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During the first 100 days of his second term in office, US President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders that have unsettled the commodities market and prompted investors to hold off from making new investments in African economies. In the last three months, Trump has presented the world with “a ding-dong of measures and counter-measures," as Nigerian finance analyst Gbolahan Olojede put it.With such measures including increased tariffs on US imports from African nations (as elsewhere), this new regime has effectively called into question the future validity of preferential trade agreements with African states – such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allows duty-free access, under strict conditions, to the US market for African goods."The reciprocal tariffs effectively nullify the preferences that sub-Saharan Africa countries enjoy under AGOA," South Africa's foreign and trade ministers said in a joint statement on 4 April.Jon Marks, editorial director of energy consultancy and news service African Energy, echoed this climate of uncertainty: “With the Trump presidency lurching from policy to policy, no one knows where they are. And it's very difficult to actually see order within this chaos."Africa braces for economic hit as Trump's tariffs end US trade perksHe told RFI he expects long periods of stasis, in which nothing actually happens, when people have been expecting immediate action.“That's going to be, I think, devastating for markets, devastating for investment. The outlook really is grim," he added.CommoditiesIn 2024, US exports to Africa were worth $32.1 billion. The US imported $39.5 billion worth of goods from Africa, the bulk of these being commodities such as oil and gas, as well as rare minerals including lithium, copper and cobalt.“The focus of the Trump administration is on critical minerals now, particularly in the [Democratic Republic of Congo], which is the Saudi Arabia of cobalt,” said Eric Olander, editor-in-chief of the China Global South Project news site.The US is aiming to build non-Chinese supply chains for its military technology.“The F-35s, supersonic fighter jets, need cobalt. When they look at critical minerals, they're not looking at that for renewable energy. They're looking at it specifically for weapons and for their defence infrastructure,” Olander explained.Collateral damageOn 2 April, President Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs on US imports worldwide, declaring that the US “has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far” and calling this date a “Liberation Day” which will make “America wealthy again”.Stock markets immediately plummeted as a result of his announcement.On 9 April, Trump announced a 90-day pause – until mid-July – on these tariffs. Instead, a flat 10 percent rate will be applied on exports to the US.The exception was China, whose goods face even higher tariffs – 145 percent on most Chinese goods. Beijing retaliated with 125 percent levies on US imports.According to Olander, most African nations have so far been “insulated from the harsh impact of these tariffs” and from the consequences of what is, in effect, a trade war between two economic giants – China and the US.“South Africa, which accounts for a considerable amount of Africa's trade with the United States, is much more exposed to the effects of these tariffs than the rest of the continent,” he said.Africa FirstBut what if Trump's "America First" agenda was to be copied, asks Kelvin Lewis, editor of the Awoko newspaper in Sierra Leone.“Just like Trump is saying America First, we should think Sierra Leone First,” he told RFI. “He is teaching everyone how to be patriotic. We have no reason to depend on other people, to go cap in hand begging, because we have enough natural resources to feed and house all 9 million of us Sierra Leoneans.”He added: “If Africa says we close shop and we use our own resources for our benefit like Trump is telling Americans, I think the rest of the world would stand up and take notice.”Meanwhile, Trump believes his imposition of these increased tariffs has succeeded in bringing countries to the negotiating table.“I'm telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass. They are dying to make a deal. Please, please sir, make a deal. I'll do anything. I'll do anything, sir,” Trump said on 8 April at a Republican Congress committee dinner in Washington.New marketsOlander believes that the trade war instigated by Trump has resulted in more risks than opportunities for Africa's vulnerable countries.“But, there is a lot more activity now diplomatically between African countries and other non-US countries,” he added.“Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed from Ethiopia was in Vietnam, as was Burundi's president. There's more engagement between Uganda and Indonesia, more trade activity and discussions between Brazil and Africa.”Foreign ministers from the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) met in Rio de Janeiro on 28 April to coordinate their response to Trump's trade policy.However, securing markets for non-US exports is a challenging task. It took Kenya 10 years “of steady diplomacy” to get China to fund the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway to the Ugandan border, according to Olander.Kenyan president visits China as country pivots away from the US“Whether it's in China, Indonesia, Brazil or elsewhere, it takes time. Exporting into developed G7 markets means facing an enormous number of hurdles, like agricultural restrictions,” he continued. “Then, in the global south, Angola is not going to sell bananas to Brazil, right?”“Trump's trade policies have actually been to depress the oil price,” said Marks. “The price has been under the psychologically low threshold of $70 a barrel.He explains it is because of the demand destruction Trump's policies have placed on global trading.Demand destruction means that people are not investing, “ Marks said. “It's really a period of wait-and-see.”“This will affect prices very profoundly. One of the ironies is that although a lower dollar means that African economies should be able to export their goods for more money, a declining dollar amidst market uncertainties means that investors are not going to be rushing to come into Africa.”
Join Dr. Richard Konteh and Nfagie Kabba for an unfiltered and powerful discussion on one of the most talked-about topics in Sierra Leone right now – the leaked audio conversation between former President Ernest Bai Koroma (EBK) and Mohamed S. Bangura.What was said behind closed doors? What does it reveal about internal party dynamics, leadership, and the direction of the APC? And most importantly, what does it mean for ordinary Sierra Leoneans and the future of our democracy?This episode goes beyond speculation—Dr. Konteh and Nfagie Kabba unpack the facts, address the controversies, and engage YOU in a conversation that matters.
Sierra Leonean politicians have created a new anti-terrorism law that contains unconstitutional provisions designed to curtail citizens' fundamental civil rights. In this episode, we examine the law's implication for free speech and multiparty democracy in Sierra Leone. This episode is part of the Voice from Exile series.
In this episode, we continue to examine Maada Bio's effort to smuggle through Parliament an Abortion Law without the knowledge and participation of Sierra Leonean women. We also examine the differences between Ernest Bai Koroma's 2015 Abortion Bill and Maada Bio's 2024 Secret Abortion Bill.
Politicians in Sierra Leone have secretly tabled an Abortion Bill in Parliament and are working to speedily pass it into law without public consultation and debate. The proposed law gives married women and girls the sole right to abort any pregnancy; and to decide whether they want to have a baby or not; and the number and spacing of babies. The abortion law also proposes monetary fines and 12 months imprisonment for dissenting husbands and anyone “discriminating” against the pregnancy decisions and reproductive choices of women and girls. In this special episode, we discuss the secret efforts of Sierra Leonean politicians to enact an Abortion Bill through Parliament without public consultation and public debate.
Over a thousand Sierra Leoneans were recently arrested on the streets of Conakry in Guinea and deported. Sierra Leoneans reciprocated with their own deportation of Guineans. This all resulted in a diplomatic spat between the two countries. We'll get the details.Also is Kenya really increasing state surveillance of its citizens? We'll hear government response to these claimsAnd a fresh start for Mali as production begins at the largest non-exploited lithium mine in the world!Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Frenny Jowi and Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi and Bella Hassan and Rob Wilson in London Technical Producer: Francesca Dunne Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
Sherbro Island is one of Sierra Leone's most beautiful touristic landscape. In 2019, the Maada Bio regime signed an undisclosed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sherbro Alliance Partners, a company incorporated in early June 2019 as a private limited company (#12040217) under the UK Companies Act 2006 by Idris Akuna Elba and Siaka Stevens, the grandson of Sierra Leone's first president. The non-disclosed agreement proposed to incorporate and establish Sherbro Island into an autonomous economic zone to be governed by a 7-person board of directors who will have sovereign powers to manage Sherbro Island as a distinct legal entity independent of Sierra Leone's financial and economic laws and regulations. The agreement also grants exclusive powers to the proposed authority to establish its own private security, air and sea transport arrangement, its gambling infrastructure, agriculture and health, and the ability to issue its own debt securities and financial markets. However, the details of this agreement have not been made public to Sierra Leoneans. In this episode, we examine the proposed privatization of Sherbro Island and its planned transformation into a “Casino Republic” in Sierra Leone. We highlight the legal and political implications of the proposed takeover of Sherbro Island by multinational corporations. This episode is part of the Voice of Exile series of the Africanist Press.
On this week's Red Carpet, host Jackson Mvunganyi sat down with Sierra Leonean rap artist Kao Denero who is promoting his new 15 song album that pays tribute to several pan African heroes. Plus, South African social media influencers and artists use their platforms to change the narrative about Albinism. This and more entertainment-related updates on today's Red Carpet!
Aminata Conteh-Biger is an author, inspirational speaker, Founder and CEO of a non-profit organisation, The Aminata Maternal Foundation. Aminata was born in Sierra Leone, growing up in Freetown. Following her kidnap, imprisonment and subsequent release by rebel soldiers during the 11-year civil war, Aminata became one of the first Sierra Leonean refugees to be settled in Australia. She shares her harrowing experience in this episode, reflects on how she processed her trauma to build a new life on the other side of the world, and shares stories about the man who first taught her strength and kindness. CW: In this episode, Aminata shares her confronting first-hand experience of war. This contains discussions of rape, murder and abuse. If you think you need immediate assistance, call 000. If you would like to speak to someone for support, you may wish to contact one of the following services. Lifeline – Call 13 11 14, or visit www.lifeline.org.au. 1800RESPECT – Call 1800 737 732, or visit www.1800respect.org.au. LINKS Find out more about the Aminata Maternal Foundation and their amazing work at aminatamaternalfoundation.org If you're in Sydney or Melbourne and would like to support the Foundation, consider taking part in the First Breath Walk this Saturday November 2nd. For more information and to donate, find details here Purchase a copy of Rising Heart here Follow Ant on Instagram, X, and Facebook Learn more about Ant on his website antmiddleton.com Follow Nova Podcasts on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind the scenes content – @novapodcastsofficial. CREDITSHost: Ant MiddletonEditor: Adrian WaltonExecutive Producer: Anna Henvest Managing Producer: Elle Beattie Nova Entertainment acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we recorded this podcast, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. We pay our respect to Elders past and present. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nomoli figurines are among the earliest works of art from Sierra Leone. The figurines and similar stone sculptures are the only known remains of an empire that existed hundreds of years ago in what is now Sierra Leone and Liberia. Portuguese explorers first recorded the existence of the figurines in the fifteenth century. Nomoli figurines are often associated with the Mende people as they are often buried on Mende land. The Mende and Kissi people of Sierra Leone place these small statues near their homes and in fields of crops as a form of protection, in the belief that the Nomoli figurines will give them good health and good harvests. They also consult the statues as oracles. During the 20th century, Sierra Leonean immigrants brought their ancestors' Nomoli figurines with them to the United States as a way to preserve the spiritual powers of the past.
In this episode of the Obehi Podcast, Buckarie Dumbuya delves into the complex causes and lasting consequences of the Sierra Leone Civil War (1991–2002), more than two decades after its conclusion. The conversation sheds light on the multifaceted origins of the conflict, including economic disparities, political corruption, and social unrest. Dumbuya also discusses the enduring impacts on Sierra Leonean society, from the psychological trauma experienced by survivors to the ongoing challenges in achieving sustainable development and political stability. This insightful dialogue offers a comprehensive understanding of a pivotal chapter in Sierra Leone's history and its long-term implications for the nation's future. Enjoy the interview and leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
In this episode of the Modern Royalty Podcast, Princess Sarah Culberson discusses Meghan Markle's recent visit to Nigeria, where Meghan discovered her Nigerian roots, received the name Adetokunbo, and engaged in mental health discussions with the community. Princess Sarah emphasizes the importance of knowing one's cultural identity, sharing her own experience with her Sierra Leonean heritage. She encourages listeners to explore and share their family histories. An unidentified participant responds, showing interest in cultural exploration. The episode highlights the value of understanding and embracing one's roots, fostering community through shared stories and traditions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
About a month ago, the United States International Development Finance Corporation's (DFC) Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Nisha Biswal, attended a ceremony in Freetown to launch the “construction of an electricity infrastructure” in Freetown's Kissy Dockyard, 4km east of the city center. US Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Bryan David Hunt and DFC executives described the launching ceremony as “a seminal development for Sierra Leone and an unprecedented one for the US government.” They stated that the proposed energy power plant is going to be the “largest increase in energy capacity in a single country of any prior DFC project.” DFC is a US-government run “development finance institution,” established in 2019 as part of the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act (BUILD) 2018, which combined the Development Credit Authority Agency with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, both formerly part of the US State Department Agency for International Development (USAID). DFC reports directly to the US Congress. Several months ahead of Freetown launching ceremony, DFC executives and US Embassy staff in Sierra Leone have been repeating that up to $412 million in loans and risk insurance have been approved by the US government to provide finance and risk insurance for the project. Two foreign companies, Milele Energy and TCQ Power Limited are listed as co-sponsors and joint recipients of the $412 million loan (including $120m in risk insurance) for the construction of the said electricity infrastructure project. TCQ Power's controversial presence and involvement in Sierra Leone's energy sector dates to the early 2010s, but Milele Energy is a newcomer, arriving in Sierra Leone after the election of Julius Maada Bio in 2018. In public communication documents, the DFC and the US Embassy in Sierra Leone present Milele Energy as an independent Kenyan-based power generation company, failing to reveal complete details of the company's profile and real ownership; details that are required to enable public scrutiny of Milele Energy's track record and whether it has a proven capacity to deliver on its contractual responsibilities. Corporate records reviewed by Africanist Press shows that Milele Energy's corporate shareholders include Gemcorp Fund (GP) Limited, a company registered in George Town, Cayman Islands, holding the majority 80% shares in Milele Energy; Verkanda LLC registered in Delaware, US, also holding 10% shares in Milele Energy; JWI III LLC also registered in Delaware, US, holding 5% shares in Milele Energy; and Empower Africa Consulting Limited registered in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, holding 5% shares in Milele Energy. There is no record of any competitive bidding and public tender process that Milele Energy and DFC went through to take over the Western Area Power Generation Project. Worse, Sierra Leoneans are also unaware of the loan conditions, including the interest rates attached to DFC's development finance loans. DFC is yet to disclose the process used to issue the $412 million debt to the US owned company Milele Energy for the alleged purpose of building an electricity infrastructure in Sierra Leone. In this episode, we examine Milele Energy's corporate ownership and the DFC's takeover of the Western Area Power Generation Project. We ask whether the DFC's operations in Sierra Leone complies with the provisions of the US BUILD Act of 2018? We also highlighted the need for oversight agencies of the US government (Congress and Senate Foreign Affairs Committee) to institute an independent investigation to help determine how Milele Energy and DFC took over the Western Area Power Generation Project, and the role played by the United States Embassy in Freetown in these corporate developments in Sierra Leone. This episode is part of the VOICE FROM EXILE commentary series of the Africanist Press.
Nomoli figurines are among the earliest works of art from Sierra Leone. The figurines and similar stone sculptures are the only known remains of an empire that existed hundreds of years ago in what is now Sierra Leone and Liberia. Portuguese explorers first recorded the existence of the figurines in the fifteenth century. Nomoli figurines are often associated with the Mende people as they are often buried on Mende land. The Mende and Kissi people of Sierra Leone place these small statues near their homes and in fields of crops as a form of protection, in the belief that the Nomoli figurines will give them good health and good harvests. They also consult the statues as oracles. During the 20th century, Sierra Leonean immigrants brought their ancestors' Nomoli figurines with them to the United States as a way to preserve the spiritual powers of the past.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.
Where did you learn how to be a woman who worked too much? Who modelled it? And if you don't identify as a woman, stay tuned. The women in your life are likely overwhelmed and constantly doing – this episode will help you to understand why. Tamu Thomas is a former social worker, and now a coach and author of Women Who Work Too Much. In this conversation Tamu and Mandy discuss toxic positivity and self-abandonment, and where these can come from (Tamu shares how she learned to overachieve in her Sierra Leonean family). You'll also learn how to reclaim rest and regenerative selfcare, and how Grace Jones championed Tamu through hard times (Grace is available for pep talks, by the way). Mandy gives Tamu three real-life coaching scenarios to unpack. Insightful, powerful and radically practical. 2:06 How Tamu learned to work too much 6:37 Toxic Productivity 10:34 Self-abandonment – “It's not your fault” 11:45 Being “nice” means it's okay to feel bad, but not to look bad 12:46 How we learn to ignore our needs in favour of people pleasing 13:41 Tamu's late diagnosed ADHD 15:28 Women and ambition; bossy leadership 17:46 The antidote to self-abandonment is safe community 19:23 Grace Jones gives Tamu pep talks 21:42 Post-traumatic growth and compassion 23:45 Regenerative selfcare – What is it? Why it matters 26:40 Boundaries 28:04 Regenerative selfcare in action 28:50 Good girl conditioning and stepping into bold womanhood 30:58 Regenerative selfcare is reading about political policies and voting 32:46 Coaching question 1: Corporate Armadillo. Woman in her 50s, has spent her corporate career armoured up. Wants to change 36:40 Coaching question 2: Woman of colour in her 40s who's a people pleaser 40:35 Coaching question 3: I'm a midlife corporate lawyer and I've given myself to my job and my kids. I miss ME. 44:08 Tamu's Brick of Wisdom 44:40 Outro LINKS: Tamu Thomas' website and book. Tamu on Instagram Mandy on Instagram
Salone man get badat (Sierra Leoneans are envious) is not just a national catchphrase, its a widely held Sierra Leonean belief. The expression "Salone man get badat" has been used in presidential speeches and popular culture. President Kabbah once said it in a now-famous speech. Emmerson Bockarie, a Sierra Leonean Afropop singer, made a song about it. Badat is on everyone's lips, it's on their minds, and it is the root of all evil. Make Sierra Leone Famous explores the root of this self-deprecating national catchphrase and negative belief through a spiritual and mental health lens. If Sierra Leoneans are envious, how can they unlearn or control it? Special Guests: Dr. Ramadan Jalloh and Jesse Lamboi
Abubakr Dumbuya got his education and is now building a business that connects Sierra Leonean all over the world. Fambul was an app created to make it easier to find Sierra Leonean businesses wherever you are. Try out Fambul: https://www.fambul.com/ Buy Courses at https://bit.ly/Prepareforyourfirsttri... Support Us On Patreon: / gamediversified Youtube: / @diversifiedgameodcast Website: diversifiedgame.com Merch: teespring.com/stores/my-store-10057187 Instagram: instagram.com/gamediversified Twitter/X:twitter.com/gamediversified #passiveincome #passiveincomestreams #passiveincomeonline #passiveincomes #passiveincomelifestyle #passiveincomeideas #makemoneyonlinefree #howtomakemoney #makemoneydaily #makemoneytoday #onlinebusiness #supportlocalbusiness #businessman #supportblackbusiness #businesscoach #monetize #monetizeyourpassion #monetizeyourbrand #monetizelife #monetizeyourknowledge #monetizeyourcontent --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/diversifiedgame/message
The privatization program in postwar Sierra Leone was supposedly advanced by international financial institutions – the World Bank, IMF, African Development Bank – as a multi-sectoral development strategy aimed at reducing poverty and corruption, and improving economic growth and quality of governance and service delivery in the small West African country. Since 2005, this World Bank and IMF supported privatization agenda has been called different names by successive regimes in Sierra Leone. Inaugurated by Tejan Kabbah as a "poverty reduction strategy", it was renamed “agenda for change and prosperity” by Ernest Koroma, and now rebranded as a “new direction and medium-term development plan” by Julius Maada Bio. However, its unfulfilled promise remained the same and included the supply of reliable electricity, the creation of value-added agricultural productivity, developing a national transportation network, and sustainable human development through efficient social service delivery. Twenty years later, this IMF/World Bank privatization agenda in Sierra Leone has produced, and still produces, the reverse of its pronounced objectives. Today in Sierra Leone, more than 90% of the population live in absolute poverty, with expenditures below US$1 a day, according to the IMF. With rising youth unemployment, high infant and maternal mortality rates, poor growth performance, lack of income and access to basic social services, and excessive debt overhangs, the country's development prospects still remain grim. Consequently, instead of advancing economic growth and reducing poverty, Sierra Leone's privatization program has heightened political corruption and led to intensified multinational exploitation. At the heart of this development nightmare is the hidden competition between British financed corporations and United States-backed companies for control of non-transparent service-related contracts and corruptly awarded critical infrastructure projects. In this episode, we discuss how the British Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) and the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) used shell companies registered and operating out of British Virgin Islands, Mauritius, Zambia, Lebanon, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Kenya, and elsewhere to impose manufactured debts on Sierra Leone between 2013 and 2023 with the promise of providing reliable electricity that is still unavailable to Sierra Leonean citizens. We highlight how Ernest Bai Koroma and Julius Maada Bio enabled these corrupt energy agreements in the last 15 years, and how various energy and finance ministers of both the All Peoples Congress (APC) and Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) served as agents for British financed companies and United States-backed corporations in the corrupt use of the privatization program to facilitate state corruption and multinational exploitation. Thus, we use the ruthless competition between the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) and United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) over the multimillion dollars non-transparent Western Area Power Generation Project loan agreements involving Blue Flare (BVI), TCQ Power Ltd, CEC Africa Investments Ltd (CECA), Milele Energy, the World Bank, African Development Bank, and other financial institutions to further illustrate how the privatization of social service delivery in Sierra Leone is corruptly enriching multinational companies and the local political elites, while increasing the sovereign debt crisis and worsening living standards for regular citizens. Hence, the current political and economic crisis in Sierra Leone, including the rigged June 2023 elections, skyrocketing taxes, and ongoing human rights violations, are directly linked to the unscrupulous competition between British companies and American financed corporations to exploit Sierra Leone's privatization of social service delivery. This episode is part of the VOICE FROM EXILE commentary series of the Africanist Press.
A letter written for Bisan, circulated to my constituency: Peace. I write to you from the floor of my bedroom in Sierra Leone. Two days ago, Iran launched successful counter-attacks against the apartheid regime occupying the land of Palestine, currently known as Israel (which bombed their embassy in an open act of war on April 1). I can hear construction workers breaking rocks outside my window and the children of the house playing and running and the noise of Freetown traffic in an endless rise and fall. I always find it pertinent to name the moment clearly, as I am always certain tomorrow will not look like today; the things I consider commonplace will be precious and long gone. Some of my mind firmly plants itself in yesterday already: gone are the days where I can see children running and playing in the street— in any street, anywhere in the world— and I do not think of Palestinian children massacred in front of each other. I am in a permanent after. I kneel to pray and recall accounts of young Sudanese women messaging their local religious leaders, asking if they will still be permitted into paradise if they commit suicide to avoid rape from occupying soldiers. I am in a permanent after.Today is April 15, 2024. Tomorrow will not look like today.Bisan Owda, a filmmaker, journalist and storyteller, has called the world to strike on several occasions for the liberation of her homeland, Palestine. I feel about Bisan (and Hind, and Motaz, and many others) like I feel about my cousins: I pray for them before bed, asking for their continued protection, wondering for them— the same way I prayed for my family as a child, during Sierra Leone's own neocolonial war of attrition, or when Ebola came like the angel of death. This is the way I pray for Bisan, and for Palestine: with this heart beating in me that is both theirs and mine. She is my age. Bisan! You are my age! I wish we could have met at university, or at an artists workshop; I feel we would have long conversation. I understand more now about what my auntie dequi means when she says sister in the struggle— that's how she speaks of indigenous womyn, about Palestinian womyn, about womyn across the colonized world that use every tool they have to resist. Sisters in the struggle. It's never felt like an understatement— I just feel it in my body now. Sisters (n.): someone who you most ardently for. Someone who you care for such that it compels you to action. I'm certain many of you feel this for me—this long distance, cross-cultural, transcontinental kinship. Rhita, a stranger turned friend via instagram DMs, had me over for tea on a long layover in Morocco, and we spent at least two hours talking about blooming revolution and healing through art (she's a musician and she helps pave the way for musicians in Morocco, who fight for their royalties as well as their right to exist. Brilliant). Sisters in struggle: your lens on the world changes mine, and I am grateful for it. Today we are among war; I mobilize and I organize and I pray for a day where we might sit down for tea.I write to Bisan with the attention of my own constituency to shine light on her calls for a general strike, one of which occurs today, April 15 2024. These urgent asks have been met with lots of skepticism across the Western world: how do we organize something this fast? Does it really matter if I participate? How will one strike solve anything? I write to throw my pen and my circumstance behind you, Bisan. I lend you all (my constituency) my lenses as a teacher, in hopes that I make plain to you why these questions of feasibility assume there is another way out of our current standing oppressions. We have no other option for worldwide liberation that does not include a mass refusal to produce capital. We occupy a crucial moment of pivot as a species. Victory for the masses feels impossible from the complete waste they lay on anyone who dissents to their power. This feeling is manufactured. The hopelessness is manufactured. We see the insecurity of the nation-state everywhere. Never before has surveillance from the state been so totalitarian— even (especially) through the device likely read this on. I also submit: a conglomeration of ruling bodies who monitor their citizens with paranoia do so because they are very aware of their own precarity. ^this is a very good video if you want to learn more about that claim.The nation-state, as it currently exists, knows it will fall. Never before have we had this much access to one another in organizing across the world for our good. They know, and we are beginning to find out, this iteration of the human sovereign world (capitalism ruled by white, Western supremacy) is dying. Something else is on the way. The question is what? Will the world that comes after this one be for us or against us?I hope this set of arguments helps us understand our place in the human narrative, as those that still have the power to stop the machine.Theses:(1) The genocide in Palestine is not unique nor novel except in the fact that we can see it in real time. This is what colonial war has always looked like. Ruthie Wilson Gilmore described the machine perfectly. “Racism, specifically, is the state-sanctioned or extralegal production and exploitation of group-differentiated vulnerability to premature death." ― Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Golden Gulag: Prisons, Surplus, Crisis, and Opposition in Globalizing CaliforniaRuthie Wilson Gilmore is an abolitionist that has radicalized me immensely. To put the above in my terms: racism occurs or made when a group of people (Black, Indigenous, and colonized peoples) are constantly exposed to premature death (in overt ways, such as carpet bombing or slavery, or in more covert ways, like pollution, policy that denies healthcare, poverty wages, restricting access to food). This mass killing comes either with a green light from the state, or comes from the civilian populace of that oppressive nation-state.Capitalism in and of itself created the need for racial oppression. The establishment of capitalism required the open and expedited slaughter of indigenous peoples to secure their own land, and the slow-bred, constant slaughter of African peoples as a vehicle to over-harvest lands across North and South America, as well as across Europe. And they continue to expand.So then: racial capitalism is a death-machine. There is no way we can transition this world to a new order, where the masses are sovereign over our own lives, without withholding the labor that keeps the death machine going. Striking is not just in a decline of consumption, which is when we refuse to consume the products made by the machine. Radical action occurs when we decline production. That's the only way to stop the machine in their tracks. If we do not, the machine will continue slaughter for output. Simply put: you can't just stop buying. We do actually have to stop working.Nothing about the actions taking place in the Palestinian genocide are new! This is racial capitalism doing what it has always done: slaughtered the indigenous population and embedded heinous acts of violence to crush dissent, exacted a nation-state on the shallow graves, and found or imported a labor force to exploit such that they can strip the land of her resources. It has always been this horrifying. The only difference now is that we can see the horror live televised, in real time. (2) we are tasked with mobilization from our new understandings. We have a sister war now occurring in Sudan, where the superpower benefitting from violent civilian death is the United Arab Emirates (who extract the gold from Sudan in deals with the warring military groups while the people are slaughtered). This is a war of attrition, designed to break the will of the people bit by bit, massacre by massacre until they force consent to military rule. We had wars of similar depravity in the killings of Iraqis in this made up War on Terror by the United States, in the killings of Black radical counter-insurgents in the United States' second civil war in the 1960s, in the attempted decimation of Viet Nam (again, by the US, there might be a pattern). This is what I mean about wars of colonialism— this is what the annexing of Hawaii looked like. The fall of Burkina-Faso's revolutionary government. This is just to name a few. It's happened again and again, and it will keep happening until we pivot away from allowing the technology of the nation-state be sovereign over the earth. This is what the nation-state does under racial capitalism.(2a) EXTRAPOLATE. The 15th of April 2024 also marks one year of war in Sudan, which has largely been ignored by Western spectacle. I say all the time your attention is lucrative.This particular bit is addressed to my constituency: never is this more clear than watching world trials, UN emergency meetings, world mobilization on behalf of Palestine and no such thing for Sudan. I know that Palestinians do not feel good about this. We should not have to be in a state where we have to compete for attention in order to get justice. We should not require spectacle to mobilize for our countrymen! There are no journalist influencers living in Sudan to have risen out as superstars with moment to moment updates— the technological infrastructure and the political landscape simply didn't align for that. Is this why we don't care? I am also hyper aware, as a Black American and as a Sierra Leonean, of how no one blinks when Black people die. We were the original capital under racial capitalism. There still is this sentiment, especially among the Western world, that suffering and dying is just… what we do.We humans are very good at caring for what we can manage to see. I am both heartened and excited by seeing increased conversations, direct actions, fundraisers, for Palestine. The responsibility to the human family is to constantly be in the work of expanding your eyesight— which means that you too care for the people that you might not see every day in your algorithm. The human tapestry, woven together in different colors and patterns, is ultimately one long, interconnected thread. The first step of mobilization that must come from from realizing our situation under racial capitalism is fighting for everyone that suffers from it— not just the people we can see. If we fight situationally, we are set up to lose, because we save one part of the human tapestry while another part burns. Coordinated action can only come from coordinated understanding. No one is free until everyone is free. (3) Fast. Train. Study. Fight. Only in a slaveocracy would the idea of freedom fighting and resistance seem mad. —Mumia Abu-Jamal, 2003 | Black August Commentary on Prison RadioFast; train; study; fight is the slogan of Black August, a month of discipline where those active in the fight for liberation remember our political prisoners and dedicate ourserlves to the sharpening of our minds, bodies, and communities in service of liberation. Black August was first commemorated with collective action in 1971 when George Jackson was assassinated by San Quentin prison guards in an attempt to quell the revolutionary spirit he stewarded within the concentration camp of prison enslavement. The article linked above is by Mama Ayaana Mashama, an educator, healer, poet, and founding member of the Oakland Chapter of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement from the Bay. Black August also acknowledges the amount of life and world-changing victories of resistance that have occurred for Black oppressed peoples in August— everything from the Haitian Revolution to Nat Turner's Rebellion to the birth of Fred Hampton.I find these four actions to be the key to mobilization in the practical rather than just the rhetorical or theoretical, especially if you are newly radicalized (like me. I've only been radicalized for six years).What are the practical ways to strike?Fasting from consumption: Do not engage in mindless consumption. Do not buy anything from companies who use your dollars to oppress yourself and your neighbor— this includes groceries, gas, flights, fast food, more than that. Do not grease the machine with your dollars. I understand these things are embedded into our day to day society. Resist anyways.Additionally, fasting during the inaugural Black August included abstinence from radio and television. Last year, my first time fasting for Black August, I fasted from screens. Conscious divestment from the machine includes mind and body, not just dollars. Training (in mind and body): Train your attention. Train yourself to notice when you impulse spend. Money is a token you can trade for power. To be in the role of consumer is to constantly trade your chance for power for a momentary comfort— a good feeling, a rush, a high, a status symbol, all of which depreciate for you and all of which give tokens of power to the world-makers currently in charge. Now is the time to build up the muscles of dissent (both the literal and the metaphysical strength and will to act in favor of the people when it is time to).Study: You are only as useful to the movement as you are able to use yourself well. Study yourself and your own wants needs and habits. Know intimately your own boundaries, motivations and desires. What is your version of freedom? What are you specifically fighting for? Write it down!Study your own observable world. Ensure that you are caught up well on the events that surround you. This means local. When you walk around outside, what do you see? First: do you take walks? I would recommend them. Who are your neighbors? What do they do? What do they want? Who are your comrades and who are not? What is going in your local policy?Study the world that you cannot personally observe (and not just the news that comes through your algorithm). Learn where the stitches of the human tapestry are frayed. Note where they are being or have been burned intentionally. How do you connect to those charred places? What does regeneration and recreation look like?The backdrop of Sudan's war saw about eight months of sporadic striking that finally led to the general strike, which then led to the successful popular uprising. Sudan had a successful popular uprising in 2019 because they engaged in strikes, strikes, strikes until they created enough mass action to win. It will never feel like the right time. We create the time we need to mobilize on our best behalf. Fight:Fight the impulse to do nothing. You are in a natural state of doing nothing—by design. So better, I should say: you are kept in a default state of believing that you should do nothing. Do not do nothing. The more you do something, the easier it is to do the next thing. Fight the will to accept the world as something that happens above you. You have more power than you think you do. Fight the urge to act alone.Fight the urge to shrink from consequence. Fight the restrictions that inevitably follow dissent.Also literally engaging in combat training is helpful (for legal purposes I don't condone violence :P).(4) Revolution more about beginnings than endings. Critical mass happens with repeat action. The tide will not change because of some mass quantum leap everyone has in logic and circumstance. It will not come because your neighbor saw you pick up your pitchfork and thought, “oh yes, we need schedule Revolution today, let me grab my chainsaw.” The masses will shift because person after person after person continued to practice small, increasing modes of dissent. Dissent!— such that when powder kegs go off, when moments occur like this, or like Black Lives Matter worldwide uprisings of 2020, moments which break through the numb dissonance we all wade through every day, we have enough discipline to engage in organized action.General striking needs to be not just for Palestine, but for all the pressing problems that have a time mark on them. If Palestine is what gets you to mobilize, I commend you. Because Palestine is what got me to mobilize for general strikes. It was because of my sister Bisan, who called for them. And I thank her. Thank you! We as a human species need to recognize that what's happening in Palestine will happen again if we do not have a coalesced list of needs and demands. We need to understand the need to shape policy. We strike for sovereignty under the hands of the masses. Sovereignty under the hands of the masses!I learn so much from studying the successes and failures of the Burkina Faso revolution, lasting for four glorious years. Here's what's previously happened across colonized countries that managed to have revolutions, like clockwork. Step three (mobilization) was executed by a critical mass of people (not everyone, not even the majority, but enough people fasted, trained, studied, fought, enough people taught their neighbor/girlfriend/cousin/librarian/grocery store clerk the same thing, of the ways we can engage with struggle rather than the ways we run from it, or assume it's the job of someone else. There was enough mobilization sustained by extrapolation (the understanding that this was bigger than them) such that a popular uprising occurred, when which is a hard thing not to lose (as in, to let dissipate). A popular uprising is a difficult thing to lose! The strength in numbers is very, very real. Look at the farmer's strike in India! How could they fail?Then, this new and fragile union with a new world, this baby that needs attention, protecting, a family of support around it— gets hijacked. Colonial or neocolonial regimes take root and begin killing as many people as they can in attempts to spread epigenetic fear into the populace such that they never, ever try and imagine a world without their power ever again. This is what's currently happening in Sudan right now. This is what is happening in Palestine. This is what's happening everywhere where there are colonized people fighting against oppressive regimes.If we can manage to act together, if we can manage world-wide mobilization and world-wide solidarity, we can stand for one another at this crucial stage— we must dream past the start of something and be thinking towards the day when we are inevitably successful— how will we keep those gains? Past the fall of the empire— what are we fighting for? How do we intend to keep it?Peace to you and yours, Bisan. The sun has set in Sierra Leone. There is not a day that goes by where I do not think about you. And I thank for being plugged in, being supportive of, being for the revolutions across the world— especially your own. Thank you for being someone who belongs to your country in ways that are bold and ways that endanger you. I am so proud of you. I can't thank you enough.And peace to everyone reading, here meaning: I hope the work you engage with today emboldens you to act tomorrow. ismatu g. PS. THIS IS STILL A STRIKE THAT LIVES LARGELY ON SOCIAL MEDIA! WE NEED THAT TO CHANGE. TALK! TO! YOUR! NEIGHBORS! YOUR PARENTS! PEOPLE YOU KNOW IN PHYSICAL, DAILY LIFE! I DID NOT LEARN ABOUT THIS UNTIL PEOPLE IN MY PHYSICAL LIFE TOLD ME! USE THIS TEXT AND TALK ABOUT IT thank you have a good day. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ismatu.substack.com/subscribe
Regardless of recent attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), moving forward is an inevitability. Organizations that want to thrive are going to have to get on board or get left behind. And they could use the help of someone like my friend Kori Carew.Kori is a former litigator turned speaker, writer, and consultant who advocates for (among other things) diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Through her work, she helps bridge differences and facilitates learning and growth for people and organizations in inclusive leadership development.In this episode of the Branding Room Only podcast, you'll learn about the impact of inclusion on brands and the greatest challenges leaders face when confronting (or being confronted with) issues involving equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. You'll also see how Kori's background contributes to the unique way she works with organizations and individuals on these issues.1:25 - What personal brand means to Kori, how she (and others) describe her, and why she has a hard time coming up with favorite things10:58 - How Kori's unique backstory growing up in Nigeria as a Canadian-born Sierra Leonean shaped her life17:31 - How studying political science opened the door to Kori becoming a defense lawyer23:01 - The driving force behind Kori's work navigating inclusion with organizations and leaders and the specific nature of what she does30:04 - What it means for the brand of a leader who doesn't prioritize inclusion now (and why many don't want to talk about the consequences)35:46 - The biggest challenges for organizations that express a desire to improve their diversity and inclusion41:27 - Why truth-telling (with grace) is such an essential part of Kori's brand and her Branding Room Only qualityConnect With Kori CarewKori CarewInstagram | LinkedIn | XSponsor for this episodeThis episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar's distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at info@paulaedgar.com, and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.
The shack dwellers of South African cities have been abandoned by their government, left to try and make homes on land they don't own, without sanitation or electricity, and vulnerable to adverse weather or corrupt and violent law enforcement. But being poor and marginalized doesn't mean you are powerless. The social movement Abahlali baseMjondolo which organizes in the informal settlements has a membership of 120,000 and rising, and a remarkable record of defending its communities against eviction, despite a series of targeted assassinations that have taken 25 of its grassroots leaders. Abahlali's General Secretary, Thapelo Mohapi, explains the movement's organizing approach, strategies, and it's formal structures, and how it is responding to violent attacks and marginalization by the ruling ANC. And in the coda… Audre Lorde shows a Sierra Leonean activist how her fear might be a guide to her purpose. https://strengthandsolidarity.org/podcasts/ Contact us at pod@strengthandsolidarity.org
Eleanor Thompson, a Sierra Leonean human rights lawyer and social justice activist in Freetown has been reading an essay by Audre Lorde, written during a period of heightened awareness of her mortality. Lorde reflects on the ways we avoid speaking our truth in case we provoke anger or rejection and comes to see that our fear may in fact be a guide to our purpose, a powerful insight for Eleanor. https://strengthandsolidarity.org/podcasts/ Contact us at pod@strengthandsolidarity.org
Sierra Leone's main opposition All People's Congress (APC) party has requested a diplomatic dialogue with the Guinean ambassador in Sierra Leone for information on party member Abubakar Boxx Konteh. He was arrested a week ago at the Guinea airport in a joint operation with Guinean and Sierra Leonean security. Sierra Leone Information Minister Chernor Bah told VOA Boxx Konteh was arrested on suspicion of involvement with the November 26, 2023 alleged coup attempt and trafficking of the drug kush. Lansana Dumbuya, National Secretary General of the APC, tells VOA's James Butty, the purpose of the diplomatic dialogue is to appeal to Guinea to ensure that the rights and freedom of Konteh, who is also regional coordinator of the opposition APC party, are protected.
In this episode, we discuss how hidden competition between British financed corporations and United States-backed companies for control of non-transparent service-related contracts and corruptly awarded critical infrastructure projects in Sierra Leone have worsened the country's foreign debt crisis. We examine the risks such developments pose to democracy and real economic propserity in the small west African nation. We highlight how Ernest Bai Koroma and Julius Maada Bio enabled these corrupt corporate agreements in the last 15 years, and how the All Peoples Congress (APC) and Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) function as political proxies of British financed companies and United States-backed corporations exploiting the country. One such example includes the unscrupulous struggle between the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) and United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) over the multi-million dollars non-transparent Western Area Power Generation Project loan agreements involving Blue Flare (BVI), TCQ Power Ltd, CEC Africa Investments Ltd (CECA), Milele Energy, the Bank World Group, and other financial institutions. The same example applies to the Lungi airport loan arrangement with Summa Group, and the DFC's investment loan pumped into Africell. We point out that the current political and economic crisis in Sierra Leone, including the rigged June 2023 elections and skyrocketing taxes, are directly linked to the unscrupulous competition between British companies and American financed corporations operating in the country. Thus, the United States and Britain, as leading partners of the SLPP and APC political leaders, must ensure that their current political and economic engagements in Sierra Leone include the protection of the lives and freedoms of all Sierra Leoneans. This episode is part of the VOICE FROM EXILE commentary series of the Africanist Press.
A relative of Abubakar Boxx Konteh, a Sierra Leonean arrested last Saturday in Guinea, is calling for him to be accorded due process according to international law. The Sierra Leone government says Konteh was arrested in a joint operation with Guinean security in Guinea for his role in the failed coup attempt on November 26, 2023. Ahmed Sesay, a family member of Konteh, tells VOA's James Butty, Konteh's arrest may be part of a witch hunt because he is also regional coordinator of main opposition All People's Congress party.
Sierra Leone says it conducted a joint operation with Guinean security that led to the arrest of Abubakar Boxx Konteh at the Guinea airport while attempting to flee to Senegal. Information Minister Chernor Bah says Konteh, a Sierra Leonean, was arrested on March 23rd on suspicion of providing material support in the planning, execution, and escape of the perpetrators of the failed coup on November 26, 2023. Former President Ernest Bai Koroma was also charged with treason and other offenses for his role in the incident. He was temporarily relocated to Nigeria in exchange for dropping treason charges against him. Information Minister Bah, tells VOA's James Butty, Konteh is also suspected to of involvement in the trade of the drug kush in Sierra Leone
Between July 2021 and June 2023, United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) approved over US$360 million in debts to supposedly finance critical infrastructure projects in Sierra Leone. The debts include US$150 million to the Summa Group for expansion of the Lungi international airport, and US$217 Million loan to Milele Energy and TCQ Power Limited; also to allegedly finance an electricity project in Freetown. These critical infrastructure projects were awarded to the Summa Group, and Milele Energy and TCQ Power, without public knowledge, and without full compliance with Sierra Leone's transparency laws and procurement regulations. Worse, majority of Sierra Leoneans are still unaware of the terms and conditions of these debt financing arrangements, including the interest rates attached to the loans. For one, the agreements granted exclusive proprietary rights over Sierra Leone's strategic assets (the international airport, and the Kissy Terminal/Oil Refinery) to US and European financed corporations for 20-years. Additionally, in September 2022, Sierra Leone's Parliament unanimously revised the country's 1960 Arbitration Law and passed a new Arbitration Act that mostly protects the proprietary rights of foreign companies and multinational corporations who secured recent mining concessions, and non-scrutinized and non-transparent debt-financing projects. In this episode, we examine the impacts of non-transparent debt-financing arrangements on Sierra Leone's democracy and electoral politics. We ask: why the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) approved nearly US$400 million in loans to supposedly fund critical infrastructure projects in Sierra Leone after the country's auditor general had been unconstitutionally sacked? In general, how was Summa Group awarded the airport expansion contract? What is the history of Milele Energy and TCQ Power Limited in Sierra Leone? Why has Sierra Leone continuously experienced lack of electricity despite these huge multinational debts imposed on the country in the name of energy and electricity supply? What are the individual roles of Sierra Leone's two recent presidents, Ernest Bai Koroma and Maada Bio, in these secretive multinational debt deals? Most importantly, how did secretive multinational debts affect the democratic conduct of elections in June 2023? Above all, is it possible to have free, fair, and transparent elections in any African country overloaded with enormous non-transparent debts? This episode is part of the VOICE FROM EXILE commentary series of the Africanist Press.
Sarah Taylor, CCE sits down with Stephaine Filo, ACE to talk all things editing including her work on A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW, DAHMER – MONSTER: THE JEFFREY DAHMER STORY and WE GROWN NOW. Stephanie Filo, ACE, is a 4-time Emmy winner, 7-time Emmy nominee, Peabody and ACE Eddie award winner who is celebrated for her work across film and television. Most recently, Stephanie made history as the first Picture Editor to be nominated for three editing Emmys in the same year across three different shows. Nominated for her work on Netflix's Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, created by Ryan Murphy; Hulu's History of the World Part II, a sequel to Mel Brooks' iconic original film; and Robin Thede's groundbreaking HBO series A Black Lady Sketch Show, Stephanie's nominations also make her the first Black editor to be nominated 3 times for Picture Editing in a single year. Stephanie has also been a part of other prior history-making Emmy wins as well. In 2020, for the news documentary Separated, she and Nzinga Blake became the first Sierra Leonean women to win an Emmy award. In 2021 she was awarded for Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming, making herself and her team at the time the first all Women of Color editing team to win an Emmy. Just last year in 2022, Stephanie was awarded for her work once again, making herself and her colleagues the first all-Black editing team to win an Emmy, as well as the first all-Black editing team to win an ACE Eddie award. Aside from editing television and film, Stephanie spends much of her spare time producing and editing social action campaigns and documentaries, primarily focused on the rights of women and girls worldwide. Some of her notable campaigns include her work with the United Nations, International Labour Organization, and the Obama White House Task Force's It's On Us campaign to combat campus sexual assault. Stephanie's charitable work has been featured in Forbes Magazine, Entertainment Tonight, Telegraph UK, Yahoo, Al Jazeera, XWhy Magazine, and various others. Her work on the news documentary series Mental State earned her a news Emmy nomination for the episode "Aging Out" about youth aging out of the American foster care system. Stephanie also earned an Emmy win for her editing on the Mental State episode "Separated" which covered ICE deportations. Stephanie serves on the board for Girls Empowerment Sierra Leone, a social impact and feminist-based organization for Sierra Leonean girls aged 11-16. She is also one of the co-founders of End Ebola Now, an organization created in 2014 to spread accurate information and awareness about the Ebola Virus and its impact through artistic community activism. Stephanie is based in Los Angeles, CA and Sierra Leone, West Africa.
Three Sierra Leoneans in the 2024 Budapest to Bamako rally are driving some 9,000km or 549 miles from Hungary in Europe to Sierra Leone across two continents. This year's rally ends in Sierra Leone because of the political-military situation in its usual final destination, Bakako, Mali. Ibrahim Cole, one of the three Sierra Leoneans, tells VOA's James Butty, he is participating in the rally to raise awareness of autism because one of his children has the condition
From Dreams to Dollars: Owning a Record Label in Sierra Leone The Inside Story with @IKSNM #Salone https://www.tiktok.com/@therealiksnm https://www.instagram.com/therealiksnm/?hl=en Buy Courses at https://bit.ly/PrepareforyourfirsttriptoAfricaudemy Support Us On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/gamediversified - IK and KELLEN had a conversation about IK's music journey, his record label called Skinny Knit of Music (S&M), and his other venture in repair and maintenance. They also discussed the pushback IK received for the controversial name of his record label and his music. - PLAY @1:00: https://fathom.video/share/REAEUXRQZtD2sxKgiYmrtS3qm3s42ToN?timestamp=60.0 - IK and KELLEN discussed the pushback IK received for naming his label "skinny music" and the challenges he faced in getting people to understand his vision. Despite some resistance, IK remained determined to create a platform for talented artists, particularly in Sierra Leone, and believed that with the right support, they could achieve great success. - PLAY @6:28: https://fathom.video/share/REAEUXRQZtD2sxKgiYmrtS3qm3s42ToN?timestamp=388.04 - In the conversation, KELLEN and IK discuss the impact of names and controversy in the music industry, as well as the pressure to create certain types of music. They also touch on how music can reflect real-life events and experiences, and the importance of creating their own vision rather than following trends. - PLAY @11:47: https://fathom.video/share/REAEUXRQZtD2sxKgiYmrtS3qm3s42ToN?timestamp=707.96 - IK and KELLEN discussed the evolution of music genres and the importance of representing Sierra Leone through Afro Creole music. They also talked about the potential for Afro Creole to gain popularity worldwide and the need for African artists to make music in Africa. - PLAY @17:00: https://fathom.video/share/REAEUXRQZtD2sxKgiYmrtS3qm3s42ToN?timestamp=1020.0 - IK and KELLEN discussed IK's aspirations of being an African artist while living abroad and his unique blend of genres. They also touched on the struggles and potential of the Sierra Leone music scene, emphasizing the need for support from fans and followers to help build the genre and create a movement. - PLAY @22:02: https://fathom.video/share/REAEUXRQZtD2sxKgiYmrtS3qm3s42ToN?timestamp=1322.84 - KELLEN and IK discussed the need for unity and community in order to bring about positive change in their country. They emphasized the importance of supporting and promoting local artists, improving branding and image, and making changes in streaming services to attract investors. - PLAY @27:53: https://fathom.video/share/REAEUXRQZtD2sxKgiYmrtS3qm3s42ToN?timestamp=1673.66 - IK and Kellen discussed the challenges of getting artists to listen to advice and the need for humility and respect in the Sierra Leone music industry. They also mentioned the missed opportunities in the past and the potential for success by setting an example and supporting new artists. - PLAY @33:49: https://fathom.video/share/REAEUXRQZtD2sxKgiYmrtS3qm3s42ToN?timestamp=2029.6 - KELLEN and IK discussed the lack of understanding and willingness to put in the necessary work among Sierra Leonean artists. They emphasized the importance of focusing on creating good music, building a strong image, and doing the necessary details to achieve success in the music industry. - PLAY @39:05: --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/diversifiedgame/message
Sandra Lako was born in The Netherlands but grew up on board the Anastasis where she spent much time playing with patients in the hospital. What might be uncomfortable for some was normal for Sandra and she was not bothered by the sights and sounds of a hospital. Sandra later became Dr. Sandra Lako and has been practicing medicine now for over 17 years in Sierra Leone. In this beautiful country, she's seen the need for safe surgery and medical care. But, she has also seen the resilience and determination of the people she works alongside. Dr. Sandra is excited to have the Global Mercy in Sierra Leone as she works with Mercy Ships to bring hope and healing to the Sierra Leoneans. In this episode, Dr. Sandra shares some fun childhood memories on the Anastasis. She tells about the moment she knew she wanted to go into medicine and the gift of living and working in Sierra Leone. Dr. Sandra is sure to fill you with hope that God is moving and doing great things amongst those in need in West Africa. For more information about Mercy Ships, visit www.mercyships.org Follow us on Instagram at New Mercies Podcast
On Daybreak Africa: Gabon's main opposition wants the country's new military leaders to return the country to democratic rule. Plus, Nigeria's President Tinubu says ECOWAS military intervention in Niger is a last resort. Meanwhile, diplomatic tension between France and Niger widen. A Malawi Court suspends an arrest warrant for a political activist. Sierra Leone says US visas restrictions for some Sierra Leoneans are unfair. For this and more tune to Daybreak Africa!
On Daybreak Africa: A presidential aspirant withdraws from Zimbabwe's August 23 elections. Plus, Liberia extradites a former Sierra Leonean police chief to Freetown. Malawi declares a deadly Cholera outbreak is no longer a threat. Botswana seeks pharmacists from abroad after nurses stop dispensing medications and analysis of this week's heavy fighting in Ethiopia's Amhara region. For this and more tune to Daybreak Africa!
Welcome to the Lecker Book Club. Every month I'll pick a newly released food related book and talk to the author about the process of writing it. I'll also be cooking from the book and writing about that on Substack and Patreon. Join me there as well! On the first edition of the Lecker Book Club: Maria Bradford's Sweet Salone. Maria grew up in Sierra Leone and moved to Kent, UK in her late teens. Sweet Salone is the first English-language book of Sierra Leonean recipes published internationally, and in it Maria wanted to share the unique nature of the food of her home country, but also celebrate the country's people, including her own family. But it wasn't necessarily a smooth process writing the book, as you'll hear her talk about. We spoke about the culture shock she experienced on arriving in the UK; what it was like encountering strawberries and apples for the first time. But it was Maria's deep-rooted curiosity about all kinds of food that eventually led her on a path to training at Leiths and setting up her fine-dining catering business, Shwen Shwen - a Krio phrase meaning ‘fancy'. It's this outlook and experience that closely informs the recipes in the book: from traditional dishes learned from her mother and grandmother, to her very own brand of Afrofusion. Sweet Salone is out now, published by Quadrille. Find all of the Lecker Book Club reads on my Bookshop.org list. Support Lecker by becoming a paid subscriber on Patreon, Apple Podcasts and now on Substack. Music is by Blue Dot Sessions.
Heather goes to Los Angeles, California to find out what the Recording Academy's new “Best African Music Performance” category in the Grammy Awards means for Africa and America. She speaks with 3x Grammy nominee, Ghanaian-American musician and activist Rocky Dawuni. Sierra Leonean singer, rapper LuWiz dies in car crash. KiSwahili Day was celebrated all throughout East Africa on Friday, July 7th.
This week Janine (@missj9) welcomes back Sierra Leonean chef and author Maria Bradford (@shwenshwenbymaria) as she talks about what afro-fusion cooking means to her and shares stories and recipes from her new book, Sweet Salone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Italy's former PM Silvio Berlusconi died on 12th June. Known for his lavish spending on Milan football club and his tumultuous relationship with Italian justice, the late media magnate had also a lesser-known passion: relaxing in Malindi. He was once quoted saying that he just 'could not get enough of the Kenyan coast'. Today, Malindi attracts European tourists, particularly Italians. A former manager of the super-luxury hotel Lion in the Sun, where Berlusconi stayed, reveals how the once fishing village became a destination cherished by Italians, including the late Silvio Berlusconi. Also in the pod: as politicians and investors meet in Kenya to discuss how to harness renewable energy in Africa, a young policy adviser from Kenya tells us why she believes that wind energy has a promising future And two young Sierra Leoneans discuss the importance of voting in this year's presidential elections
On Daybreak Africa: The Liberian National Police is expected to hold a news conference Wednesday to provide what they are calling a significant update on their investigation into the death of Ms. Charloe Musu at the home of Gloria Musu- Scott, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia. Plus, over four million people in Kenya face severe food insecurity. We'll examine efforts in Nigeria to close the education gap. Sierra Leoneans work to fight misinformation as the country votes this Saturday and the US sanctions a South Sudanese military officer and a governor for the rape of hundreds of women and girls. For this and more, stay tuned to Daybreak Africa!
How Can Blockchain Education Create Groundbreaking Opportunities for Everyone? In this episode of The Next Billion podcast, George Harrap is joined by Colin Ogoo, from Solana Foundation's developer relations and Christex Foundation's founder. Colin shares his experience of learning and contributing to the Solana ecosystem. He discusses his role at the Solana Foundation, his involvement with the Christex Foundation in Sierra Leone to foster Solana adoption and drive positive impact in the region. Colin shares insights into the Christex Foundation's mission to enable Sierra Leoneans to embrace the opportunities of web3 technology while the foundation is focusing on developments for local needs. They talk about how technology acts as a great equalizer, allowing individuals with the necessary skills to be immune to local economic and political fluctuations. Listen to George and Colin's raw and insightful perspectives here, and on Spotify, at //open.spotify.com/show/2ELv0Ct Follow Colin Ogoo on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/c_ogoo?s=20 Follow Christex Foundation on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/ChristexFndn?s=20 Crypto is so much more than just numbers and nodes. It's about onboarding The Next Billion users. The Next Billion podcast is a direct, and unfiltered dive into the stories of the builders that are making this happen. Host George Harrap has wide-ranging conversations to help people better understand the future of crypto adoption and uses around the world to help onboard The Next Billion people into crypto. Subscribe to join us on the journey of onboarding The Next Billion. Follow The Next Billion Twitter https://twitter.com/the_nextbillion
This week we had the absolute please of speaking with Oléin.Born and raised in South London, Oléin breaks boundaries within multiple music genres with her uniquely evolving sound and image. As she finds herself floating between her Turkish and Sierra Leonean roots, Oléin very early in her life started exploring the meaning of identity, aiming to bridge the gap between her cultures and Western upbringing through music. After winning a music scholarship with her piano, violin and vocal performance, Oléin continued exploring her passions for the arts, taking full creative direction of her artistic vision, sound and development. With her fiery, bold, yet playful feminine touch, Oléin is all about diversity, confidence, and being unapologetically herself. Oléin expresses this through her music by playing around with a range of sounds giving you a taste of lustful afroswing, smokey pop and a touch of glossy R&B. Listen Oléin's music on Spotify Oléin | SpotifyStay safe and always keep up to date with pop culture (or don't, since we will for you anyway).Lots of loveHayriye & Huriye xoxo
“War, Women, and Post-conflict Empowerment: Lessons from Sierra Leone depicts the everyday struggles of women trying to improve their lives, while illuminating the political, legal and economic conditions of Sierra Leoneans after civil war," writes Miriam Anderson. This week's episode is Anderson's full review of the book, originally published in The Monkey Cage. Review read by Ami Tamakloe. Episode edited by Jack Kubinec. Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has transferred Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant from his post. On Saturday, Mr Gallant called on the prime minister to halt legislation on his proposed changes to the judiciary. The controversial bill has divided the country with many seeing it as a threat to Israeli democracy. Also in the programme: Kamala Harris arrives in Ghana as part of an Africa tour; and we hear from a Sierra Leonean living in Tunisia, on the difficulties facing sub-Saharan African migrants in the country. (Picture: Israel's Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant has been dismissed. Credit: EPA/ATEF SAFADI)
Amadu Massally is our guest today. He is the CEO and co-founder of Fambul Tiki and he is from Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa, that is bordered on one side by the Atlantic Ocean. It is known for the white-sand beaches lining the Freetown Peninsula. And also as one that has minerals! The main ones being diamonds, gold, bauxite, rutile, limonite, and iron. We are also blessed with rich fauna and flora and have some unique hippopotamuses, over a hundred bird species, and even rare chimpanzees. But one of the most interesting things about this country is how it helped to shape some parts of the world via the Transatlantic Slave Trade. And the formation of the capital city, Freetown, it is arguable, one of the most fascinating stories out there with regard to the establishment of capital cities, the world over. It is also the only country in Africa that can clearly show a two-way connection with the Gullah-Geechee people of South Carolina and Georgia to date. Sierra Leone has another two-way connection with the Maroons of Jamaica. We will explore some of those connections on these pages. While this is not well-known today, Sierra Leonean has a two-way connection with Trinidad and Tobago. Carriacou, Grenada; and Halifax, NS are also connections to Sierra Leone that Fambul Tik has explored. https://fambultik.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bj-murphy9/support
We are living with a global epidemic of injustice, but we've been choosing to ignore it. More than 25 years ago, Vivek Maru told his grandmother that he wanted to go to law school. “Grandma didn't pause,” he recounted. “She said to me, ‘Lawyer is liar.’” Though he went on to fulfill that desire, Vivek soon realized that his grandmother wasn’t entirely wrong. Vivek came to see that “something about law and lawyers has gone wrong.” Law is “supposed to be the language we use to translate our dreams about justice into living institutions that hold us together” – to honor the dignity of everyone, strong or weak. But as he told an audience on the TEDGlobal stage in 2017, lawyers are not only expensive and out of reach for most – worse, “our profession has shrouded law in a cloak of complexity. Law is like riot gear on a police officer. It's intimidating and impenetrable, and it's hard to tell there's something human underneath.” In 2011, Vivek founded Namati to demystify the law, facilitate global grassroots-led systems change, and to grow the movement for legal empowerment around the world. Namati and its partners have built cadres of grassroots legal advocates in eight countries. The advocates have worked with more than 65,000 people to protect community lands, enforce environmental law, and secure basic rights to health care and citizenship. Globally, Namati convenes the Legal Empowerment Network, made up of more than 3,000 groups from over 170 countries who are learning from one another and collaborating on common challenges. This community successfully advocated for the inclusion of justice in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and for the creation of the Legal Empowerment Fund, with a goal of putting $100 million into grassroots justice efforts worldwide. Though he nearly dropped out of law school after his first year because the law felt disconnected from the problems of ordinary people he had encountered in rural villages the year earlier, Vivek stuck with it and moved to Sierra Leone soon after he graduated, just after the end of a brutal 11-year civil war. Several years before Namati, he co-founded an organization called Timap (which means “stand up”) to help rural Sierra Leoneans address injustice and hold government accountable. Realizing that a conventional legal aid model would have been unworkable, as there were only 100 lawyers in Sierra Leone (more than 90 of which were in the capital rather than in rural areas), he instead focused on training a frontline of community paralegals in basic law and in tools like mediation, advocacy, education, and organizing. Just like a health care system relies on nurses, midwives, and community health workers in addition to physicians, he saw that justice required community paralegals (sometimes called “barefoot lawyers”) to serve as a bridge to serve the legal needs of communities and “to turn law from an abstraction or a threat into something that every single person can understand, use and shape.” As he later recounted, “We found that paralegals are often able to squeeze justice out of a broken system: stop a school master from beating children; negotiate child support payments from a derelict father; persuade the water authority to repair a well. In exceptionally intractable cases, as when a mining company in the southern province damaged six villages’ land and abandoned the region without paying compensation, a tiny corps of lawyers can resort to litigation and higher-level advocacy to obtain a remedy.” More significantly, he realized: Paralegals are from the communities they serve. They demystify law, break it down into simple terms, and then they help people look for a solution. They don't focus on the courts alone. They look everywhere: ministry departments, local government, an ombudsman's office. Lawyers sometimes say to their clients, "I'll handle it for you. I've got you." Paralegals have a different message, not "I'm going to solve it for you," but "We're going to solve it together, and in the process, we're both going to grow." And case by case and story by story, community paralegals help paint a portrait of the system as a whole, which can serve as the basis for systemic change efforts in laws and policy. “This is a different way of approaching reform. This is not a consultant flying into Myanmar with a template he's going to cut and paste from Macedonia, and this is not an angry tweet. This is about growing reforms from the experience of ordinary people trying to make the rules and systems work,” Vivek says. It’s ultimately “about forging a deeper version of democracy in which we the people, we don't just cast ballots every few years, we take part daily in the rules and institutions that hold us together, in which everyone, even the least powerful, can know law, use law and shape law.” Vivek was named a Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the World Economic Forum, a “legal rebel” by the American Bar Association, and an Ashoka Fellow. He received the Pioneer Award from the North American South Asian Bar Association in 2008. He, Namati, and the Global Legal Empowerment Network received the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship in 2016. He graduated from Harvard College, magna cum laude, and Yale Law School. His undergraduate thesis was called Mohandas, Martin, and Malcolm on Violence, Culture, and Meaning. Prior to starting Namati, he served as senior counsel in the Justice Reform Group of the World Bank. Vivek is co-author of Community Paralegals and the Pursuit of Justice (Cambridge University Press). His TED talk, “How to Put the Power of Law in People’s Hands,” has been viewed over a million times. He lives with his family in Washington, DC., and though he travels a lot, he tries to spend time in a forest or other natural place every week, wherever he is. Vivek studies capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art that mixes dance with fighting techniques as a creative form of resistance, with Dale Marcelin at Universal Capoeira Angola Center. “There’s a mischievousness and soulfulness even though you’re engaging in a life-and-death struggle,” Maru says. “I like its lesson of smiling in the face of danger.” He is also deeply influenced by his Jain spiritual background and Gandhian principles. He is interested in a Jainism that balances an inward turn with an engagement in the outer world, citing a Jain monk who said “The test of true spirituality is in practice, not isolation . . . there is a need to strike the right balance between internal and external development.” Join us in conversation with this exceptional leader and warrior for justice!
After a senior Somali military commander and several other soldiers are killed in an al-Shabab attack on a base north of Mogadishu, we get a response from the government. Plus, the Sierra Leonean activist Alimatu Dimonekene, who has received an MBE from the UK's King Charles for her campaign to eradicate female genital mutilation. And we're in Tanzania for a special panel discussion on climate change, at the launch of the 2023 BBC News Komla Dumor Award.
Aminatta Forna was a child when Sierra Leone fell into a brutal, ten-year civil war. Now, 20 years later, she's working to ensure that Sierra Leoneans shape the country's postwar narrative. Forna joins Ray to chat about legacy, trauma, and forging identity – and joy – in the aftermath of violence, in her recent essay collection, The Window Seat: Notes from a Life in Motion. Guest: Aminatta Forna, award-winning writer and author of The Window Seat: Notes from a Life in Motion Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.
War captures headlines… but what happens when the rubble clears? How does a country – and its people – rebuild after tragedy? Chernor Bah was a child when Sierra Leone fell into a brutal, ten-year civil war. Now, 20 years later, he's working to ensure that Sierra Leoneans, especially women, are at the center of the country's postwar narrative and development. Bah shares how his early experiences with war and humanitarian aid inspired to create Purposeful, an Africa-rooted organization that challenges the long held assumption that men – and white donors – should dictate redevelopment in the Global South. Guest: Chernor Bah, co-founder and CEO of Purposeful Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.
There's been shock and outrage after the killing of a Nigerian man in Italy in broad daylight. Sierra Leonean doctors have started a nationwide strike to demand better conditions and a long awaited fuel entitlement. Plus the challenges that women face in Kenya on the political campaign trail.
Host Vickie Remoe is in conversation with Sierra Leonean poet, playwright, and author Oumar Farouk Sesay, Oumar talks and shares insights from his four-decade-long career as a writer and creative. His latest play “The Throne” challenges audiences to question their beliefs on identity, homosexuality, and tradition. Show Notes Listen to Daddy Saj's Che Che: https://bit.ly/3Bc2xQY Follow the Mane Chronicles: https://bit.ly/3Rq6AyV Ship to Sierra Leone from the USA with Dot Bleu Find your next outfit at The Doll House Boutique To make Sierra Leone better for women and girls in Salone better support the Asmaa James Foundation https://bit.ly/3ybDLz5
College Bound Determination Founder Carol Ben-Davies, is a first generation American born to Sierra Leonean parents who arrived in the US in the 70's. Carol talks about her college experience and how it was instrumental in her career decisions and subsequently her business. When Carol was 14 years old her parents moved to a small town in North Carolina and she struggled with being a first generation American with African parents. However once she went to college that changed. For her, it was the embracing of other students who were born in Africa or whose parents were born in Africa and they were first gen, were in this space together learning and growing , trying to figure life out. It was there that she really begun to embrace her identity. “ I think we forget that aspect of college life. We think solely about the academic piece . We think a lot about the social aspect too but the lifelong learning and growing that you do there is so profound! “ Carol Ben-Davies She says that the realities of college are such that parents need to be aware that the college journey doesn't end when their child is admitted into college but actually begins in middle school and ends when their child leaves college.
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