Sierra Leone today
© Vanessa Wruble/ vanessawithoutborders.com
Sierra Leoneans have a talent for creating entertainment out of quite dire circumstances. Over the last few years, the country’s music industry has taken off with a crop of young homegrown artists wowing fans with strings of hits. These literally are hits – they really hit their points home – as many of the most popular songs deal with pressing problems in society.
For instance, Daddy Saj, a leading Sierra Leonean singer had a hit with “Corruption – E do so” (“that’s enough of corruption”) that struck a chord with Sierra Leoneans and indeed Africans in general. Still on the theme of corruption, another artist, Emmerson, had an even bigger hit with “Borbor Bele” (roughly referring to someone with a potbelly gained from living the good life on ill-gotten gains).
© Vanessa Wruble/ vanessawithoutborders.com
Daddy Saj’s latest hit is “Sorriest Part” in which he sings that in 2007 Sierra Leone will be like heaven where there’s employment, constant electricity, plenty of food, no corruption, but the sorriest part – who will be the next president? This song (and many others) anticipates the forthcoming 2007 elections at a time of considerable disappointment and frustration with the status quo. While some might say that post-war expectations in Sierra Leone were too high to be met, others would say the politicians have done too little to meet even minimal expectations. Baw Waw Society, another popular group likens politicians now actively jockeying for power (barely two months into 2006!) to squirrels, rats and worse.
© Bimbola Carrol/VisitSierraLeone.org
Sierra Leonean artists do, of course, also sing about lighter matters of the heart! Nonetheless, the music industry illustrates what young people can achieve when they seize the moment. Artists record their songs in local studios, the 3,000 members of the Cassette Sellers Association distribute the music countrywide, pay the artists royalties, and police for piracy.
