grace”

Don’t Cry
Please be patient
Don’t you shed a tear!
I know these times are hard
And it seems like the water’s too high
Like the waves and the currents
The electric is too hot
Keep your grace
I know they’ve come again and again
And much too long your sons have been stolen
Far into a land foreign of your knowledge
Where is he now?
Don’t Cry
They’ve pushed you to the limit
But make sure you don’t give in
Keep your grace
Talk like you always do
With your rich voice and sacred whispers
Still pass me your wisdom
And tell me the world
Don’t Cry
A tear from you is a drop of my blood
As you cry on so I get weak
The sadness in your heart is the weakness in my feet
You are my mother my queen
You are not the word they call illiterate
Illiterate is their word for weak
I know my African Woman is strong
And weak is not in our tradition
You raised Askia
You raised Mandela
You raised Nkrumah
You raised King Tut
Keep your grace
No matter what they say
Or how they may describe
Because of your strong attire
Your African Robe
They roam in their tailored outfits
And think that is the dress of the soul
But in your style even nature depicts your stride
Keep your grace
Don’t Cry
When they call you below equal
Remind them what can happen
When you call back to the Elders
To the sages that have since gone
Tell them when they place you on the Television
Picturing you as you bend over your rice pot
With a little script at the bottom they say
“Help this woman…. she is dying”
Remind them that is the essence of you
Remind them you’ve been cooking for Nations with that pose
Don’t be ashamed of who you are
You are the natural beginning of what they try to depict
Their tailored suits you can create in one hour
Have they not seen you artistic talent
Remind them how you designed the Kente Colors
Remind them how you paved the map for the African Child
They must have forgotten
But don’t you forget
Don’t fall down for their ever-changing appearance
They are not pure, for they are unsure of their being
You African Woman stay put in your essence
Strive
Thrive
As you have always done
A woman’s gesture in a queen’s pose
Strike it
Let them learn
The African Woman’s Grace

"I see a Vision for Africa"

I see a vision for Africa. One that involves and integrates the minds, the intellects, the theories, and philosophies of the likes of our past intellectually enlightened storytellers. The vision for Africa is a tango of a knot, tied between the ides of memories and thoughts. I see a vision expressed in the collaboration of the minds of men and women, our Africa’s own kings and queens. A vision with a new mentality, one that is fit not to go to war with the enemy, but to use the African soul, which was given to us by the creator. The soul seeks not war or battle, but peace and solutions. The soul seeks passion. It seeks compassion from the heart of the bearer to the mind of the other. I see a vision for Africa. A new era for a sanctified population. Not one divided by the idiosyncrasies, or the geographic installations that were long ago used to define the nation of Africa. This vision, is one that re-defines man as who he must be. This vision sees the equivalence in race but the obligations of it also. I see a vision for Africa. An integration of the theocratic words of Edward Wilmot Blyden in the ides of Pan Africanism and African identity; the statistics of W.E.B. Dubois in his search for the Philadelphian Negro; the economic conversions of Kwame Nkrumah, not sir or emperor, but a product of the Kente cloth of Ghana, as he paraded in it the essence of the African Vision. I see a vision for Africa, in the heart of young Tanisha in Georgia, little Kofi from Ghana, tiny Ayodele from Nigeria, and young Andre from Atlanta. In these, the African Vision is installed, as a message carried on by the birds of Egypt. They carried along the words, the dialects, the theories, the architects, the motions, motives, and motivation. This they carried on from city to town, from emblem to symbol, from language to culture, from ancient to now. I see a vision for Africa, and the introduction was a voice right in your hearts…you must first listen, then learn, understand, then think, as you sight your place in this most abundant future, lest your heart pump a lasting beat, and your mind seek the figure of speech, with a tone that you were born with. Shout and be heard. I see a vision for Africa. Lest the sky must fall, and the ground overturned, or the walls close in, or the wars abrupt; lest they find it first, and you’re stopped to think, or the clues are lost, or the signs forgot. I see a vision for Africa, and lest I be stopped, with a lasting breath or blasting torch. I see a vision for Africa.

(This comes from my heart as I watch the News, and peep the story from the Daily Paper. I see young, old, and poor African people, not discriminated by the color but by the essence of their being. It is as if, we are cursed as a people, but I say impossible, as we have seen struggles worth the investigations of detectives, historians, anthropologists, missionaries, and doctors. I see the ongoing bloodshed in placing like Rwanda and Uganda, and I say to myself, what will it take for you to understand your impact to the solution of our problem. We sit sometimes and wonder, “Why is the world the way it is?” while Mariama in Sierra Leone begs for a dollar, Steven in Europe banks in 20 million. The conversions in my mind are just simply confusing, but yet not impossible so there must be a reason. Not the reason we are used to hearing as in economic defaults or society’s downsides. The reasons lie in your own heart, in your ability to move from this dimension to the next. The people of Africa suffer not because of the lack of economic stability, but lack of the African sibling. It takes one man to change another, as it takes one village to change another as well, yet indeed it takes a nation to change a nation. There is a nation of Africa calling. Yet we answer to one man. There is a nation of Africa calling. Yet we answer to one man. Is it because we hear the voices of too many, and maybe get nervous that we may not be able to perform? Or maybe we hear the voices of some, but wait until all of the voices are heard. Yet, when will you hear your own voice? Which speaks to you not from your experience or your stories, or your life stories, or even your stories of your children’s stories. Your voice comes from within. When will you hear your own voice, so that you can understand the message it holds? There is an African Sibling who awaits your answer. So when will you answer. The future of Africa holds not economic power, or scientific power, or even intellectual power, but the power of the spirit, the power of the soul, the power of compassion. We may not see it now, but it is yet to come. When I watch my African People, publicized on the television infomercials and news highlights, I see young toddlers eaten away by hunger. I see fathers and mothers, confused without the uttermost sense of direction or leadership of their families, due to the lack of knowledge for where the resources lie. I see grandmothers, stricken by silence, their most indigenous enemy, as they hold the talking drum of wisdom, but without the people to preach to. I know I must be saddened, but yet somewhere deep in my thinking, I see a vision for Africa. There will come a time, when a nation will speak to a nation, and the African Diaspora will hear the voices of their African Siblings, and lo and behold, that swarm, that migration, that force, which will arrive on the shores of Africa, equipped with the armor of compassion and readiness to aid. There will be an African Nation, where the main activity is to share. Then we will see the true intention of our struggle, as now we hear the voice of one man, yet soon, we will hear the voice that is within us. The voice of a nation with a message carried on by the birds of Egypt. Carried along the words, the dialects, the theories, the architects, the motions, motives, and motivation. This they carried on from city to town, from emblem to symbol, from language to culture, from ancient to now. I see a vision for Africa, and the introduction was a voice right in your hearts…you must first listen, then learn, understand, then think, as you sight your place in this most abundant future, lest your heart pump a lasting beat, and your mind seek the figure of speech, with a tone that you were born with. Shout and be heard. I see a vision for Africa.

Click play and see if you recognize any of these Black Pioneers.

"I still hope for the African in Africa"

In a land far away from there, I sit at the porch wondering if I’ll ever see my home again. Yes, it is definite that maybe this year or next year, I’ll go visit, and maybe even stay permanently within the next three to five years. Yet still, I wonder, if I’ll ever see my home again. I read the news from time to time, and view the images from magazines. I hear the radio disc jockey over the Internet live newscast scream at the guest for not speaking too loud, not vocalizing the reality of the message. Yes, I sleep at night, dreaming of lighting candles and filling the lanterns with kerosene. I see images of the past; slowly move past my eyes, whispering with their sweet voices, the languages harmonize my mental state. Yet still, I wonder, if I’ll ever see my home again. I ran into my mind, searching for memories that were good enough to dwell, I ransacked my psycho, purged my unconscious mentality, and dabbed into the stem of my brain, searching for a clue, one answer, one proof that I’ll see my home again. Yet, still I wonder if I’ll ever see my home again. I walk outside the door, with my head down, my eyes shut, and my ears blocked, roaming like a blank space in a wide horizon searching for an answer.

Then she came, like a whim, a sudden breeze with a thousand answers. She came with a dream, a vision, a scheme, and a mission, of a community, a society, a shade for my blank space. She came with a voice, a whisper, a speech, a gesture, a texture of a plateau, a land of green summer shades, and fine fruits. The trees were shedding fruits instead of tears, she came with a mountain, a lion, a Zion, for those who relied on, the answer. She came with value, culture, tradition, language, for those in anguish. She came with blueprints and footprints, of our past heroes and heroines, she came with the staff, the light, the path, and the direction. She came to the intersection of my dream and my question, she came in a sense of attention. She displayed, demonstrated, explained, exonerated, and entertained me in my dream. I laid there in sudden shock, but in sudden excitement, in a phase so incredible, my mind and my heart, intertwined to make one. I called and screamed, I shouted, I screamed, I whispered, it seemed, the end but yet she showed me the beginning. She showed me, Mother Africa! 2006………..She told me and showed the past the present and the future, a gesture told me and proved the facts were all wrong, we are not a nation that was in destruction, because we are indestructible, she showed me the structure, the facts, the truth, about my heritage. She showed me my mother Africa! Then I woke up……….Yet, still I wonder if I’ll ever see my home again.

(We as Africans have seen time and time again, our nation fall into the hands of dismay and turmoil. Yet we do not come as one to handle the tribulations and turbulence that amount in our midst. At one time in our history, Africa was not divided into sets and squares, into lines and boundaries, the notion and essence of an African, was to open up the home, land, and property to the community. The essence of the African was to embrace the meaning and identity of being an African, born of the motherland, raised by nature, the fields of Eden, and nurtured by the hands of the African Mother. We as a people have survived the worst, yet we still have our falls and turmoil increase in our horizon, yet we are spread too thin around the world. As we all go forth into the careers of the tech world, the biotech world, the management info tech world, let’s not turn our identity into the Afro-tech identity, we must not forget our past as we go forth into our own perceptions of what is success. Africans have been Kings, Queens, Chiefs, Servants, Slaves, Laborers, Presidents, Merchants, Traders, Philosophers, Teachers, Healers, Preachers, yet we must not become technology’s item, or economy’s commodity, Western hypocrisy. We must not see ourselves in the words and definition of perceptions, rather we own our own, we established our home, we confided in our own, so we must rather uplift the identity in us, and be Africans in a pride worth exercising as a form of Africanism. Before the colonial map, the economic boundary lines, the trade routes, the county formations, and the political intersections, we were Africa! Now, more than ever, as our continent falls into the hands of dismay, we are erasing our culture and replacing tradition, unconsciously, we are separating from the African identity and falling into the hands of strangers……Have Pride in Your African, and embrace your Africanism. Take back your Africa, and call your children home. You can be intellectual, without throwing down your attire, your meaning, and your spirit. In you, there is a soul, an African Soul, that no matter where you go, what you call yourself, how you speak, what you eat, inside of you there is an African. Have Pride in Your African, and embrace your Africanism)

"Is Sierra Leone becoming the next African success story?"

The cultural movement, taking place in Sierra Leone is one that is long needed. From the musical voices of Emerson, and Manzu avec C-Bolt, to the determined movement of the youth to see a change and advancement in the country’s social condition. The status of Sierra Leone in terms of its value to the world, is highly degraded, and increasingly understated. Despite the long years of a past brutal war, the inhumane environmental conditions, and the increased rate of unemployment, and illiteracy, the country is starting to move forward with the youth, especially motivated, and determined to prove themselves worthy of value and trust. We have seen episodes like this such as the youth movement in South Africa during the Apartheid era. The youth revolutionalized the racial domination system where the black Africans, natives of the land of South Africa were constantly degraded to a status in society in which they were prohibited from voting, social interactions with whites, and access to their own national resources. The youth, with their cultural soul, musical talent, and revolutionary spirits, moved a nation to it becoming one of the most celebrated success stories of African Independence. Africa was at one of its defining moments as we watched the honorable Nelson Mandela, the South African national leader who had been locked up in prison for over twenty years, come up into the view of the world, with his hands folded in the power pose, spreading the powerful soul of African Pride and Power throughout millions of Africans around the world.
Now in Sierra Leone, the nation known for its role in shaping the educated and modern civilization of West Africa, during colonization; the nation formerly known as the Athens of West Africa because of its state of the art educational facilities, like Fourah Bay College and The Sierra Leone Grammar School, the school that taught many of West Africa’s past leaders; the nation known for its significant and valuable natural resources, like its Diamonds, Gold, Cocoa, and many more, resources sought after all factions of life, from rebels to foreign nations, and even her very own people.
The nation has been diminished to the bottom of the list in the United Nations country listings of several aspects, including economy, humanitarian status, child mortality, and the poorest country. The country was filled with animosity and psychological tension caused by the long Civil War that claimed the life of thousands and displaced millions. Sierra Leone saw her land go down in flames and dirt, her people displaced, overpopulated, and fleeing, every hope was lost for this wonderful nation, once thought of as the replica of Athens in terms of its prominent influence towards the entire West Africa.
All hope was lost.


Now, like South Africa’s rise, like the rise of tradition, culture, nationalism, patriotism, and identity,
A new Sierra Leone is forming, not so different from the old Athens of West Africa, but the Sierra Leone that is quickly moving away from the blood era, the Sierra Leone moving away from the corruption, hopelessness, and devalues. Sierra Leone is now becoming the cultural ground of West Africa, with culture sparking increased awareness from her people at home in the Diaspora. Sierra Leoneans have begun to go back home in quantities, determined to re-establish the forgotten land. Music has sprung out of the corners of cities and villages, musicians and singers are expressing their own soul in the passion of their music, and the youth, like the South African youth era, the Sierra Leone youth are defining the nature of their role in society. Forming organizations, unity, and patriotism, promoting awareness, leadership, and development, creating incentives to bring the young back to the tables of learning, the young boys and girls, Sierra Leone’s children are moving back to the age of identity. The war is over, corruption is fading, people are aware that the culture of Sierra Leone, from her descendants of freed slaves, to the descendants of West Africa’s ancient kingdoms, Sierra Leoneans are gaining back their identity, realizing their purpose, a nation once the Athens of West Africa, the foundation for excellence and tradition, is re-establishing itself, right under the eyes of the critiques and spectators, still with their doubts, but not the youth. The Sierra Leone youth aims to reach success, develop their attitudes, and become productive to their society, as each Sierra Leonean works towards gaining back her Pride.

Sierra Leone walks with her shoulders broad, her head high, her soul inspired, her mind motivated, her hands washed, her spirit harmonizing, and she walks, like a lady of Africa, like the token of redemption, She Walks, the runner up for the next Success Story of Africa.

"I can't forget about Sierra Leone"

Who can forget Sierra Leone? The “pan bodi” houses, the dusty roads, Lumley Beach, and of course the famous Cotton Tree.
I can’t forget Sierra Leone, even thousands of miles away, stuck for now in that other place called America. I can’t forget about Sierra Leone, with its ocean blue sea and its golden brown sand. Walks by the beach side, a little more steps towards the water, and take a second to wash your feet in the Atlantic. That was a frequent occurrence when I was there; most people in this world have never seen a view of the Atlantic Ocean. I can’t forget about Sierra Leone.
Who can forget Sierra Leone? If you take a walk down Aberdeen road, make a turn down Murray Town road, an old dusty path, keep driving straight, before you get to the Methodist Church, right on your left is the Sierra Leone Grammar School, the oldest Secondary school in West Africa. I can’t forget about Sierra Leone.
Oh! And who can forget holidays in Sierra Leone, if you know them like I know them, then you must know that holiday in Sierra Leone is like no other. Not only do the parties get more entertaining and the atmosphere feels more fresher, but the “Bondo Debul”. The Bondo Debul, the only funniest, scariest, and mysterious being in the world, well in my view. I remember the times when, as a little boy, I’d run out towards the Compound gate, hoping to catch a view of the circus type group, but not the normal circus group here in America. This group, consisting of everything from Stilt Walkers, to tribal dancers, and of course, my favourite, the Bondo Debul. I was always excited, waiting anxiously for it to be my turn, as they moved from home to home, singing, dancing, and celebrating, that one of a kind Sierra Leone tradition. I can’t forget about Sierra Leone.
I have been here for 9 years now, and yet it seems like just yesterday. Sometimes when I go to the beach over here, I take my eyes far beyond the intersection of the sun and the sea, wishing and hoping for just one glimpse, one view again, or one chance, to see my beloved country Sierra Leone. Today as I write this, the memories seem so clear, the wonderful experiences return, I look out the window, reaching as far into the midst of the skies as possible, thousands of miles away, searching for Sierra Leone. Knowing that yet, its been 9 years, 10 months, and 4 days; who can forget about Sierra Leone?

Letter to the Youth of Sierra Leone: In "Dialogue"

(I chose to post this here, so maybe it can give any Sierra Leonean youth, motivation to initiate dialogues or network, between the youth in the Diaspora and the youth in Sierra Leone, while discussing the issues, or proposing, ideas, or anything as such. It is always a start)

I am aware of the problems, issues, and demoralization that a violent history with corrupted ideologies has done to Sierra Leone as a whole. And I, your brother in peace, am committed 100 percent to the development, rehabilitation, and beautification of our beloved country Sierra Leone. I see the passion every time I look into the eyes of a Sierra Leonean, I feel an intense sense of motivation grasping the mentality of a Sierra Leonean, I hear a loud statement being voiced by the actions of us Sierra Leoneans. A statement, which clarifies your point of being collective, adamant, and committed to complete rehabilitation.
I find that you and I share a common goal, a common achievement, a resolution which is shared by every young Sierra Leonean, to become an example, a motivation, a role model, for our generation and the ones after us. We young Sierra Leoneans have a dedicated mentality, filled with strategies, intellect, ideologies, and talents, which majority of them are either being withheld by us, or are not being heard by the elders. I feel as if it is our responsibility to be faithfully active in the rehabilitation process, and our peers and associates in our generations must involve their talents in the development of Sierra Leone.
We owe it to our little siblings and relatives, because in their eyes we are the nearest role models between them and success, we are the models of their future, so we must make sure that we show them the very importance and effect of responsibility. Responsibility not only to ourselves but also to our country in time of need.
We owe it to our parents and older siblings and relatives, because they know that we are the footprints behind theirs, they understand that for Sierra Leone to become completely rehabilitated, we have to be educated, trained, and committed. The responsibility will one day, be passed down solely to us, and we have to be prepared and experienced to handle the duty of progress.
We owe it to each other, to be educated, to be trained, to become experienced, and to become aware of the circumstances, the consequences, the situations, and the requirements of our beloved country and the implications that arise in it. In the future we are going to become the lawyers, the doctors, writers, journalists, farmers, soldiers, and even President. But growing up in a damaged nation such as Sierra Leone, we must understand the process of rebuilding, we must be educated ourselves and listen to our elder Sierra Leoneans for advice, information, and ideas. We must definitely become experienced actively, in hands on help towards the suffering, attendance of Sierra Leone Development meetings, visitation of torn down areas, we must contribute our ideas, our strategies, and talents.
The rehabilitation process does not have any requirements or criteria for who may help or contribute, there is no requirement for a specific profession or educational stage, and rather Sierra Leone needs every and any effort from every Sierra Leonean.
I must say that I myself am not entirely innocent to the content of this letter, as I was recently one of the young Sierra Leoneans who withheld the talent, effort, and time needed for my country. I myself passed my eyes quickly over a flier of a Sierra Leone event or meeting taking place somewhere, I myself had my attention, my focus, and commitment, elsewhere, setting up time and availability to my Diaspora location rather than the land that birthed me. Today I changed my notion of better days, and reconnected my path to the best of days, living and participating in the issues concerning my tradition, my culture, and my heritage. Today I devote myself entirely to the development of Sierra Leone, with the accompaniment of all my talents, education, and ideas, for an effective approach to a better Sierra Leone.
Lastly, we owe it to our heroes, our ancestors, and our unforgettable prominent Sierra Leoneans, who gave up their lives, talents, intellects, and expertise for the independence from colonization. We must show them that the Sierra Leone they worked so hard for, wrote so eloquently about, fought so hard for, and spoke so greatly about, is not lost, but is coming. We have to be involved, informed, and in collaboration, and I think we can do it.

Africa's Son, Africa's Daughter

Oh Africa, oh continent filled with darkness, they say darkness is evil, black is below, I say darkness is divine with a heart of gold,
How are my sons and daughters, skin with a tone of mahogany, black tinted with golden anatomy
The mother lays right by her children
they lay humble on the bare floor, while their minds speak continuously in a dream with nature
rich in your sense of supreme, you made me your dream
Oh Africa, Queen of the Sheba
Ethiopia, land of the magnificent
I hear your cry from the depths of the soil
I see your teardrops fall slowly in turmoil
I understand your pain from the beat of your heart
I feel your craving for your children whom depart
Oh Africa, mother of men
sister of nature
covered in gems
your eyes thick from the things you have seen
from rape to murder atrocities they bring
for centuries they’ve seen how great thou art
for years they’ve intimidated your heart
I say shout Africa shout
let your voices be heard
remember when you split the nile
with your anger you flooded the world
remember when they chained down your children
with your warriors you flooded the world
now in your diaspora I can hear you all over the world
you speak with so much pride
you walk with a king in your stride
you listen with much on your mind
but your voices still leaves trends behind
a teacher were you, a preacher were you
a poet were you, a writer were you
you had your philosophers too
you had your philosophies too
intellect was your favourite taboo
but you did what you found hard to do
you still moved to the back of the woods
they know you climb mountains without shoes
they know you swim in waters with typhoons
they know your power, your history is rich
they see the warriors your heart trained to teach
we follow in your footsteps with our feet washed in your soil
Oh so great a nation in its own sleep called turmoil
but when you wake, yes you see I can’t wait
when you shout, yes that thunder too great
I’ll just lay here equipped, armed and ready
when you call me, history will repeat what was mere sincerity
I’ll wait even for a thousand more years
through the suffering the blood and the tears
I have hope in your voice I will cheer
Africa’s son, Africa’s daughter
still here!

"Article on Searching for History: Sierra Leone"

When we plan, we tend to think about the future rather than the present times. We tend to focus our incentives, our efforts, and our ideas mainly on a futuristic approach. In Sierra Leone, we, the citizens, from all generations have been affected by the different issues and circumstances, which have impounded us throughout our history of this beloved country. As a 22 year old Sierra Leonean male, I have had the opportunity of being educated about the struggles and aspirations of my beloved land, through the art of traditional storytelling, History books, and Biographies of the scholars, fighters, intellectuals, revolutionaries, and the greatest of our forefathers and ancestors who gave up sacrifices, and sometimes their very own lives to reshape Sierra Leone for the betterment of its inhabitants. Through storytelling, traditions have passed on from grandfather to father to son. Whether it may be martyrdom stories such as the great Bai Bureh, or the revolutionary Sengbeh Pieh, through storytelling, I continue to learn the essence of Sierra Leonean culture, such as the history of the “Bondo Debul” and traditional dances, like the Gumbay dance. Through storytelling, the cultural links between early Sierra Leonean Heroes and I have become definite and the root stays preserved through the words of our elders. Books also have played a part in my sustained interest for my beloved land. Many books have been introduced to me throughout the past years, whether from my own personal approach, or pressed upon me by a scholar, professor, or a mere friend whom wishes to spread the wonderful history of a land so often forgotten. Books such as the “History of Sierra Leone”, “Christianity, Islam, and the Negro Race”, and even “The History of the Krio”, have come into the path of my journey towards an understanding of my heritage, tradition, and culture. These books have really played a major part in appreciating the distinct characteristics of our early heroes, such as Edward Wilmot Blyden, Adelaide Smith, Bai Bureh, Sengbeh Pieh, and plenty more, some known, and some yet to be uncovered or publicized. Through all these devices, whether it is oral history, written history, or cultural traditions, I have become more of a Sierra Leonean, and have come to appreciate the essence of being a Sierra Leonean, than ever before, and the main outcome of my dive into the search for my culture, is that today I can walk out the door, say I am a Sierra Leonean and actually sit down with a European, or an Asian, or a Middle Eastern and drive each one of them into a state of awe and humility from an educative perspective in a context of words exemplifying the rich and unique history of my country Sierra Leone.

"Over There"

There’s a lot
I should still learn
Too much untold
Left for the maggots

Left for the cuckoo birds
And the hamster
Too much borrowed
To the trees of sorrow

Wept without tears
For I know nothing
Left without
The bearing of my mother’s caring

Salone na watin apin

I took you by the hands
Led you down the paths
Of our great beginners

Showed you the minds of Papa Sheki
I gave the grand tour
Of paths yet to be cleansed
From the blood trails
Of past atrocities

Ay Salone
Na u do mi so

Was it all for nothing?
The long walks down
Kabala
And the tunes of
War cries
Echoed by the whispers
Of our forefathers

Even the distant glares
From the eyes of mountains
Sprinkled with diamonds
And stained in cocoa

Salone mi salone
Mi kuntry mi ome
A sidon na mi ose
No geh eat no geh clos
A luk fuh mi fambul
But na uda a si
Nobodi bi wan mix
Pan mi art we a sik
Na watin don apin
To we pipul na tong
Wi set wi domot
Den wi cut wi yon tong
Dis tin ya pasmak
Wetin mek wi fodom
Mek wi grap ole wi yon
Fo wi kuntry salone

"As you Destroy"

As you destroy
I will rise up
As you tear down
I will build
I stand firm
Against the rebels of this world
Distinct against the nature
Of Eden
I am Africa’s warrior
Armed with the spear
The shield, the ink and the pen
I’ve been trained to withstand hurricanes
I myself am like the wind
Never lost in the midst
But forever moving
I am Africa’s Prince
Trace my bloodline and you will find kings
I am ready
Always equipped with my armor
here to protect
the distressed, the oppressed, and the poor
the mind of a scholar
I am an intellectual of philosophy
I studied at the greatest university
the African life
I am here now
no need to worry
you will never hurt my people again
never will they see the ides of pain
they are forever free from you bindings, your chains
your help is not needed and you can take back your brains
I know of the greatest men ever produced
the architects the linguists the poets
the doctors, the physicists, the scholars
all of an African descent
men taken from where men are sent
we are here now
an army of warriors
a mixed tribe a community
not capitalistic not social
not opportunistic it’s not crucial
our situation is straight from the soul
the spirit is left from our tradition
our culture is preserved by our ancestors
we are prepared for the worst
and spreading the best
success is not a milestone but a secret in your chest
from the beat of your heart to attend to what’s next
we are a community of sweet beautiful black people
mahogany black red and purple
you see less but I see finesse
I feel its best if you take back your step
this ain’t a land to be mistaken
treaded on by your system
this ain’t a land to be torn
down by your scorn
this ain’t a land where you may have your way
and rape our daughters and tease our poor
this ain’t a land where you may steal our treasures
and sell them back for your profit
this is a land of great sacrament
this is a land of great men
the women here we call them our queens
the children here are the future war kings
we fight hard down here
the blood is part of our nature
the water we respect and fire we attest
the air we breathe in and the earth is our refuge
have you ever a continent as this
where the people are such as your kings
where the hunters are never the hunted
in this Africa I am destined for great
in this Africa I owe time to the great
oh my Africa this land of the great
Africa’s child