Problem with Pot Holes & Luxury of Light

Problem with Potholes

Spur Road
Wilkinson Road
Aberdeen Road
Lumbley Beach Road
Murray Town Road
King Street
Main Motor Road

Does Ernest Bai Koroma have a private chopper that flies him around from the president's Lodge that i dont know about? Do PRADO's have wings or glide? Do minister's not feel pot holes because their tyres have special powers that prevent them from entering them. WHAT IS GOING ON???

There were certain roads that over the years were the best tarred roads in the western area. Those roads included Spur Rd, Wilkinson, Lumbley, Murray Town, and the road leading up to wilberforce which i think is Main Motor Rd but i could be wrong.

Anyway...

Since the end of the rain season those roads which have usually been patchpatched by SL Road Transport Authority (under administration of the ministry of transport and avaition headed by non other than uncle Pat Sowe) have been stripped, weathered and eroded because of poor drainage systems and deforestation. In fact i am almost certain that wilkinson rd has no drainage system so that when it rains all the water collects on the street.

I dont know what the budget is for road maintainance but it seems to me that something is clearly amiss. If i were president of sierra leone i would call Pat Sowe up and give him a shovel and and dirt and tar and ask him to fix it.

I drive an old old beat up mercedes and it would have a longer life cycle if i didnt spend all my time dodging holes which i can barely see at night because there are no streetlights and new holes seem to be popping up on a daily basis. No matter how well i drive, i end up missing a couple that either might burst my tyre or damage my under carriage. I am sick and tired of the damn pot holes.

Especially Murray Town Rd which if i might add is where the vice president lives, but i guess when u r speeding in your convoy u dont notice these things. Might i also add the the Vice president paved the road from his junction at Doherty St (which is off murray town rd) all the way to his house...I guess thats all that is important to him.

Luxury of Light

On a better note...i can confirm that bumbuna is definitely on. Everyone I know on the west end of town has reportedly seen an increase in Light from NPA. My house on average over the past week has had atleast 18hours of electricity per day. It is really incredible and we are all amazed. I can actually watch movies all the way end. And even though the generator man has not responded to my requests for generator repair i am not suffering in black out.

So i am really excited and happy about the light and i hope they can keep it up. We had a pre-paid meter installed at our house some months ago and its really working well for us even though the tarriffs seem to be a bit higher. The pre paid meters tend to penalize high end energy consumers which i dont know if is good or bad.

So i'm down on the roads but up on the light....we cant have it all.

Only in Salone: British High Commision Visa Section Inffeciency Alert

I had already planned to complain about the cost of getting a British Visa as a Sierra Leonean national when upon arrival at the British High Commission I was informed that prices had been increased because of the exchange rate. I asked the security officer why the website hadn’t been updated to indicate this change and he said sorry ma they are working on it. As of Oct 13th 2009 when I changed my appointment to the 19th Oct the website still had le.970,000 as the fee, and they have now increased it to 1,290,000. British nationals applying for Sierra Leonean visas pay about le.250,000 a fee that is set by Sierra Leone immigration. If you are going to charge such excorbitant prices the list you could do is update your website i'm sure they have enough money for that.

I want to make a recommendation to the SL High Commission (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and SL Immigration to in the future develop a policy where they do matching fees with respective Embassies in Sierra Leone. I guess they may be thinking that they don’t wont to deter foreign nationals from coming to SL and that is why the fees are so reasonable but I will say that they should use the same rational the British High Commission uses i.e. high fees cover processing costs, deter undesirables from entering their country, and use the fees raised to pay high commission staff etc. etc.

So the price of the visa was strike 1. The price increase that was not updated on their website was strike 2 please read on for strike 3.

Already fuming at the price increase I was informed that I had to make a photocopy of the 32 pages of my passport. “Why isn’t it on the website that you must photocopy all the pages of your passport?” “sorry ma please ask them when you get inside”.

I walked away from the High Commission determined to find a place to photocopy the documents to make the 12midday processing deadline. I went to two locations in Lumbley that had photocopy on their signboards. Neither of them actually did any photocopying. I had reached my boiling point and my eyes turned read as the steam whistled from by ears.

I finally went to a friend’s office on Wilkinson rd and was able to scan the documents and print them before I headed back to the security post at the British High Commission.

They took my phones and I asked me if I had a camera or USB device. I said I don’t have anything. He said ok good luck and I retorted I don’t need luck. I went through the metal detectors and followed the arrows to the visa/consular section.

There were a handful of people waiting to be processed by two Sierra Leonean…a man and a woman. The man behind the counter says “I recognize u from somewhere” and I said “probably television” and he said “yep on TV”. I asked him why they hadn’t updated their website re the price change and he said that they had…and I said no u have not and he said yes we have and I said NO YOU HAVE NOT. I also asked him why did I have to photocopy all the pages of my passport and he said because the visas are processed in the Gambia. I said why is this not on your website and he said nothing. I said that was problematic and he said I can complain there is information on the wall and I said or I will. He took my money and my papers and said that I should wait to be finger printed. I sat down and much to my surprise my friend Omar’s dad walks in, also at the high commission for a visa to attend the SLIEPA conference in November.

Some minutes went by and I asked the guy behind the counter if they served lunch. He smiled, “do u wanna buy me lunch”? “No, I just thought that with all the cash u guys have your provided refreshments”. He smiled again, only I was so not joking…my belleh bin don begin fo at.

A little later I get called into a small room where a Salone lady I had seen about town was sitting with my papers in a file. She didn’t ask me anything and just made guttural and nasal noises to herself as she flipped my application pages and typed some info into the computer. . We didn’t exchange any words. She asked me to put my fingers on a biometric scanner much like the one at the airport at JFK. I did as I was told.

Then she told me to look into a camera…and kept repeating I can’t see your eyes I need to see your eyes. I guess my side swept bangs were in the way. Eventually she saw my eyes, took the photograph and told me she was done. I made my exit after she handed me a slip that said that I qualified for premium visa processing service which meant that my visa app would be processed in Freetown and not sent to the Gambia. I am to collect my passport in 2days. Will they or Or wont they?

Should I wait till after I receive my passport to post this blog? Will they not give it to me if I complain on my blog? Well we shall see cause I’m posting right now!!!!

Sierra Leone Cricket Squad beats Rwanda to advance to the World Cricket League (WCL) Africa Division 2

(couldnt find any cricket images of the team)
(map indicating countries with cricket teams in Africa)
As i checked in at the Kenya Airways counter two weeks ago on my way to Ghana. I was flanked by almost a dozen young suited brothers in a maroon and green combo. I couldnt make out the crests on their jackets but when i asked later i was informed that they were the Sierra Leone National Cricket Squad on their way to a competition in Malawi. Countries included in the Africa Division 3 competitions were Malawi, Rwanda, Gambia, Lesotho, Morroco, and the Sierra Leone underdogs.

We got on the airplane and the teams manager a very dapper greying krio gentle man in a straw hat turned around to respond to a team member behind me who was asking to have his photograph taken in the plane.
"Bo you sure say u want make ah shoot you"-team manager.
"Yes shoot me"- team member
"Bohboh you sure? Oona yeri oh na di man say make ah shoot am na plane"- team manager
People started to chuckle aware that he was poking fun of the player.

A Lebanese guy sitting next to the team manager asked where they were going and he explained that they were headed to Malawi for a competition.He wished them good luck. Not to be out done and totally meaning it, i too wished them goodluck as i exited the airplane two hours later when we landed in accra.

I was most proud and happy to learn when i came back on tuesday that the team had in fact returned home with medals last week as the runners up to compete in the World Cricket League Divison 2 Africa competitions to be played in Benoni, South Africa next year.

The cricket squad consisted of 5 Under19 players and 8 seniors. Sierra Leone and Lesotho were the only two teams playing with 100% locally based and born players

Back in April this year Sierra Leone and Uganda were the only african teams to qualify for the U19 championship September games in Canada. However, the canadian government refused them visas and they failed to make it to the competition and were disqualified (according to the Canadian consul in ghana-Sierra Leone submitted their visa apps too late...but it is the widely held view that they are afraid that the players will not return to Salone after the matches in Canada)

Despite all this the Cricket Team continues to fly the national banner up way way high. Your cricket is cool!!!

A VERY BIG CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU TO OUR NATIONAL SIDE.

YOU MAKE ME VERY PROUD

SOS: Valentine Esegragbo Melvine Strasser

SOS signal is a prosign, its respective letters have no inherent meaning per se


On April 29th 1992 I was 7 years old. Valentine Strasser was 25. The APC of my father and Joseph saidu momoh was at the zenith of its decay and decadence and way month don man dem noh day get pay but this is not a commentary on the politics of then or now. This is about Strasser. Every couple years or so someone takes interest writes an article in the paper and some people feel sad, others laugh, while many make a mockery of his current state rightly drinking his days away at a poyo bar living off his military retirement package. Some pipul dem kin say "if mi na bin Strasser ah noh fo bin end up so". Ask anyone about Strasser and they have an opinion..."oh he started out well with the right intention but he lost it", "na da im ooman way im bin day wit na im make im end up so" "na blood day fet am".

Valentine Strasser is a victim and a perpetrator. A victim of youth, ignorance, arrogance, power, a perpetrator of violence and like most military dictatorships Strasser and his comrades were choked and strangled by excesses, ills, and the corruption of absolute power.

I lived in Sierra Leone for two years of their almost 4 year rule, from age 7-9 and mi na bin pekin but I remember the fear in grown folk’s eyes. The way people hush hushed when they spoke of the killings or jail sentences, early retirement, or who had left the country in exile. Congosa, rumors, and accusations beat the rhythms of the era. I heard Bambay Kamara had an underground safe with big snakes that he worshipped. I heard his house was ransacked. I heard his wife (who was a really good friend of my mom's) was stripped naked in the street. My heart used to jump every time their convoys sped down the road causing chaos as cars swerved every which way to let them pass.

Those were the days when u could get a beating for getting to work late and grown men in suits would sweat beads as they were made to frog jump in the sun. Those were the days of kabasah lodge skirts and bleached out skins, pato banton's "go pato", community empowerment, national cleaning Saturdays, Leone Stars victories, and 50 heroes of Sierra Leone handbook, mural paintings and city wide beautification projects. Those were the days when people were scared into doing the right thing. Those were the days when being young was cool. Those were the days of national pride.

We left Sierra Leone in 1994 for Ethiopia and that concluded our NPRC experience and their regime went south after that. They plunged the coffers of the state and infighting led to a coup d'etat that oust Strasser and brought in another one of his comrades who eventually gave way to the democratically elected government of Tejan Kabbah.

Strasser is now in his early forties withering away and he could quite easily spend the rest of his days playing poyo to poyo. In fact with life expectancy the way it is in Salone he may not even have that long to live...who knows...

What I do know however, is that the constitution of Sierra Leone makes provisions for former heads of state and Strasser is not and has not benefited from it. Whatever your thoughts on Strasser or his regime we must show the man some compassion. It would be telling of us as a people if we let this man's life close in such a way and do not find avenues to restore his dignity as a man, a citizen, and as a former head of state.

What message does Strasser's current state send to young people?? If you ever get an opportunity to be in a position of power, steal mercilessly so u don’t end up like Strasser.


(Two of his former military comrades Maada Bio and Karefa Kargbo can both be found rubbing shoulders with Freetown’s elite. I wonder what they did right that Strasser did not)

Miss ECOWAS Peace Pageant- Sierra Leone Contestants

So the other day i got a call from Adonis Aboud to help recruit some local girls to participate in the Miss Ecowas Peace Pageant in Nigeria. The auditions were held at Balmaya and about 11 girls turned up of which two would represent salone in naija. The grand prize for the pageant would be $5000 and a new 2009 toyota and the title of miss ecowas for the year, traveling the subregion to promote peace, development, and diversity. As a lucky lucky judge i was able to get to see young hard bodies strut their stuff in bathing suits and casual wear while they were asked questions on peace and diversity. Though some of the contestants were not very articulate, their bodies were quite svelte...wetin na abdominal??. The panel of six judges selected Ramatu and Fatou to represent Salone in the pageant.

Ernest Bai & The APC Party 2 years in power

On Thursday the 17th while i was putting up the Vickie Remoe Show Highlights which u can watch here (major plug), Earnest Bai Koroma's APC Party celebrated their two year anniversary in power. We were promised that Bumbuna would come on that very same day and i hear that it was turned on but i still have black out, if its on, i aint felt the change yet. As we waited to break our fast i listened to several people voice their opinions of the APC so far. Some said they were disgruntled and disappointed in Ernest Bai's government others are pleased and claim that their quality of life has improved since the elections. Last year i wrote about my opinions on the party and i'm not sure if much has changed. What i can say though is that Freetown is ridiculously overpriced in every sense of the word. The quality of most things are mediocre but you have to give an arm and a leg to be regular and enjoy the basics so for me the verdicts still out.

Splash Mobile Money: Sierra Leone's 1st Mobile Payment System "Dont Flash Me, Splash Me"

This Week in Freetown some very smart people launched the first mobile payment system in Sierra Leone---SPLASH MOBILE MONEY. These very smart people forgot to invite yours truly to the event at Balmaya but i'm not bitter...hint, hint...they'll learn the error of their ways and repent. Anyway back to the goodies

What is Splash?
Well you get either your Africell or Zain phone and u go to a splash agent and set up a splash account by filling out a registration form ( i guess if you are illiterate the agent will fill out the form for you) Once thats done Splash sends you a pin and password to your phone. Then you can top up and put money on your splash account by paying cash to an agent. The amount is then stored on your phone and when ever you want to u can use your pin (which u should never store on your phone just in case your phone gets jacked) and send money to any Africell or Zain customer whether they have a splash account or not.

Then the recipient of the splash money can proceed to a splash agent to collect their funds. To find out more on this process you can download their very user friendly guide...i like the use of people of color on the guide...THATS HOT!!! Also very hot is the fact that you do not need a bank account to use the system. I dont have a splash account yet but i'll get it activated this week and let you guys know how it goes.

I think that Splash could possibly be a great addition to small business operations in town. For example, someone needing to order food from a restaurant can splash them the money before they ever bring the food. Or u could pay your kids school fees without even going there or having to deal with di pekin tellin u say im don lost d school fee money :-)

COSTS
Its free to register a Splash Account but u gotta pay to send money. Check out the tarriffs here

Who is behind SPLASH??
Our very own econometric and scorpio brother Jiwoh Abdulai. Shaka Forna (brother to Aminata Forna of Devil that Danced on Water Fame). A british dude who i've met before but cant remember his name and also i hear MANOCAP doled out some VC funds to Splash.

for more info visit: www.splash-cash.com

Vickie Remoe Show Season 1 Highlights

Please Click here to watch Highlights of the 1st season of the Vickie Remoe Show...Technical Difficulties, Black Out and All

Stay Tuned for better production in SeasonII coming to SLBS this OCTOBER

zSHARE video - VRS Season 1 Highlights_1_0012.avi.flv

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Sierra Leone Conference 2009 for Donors & Investors

As a follow up to the Doing Business Post i made earlier today and response to some feedback received via facebook you should know that SLIEPA-Sierra Leone Import Export Promotion Agency has a two day conference in London for potential and would be investors. The Conference is scheduled for Nov 18-19 2009. The conference will highlight the various sectors with immense growth potential and in need of investment. The president and all relevant ministries will be present at the conference. So for those of you who are disgruntled, misinformed, or don't have proper or adequate information I would advise you to make you comments, and presence felt at this event. If you get money na bank en u want put am na salone dis is the event for you. I can not answer on issues of corruption in the country or better yet advise on business opportunities...PEOPLE THIS IS JUST A BLOG I DONT WORK FOR GOSL

Anyway, in addition to this conference SLIEPA will also be present at the German European Trade Fair in Accra Sept 30-Oct 3rd 2009.

For more information on SLIEPA and upcoming events and investment information please visit their website www.SLIEPA.org

Doing Business in Sierra Leone is sooo much BETTER!!!!

Yesterday I had the privilege of being invited to a World Bank/IFC/Min of Trade & Industry cocktail at C-Lodge. We were there for the announcement of the 2010 Ease of Doing Business Report. Sierra Leone which in previous years was second from last has moved up to a rank of 148/183. According to the report Sierra Leone is a better place to do business than Ivory Coast(168),Angola(169, and Senegal (157). We ranked extremely well for two of the indicators on the assessment; Ease of Starting a business 57/183 and Protecting Investors 27/183. Many individuals and organizations worked really hard over the past twelve months to change and implement policy with regards to business registration. Some of the processes that have changed include the removal of the advance payment tax that companies had to pay before they registered their business at the start of every year, also now your business can be registered in the same place as to running around between NRA & Roxy.

What does this mean?
Well for companies, and individuals that are looking to make foreign direct investment to markets in Africa, post conflict or otherwise, they know that doing Business in Sierra Leone is Good and their investment will be well protected. Also, for businesses already based in Sierra Leone it means that the climate for doing business is improving and those barriers preventing potential entrepreneurs from entering private sector are slowing receding. If this trend continues then we can certainly look to breaking the 100 mark in the next couple years.

Doing Business is Sierra Leone is getting Sweeter :-)

For more on the Doing Business Report please visit www.doingbusiness.org

Bumbuna: Your hydroelectric dam uncle who lives abroad

Next to the Wikipedia page for Bumbuna Hydroelectric Dam, i may write "aye uncle oostem u day cam, from way u go overseas 30 years, tay tiday u noh cam yet. All tem noh moh den say u day cam holiday. Uncle u noh get paper yet na america"?

Studio Pietrangeli - Dettaglio Bumbuna Project -

Bumbuna in its initial phase of completion (whenever that will be) is supposed to produce 50Megawatts in its initial phase and 275 in its final stage. Right now we are still at the part of the project that produces just about ZEROMW. I've been in Sierra Leone over two years now. SLPP don go APC don cam but black out still day.

I spend alot of money on candles and fuel for my generator. A packet of candles cost me about le 5000 ($1.50). Depending on how many guests i have in my house at a time we use anywhere from 1-2packets a week and not to forget the matches. On a good financial/bad NPA week I'll buy two gallons of fuel for the generator per day at a cost of $10 a night. The generator will run 3-5hrs depending on the electrical appliances that are used (i keep hoping I'll get the $1300 bucks i need to get a diesel generator which I've been told will run all night long on 2gallons). If the generator which is over 4 years old now is having a bad week as it did two weeks ago. I'll spend anywhere from le. 500,000-900,000($150-$275) buying parts and paying a variety of wanna be pretend mechanics to fix it. We play musical chairs until they make it work one day, make im broke dong again tomorra make ah go call oda wan.

There's been all this hoopla and mayhem and talk in the press of bumbuna. A couple months before Independence the APC government via the mouth pieces of Alpha Kanu and IB Kargbo told and bluffed us that Bumbuna would be on for independece. We callayed at the utterance and like many other big big grammar they have spoken so far that have not come to pass we said...we shall see. I need not tell u that April 27th came and went with no bumbuna.

What bothers me isn't so much that it didn't come on but rather that instead of using the same very big mouth pieces and media organs they used to announce the propaganda to explain to the people what had gone wrong and why the deadline had been missed they just hush hushed about the whole thing and let the opposition news papers laugh at them. Don't they understand that part of this whole democracy thing includes transparency especially when things dont go as plans. Dont they know that it is the same way u win elections. 2012 day cam oh...

Last night we kept company listening to one of my aunty's from Makeni(will tell u about that in a sec) and my cousin Brima said that a press release was read over the radio that Bumbuna was on test. That NPA was testing Bumbuna at different kW and that the light may go off intermittently between 6pm-9pm. Den sombodi begin talk say di light way wi bin get Sunday na Bumbuna light and that bumbuna don reach murray tong en i day cam na congo cross. As if Bumbuna was a person riding on an okada making stops around the city.

Anyway, ah hope say dis mi dam uncle bumbuna go make haste bcoz mi noh know how much longa im fambul dem go wait tay im get im paper dem for cam back na tong. Taty years na long tem for wait oh...im pekin dem sef don begin bon pekin en dem yon begin dem don begin man bizness

If Hawanatu is Sierra Leone's Future...then fear not, cause it is super bright

'ode to Hawa...the Baby Genius

(before she was a mouth full)

I have a two year old neice who leaves at home with us. She is the center of our world at home and everyday she amazes us at the amount of knowledge that she amasses. The other night i was sitting at the dinning room table teasing her and she said "aunty vickie tay sumpe mi" in temne...translation aunty stop bothering me. What really astonished wasn't so much her use of a second language, and a phrase i didnt know until then...rather it was that she used it in the appropriate context.

I've been observing hawanatu now since then and everyday is a WOW. Most recently her 14 year old cousin munchichi (who i will post about soon) was kicked out of the house because wi believe say in do begin man bizness. When munchichi left the house hawa cried uncontrollably. We took her into the house as she said munchichi's name over and over, tearing with snot streaming down her cheeks.


As it would happen munchichi on her exist would get into a fight with her biological mother...she would end up slapping her mother (wetin na abomination? Look am pack). My aunt strolls into the house and announces that munchichi had just slap her mother. Hawa turns and looks at her mid crying and asks "mama munchichi slap im mama"? when it was confirmed with a nod of yes, hawanatu instantaneously stopped crying and put her hand to her mouth in astonishment of the news. The next day she was the first to announce what munchi had done to everyone who entered the house, she even added a demonstration, showing how munchichi slapped her mother by pretending to slap herself.

(chillin with the coolest grandma in the world)

More Evidence...
When Hawa was only about one she was frightened by the call to prayer from the mosque. Now, everytime she hears it she says "mama den don call prayer" and then hawa announces "we di cam go pray..ah day go look for me mafaylay (scarf). And yesterday she blew me away cause after the call to prayer she goes..mama ah day cam go ol alwala(abulation)". Finally the other day we let her go to the mosque. She followed the prayer to the T and as we came home she said mama allahuakbar

(on her 2nd b-day)

Amongst other things she can carry on phone conversations, and she possibly has the biggest library of names a child has every learnt. My favorite so far is that a couple months ago as i came home with a guy friend, who i had previously not introduced to her. She said "aunty vickie im papa don cam"...lol

But last night took the cake. She spots the security guard walking to the back of the house and before he even has a chance to say hello. She goes "musa udat barb u". No one else had even noticed that musa the guard had had a hair cut.

So starting next week she will continue nursery 2 at the bilingual school in murray town. If there was a way to test her IQ i'm sure it would be ridiculously high

I D R I S E L B A

Last night I watched obsessed starring IDRIS ELBA and some black american singer whose name i seem to have misplaced. It took me right back to watching ROCKnROLLA a couple months earlier in my room. I held my breath every time he was on screen and time seemed to stop. What I wouldnt give for a cup of chocolate with Mr. Elba, in a log cabin or hut somewhere with no telephone or internet connection.

We'll need a boom box though so we can play Maxwell and cuddle and talk. He'd tell me how i'm the woman of his dreams and he's so glad to have found me and i'd smile and say "prove it" and then he'd kiss me and hug me and he'd say he's the luckiest man on earth and i'd agree. And then we'd make beautiful babies and spend the rest of our lives flying london-freetown-accra-ny

and we'd grow old together and live happily ever after. I always his brown sugar and him my coffee cup.

Next time you see Idris Elba please tell him to stop fantasizing about me. Its not healthy

(after i wrote this post i just googled Idris and it turns out today is his birthday. Is that a coincidence or what? Wow....Happy Birthday Idris...Talk about MFEO. Ah randomly post about the man on his b-day)

Vickie Remoe Vs. Philip Neville of Standard Times

This week in Freetown
Monday
i called Phillip Neville editor of standard times to report a certain small but recurring issue that had been brought to my attention. A couple weeks ago a friend called "Vickie u know say u picture day na paper tiday" "R u joking" "Nope, u picture day na standard times relationship/advice section"

My heart began to pound as i wondered which one of my escapades could have landed me in the papers...hmm...i could think of only one.

Well it turns out that standard times has been using a photo of me with the eyes blacked out under the headline born to rule men. The article was generally on women who control men etc. and said nothing about me at all and my image accompanied the story. I was shocked and a bit confused and though i resolved to take it up with them, i didnt.

Until...

It happened again every friday for two weeks and i realized they may never leave me alone.I called the editor and explained to him that my picture was being used in the paper without my permission. Mr. Neville said that was impossible and that i should find a copy of the paper and tell him the page. I told him i didnt have a copy but that it certainly was me as several friends had recognized me and I'd seen it myself.

He told me to call him back once i had the paper i said ok knowing full well from the sound and tone of his voice that not only did he think i was lying but that he felt he had better things to do.

I was surprised when my phone rang some ten mins later with Mr. Neville on the phone. "Okay, i have the paper. where is your picture" I told him the headline. He flipped to the page and said "This can not be you. this woman is lightskinned and she has long black hair" I was almost going to go off on an outburst about sierra leone women etc etc but simply i said "no its me, standing on pa demba rd" "it is not possible that it is you we got this image from the internet" "Okay fine. i will send u the link to the site where u got the image and the original from my desktop".

He said send it as tho he didnt believe that i was going to send it or that i would send it and he would have the last laugh

I got his email address and sent the photo and the link to my blog. At about an hour later i got a call from someone from standard times seems Mr. Neville could not handle the defeat.

Someone came on the phone "oh hello my name is so and so and i am sorry oh. we did nt know it was someone here. i searched on the internet for sierra leonean faces sorry. Anyway where in town do u leave". Ignoring his advance i said "please confirm that u will not use my image again. thank u" "Yes we wont use it again sorry" "thank u"

We Should Never Forget: John Sisay's 40th B-day Bash

I had almost (NOT) forgotten about quite possibly the best enjoyment way ah get dis year until a friend so kindly posted these pics on StalkBook. "Man's man, woman's man, and man about town" John Sisay of New Year's Eve Bash chez spur road in super fabulous fashion invited the toast of the town to celebrate his 40th B-day Bash to an open bar at the Office back in July. It was and i do not over estimate the best party of the year, and i dare anyone to top that.

WHy was it so good?? Hmmm...me fambul dem na di music oh. The DJ brought in from beyond borders a breed of Salone & Ghana ancestry with locks to die for ( avery very fine man) if i must say so me self. When he join our dinner table at country lodge the next day he confessed he hadnt been home for decades and was possibly looking forward to coming back over christmas.

The music was a journey in goodness, a celebration of life, happiness and all things bright and beautiful. It rained cats and dogs outside while we rocked steady old school, new school, and ofcourse the hot school's best me and miss Sandi. We had on matching dresses of course and two never looked so hot. In fact Ms Sandi even broke hearts...hehehe

I didnt do too bad myself as i danced with a very tall hard bodied man friend.
Anyway thats all i'll dish here....

And i hope God grants Mr. Sisay all the necessary ingredients to allow us to party again in Freetown aka LasVegas

What happens here stays here???

Inside the Mosque, Ramadan Kareem Sierra Leone, Di Imam say "Noh Tiff PoSin Afback"

(Images: Me@charlotte falls, Me next to a bottle of star that does not belong to me, and finally me on my road and in the background are many of the youth in Banana Water who go to my mosque)

It's 5:30 in the morning and i've already eaten two cups of rice ball pap, fresh bread from the bakery...i could hear the butter melt as i spread it in the bread. My two cousins and aunt finish up yesterday's jollof rice, which they top off with some bread and butter and tea. We sit outside (na backdo) under August's thunderous showers, awaiting dawn and the call to prayer. Its been a week since we Nafila'd (made our intention to fast for the month of Ramadan) and my stomach has already shrunken and i finally appreciate the concept of one's eye's being bigger than one's belly.

For those who never knew (which maybe indicates i'm not a good Muslim) they find it unbelievable that I am a muslim. "Bo na lie bo u no to muslim bo...oostem u don ever yerri but Doherty Muslim". They are half way right in the assumption that my family is historically christian as are the 99% of krios in Freetown and unlike the 1% krio Fouray Bay/ Fullah Town Muslims in the central and eastern part of town who have been pracitising Islam for as long as recaptives have been brought to Sierra Leone, I am an even stranger breed of krio muslim. When i tell people that i converted to Islam, they find the concept extremely strange. I've even heard someone ask me if i was well...."me noh wan day yerri say Christian turn muslim", my response cheeky as always "well na way u noh expose". It has been five years since i converted but its a long jounrney to becoming a muslim, understanding the faith, learning about hadiths, reading translations of the coran, and memorizing suras. ( It's 6. It's still raining outside but i can hear the call to prayer so i'll be right back...gotta go hit the rakas)

Some moments later....

So now i'm in Sierra Leone and this is my third Ramadan at home as a muslim. One thing for sure is that the country shuts down during Ramadan and things tend to move slower than usual and its also rain season so when i say slow i mean slow. The large speaker sets are rolled in most places and if u didnt know any better u might think "di muslim dem na dem kin enjoy na dem noh moh kin enjoy na dem bar dem", but i think the glady glady reduces on all sides as a courtesy to those who r observing. In fact one really funny thing that happened this year was that FREE RADIO Station 95.7 had a big night at 'ol skool night club the week before Ramadan the theme of the bash was "Lockbush 2009"...ah noh go tel u oos bush dem bin mean :-)(afterall this na Ramadan)

Anyway I digress...the real reason i was itching to write was to tell you about my community mosque at 20 Boyle. The morning call to prayer depending on who does it can be quite comical "salat salat woktu salat...oona grap near oona ooman dem...grap niya u man, lef da ooman now, tem don reach for cam pray, jamah tem don reach...salat salat". Since i sleep alone ah know say no to me den kin day pull hint pan...heheheh

The night we Nafila'd was quite funny really. We entered the mosque and as people trickled in the Imam kept on with his announcements. " jama leh we tell Allah tenki fo way wi see this holy month of Ramadan...etc.etc..di mosque full en some of oona we noh get fo see again tay next year. Way wi day start this holy month do ya jama way we day cam pray, no to fo oda posin. Way u day cam pray no to for came take posin im phone. En na big big sin oona way day came pray en oona take oda posin im afback go. Na big big sin for tif na papa God in os. All man for take im yone afback. En finally jama ah no go lie, da wi generator way den tiff nobody noh tiff am but we yone pekin dem inside this mosque. Do do ya jama leh we noh pwell dis Ramadan, Leh Allah forgive we all" amin

As i sat there on the hard concrete floor, the same floor where days later i would be attacked by ants as i prayed, all i could think about was my slippers outside. I didnt think they were that fabulous or worth stealing but now that he's put it in my head...Hmmm do ya papa God leh posin noh tif me afback, make ah no go get for waka go na os biah fut"

amin

The Vickie Remoe Show Brought to u by How4Do Productions: Sierra Leone's TV Talk Show if u get light, omni directional antenna & u able catch SLBS

Over a year ago my relationship with Aschobi Designs came to an abrupt end. Initially when i parted ways with Aschobi it broke my heart, and the thought of letting go of what i then saw as our child caused me many a sleepless night. A year later and months of reflections and i can honestly say "tell papa God tenki, Na tin kin make tin be" because if not for that divorce I may never have arrived at the divine conception of the aptly named, almost there, soon to conquer DSTV's MNET circa end of 2010, inshalla, by God im power, Amen. The Vickie Remoe Show

Many times I'd been told "you have a tv personality" and my response stood somewhere between a thank u and confirmation that people thought that i was crazy. I mean me mama kin tell me say ah no well but now with my very own TV talk Show I have become certifiable.

And God said Let there be the Vickie Remoe Show
Last year I came up with the very brilliant though not original idea of hosting my own television talk show. An attempt to have blog ideas and conversations for the palette of a local primarily Freetown based television audience. I didnt think about the ingredients that went into making a television show, Nor did i have any previous TV production experience. I put pen to paper and after several weeks i birthed the Vickie Remoe Show. Using my powers of charm and persuasion i inducted two friends to join my soon to be formed production company, one of whom was working for a local tv station, another that was to be our logistics and IT man.

To add maggie to the Vickie Remoe Show sauce i got an email from 'ol boy documentary film maker Peter Moi Conteh of "Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes" fame that he would soon be coming home to SL on family matters. I briefly mentioned that i had an idea I wanted to share with him. I had no clue that he would come and that he not only think it a good idea but also be interested in working on the project. I would never tell him this but if Peter with all his technical savior faire and experience working for the BBC in Development had not given the Vickie Remoe Show his stamp of approval it never would have good beyond being one many babies i birth each year. So whatever happens hence forth BLAME PM Conteh.

Shooting the Opening Credits (watch it here)
After countless conversations we sourced some video equipment from premier media, confiscated the official AccessPoint Okada and story boarded what peter and I imagined would be the ideal way to open the show. Vickie Remoe taking a journey via different modes of transport, each one better than the next until we arrive at the ultimate destination of Sweet Salone.

Shooting the Pilot for the Vickie Remoe Show
Over a period of a couple weeks we planned a pilot for the Vickie Remoe Show. The location was to be the then Kalmah Restaurant at Old School (now the Lounge). Initially Emerson was to be our inaugural guest but like most people in SL a "yes" today does not mean a "yes" tomorrow. Refusing to be stalled by an Emerson no show we came up with a plan B. Vickie Remoe Interviews two young people making things happen in SL. Guest 1: Anthony Navo jr. (a young guy who had run for parliamentary seat under the SLPP banner, successful business man, and locally proclaimed youth Ambassador)
Guest2: Yeniva Sisay ( a close friend who had left the comforts of california for Swit Salone, operating her very local educational institute- EXCEL).
We had a small audience of friends and family who came to support our first attempt of shooting our local tv show. My granny and my dad were both there front and center showing me love.With my signature braids intact and the top half of a black on black power suit two hours flew by and before we knew it, We had shot our first show

Finding Funds for the Vickie Remoe Show

After we shot and edited the pilot we took it around to some local businesses looking for sponsors. We got some but certainly not enough to cover the cost of production and broadcasting. With limited funds and support from WORLD'S BEST MOM & MOTHER TO VICKIE REMOE...we forged ahead and recorded 8 one hour episodes of the Vickie Remoe Show, broadcasted on SLBS TV every Friday @ 7:15pm. The buzz built slowly and slowly and soon i would go to the gas station and someone would say "hey Vickie Remoe Show"...my phone rang off the hook and we received many text messages of aspiring entertainers trying to get on the show. I even got a text message from a guy who said he was a blind musical producer...Peter had to hold his hand as he walked into our office.

The 8 shot topics were: Blind Date & Relationships, Fatherhood, Violence & Anti Social Behaviors in Schools, Sierra Leone Music Industry, BO & Makeni, Public Health & Safety, Made in Sierra Leone Products, and an Independence Extravaganza Celebration.

Some of our guests included: Succulent (musician), Nino Browne (musician), Wilshire Johnson (SL Pharmacy Board), Ag. Chief Kamanda Bongay (SL Fire Brigade), Yeniva Sisay (EXCEL, Dr. Bahsoon (MD, Bennimix Food Company), MR. B (Dj, Owner Free Radio 95.7) Hannah Foullah (Shepor Designs) Dr Wusu Sanoh (Mayor, BO) Mr. Moses Sesay (Mayor, Makeni, Abu Kommeh (President Studion Union, Fourah Bay College) Mr. Aldolphus During (Inventor & Researcher) and more

Other Miscl things we covered on the show: the launch of sierratel, Poetry Reading by Mrs Daphne Pratt from the book Poems dem way Daphne Pratt rayt, Cultural Launch of the Attitudinal & Behavioural Change Campaign, Wusum Hotel, Wusum Hill,Bo School, Gara tie-Die in Makeni, Gari Seller at Lorry Park in BO, Fashion Show @ country Lodge, State House, and more

Coolest thing that happened during the show? Certainly a tie between climbing Wusum Hill in Makeni. Also very very cool is that I think I am probably the first and only woman to have rung the condoh bell at Bo School while school was in session.
Go Paris (formerly Berlin), Manchester, London, Liverpool


Welcome to Season 2: The Vickie Remoe Show
Coming this October to SLBS TV is season deux of the Vickie Remoe Show. Season 2 will be bigger, better, and badder no doubt and we look forward to taking you where no TV show has ever gone before.

contact me for any tips, show ideas, questions, or production contributions....info@vickieremoeshow.com
Find us on FACEBOOK

Vickie Remoe..Over and Out

SwitSalone LOVES designs by Christie Brown & Cote Minou

As I burn the midnight generator thought i'd share two new african brands that i love love love...Post Arise Africa Fashion Week I day Hunger for My African Couture.
I recently ordered some incredible pieces from Aisha Oboubi's Christie Brown (find on facebook). She was awarded Emerging African Designer of the year at this year's Arise.





Also check out Cote Minou (find on facebook) based in DC doing very fabulous things workin the college circuit...








"All women's dresses, in every age and country, are merely variations on the eternal struggle between the admitted desire to dress and the unadmitted desire to undress." ~Lin Yutang

Are Local Sierra Leonean Musicians Afraid of the APC Gofment?

Wetin Na Salone Music? Look Am scatta!!!










(photos from top: Dj No Name, Pupa Baja & Baw WaW Society, SL Refugee All Stars, Shadow, Kao De Nero, Khadija Kamara, Pekin Big Man)

No doubt the rise of Salone music was the principal indicator of normalcy for many people in the Diaspora. Salone music gave those who had lost faith a reason to believe and be proud, competing with each other over who had the newest releases from Sierra Leone. From Kay Man’s “no go no u wan fo make ah cry”, Daddy Saj’s “Corruption” Baw Waw Society’s “wi still day na di city” to Refugee Allstar’s “Sodasoap” and all the Emerson Top 10 hits, the musical revolution was well underway.

Fast-forward to 2009 and the election of the very popular APC government and the once vibrant ever bombastic salone music industry has quietly gone bust. A radio DJ I interviewed a couple months ago said that “Sierra Leone music focused too much on political issues and negative things going on in the country”. I responded that well “isn’t that a good thing? Music as social criticism?”

It has taken a couple months for me to really understand what’s happening. Seems to me that although musicians were so crucial to the SLPP political regime, creating soundtracks to abuses of power and status quo neglect of social welfare, they are now finding it difficult to talk about social issues which are the cassava leaves and palm oil of their work. Some fear the APC might not be as diplomatic as the Kabbah regime and may put overly critical musicians “in a tight corner”. I do not know if these fears are well placed or rather, left over perceptions of the old APC a la Shekie & Momoh.

Another possible reason is that like many Sierra Leoneans they are caught
between allegiance and approval of Earnest Bai vs . that of the party itself and members of cabinet. Additionally, it could also be that it is too soon to call and even though the leone is dwindling to the dollar and there is practically no forex in the country, and even with the cocaine scandal, and the reshuffle and the many times pushed back debut of Bumbuna and electricity going from bad to black out and I can not feel any changes post election…they the musicians though might just be giving the party a chance to make it happen.

A couple months ago, I had an opportunity to sit down with Emerson in his makeshift studio at his house. It was a privilege to listen to his yet to be released new album. There is a track on the album which he believes will cause great controversy…with both political camps vying for possession of the song. The song “yestaday betteh pass tiday?” is probably the first musical attempt to locate where we are now in Sierra Leone, the song points fingers in all directions but finally it ultimately urges young people to go find theirs that the onus of development rests with the individual. It may seem like a cop out to some but cant disagree with the African protestant work ethic…

I used to complain at the lack of Nigerian and Ghanaian music on the Salone music airwaves. I’d go on holiday to Ghana and come back and there’d be no continuation. No Ikechuku, or 9ice, Dbanj. FINALLY in the vacuum that’s been created by the lack of Salone music the very very infectious hiplife and Naija hip pop has arrived. We day enjoy dem well well and until salone music finds its lyrics and beats to a new tune, relevant to the new political dynamic, music that continues in the tradition of speaking truth to power and providing an outlet to national frustrations, we will rock and jam steady to the tunes of our brothers and sisters bouncing on Channel O.

Let My Gate Be Opened

I got back from my Ghana-NY holiday on Sunday. It was a two hour flight from Accra and a 4hr journey from Lungi to my house in Murray Town. Luckily NPA was on when I got home so no generator wahala. I was really tired and hoped to sleep early but my angry belleh forced me to head to Paddy’s for the ever delicious grilled fish and fried rice. My DSTV subscription had expired the week that I went on holiday so I resorted to season 4 of Sex & the City.

I didn’t do much the next day but seems I brought the sun with me. My people had told me that it had rained continuously over the past three days. I left home zig zaggin my way up Banana Water’s Boyle Lane a.k.a UD- Undercarriage Destroyer which has killed two Mercedes Benz that Rest in Rust in my yard (one of which an innocent silver A class, my mom's baby)

When I finally made me way up to Murray Town Rd, an unusually high number of people were still waiting for transport. Usually by 10 a.m most of mankind would have made their way to work. Passing the Congo Cross Branch of Commercial Bank I received a text message from MP Conteh; a famous pumui parliamentarian informing me that the police had set up check points at Congo Cross harassing drivers for licenses and seat belts. I quickly drove into the NP gas station and bought two gallons of fuel. WHY, would I be hiding? Well truth is I’ve driven maybe 2years now without a license. I’ve paid for it but needed to go back to get my picture taken which tay tiday any tem ah tink but kissy ah day vex…everyday ah say tomorra…en way police man dem kin stop me ask fo my license ah kin just day melt pan dem en dem kin make ah go….fo fine en sabi speak in fine oh…hmmm J

I put on my seatbelt and drove to town undisturbed. But by the tem ah reach by congo cross bridge ah bin want fo pull di seatbelt. Ah press the belt but din tin fashin…when u don’t use it, u clearly lose it. As I drove past Bus Halt, loads and loads of taxi and poda poda seekers waited under the sun while police officers deprived them of transport. Every taxi or poda poda that did not have a seat belt was stopped and fined 50,000 ($17). The thing is na di pipul dem noh moh bin day suffa because di whole tin no make no sense to me. Most taxis and poda podas had long since gotten rid of their seat belts, using them as a chain to tow their cars…clearly a better use then being restrained in your own car.

I made it to PaDemba Rd and parked on Liverpool St and MP Conteh and I went to lunch at Chill Grill for some very sweet goat pepper soup. When I finally finished my day’s errands in town I was getting into my car when a lady old enough to be my mother tapped on my window. She asked which way I was going and told me that she had walked all the way from kissy to pa demba road hoping that along the way she would be able to get a taxi. I told her I was going to Murray Town and although I hadn’t planned to take the route via Kingharman Road I would drop her off at Sanctuary Praise a.k.a Let My Gate Be Opened for their strategically timed monthly crusades held the first couple days of every month at the National stadium but now mostly held at the church. My manicurist Nancy also attends this church and I’ve spent the past two years teasing her that the church is choppin all their monthly salary nyafu nyafu. She has invited me to the church several times and each time I tell her that my gate need not be opened since I had completely removed it from its hinges and now I have an open space so that God’s blessings can flow freely without me having to consult the honorable pastor Ajasafe.

I asked the lady why she had not returned back home when half way she realized she couldn’t get a taxi. She told me that she was actually from BO and was briefly visiting Freetown but she had to make it to Let my Gate because she needed to purchase some holy olive oil to take back with her to BO. She asked me if I was Fullah and I Said no I’m krio and my mother is temne. A couple minutes later she asked if I was a lawyer and I said no. She said well then you have recently returned from being out. I told her that I’d been living in Sierra Leone for the past two years. She asked if I ever visited BO and I told her that I had several times. She asked for my business card so that she would call me and she gave me her number and pleaded with me to call her whenever I was in BO. As I got closer to the church she repeated her gratitude “aaye mi pikin u don try fo mi” “tenki oh tenki” “mi pekin, leh God Bless”. I let her know it was no trouble at all and a pleasure to bring her to church. As I dropped her off I wondered if she would give a testimony on what the Lord had done for her today....the miracle of a ride to church on a day when she had walked hours under the sun…Glory be to God

Let the Church Say Amen

Any Given Sunday Morning on Lumbley Beach

Close your eyes for a minute and try to conjure a physical image of the average Salone man or woman. If you’re like me then the person u imagine is niether tall nor short, chocolate brown skin (not to be confused with the creamy dark black SeneGambia skin tone), black hair, brown eyes, and certainly not obese, overweight or anything close to what would be considered fat or round for that matter. You might even think of an individual who looks underfed or suffering from a bit of malnutrition with sunken in cheeks. Whatever the case I think it is safe to say that Sierra Leoneans do not have a weight issue…we may have the battle of the bulge for some but most are ok.

However, if you were up early on a Sunday morning you might begin to wonder why everyone is running to Lumbley Beach. Is there a fitness craze???!!!

Last Sunday as I do often, I drove to the beach sometime around 7am for my version of a brisk walk. As I was driving, I thought whoa this beach thing has gotten serious. Men, women and even young teens coming in shorts, leggings, sneakers, slippers (bought from the local junks second hand boutique) and one girl looking no more than 14 jogging towards the beach on the Aberdeen Bridge had on ballerina flats. People jogged on both sides of the bridge and jogging bodies in groups and individuals littered the street past paddies, Aberdeen village, police barracks, down past UN office at Mammy Yoko and burst out on Lumbley.

Some of the young guys jog from Circular Rd in the central part of town and even as far out as Kissy to come to Lumbley Beach on a Sunday. I haven’t figured out if they just like to jog or if it’s a transportation issue. When you pull up to the beach Round About by family kingdom there are hundreds of young men and women stretching, sitting, doing knee ups, while those who have just arrived catch their breaths and talk to old friends. While some of these people are here to jog and exercise (many a Sunday to Sunday ritual) the majority of them are there to play football on the sand. THE BEACH IS THE #1 LOCATION TO PLAY FOOTBALL ON SUNDAYS. Yes, they run all the way from home to spend up to 4-6 hours playing football. With all these super hard bodied, 12 pack totting aspiring athletes and footballers in one place, its enough to give a girl palpitations or even better a reason to come to the beach on a Sunday for the views.

Though the hotties make up the chunk of people at the beach at this hour the presence of Prados, Mercedes Benz’s of all makes and models, and other Freetown car favourites sparsely parked on the 3km strip lets you know that your “money man dem” battling the bulge dem day na ya. There is also the occasional expat running with ipod and seeming to be in a better shape than most. And finally also available on the beach on any given Sunday? Me ofcourse….Ah no go lie no to di exercise kin carry me fo there, I simply just love the feel of the cool morning breeze and even cooler ocean water hitting my skin. I walk very slowly thinking “man I am so lucky, to be here right now” and then I make sure to keep my eyes in front of me so no one sees me staring at them, even though that is sooooo what I’m doing

Sierra Leone Cabinet Reshuffle...A Yawn???

A couple of weeks ago, the president finally got down to the charade of mixmatching his cabinet. You in the red over there and you who has been sitting and whining bout the small personal rents paid to you via your ministerial post come over here and enjoy. I almost wasn’t going to write about the cabinet reshuffle bcoz to me it wasn’t blog worthy, I try to leave the super mundane to the press (ah yes the ego appears, well no to me fault oh na oona don make me ade don big, enti all tem oona tell me say ah sabi write). Why do I think the reshuffle is a yawn??
Thought you’d never ask :-)

The truth is the my dearest papa Ernest Bai did not inform us whether the changes were for under or over performance or possibly to rectify previously poor judgements on his part and that the shuffling is simply an act of setting things straight. For example sweet talking, good looking Alpha Kanu then Minister of Presidential Affairs now mineral resources…Why??
Is it that the minister who was previously mineral resources performed unsatisfactorily or that uncle Alpha needed to possible be in a ministry where he go fit chop money i.e. as we say in the Queen’s language a ministry of importance to national economy or better still did Uncle Alpha learn certain lessons at presidential affairs that need implementing at Mineral resources? I do not know BUT let’s back track a bit…

What entails satisfactory performance for out ministers? I know the president said he had signed contracts with each minister but I am not sure if the contract included performance indicators. How do u measure performance if you haven’t already figured out what tasks, functions or accomplishments will differentiate the good from the bad? Na almost lek say you go na makit for go buy res en when u reach day all man get different tin way dem wan use fo cont u res…some man day use spoon as cup, oda man wan use wan mondoh for measure…na makit na cup day measure res. But Ow en oodat dem day measure minister…president or the people? Maybe an independent review board would suffice…

Anyway, when I immediately heard about the changes, my initial reaction was that if you’re not completely removing people then whats the point? Especially if for instance if in the case of Haja Afsatu Kabba some were saying she was moved because though the light situation has improved, the procurement process for awarding the contract had some yuki yuki involved ( na so dem say oh, no to me…fo di bam byes)

If for the sake of blogging we presume this is true, then why not remove her completely? Instead, she is now at Marine Resources. When I pointed that out to a Nigerian friend of mine asked “well who would u put in their place?” I couldn’t respond. He followed up by saying that though he could list over fifty well qualified successful Sierra Leoneans who could certainly run the country, how many of those individuals would work for the govt? At this question, I was again mumu..

When we arrived at the conclusion that possibly the individuals available now are all the president has at his disposal, all that’s left to say is, Good Luck daddy and may God help us.

Loads of Love, Kisses & Hugs from Sweet Sierra Leone

(read about pinky @ www.tacugama.com. Born in Kenema. then the only known albino chimp w/ one brown eye and one blue)

There is a one stop shop internet café ala snack bar, football cinema with a library to boot at the junction of Boyle Lane called Ambrosia Leisure Center. Residents of Boyle and its surrounding neighbourhoods from murray town, Ohlohshoro and beyond crowd the cinema every week to catch premier and champion league soccer games. GOAL!!!!!! and YAYYYY!!!! Are usually all the sounds u get from Ambrosia so u can imagine my surprise when a voice from a blow horn announcing the Ambrosia Lover’s Night Special. For twenty five thousand leones, you and your switat can spend lover’s night together at Ambrosia.

“U wan show u dalin say im na nomba wan? Den bring am na Ambrosia dis Valentine’s day” “ Dem say love is wicked but sho am say u yone love no wicked AT ALLLL…Ambrosia, this Valentine’s day Le 25,000 noh moh”

On paper a community of fish mongers, fish totters, orange and banana sellers, fry fry peddlers, illiterate, and mostly unemployed sometime jamba eyed youth would have little knowledge of Valentine ’s Day or yet still be in a position to be consumers of it. But they are and come February 14th Ambrosia Leisure Center will be full of them.
There are hundreds of Ambrosia-esque businesses in Freetown and even more communities like mine who in their own way will be a part of lover’s night. Maybe they wont buy hallmark cards or Hersey’s Kisses but they too will have Valentine’s Day “cause love don’t cost a thing” and after all, Salone is naturally one of the most romantic love friendly places you could ever visit.

(by ceilidh on panoramio.com)
So if like me you are lucky enough to be here on Valentine’s Day and you were romantically inclined you would have a host of activities to do. First off you could spend the Night at Sierra Light House and wake up staring into each other’s eyes listening to the Atlantic Ocean sending waves crashing into thousand years’ old rocks just below the veranda of your room. And if you dared to stand there together, hand in hand, you would be greeted with miles and miles of God’s Blue-Magical Waters and Sky.

Or maybe you find the hotel setting a bit superficial and want to be closer to the ocean…Then drive off to Number 2 Beach and rent you a Chalet, and spend the day under the sun or in the water and take in the magnificent sand and one of the peninsula’s best beaches. For the really hardcore, you could even go camp out on a deserted area of the beach and spend the night in your very own tent!
(marc santora/nytimes)
If you Still want to be on the beach but prefer a more modern experience then to Sussex u must go and spend the Night at Florence’s & Franco’s Mediterranean Paradise. Eat a pound of lobster or crab legs, and relax, out here, we have no worries, and all is you need is love. For those of you who are new to the romance things and maybe a whole day or night with your switat is a bit much, then a walk on Lumbley Beach at sunset or sunrise is easy and wont cost u a penny.

If money is no question then rent one of the smaller Pelican Taxi’s and ride around the peninsular and see all the pristine beaches of Freetown and you’ll find that somewhere between Tokeh and No.2 Paradise is fully alive.

In the event that you and your honey dumpling are not beach people then equally romantic is a drive thru the hills. Start out heading up to FourayBay College and try to make your way all the way up to Leicester Peak the highest peak in the city and enjoy the aerial view of Freetown, rolling hills, historic Creole architecture, beautiful green scenery and the ocean at every direction.
(by sandralako.blogspot)

Still not convinced that we’re packed full of romance then get a guide and head over to Charlotte Falls and enjoy a 30minute trek to the breath taking and overwhelming waterfalls with the sound track of birds chirping near and far. If you get all sweaty on the trek, you and your honey can take it all off and go skinny dipping in pools of clean, fresh, and cool waters, wrapping yourself in the nature that surrounds you.


If like me you prefer to have a good time and make a difference then take you sugar pie on over to the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary that is home to rescued and rehabilitated Chimps from different parts of the country. The sanctuary sits on 100 acres of wildlife reservation on the hills, far from the hustle bustle of Freetown life. So spend the night at the Ecolodge’s self contained bungalow with ensuite bathroom and enjoy your rain forest habitat surroundings. Proceeds from your stay will go to helping the chimps. At the Lodge you will have to do your own cooking, so our advice is…Whoever normally does the cooking should be treated to the culinary skills of their other half.


Finally, there is the Wusum Hotel. Arguably the closest you’ll get to a 5star hotel in Sierra Leone, a two and half hour drive from Freetown. Everything lovers need all in one place. Sleep in well after the cock crow, and start out with continental breakfast holding hands as you sip your OJ, then and around mid day head over to Wusum hill and enjoy the climb to the top and when u get up there reach out and touch the horizon…yes Makeni too has amazing sights. When you make it down the hill, head to the swimming pool and simply lounge with your lover, or start a conversation expressing your undying love and adoration for your darling. As the sun starts to set have yourselves a big ‘ol Italian meal, and if u overstuff yourself, that’s ok. Head back and take a nap in your fully air-conditioned room because you’ll need all your energy to fully rock steady with your sweetie at Wusum’s very own Apex Night Club and let this be the very best Valentine’s Day memory you ever made.

Papa Blow Mind: The Voice of the People on Radio Democracy 98.1

Most times when i drive in my car i listen to what ever assortment of CDs i have availaible in my ten disk changer. But tonight, as i drove home from the beach weary of the same ten cds i listen to, I turn on the radio and it lands on 98.1 Radio Democracy. I was just about to change the station when i heard "yes dis na papa blow mind, call wi en blow u mind" (BlowMind in krio means to vent or to let out steam or complain). the lines opened and the voices of different callers and their frustrations and desperations began to fill my car.

"Good Evening, this na papa blow mind....papa blow mind ah day na regent road..do ya ah wan make oona ep wi wit den taxi driver dem na da area day. Police need fo cam day. Di driver dem day pick passenger but den day lef wi af way. Do ya papa blow mind make oona check on dat because the transport situation bad en we day late fo go wok" { Papa blowmind day tell oona say make oona write di numba plate of dem motocar dem day en oona call wi en tell wi. Wi noh go fraid for call den motoca dem na dis show}

"Papa Blow mind, ah day call but wan police man way day na congo cross, in name mohammed, da police man day no get wan rank but in day mona dem driver dem, way u see in stop u na big big money im day call 50,000/100,000. Dis police man in an bin broke bcoz in bin fodom upstairs na in galfriend in ose but as in an done well so im don bad off. DO ya papa blow mind na fo go check day if na lie ah day lie...the police man name mohammed" {alright we don right im name done en we go check for u}

"Papa blow mind ah wan make u ep wi wit di wata situation na Signal Hill. We day suffa yanda....fo get wata even fo wash na problem en di tif na da aria day...right now man get fo go sleep wit cutlass. Do ya leh guma cam do somtin, en di counsellor way we vote for im noh day do natin, infact ah noh know oodat we vote for counsellor." {Sori Guma, oona yeri? we wan know wetin day apin na signal hill.}

"Goodevenin, A papa blowmind ah gladi way oona don cam wit dis program fo ep wi because we sef want development. Ah day call but we Honorable na Goderich...Im noh day do natin, im just day pass wit ooman up en dong en fet fo land, infact in just pass me na ya jisnor. Dis honorable nor day do natin for di people dem" {Wetin na dis honorable im name, cause we need for know sontem im noh know im responsibility}

"Papa Blowmind na mi bin call jisnor but da Sokobana. Di oda day ah sidom na shop na im wan soka cam inside im pull nef...we all run away..way we cam back di soko don tiff phone na di shop. Do ya papa blowmind ah wan know if na dat soko dem day do now. Di tiff boku na kroo town road da day day. Dem say na upline da soko day comot" {Ok caller we go check on dat for u. Papa blowming noh bin know say soko dem still day comot na dis tong, but enti na culture im no go eva done}

"Hello Blowmind? Yes sir ah wan know if dis new government na city council just day normoh for surpress we wit tax. Last year we pay two hundred en somtin thousand for register we commercial vehicle way we day use fo fen an to mot. This year dem done raise am up to three hundred en somtin thousand. How we suppose for recover da money day pan we bizness?" {Alright caller listen tomorrow na wi sister program for yeri wetin make di price done go up ya}

"Papa blowmind ah day call but we light situation. Den day get light 24hrs na cockle bay but we way day na bane lane we noh day eva get light. Do ya na for check if problem day wit wi line. If di countri day swit in fine leh we all enjoy am." {alright caller we go check if di line get problem}

Yes Callers dis na Papa Blowmind way day cam to your from the society on radio democracy 98.1. We get for respect the government of di day but day no mean say we noh go tell government wetin day monar we. Papa Blowmind wan talk but wan crase man up na spur road way kin day day every monin. Dis crase man kin tie wan black sharp dagger na im ade wit red pisis and ol wan sharp umbrella iron. School pikin dem kin day pass na dis area and da nek day sharp. Ah also no go call all the minister motocar dem way kin pass na da area day. Evin president kin pass day somtem en di crase man day day every monin. Do ya we day ask make government do sometin but da crase man day b4 im hurt school pekin.

As i listened to the radio station I was amazed at the number of people callin in to report their issues and the confidence that they seemed to have in Papa Blowmind both as an outlet for their frustrations but also as someone who would actually look into their problems and concerns. I kind of felt out of the loop as if i had just been woken up by the show.

Living in Freetown, we all get caught up in our routines and it is therefore difficult to really get a feel for or understand whats going on in other peoples lives. Yes in theory we all know that Salone is difficult, but when u're in it everything becomes relative and one starts to suffer from compassion fatigue or simply...I got man own problems maladie.

When i sit in my car driving around my issues are buyin fuel, and being stuck in traffic with an AC that refuses to work or be fixed and for me that is my transportation issue. Sometimes i even offer rides to strangers (women on the street) waiting for taxis. When i see people waiting under the sun in large groups, or stuffed like sardines on iron clad poda poda seats, i dont think of it as an issue...in fact i've programmed myself to thinkin that its the way of the world, some have and some dont. But hearing the frustration in the caller's voice over taxis that dont take her all the way down regent road it touched me. Possibly because i personally hate and dread driving on Regent rd...i never considered how incredibly difficult it must be for those who live there to get transport as one of the callers reported.

Listening to the show brought me back and made me realise how incredibly spoilt i've been lately but importantly how disconnected i've been. I like to think of myself as a compassionate person but living in this rat race has made me hardcore, and focus more on myself and my comfort than others. Especially when most times it feels that most people even those with the sob stories are mostly insincere and are only out to milk u dry with their problems. Listening to Papa Blow renewed my confidence in our democracy and the people. It even eased the pain of having had my purse and ipod stolen from my car while i was parked at lumbley beach the very same evening. I listened for the number to call and i wanted to call and Blow Mind about the theives at lumbley beach but i figured not even i wanted to hear my accent on the radio and that some how what just happened to me nothing compared to the struggles i'd heard. So i sucked it up...walked into my room, saved the number on my phone and began to write the post. As i got to the end (like right here) i realised....Me sef just done BlowMind....felt a little better

[SIGH.....i sure is going to miss my purse and my ipod.....but now i'm going to get a RADIO]

SwitSalone Presents THE 2008 SwitList (a.k.a Travelers Social Guide for Just Comes (JCs), Been Comin (BCs), One time Visitors, and Returnees)

SwitSalone Presents THE 2008 SWITLIST

(psssstttt i'm not dead...been hybernatin from the global)

I know that there are loads of you who will be coming soon to crowd my town, and my streets, and fill my country with your "innits" and "whatsups". Last year i let you take over and i stayed home...this year fat chance....ITS MY TOWN. I understand you may not know better and therefore need advice from the only source that matters on what to expect and how to make sure that your plane ticket is worth every penny. So here is the lowdown, the juice, the word on the street, strictly not from concentrate but through my grapevine.

BEACHES

Number 2: is clearly the #1 beach to visit this year but please bring your own food. Cause the food at the restaurant sucks. Best thing to do is buy your FISH from lumbley beach and take it with u raw and have them grill it in their kitchen....better yet...season it and take it with you. And dont forget to ask for the guy who gives massages...he's old with tooth missing but his hands are strong

Bureh Beach: Nature's best and i still my favorite because its virgin and as ecotourism as u could ever get. You'll have to bring everything, including water with you but its worth the experience of having your own private beach

Sussex (Francos): Tired of Freetown and wanna spend the night on the beach but dont want to give up the luxury of hot water?? Franco's is a romantic couples friendly spot. And if u need to hide out and do the dirty dirty (which might mean just layin on the beach.....wink wink) then this is it. You dont have to take anything but your good attitude

Lumbley Beach: For no other reason than the fact that its soo bloody close and u dont need and SUV to get there. Since they broke down the beach bars on the sand side i think its gotten a bit better. You probably dont want to get in the water cause its filthy but walk or run on the beach, lay in the sun, and watch people...

MONEY

Exchange Rate: seems to have settled back on Le3000-$. You Euro and Pound people sorry cant help u but know that its much higher than that. Also, dont bring 20s or 10s or lower denomination of any currency cause they will change it at a lower rate (it makes no sense to u but thats what they do) Also, Some places dont take $100 bills from 1996 or older than 2003...i dont know why but thats how it is

More money: Bring more money than u think you need, do not underestimate Freetown high prices....and if u sound schwen schwen u better beleive u will end up paying more even if u think u know better...Somebodi go pass am pan u

If you run out of money: You can send yourself money via western union online and pick it up via any of the banks that are affiliated. Also if u have a debit visa card....u can take to to Rokel Commercial bank and they will give you cash. I havent tried it but it does work. Only, if u dont have the right connections at the bank...na for ready for tinap na line for a long long long time

Open a Local Account: It might be late by the time u get here to do this but u should consider opening a local account with one of the banks here and u can wire money to your account all year round so that u always have enough waiting for you when u get here

ATM CARDS: Please dont expect for your credit card or debit card to work here. We're still on paper. Rokel Bank has a point of sale (POS) at different super markets but u need to have an account with them first to use the service. ECOBANK has a functioning ATM at Lumbley Safecon petrol station....and another at Family Kingdom (which is always never working). I hear that UBA, AccessBank and Zenith Bank may have ATMs operational by christmas as well. UBA and AccessBAnk will have ATMs at PAddys but once again u have to have accounts with them to benefit from this.

and If all else fails.....u can sell some of your property to get some cash.........:-)

WATER
Grafton: Like Tutic a lot people us the brand Grafton for the product. Only problem is that means that sometimes u want the brand Grafton they bring u some saudi, or lebanese bottled water (peeuuuwwww). For my taste, Grafton is the best tasting (meaning no taste) and closest to capturing the memory of tap water that i relished as a kid before i learnt about typhoid and all the reasons why i cant drink it now (though i'm sure i have)….owned by a Sierra Leonean

Magram: Owned i think by a Lebanese (so alot of lebanese owned biznesses will carry it instead of grafton) is my water of preference if there is no Grafton

Luvian: owned my Sherkanders and sons is also salone water (its the one with a woman on the label)

Blue Spring: not sure who owns it buts also Salone water

I have made it a habit to not drink any imported water whether it be from london, lebanon or france (i only make an exception for BADIOS, my favorite water ever.....its mineral water from France)

DRINKS

CAN vs. BOTTLE: I know we're all used to getting drinks in cans but please remember that we have no waste recycling for cans...though it can be melted to make pots. Some places dont sell bottle drinks so u may not have a choice but when u buy the bottle u support the FREETOWN COLD STORAGE & SL BREWERY who employ locally and support local communities. Canned soft drinks are usually imports from Lebanon....nothing wrong with that but....gotta drink responsibly....i.e for the environment. So ask for the bottle first and the can after. Or even better ask the restaurant what they do with their empty cans…

FOOD: Where to eat???!!!

1. Mamba Point: Yes, there may not be any ambiance (and if u're from america u might notice all the white people but they're very friendly so dont be afraid....just think OBAMA :-))) This is the only restaurant that never disappoints me on taste or presentation. Mamba Point consistently delivers on good quality food. Besides the lobster i make at my house...its the best i've had so far. Also they have everything from chinese, to pizza, indian food, to japanese. Yes SUSHI!!!! They have a newly opened sushi bar thats pretty good and they freakin have tempura so what else could u ask for?? (Good for Lunch but Best for Dinner)

2. Crown Bakery: Forget the chicken at Crown, sharwama....or any of the other tidbits they have for fastfood takeaway. When you're at Crown there are two things you order for....Jollof Rice& Stew (its the best i've had at a restaurant...so f**k*** delicious.) or u order the SPECIAL....nothing beats the Crown Special. Whatever it is i guarantee that it will be worth every cent and u probably wont even be able to finish it cause the portions are so big. They have this King Prawns they do and oh my GOD...that shit is seafood heaven no lie. Also this is the place u go if you wanna see VIPs: banks MDs, CEOs, and Ministers on a regular day....oh and if u're lucky u might see me too :-) (Best for Lunch)

3. Chinatown Chinese Restaurant (not the one downstairs they have one in the back upstairs to serve the guest house): This is the closest i've come to having what i would consider chinese food. They have good sweet and sour tofu and the rice in bamboo shoot with beef is delicious. Also, no one really goes there so u can have privacy and eat in peace. But its good for weekend eating for family. Also they have good shumai....hmmm hmmm my favorite)

4. Diaspora Bookshop Cafe: Best place to eat on a budget and for a snack if you dont mind possibly sharing seating space on the sofa with people you dont know. Worst place to go if you want privacy cause its small. But if u're new in town and hoping to meet people its the best place to strike a conversation with a stranger. The staff is also quite friendly and they have the best waiter in the country BASHIRU DEEN (i swear he's the best...any u can also catch Bashiru at Indochine , he works there too). I enjoy the guacamole here and they're always open to suggestions and u can basically have anything made anyway you like it if its in their kitchen. (owned by a SL returnee)

5. Paddy's: If you must eat anytime between 1pm and 4am any day of the week and u want Satisfaction Guaranteed...look no further than the grilled barracuda and fried rice or the grilled chicken and fried rice with the hot pepper on the side. It always taste the same and it is da bomb!! A quick tip (keep your reciept from paddy's) their number is on it and u can call ahead so u dont have to wait when u get there. The paddy's fried rice is CRACK....try it once and u're hooked...seriously. Also at paddy's the ever mysterious roastbeef at night....also CRACK...but not for the weak at stomach.....only for true gangsters like myself

6. SOLAR HOTEL RESTAURANT: When you have dinner outside at solar hotel u know that u've finally arrived. The locally made chairs and tables are set up around a pool and the sounds of the night and the stars in the sky make this the most romantic place to have a meal at night. The food though in very small portions is really well seasoned and u will want to lick your plate. Possibly one of the most expensive places to eat in town but once again worth every last cent. Anyway go ahead and lick your plate....no one's watching. This is my vote for the best kept secret (Better than all else for private dinner for a large or small group of 2)

7. BLISS PATISSERIE: You need a good English Breakfast with all its parts?? Go to bliss. You want a birthday cake or pastry?? Go to Bliss. You want warm chocolate croissant aka pain au chocolat go to Bliss. They open early (closed on mondays) if u need breakfast its the place to go

8. ATLANTIC: The award for best tapas has to go to Atlantic. Also they should also get the award for always seeking out creative activities and events to bring people to the spot and keep them entertained. Its a great place to chill out in a group...They've had everything from Barbecue Buffet on Sundays, to live musical performance and a Halloween party for charity. Toofic (or T) if you prefer is really warm and outgoing and he's doing a good job managing the place as well.

9. Roys: I am not a big fan of this place but if you wanna smoke shisha its a good place to do it. And their chicken wings are good. Just dont like the moot moot flyin by and biting me in weird places...like on my finger

10. Karma: The karma burger is possibly the burger with the most flavor i've had since i've been here. Also on this list because its really simple and classy on the inside. The owner Tanya is a fabulous hostess but most importantly they have brownies and american pancakes. Need i say more??

11. COUNTRY LODGE & HOTEL BARMOI: Two hotels with amazing views and breakfast buffets. I would say country lodge for sunday breakfast and brunch and Barmoi for saturday breakfast. Which ever you choose....u wont regret it. Country lodge also has descent apple pie...ask them to warm it and add some vanilla ice cream

12. KANKANKAN @ brookfields across from NP: Everyday starting at 5pm till they run out of beef. HMMMMM HMMMMM GOOD

13. VEEGEES Pepper chicken the last right hand turn before u take congo cross bridge heading to town: hot, spicy and to die for

14. LAC’S VILLA: the food at lac’s villa is pretty good but if you want a quiet place to have lunch, that’s green and clean…this is the place to go….owned by a sierra Leonean….Lac’s villa is also on my list for best kept secret. The service is also pretty good…ask for Mr. Daniel one of the waiters…he’s cool. Go to lac’s on Fridays for their African buffet

Honorable mention: Posseh's Bardorie (been there 3x cause there is so mcuh hype but i've been disappoitn each time....but since everyone always says nice things i think maybe its not me. they're african breakfast is also a killer......but this place is pricey...but i like it cause its owned by a Sierra Leonean. Cafe de la Rose: simply for old time's sake. Balmaya....i like to get the chicken sandwich its fast and fresh but i find balmaya's food mostly to be bland but i think thats another word for healthy??Indochine....food sometimes very good...food other times very bland but always clean and crisp and well decorated in east asian motif.

ON MY DONT EAT HERE LIST: CHEZNOUS...hang out here by all means but their food flip flops in taste and they dont have a descent toilet. SPORTSBAR....very small portions...not especially good....overpriced and cause they have a sign that says they reserve the right to throw anyone out....its a good place to drink and watch a game and not see any locals and anywhere with a nasty bathroom. DELICIOUS on siaka stevens street..and finally I regret to put CHILL & GRILL, a new sl owned restaurant on my don’t eat here list as well. The place is clean and decent but its supposed to serve grilled food. I went there with my friend she ordered grilled fish and I ordered grilled chicken. When the food came out….it wasn’t grilled it was steamed. We asked her why this was so and she finally confessed that “way wi kin grill am sontem in kin bon”. I hear they have good groundnut soup though

MUSIC & DANCE
1.Paddys: i have a friend who hates paddys and swears that it is the worst place ever...she wont even get out of the car to enter paddys without being begged and cajoled. For all the kolonkos in the world i believe that paddys is a microcosm of salone. You could see anyone at paddys. All things being equal they have better music than ol skool and lagoonda put together. You can find a corner and sit and just enjoy the sights or actually venture to the dance floor...only thing is the body odors on the dance floor on a crowded night are not for the weak at heart. So when it comes to music and dancing...on the west side, paddys is still the #1 spot. If u wanna experience it on the light side...come on a thursday or sunday...rather than a friday or saturday. The toilet is better than it was but like most toilets in salone running water is an issue sometimes

2.The Lounge @ Ol Skool: The music here is 10X better than the music at the night club. And its more chill and u can dance if u want although there isnt a stage. One of the best parties i went to this year was at the Lounge the DJ was off the hook. They dont have a dj on a regular night but the crowd always tends to be a bit older and mature than those who make it to the club upstairs. The toilet f**k** sucks at this place. They made it a bit better but they never have running water and on a busy night it gets dirty quick

Ol Skool Club: The last time i had a good time at this night club was maybe 6months ago. We had to stop going to the club cause the music is like 3years old and the resident dj plays the exact same songs every friday night which is the only night i ever go to the club. Anyway Sierra Leone is definitely in need of a proper night club as Ol skool has dropped considerably and its a waste of time to drive up there to dance on a friday. I go sporadically now. nasty toilets as well

Soukous Band @ China House in Brookfields: I havent been fortunate enough to make it out to china house on fridays but i hear they have a rather good live african music band on friday nights...though some posh people have complained that the crowd is very very local. Anyway whatever your taste, its good to know u can hear and dance to live music somewhere in this city

Tribes: Reggae and Roast beef all night every night. If you've ever driven on aberdeen road u've more likely than not heard morgan heritage, lucky dube, or buju banton boom blasting as u drove by Tribes. I've been to tribes maybe 2x and its not my cup of tea to hang out at but they keep the roots reggae flavor going and i can appreciate that. You can also stop by tribes to watch your champions and premier league games. Its good for the fellas but not sure a group of ladies will enjoy hangin out at tribes

NP @ Aberdeen Road: Like tribes NP is not place u'd catch me hanging out cause its not my seen but alot of fellas hang out at NP....like a happy hour after work spot...a place to watch football games...and listen to popular music. Its good for the fellas but not sure its lady friendly

Lagoonda: No one i know goes to lagoonda. The music is too 80s. Or maybe its that the crowd is very very lebanese. But some have said that its the only real night club in salone. I dont think so but to each her own.

College Club Parties: for those of you who were fortunate or unfortunate to go to Fouray Bay College or any other college in salone, there is always a college club throwing a party for you to attend. I've never been to any college event but i expect its a great way to reunite with old friends and meet some new clubs members and most importantly....young fresh college girls willin, able, looking for a good time or a jc to take home :-)

SUPERMARKETS
Hmmmm....they are all pretty much the same...over priced, stocked with items from Sri Lanka, or Lebanon...brands u may not recognize or brands u recognize with a different taste cause it not made in the same place as what u usually get.

Monoprix, Atsons, St, Marys, Freetown all pretty much the same to me

Essentials is definitely definitely over priced, i dont ever even think of going there.

Payless has a smaller stock but its a bit more reasonable

Select Supermarket has a lot of French products

Choithrams and Sam King and other supermarkets in town tend to have more competitive prices.

My take on the supermarket is simple if u absolutely gotta have it then bring it with you, if not u get fo go buy am na super market na fo bia ya.....na so

SECOND HAND....OR JUNKS....BUTU BUTIK
Whether you're coming on holidays or coming for a while do not completely knock the junks. Ok so dont buy your panties and other unmentionables from junks but definitely look out for shoes, belts, sunglasses, bags and other accessories. There are alot of brand name designer and good quality accessories that end up in junks. Going to junks is always a cool Saturday activity

AFRICAN FABRIC
The #1 place to look for or buy african fabric is malama thomas street. If you're new to african textiles remember that there are alot of fakes in the market as well. You can find cheap prints from London and China. But if you want good quality african fabric and u want to support the growth of the african textile industry buy African made. How do u know the fabric is african made??? Well if it is african made most fabric will have the name of the country where its made printed on the edge of the fabric itself….fabric made in Sierra Leone doesn’t have that though

FOR THE LADIES
Dont let the want want get to your head. yes you're probably very beautiful and he probably does love u after the first day but know that we like new things in salone....dont forget to use a condom...which you can buy from any supermarket. Emergency Contraception (otherwise known as plan B) is available in town at the pharmacy on Wilberforce street....but USE A CONDOM. if you know u wont be comfortable buying condoms here PLEASE PLEASE BRING IT WITH YOU.....i beg. Tampons if u use them are expensive at the supermarket so u should probably bring them with you

FOR THE GUYS
Dont let all the text messages and i love you after day one get to your head. If its sex you want...its very easy to get it free here.....dont forget to use a condom...u can get condoms from any supermarket.

STDS & HIV(AIDS)
We have those here too so please drive responsibly

MARIJUANA: I dont smoke and i think its illegal. But i hear the weed here is very good and very cheap. Can be purchased on the beach and somewhere between paddys and tribes :-) and alot of other places as well i'm sure

LIQUOUR: Some hardcore liquour lovers might be disappointed at the lack of Moet, Patrone, or grey goose at the bars. Best place to grab a drink??? Plan B or Atlantic

MEDICAL CARE
Choithrams is supposed to be the best local private hospital. But there is also Marie Stopes Clinic for Women's health issues. If you get sick everyone will say its malaria but it may not be.....do take your malaria pills (but stay away from larium it tends to have some side affects). Bring Preparation H or Immodium and any and all run belleh medecine cause it might happen to you.
If you have asthma and u need an inhaler bring them with you...whatever medical needs/pills/prescriptions etc. fill them before you come and make sure u have whatever you need. There is no guarantee that we have the meds available or that what we have is authentic. So please come prepared.

HAIR
Cant help the guys here but LADIES....HEADMASTERS on wilkinson road is managed by two guys Obai and TOS Man....it gets really busy every single day and i'm sure over christmas will be no exception. They do really good weaves and hair cuts, and permed styles. if your hair is natural like mine though, they cant really help you...unless if like me u like braids...then they have a girl there MADOLO....who is really neat.

Also for hair, there is KORNYA (been here maybe twice) and AFROMERIC(used to go there years ago but not anymore)

The best hair do though if you're unsure is if you see it on someone's head u ask them where they got it done and u make them take u to the person or yet still take a picture if u have a camera on your phone. Also when you're getting your hair done be afraid to make them take it out and do it over and make sure u monitor everything they're doing to your head cause otherwise it will come out substandard. I had to learn the hard way.

You can also gat manicure and pedicure's from Headmasters or Nehneh's (next to Houda's supermarket). If you're used to seating in a massage chair for your pedicure....it aint done like that here...but u can still get it done well. Bring your own nail polish!!

RADIO STATION: If you live in SL u MUST listen to the RADIO
FREE RADIO 95.7: If like me you're an R&B and hip hop fan and you like to hear the same stuff you'd hear on the radio in the States....and maybe UK. Then this is the station for you. Mr. B the main dj is funny and quirky and he even had his own hot ass garage single a couple months ago. Mr B is super super cool... we like him ALOT...they also play r&B and hip hop from salone and africa's finest. I heard the Asa (Ahsa) single jailer first on free radio

CAPITOL RADIO 104.9: if you like to hear british or wanna be british accents then this is the station for you. They play whats hot in the UK or what u'd hear on UK radio....and they also only hire people who sound like they're british. No african or salone sounds or songs....but hey if thats your flavor then its your station. they used to have this dj called DJ pineapple and he was really funny but he's now at Kalleone i think

RADIO UNITY 94.9: its always nice to hear SLPP on air....listen here for the sounds of the opposition

KALLEONE RADIO: every now and they play good shiiiit!! kalleone is also #1 for sports info

RADIO UNAMSIL, CTN, RADIO DEMOCRACY.....all also available but i rarely listen to them…coming soon to radio in Salone is VOA-Voice of America

TELEVISION:
Local TV: SLBS TV (govt tv) & privately owned ABC TV (they play good movies in the evenings but u need to get an antenna for your tv to be able to catch the station)

Satellite: GTV (is more stable with reception but only about a handful of channels some of which are not in english), DSTV (ku band reception very poor in bad whether but it has more channels
ArabSat (at alot of lebanese owned spots)

THE GYM
UN GYM ($20/month): but its only for UN staff and NGO staff….(it’s the best value gym, they have Air-conditioning and the trainers are friendly)

Abrasy @ Wilberforce ($35/month): no A/C and the place is fallin apart. They usually only have one or two trainers….Teddy used to be my trainer last year but I had to drop him

Country Lodge Gym ($40)/month): for this much you’re supposed to get access to their gym, and pool. Never been to this gym but I’m sure its there

Gym @ Victoria Street: I think it’s the first that opened after the war but never been there either

Gym @ Campbell Street: A lady I met recently has opened a gym on Campbell street. I need to find her card to get the name right…

CHURCH/MOSQUE/INDIAN TEMPLE
I go to my neighbourhood mosque but if u need to pray we have mosques and churches all over the place. Churches of all denomination from Winners Chapel, to Praise Sanctuary, to Mountain of Fire, Mountain of Miracles, Jesus is Lord Ministries, Evangel….and on and on and on and on….we also have the more conservation Methodist/Catholic/Anglican Churches of you’re not of the Evangelical Holy Ghost Fire persuasion

And there is an Indian temple on Wilkinson Road

People will invite to church for thanksgiving this or that but Sierra Leoeneans in generally are not fussy about religion. We are tolerant. Though people tend to be incredibly weirded out if you say you don’t believe in God altogether. We just don’t understand how someone could not believe in God.

LITTERING
Yes u will sit in taxi or poda poda or even in a private car and someone will throw something out the window. Please advise your driver who may not already be doing this to keep a plastic bag in the car for garbage if you eat in streets like me.
Put please don’t throw trash on the street, its already very filthy so don’t make it worse. You may find it difficult walking in the city to identify trash bins but still don’t throw your trash on the street. More likely than not if you’re on holiday or recently moved back people are going to look up to you so u want to be passing along the best habits…no to so?

TIME
Don’t take it for granted that people will be always late. Even though 99% of the time they will be, you should try to show up on time

RETURNEE/SL OWNED BUSINESSES
There are some who come back and say they will not patronize Lebanese owned businesses like I once did but, if you actually want to live your life to the fullest and enjoy the best this town to offer more likely than not, u will end up at a Lebanese owned establishment. Yet still there are returnee/sl owned biznesses. I think its always interesting to ask staff about the owners of the establishments I visit.

And finally after much has been said the last thing on this list……

THE STATE OF TOILETS IN SIERRA LEONE
My mother always told me that you know how clean a person is by the condition of their toilet. If the toilets in our homes and businesses are to speak to who we are in this country, one word would fully capture us……NASTY!!!!!
Whether it’s a house or a business people treat the toilets as an after thought. It rarely has running water, hand wash, tissue paper…and all the necessary ingredients for a healthy clean toilet experience. HOW CAN YOU OWN A RESTAURANT AND NOT HAVE WATER IN YOUR TOILETS????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I understand some places do not have running water but that is no excuse. Labor is very very very very cheap in sierra leone and it would cost close to nothing to hire someone whose job it was to make sure that the toilets always have water. But it is unacceptable that I should go to a restaurant and have to lift and pour a bucket of water into the bowl to flush.
If you’re planning on headin to the center of town please make sure you have previously designated toilets….an office or establishment that you know u always have access to their toilet and that’s clean with running water. If not, you run the risk of being caught out there with no protection. If you happen to be suffering from run belleh….please please stay home…for God’s sake!!!!


Disclaimer: The SwitSalone 2008 Switlist is compiled by yours truly in consultation with no one though I’ve certainly let others’ impression of things influence this list. It contains my personal views, tastes and preferences. It is neither endorsed, nor affiliated, nor promoted by any of the businesses or establishment mentioned on this list. I compiled this list in two sittings over a period of two days. Use at your own discretion but certainly come back and tell me what you think and prove me wrong if u can…or better yet maybe I missed a lot of other stuff that’s worth mentioning. If you have something to add please feel free.….its my birthday tomorrow Nov 14th :-) Kisssesss and Huggzz


SEE YOU AROUND MY FREETOWN………..dont forget your mosquito repellent, rechargeable batteries & flash light

All People's Congress: One Year and counting...

It has been one year now since last year’s elections and over the past couple months, I have been trying to assess the differences between this and the old regime. During the colour coded, rally, and manifesto infested campaign period, we were bombarded by promises and catch phrases the likes of “kaka wi noh wan yeri”, “loose u face”, and so forth. And like many others, I was inspired and moved by Sierra Leoneans determination to participate in the electoral process and use it to change the status quo. Despite the Court Barray, rumours that Kabbah was being indicted, and the infamous transitional team report which has yet to make it into the public hands, things went on as usual, nominations and assignments of APC supporters to key government positions.

I have been reluctant to speak of the APC government because I like others believe that change is a process and that results take time to manifest. However, I think that even before you see results we can look at planning and projections get an idea for possible outcomes. I have been asking myself, what is the difference between the APC govt and the SLPP? What can the APC government show us now or have shown that would let us know what kind of results to expect in the short term i.e next 12months and long term in by the end of the 5 year presidential term? So far I am still waiting for the party to formulate its ideology and hence guidelines/steps to develop the nation influenced by the ideology. SHOW ME THE PLAN? SHOW ME THE PLAN? Or are we using the PRSP as a framework for national development?

It is my belief that what we lacked in the SLPP regime we continue to lack in the APC regime as well. But fortunately for the previous government much was handed to it under the post war peace building agenda. Theoretically the SLPP could survive in office without a political ideology and still provide results and claim them as government led initiatives while in actuality, it was the UNDP, UNAMSIL, World Bank etc. So while the SLPP ideology was more “donor tell me what to do and give me money to do it and I will eat di moni and do some fekehfekeh version of what u want me to do because if I do it right the first time I cannot come back and begabega u fo more money to do what u have told me again” the APC is not so lucky. We have consolidated the peace process and have transitioned from the post conflict emergency phase.

When I was in college I tried everything I could to not take a course in political theory. Some how I thought that I wanted to know more practical stuff about case studies and present day questions of statehood and international relations. The thing is though it dawned on me that from political theory come political ideology and state development agenda. Sierra Leonean governments since before independence have neither had an agenda nor ideology. Governments have only been concerned with staying in power and manipulating ethnic and regional primordial ties for their political advancements and we the people uneducated as we are have followed suit. But that has got to end if we have any hopes for actually developing this country. Sierra Leonean school children should know as young as possible whether they live in a socialist, capitalist, Marxist, Pan-Africanist, or communist country. These political ideologies provide guidelines for development. Depending on which u choose to follow it lets you know the “how to develop” the country. Without ideology then u can promise to bring electricity, or build a road or schools, and if u do manage to do all those things there’ll be no synchronicity to their development. Someone looking at what has been done, will not see the correlation between the different accomplishments.

Our political parties do not have ideology, a belief system that guides government actions and decisions. Recently, I have been making more frequent visits to Accra and staying for longer periods of time. Each time I visit I become more and more aware that what they have and probably always had, has been ideology. Ghanaian governments democratic or military have all had a plan and though some deviated from the plan the guidelines for state development from my perspective have always been Africanist. The different political parties in Ghana stand for different things and just as Democrats and Republicans know what to expect with each government so too do they. Through out the months that led to the elections last year I was in limbo for whom to support because neither party had clearly stated what they stood for. Instead they made promises of what they would do when they got elected. What I learned in college and hope to remember for as long as possible is that development can happen in the variety of ways and that state’s especially poor ones need to have a clear concise vision of where they want to be and they must ensure that they have ownership over the development process. Basically, there are various models and we need to know where we want to go and but most importantly, how we gonna get there?

While the government should be focusing on these issues it is instead plagued with news worthy only of gossip columns. For example, did you know that someone in the APC administration tried to get a pay raise for president Koroma and VP Sumana that would have increased their salaries to somewhere close to 9thousand dollars a month? Its not that I disagree with the idea of a pay raise rather it turns out that neither the president nor the VP were aware of the effort to increase their salaries. The whole situation was such a mess that the request which was placed before parliament had to be withdrawn and word on the street is that the Secretary to the President had to resign over the issue. So on the eve of the APC one year anniversary all I can say is, I am not impressed although I still love Earnest Bai like my Daddy and I believe that he’s capable. Yet still, I think that the government lacks direction and vision and the only consistent message that I hear is that the country is ready for and needs foreign investors...last I checked we had loads of foreign investment in Sierra Leone, infact a bit too much. If Basha Bakery is an example, it seems the Lebanese seem to be on an expansion project and very soon they’ll own all of Freetown. How many former peace keepers and ngoers have now started their own business…or better yet you need only visit paddies to know that foreign investment is overwhelming in a certain industry. The government desperately needs to get a clue cause man dem still noh gladi, dem noh day talk am right now but di system way wi all bin day manage don ton global

Maybe where we need to start is a national dialogue with all stakeholders from paramount chiefs to market women…all focused on developing a national plan for development…..or like a friend said the other day…BO Vickie Lef mi…a year is too soon to tell

The 10th Accused in Cocaine Scandal: Bo na lie bo Ahmed no go mix pan dat

I met Ahmed Sesay last year at Cafe De La Rose. We didn’t really meet per se but we both went there everyday for lunch separately until one day we were actually introduced. After the introduction we would exchange hellos and goodbyes whenever we happened to be lunching at the same time.

When I stopped going to Cafe I would bump into Ahmed at Chez Nous in the evenings. He seemed to me more quiet and sensible than the regular Wise Guys. One day I met him sitting at the Bar and i sat next to him while i waited for my spring rolls and sweet and sour soup. Like most conversations during that period we talked about politics. He was an APC supporter and from the way he responded to my skepticism I could tell that he wasn’t just a supporter rather…he was deep in it. I told him that while I was certain that the Sierra Leonean people needed a change, I wasn’t sure the APC was going to take us where we needed to go. Eventually realizing that I wasn’t going to change my position he said that the party is looking forward to changing minds and showing us that they meant well. I ate my food and we changed the topic.

While we were still at the bar 3 buffoon looking ohlangba’s showed up to speak to Ahmed about something that had happened but between their temne and krio I could barely understand what was being said. All I remember is that they were bragging about having taught someone a lesson. Ahmed’s phone which rang non stop kept on ringing. Finally he answered a call…he left me at the bar off to a “strategizing meeting” with Cheri Coco, a lawyer who then was running for MP (he won). As the weeks rolled by Ahmed and I exchanged more hellos whenever we came across each other and I must confess I respected him. He always looked very well put together with his crisp button downs and slacks.

When the APC finally did win the election Ahmed was in the very very inner circles of those very first weeks. He was part of the presidential contingent at the airport on inauguration day that welcomed and ushered presidents into the country. And during that period a wise civil servant referring to Ahmed called him “one of the King makers” in the party. His opinions highly regarded by the power that be. When the president announced his cabinet, Ahmed’s half brother other times referred to as his cousin Kemoh Sesay was appointed as the Minister of Transport & Aviation. Soon after his nomination like several other ministers like him Kemoh was frequently out of the country “trying to bring investors in the country”. Once he went to North Africa and there were speculations in the paper that he had built a brand new house only several months into his appointment as minister. I remember Ahmed mentioning that they were sued the journalist who wrote the article. Kemoh hadn’t built a new house but I presume finishing it was much faster than it otherwise would have been if he hadn’t been minister.

One day in December a friend and I happened to be lunching at Café De La Rose after some weeks of absence. Fortunately Ahmed was there as well and we sat together. It was his birthday he said and we were happy to celebrate with him over lunch. He told us he was soon to head back to the UK to see his family. During the conversation however I had mentioned that my digital camera had broken, the random chit chat of how I need to get out of sierra leone to buy certain things. I didn’t see Ahmed again until after the holiday season. When I did see him, he had a gift for me…a digital camera. A small gesture that went a long way with me because it had all been done so casually. I thought….hmmm…how thoughtful of him, this Ahmed he’s nice oh…

As we became better friends and actually made plans to have lunch on a regular basis, I asked Ahmed what kind of business he was in. One time he said that he was in real estate in the UK, buying and selling property ( a line that I’ve heard several times from many guys in town from the UK) however, that he had formed a company with some investors and they were going to get into mining. He said he was in town doing the surveys and research etc…until they got their license etc. It all made a lot of sense to me then and I did not question his legitimacy.

I saw Ahmed many many times after and when I thought of my close friends in Sierra Leone he was certainly included. He was a confidant, someone I spoke to often, usually over food. We even talked about going on diets together etc. I was invited to his house for dinner with another friend and I was there again another time witnessing the construction of a second property in the compound. Ahmed said he had to expand because his business partners and his family could not share the same house. As you may know, the Sesay’s are a big family.

In April, I invite Ahmed to my grandmother’s 70th birthday celebration. He came and we sat about keeping company for a while until he left and as usual questions are asked and it happens that Ahmed and I are related by marriage.

I was told that my great grandmother married Ahmed’s father so that she could make the pilgrimage to Mecca. She had already passed childbearing age at the time of their marriage but she and Ahmed’s father who my granny described as a dark skinned Imam spent several years together before Ahmed’s dad passes. He was killed by an infection from his pet cat who scratched him one day when he accidentally laid on it. Anyway, I told Ahmed the story and we had a running joke that he was my grandfather

Early in the year FIFA banned the national stadium and I had mentioned that in a previous post. By then Ahmed had been appointed as the manager of the national football team; Leone Stars. When GoSL decided to renovate the stadium, it was Ahmed who got the contract. It seemed like a conflict of interest to me but then that is how political lobbying works, the party in power has to be loyal. Same in the US with campaign financing & contributions same in Salone with party supporters and GoSL contracts.

Ahmed was incredibly stressed during the period of the stadium’s renovation. He confessed that he was afraid they might not meet the deadline for FIFA re-inspection. So I saw less and less of him as he worked hard to implement on time. But by the time FIFA did come to town, the stadium was deemed up to par and opened for international matches.

When I asked Ahmed about being Leone Stars team manager he said that he had promised His Excellency my favorite president Earnest Bai that he would make sure that the team qualified for the World Cup & 2010 Nations Cup in Angola. We talked about the teams limitations with funds. To raise money for the team, Ahmed had a fund raiser at State House with major corporate bodies invited to pledge support for the team. I heard that total pledged was about $200,000 (le 600,000,000). I am not sure if they were able to get all the money but that is what was pledged.

The last time I saw Ahmed before he was arrested and implicated in the Cocaine saga was the finals for the EURO 2008 at Chez Nous. When the game was over a couple of us including Ahmed sat at a table and talked a bit. Ahmed said he was going to London to see his family the next day.

Two weeks later, I’m at the shop and someone tells me that my friend, confidant, lunch buddy, Leone Star team manager, Kemoh Sesay’s brother and among other things personal assistant to Vice President Sam Sumana was being held in relation to the Cocaine bust at Lungi. When I heard I sat down. I was in shock that Ahmed, this dapper extra clean fresh to death friend of mine was actually at Pa Demba Road. But never once did I think “bo na lie bo Ahmed no go mix pan dat” I was not surprised that he was implicated because this is Sierra Leone and wealth is unaccounted for. You declare what u want if u bother to pay income tax. All I knew for sure about Ahmed was the he was a close friend and I respected him. I didn’t know what he did for a living or how he managed to have several very beautiful cars.

I will not get into the details of the cocaine story or what happened or how it happened because there are enough speculations in the local and international press to that effect.
Last week Kemoh Sesay was asked to resign and Ahmed is being held in Murraytown. If you pass by you will see the remaining of the Sesay brothers outside of the prison.

Also implicated in the Cocaine saga was a fellow named GKI who’s building a massive rubbish of a structure that’s supposed to be a hotel across from Bunker at the beach. He had a couple of very expensive cars as well and he’s left the country.

If the government wants to find possible drug traffickers and money launderers in the future two indicators would be OWNERSHIP OF A FLEET BRAND NEW CARS & CONSTRUCTION/PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT.

And the government especially my president should be very careful with these young men who tend to have all the answers and an unlimited amount of financial resources to contribute to campaign efforts or connections with potential investors. Because one could easily speculate that if Ahmed Sesay is found guilty, then the President’s campaign to which Ahmed contributed money was partially funded by his drug money. Also if Ahmed is found guilty, that may mean that the potential “investors” that Ahmed introduced to the president and the vice president could also be involved in the same drug trafficking business and they have been given full and complete access to the highest powers in the land. If Ahmed is found guilty then we might also be able to speculate that Drug Lords do not leave 600kgs of cocaine to land in the “poorest” country in the world if they do not feel that they have assurance in very high places. This then might implicate Ahmed’s brother Kemoh the minister of transport and aviation who has since been asked to resign and was taken in for questioning. If Ahmed is found guilt speculations could get worse and implicate those in positions higher than the minister.


Like most things that happen in Sierra Leone, the Cocaine saga has turned into a big joke but we’ve moved on. After all the Global is killin us with high prices and slow cash flow



I wonder if I will be taken in for questioning after this :-)

BBC OUTLOOK INTERVIEW WITH ASCHOBI DESIGNS

To Listen to the Interview: CLICK HERE

Sierra Leone fashion
Fashion designer, Adama Kargbo was born in The United States but has parents from Sierra Leone. Her childhood friend Vicki Remoe-Doherty was born in Sierra Leone but left at 10. Both studied fashion in Paris - Adama on the creative side and Vicky on the management side. Now they've decided to return to their Sierra Leonean roots and start up a fashion label in Freetown. Outlook visits their shop and hears from the pair about their new business

Sierra Leone One Year Later...Who invited you?

One year in Sierra Leone came and went with much anticipation. I had planned to have a barbeque/party to celebrate the day but that never happened. I woke up to a text message from my friend Yeniva wishing me a happy one year and I smiled and thought “she’s amazing”.

It was a Friday so I had to go to the shop. My weekly routine consists of work at AccessPoint Africa on Mon-Thu and Fri-Sat at Aschobi Shop. Back in February I turned down a job to work for UNAIDS to work as Sales & Marketing director of an ICT company owned by a friend. At the same time Adama and I have registered Aschobi Designs and are now NRA tax paying small business owners. We opened the shop on 17 Pademba Rd a.k.a fifth avenue. Our clientele is growing and have had several local & intl press opportunities. Most recently Aschobi Designs was featured in Premier Media, Peep, SLmtv base, South African MNET Studio 53, the Huffington Post and UAE first English Paper The National and just yesterday BBC Outlook. We have very big dreams for Aschobi and we’re getting there slowly and surelyJ

When I came to Salone last year it was my intention to stay for one year and head back to the NY in the summer and enrol in a graduate MBA program. One year has come and gone and I am still here with no return date in sight. Instead I have decided that Ghana’s GIMPA might be more suitable than toting loans for a US degree I may never be fully able to pay back. There are definite doubts as to the value of an African master’s program that lay in the back of my mind. I don’t know who put them there but the fears that an African education will some how leave me a bit lacking are for real.

Freetown is a very very interesting place to live. The stress and frustrations though different surpass NYC for sure. There isn’t a day that goes by that u wont wonder how u manage to get thru the day when there are a million and one things that seem like disasters waiting to happen. But somehow someway another day rolls by and tomorrow is here…and u do it all over again.

Recently as I’ve thought about me and my aspirations, I find myself wondering whether or not I came to Sierra Leone too soon, asking myself When Is The Right Time To Come to Sierra Leone. Would it be better or less frustrating if I were in my 40s, filled with more life experiences, possibly more money, and better understanding of life?? Or maybe in my 30s a bit more established but with some of the energy I have now. And the funny thing is people (mostly foreigners) ask me all the time why I moved back and I respond with an irritating Why not? I guess they like many others can not see many logical reasons for us to just jump into the status quo mess…

I’ve looked at others who have recently returned and on average I think that regardless of age, we’re all pretty much in the same boat dealing with the same types of issues. These issues range from having low skilled workers, dealing with people who have no regard for time, GoSL/govt bureaucracy, u bohboh dem day syndrome, “ Sierra Leoneans have bad Hearrt” negativity, status quo of things that do not function properly, lack of rule of law, fear of falling ill and going to the hospital, adapting to a more responsible low budget lifestyle until you start earning enough to maintain your pre-returnee lifestyle..and so much more.

But overall I do not feel as though I am less happy or more unsatisfied with my life here in Sierra Leone regardless of the constraints and limitations. I think that regardless of where we might find ourselves, that the issues do not disappear rather they are different taking other forms and sizes.

Let’s take for example what happened to me on June 19th 2008, three days after I officially marked my one year anniversary in Sierra Leone. I was invited to a reception at Lagoonda by Theo Nicol a columnist from Premier News, one of the local papers in town. He told me that he was inviting people from the private sector to a cocktail celebrating a new mining company owned by a very wealthy Isreali man. The starting time for the cocktail was 6:30pm. Adama and I had spent the entire day at the shop and we closed late so we rushed home and reluctantly got ready to go to the Cocktail. The only reason why we had gone in the first place is because we had given Mr. Nicol word that we would be there and my phone with his number to give our regrets was dead. So we wore Aschobis and we left. When we got to the reception it was clear that we were very very late. People were still there but the official part of it, seemed to be over. We looked around for Mr. Nicol so that we could show our faces but he was no where to be found. Leavin Adama by the table with the drinks I took my phone and charger to the Wine bar to get it charged. When I returned to the cocktail area Adama was talking to a white lady who I initially thought was talking to her about her dress. But when I got closer she was interrogating Adama about who she was and what she was doing there.

White lady: Who invited you? What are you doing here?
Adama: astonished….uhh we were invited
White lady: By whom?
Vickie: Theo Nicol ( I said with a tone of lady u better recognize)
White lady: Where r u’re invitations
(before we could answer Theo Nicol arrived and joined us in the examination)
White lady: Did u invite these people
Theo Nicol: Yes I did
White lady: Can I speak to u over there
( we couldn’t quite make out what was being said but this white lady was clearly unhappy with our presence there)

We walked out of the cocktail area to the wine bar where I had left my phone on charge. The anger and “What da Fuck” feelings came over us gradually as it dawned on us that this lady thought us unfit to be at the cocktail. Two attractive young ladies at a cocktail and this heffar thought we were prostitutes. Can u believe two up and coming starlet entrepeneurs like ourselves…considered prostitutes? You may wonder well maybe u were dressed inappropriately but u would be wondering wrong. We were in proper decent cocktail attire. After we tossed a couple F words between ourselves Mr. Nicol joined us at the bar.
He was full of a million and one apologies… “the lady was just worried that the cocktail was almost over and more people were coming and blah blah blah.”
I was like bullshit…u know damn well she thought we were some hookers…
“ you have my sincerest apologies, She doesn’t even work for the company, she is the MD’s girlfriend” “I don’t give a damn, this fucking white bitch who cant even speak English just disrespected us like some common whores…Oh hell no” “ Mr. Nicol, if not for the fact that I respected you and u invited us, I would have made a scene and told her some serious words” Mr. Nicol realising he had no chance apologised profusely and tried to bell us “I know I am so sorry”. He asked us to stay longer and have some drinks with him but we were sooo not in the mood. We walked out of Lagoonda pissed off ass hell…saying all kinds of shit…like who the fuck gave her a visa….and we’re calling Olu Gordon in the morning with our story….we want an official apology from the company.

After we slept on it…we were not as upset in the morning just still in shock that she actually had the nerve to speak to us like that. Did she know who we were?? Clearly not…but then again it is precisely for that reason that she should have been polite and respectful. I could have been Earnest Bai’s daughter…and I would have told my daddy on them and just like the VP had some people arrested and thrown in jail for Mammy cussin his mother, this lady could have been in deep kaka too.

My point is, this same scenario could have happened in NY…maybe not mistaken as prostitutes but someone not knowing who were might have thought of us as unwanted or uninvited guests….and it could have been some white lady again….and we would have most likely dealt with it in the same way. Similar issues different location

Living in Sierra Leone is not a romantic fairytale…of the African Perfection….and at times I do long for certain luxuries like hot running water, and the ability to lay on my sofa and flip thru channels with a gooey chewy double chocolate fudge brownie. When I cant have that I buy a 20 in 1 DVD collection from one of the boys selling films on the street and I come home and make guacamole and eat it with Lebanese bread while I pray that Koroma light stays for the time it will take me to watch at least one film.

Sometimes it does, and other times it does not. But when it does, I relish it and watch two films at a time and cool my chest with home made ginger beer or tombi juice and spray myself with mosquito repellent and fall asleep with the fan on. When it does go out, I light three candles, spray myself with a lot of repellent, open the windows, and sink into a new book recently purchased from Diaspora bookshop and fall asleep to the local natural sound bites…

I sleep peacefully and awaken the next day still in Sierra Leone and still in love and appreciating what I have and grateful for my life.

Sierra Leone vs Nigeria

Although morale was low after last Sunday’s 2-0 defeat in Equireal Guinea we were convinced that all was not lost as we looked ahead to the Sierra Leone Nigeria match at the national stadium. This was the first time I would watch the national team play an international match live at home. I was excited; hoping we would win, and worried we would lose.

The night before I got a text on my Comium phone instructing that tickets would be available for purchase at Youyi Building and at the Stadium starting at 8:30am. Later still in the same night I received another text stating that for security reasons tickets were only going to be sold at Police Stations starting at 10:30am. When I left my house at 11am to head to the shop, there was traffic both ways to town and Lumbley direction a rarity on a Saturday. I asked Hamid my driver and a big leone star lover-hater “traffic satiday na wetin apin?” “ na football fever. Dem day sell ticket na congo cross police station en di pipul dem make line tay cam na trit”.

On Wilkinson Road I saw homie Mahawa and we stopped both cars (adding to the traffic) and yelled across at each other. “ Yo, do we have tickets yet?” “ Not yet…lets make some calls” “ Alright…presidential stand…3 tickets?” “yeah three…see you at the shop”. Ticket prices ranged from 10,000 ($3) for open stand, 30,000 ($10) for covered and 100,000 ($33) for presidential. Impatient drivers had already begun to hunk at us as we drove off in opposite directions. :-)

As we drove around, taxis and private cars with green white and blue flying in the sunshine and sweet salone breeze honked their horns as they blasted different radio stations all half playing music but mostly reading text messages of predictions on the game. One text message read “ Dj we’re going to give the super chickens 2-0”…I laughed. Another read, “Leone stars will not win if everyone does not come out to support”.

We picked up a friend visiting Freetown and we took the hill station/Wilberforce/tengbeh town/brookfields route to the stadium. People were arriving in droves…as we drove to the side entrance by the swimming pool the radio played the national anthem of Nigeria followed by that of Sierra Leone..letting us know that we were missing kick off.

Not knowing which way to go I spot a police officer and walk up to him…. “excuse me, how do we get to presidential stand” “follow me I will escort you” I guess he could sense that we were super important V VIPs J

We walked towards the gate and I showed our tickets…a man standing at the entrance asked to open my bag and I was like “for wetin?” Whenever people congregate di tif tif increases. He says; “ I am security” but before I could ask for identification I feel my body being shoved forward…di push push don begin. I half open my bag and squeeze my way past the entrance….We laugh at the madness and we head for presidential stand. As we zealously marched on I spotted my mom’s boss the ambassador from Ghana in front of us. He’d come to watch the games as well. I greet him and we head to the entrance.

Police and security are manning the entrance checking tickets…before we ever get in line three SLPs and one plane clothes officer are shoving a 300 pound 6 ft 3 young man (who had to have recently been living in America with that size) out of the way. There seems to be a mix up…I let the katakata fade to the side before we make an attempt to enter. The Ambassador in front and the four of us behind him all shoved together trying to get through and holding on to our purses. All of a sudden the Ambassador feels a man put his hand and his pocket and he grabs his hand. Na im roforofo cam yo…the police pummel the man with some serious pimp slaps and blows while we eased our way up stairs to be seated.

We come through and the entire stadium is jam packed with people, all the standing as filled to the max and I spot a several flags waving in the air. Ah SALONE WE LOVE YOU TO DEATH!!!!!

Then I heard drums and trumpets and singing and dancing….Its the Nigerian supporters…Damn these pipul they are out supporting us in our own stadium ha ba dem noh day fraid sef…singing their church songs and what not…where is our own band???

We have to climb a couple rows to seat on our plastic seats. What’s the difference between presidential stand and the rest??? NOTHING much except maybe the guarantee that you will see some persons of self or national importance…like a minister or two and yours truly and folks who seem to have money. The other thing about presidential stand is that most of the people there don’t care much for the game...They are there to pose J

Dressed in a fitted off the shoulder greenwhiteblue cotton I was ready to support. As the game went on, you could tell that we had a better team. We had more ball possession and we even kadded some of those ebeh fed naijans well well. I spotted Nigerian superstar Kanu with his infamous cornrows while our star M. Kallon sat out the match.

By the end of the first half Salone 0 Naija 0. I was not happy. My “lets go team” and “Offence!!!” were falling on def ears. I had a spooky feeling that we were going to lose the game…but I shook it off thinking “ PAPA GOD NOH GO DO WE SO BO”

The whistle blew and the game started for the second half. My Nigerian friend asked why the stadium was so quiet. I responded that the salone supporter takes the game too seriously to be jolly…man dem need fo focus. The Nigerian supporters on the other hand were still singing, drumming, and dancing. Every once in a while they would drop a hot beat and my body would move involuntarily until I made a conscious effort to be still.

Finally the moment I had been dreading came…A corner kick on the Nigerian side produced a funny fekeh fekeh goal. The kind of goal not worthy of replay, that makes you feel u could have saved it. And just like that, they beat us and the game was over.
As the tears rolled down my eyes I felt personally beaten…we never win anything….i felt the game was a testament to our condition….so much wasted potential…always feeling u’re good enough to win but u never score. This was the first national game I had ever watched live. Leone Stars the only team I ever really supported. As I sat there broken hearted, all I could think was….I WANNA GO HOME

We walked out of the presidential stand and waited outside for the stadium to clear up. I got cajoled into taking some pictures wanting to record the moment.We exited the stadium and headed home…on our way the team passed us in their convoy as they headed for Hill Valley Guest House. As I watched them go I felt really sad…couldn’t blame the team much. Who do u blame? They played well and didn’t score…maybe just bad luck coupled with Naija juju…yes na dat, na di juju na im make dem win

(Since the Nigeria game, We beat South Africa 1-0 at home, and drew 0-0 in South Africa…our dreams for the 2010 world cup are DEAD but hopefully we make it to the Nations cup in Angola.)

Reason # 587 why I love Sierra Leone: Diaspora Bookshop & Cafe

Diaspora Café & Bookshop

No matter how many pictures I post I can not fully explain the warm, welcoming feeling I get everytime I walk into Diaspora Cafe & Bookshop.

In the hustle bustle of Freetown’s heat and sometimes crazy traffic Diaspora Bookshop & Café on Priscilla street is just what a JC, expat, and good food connauseur ordered. Its like walking into a moms & pops store where everybody knows your name; Cheers. I enter most times with friends Adama, and Mahawa to smiles and warm welcome from Bashiru, Etta, Tina, Tenneh and the other staff at the café. Sometimes I go alone and sprawl on the salone made bamboo chairs while I dive into the latest issue of Essence or People. At rush hour you might wait a little while before you get your food but deep in conversation with friends we hardly notice the time. Unless I am super hungry then I yell “ Tina way me food? Ah day cam go oh”.

The Café & Bookstore opened during December and was re-launched again at the end of January. What I really appreciate about Diaspora is the large selection of authors of African descent. I was finally able to read Nervous Conditions as well as Purple Hibiscus. The Bookstore has also introduced me to black authors based in the UK who I may not otherwise have known. The Bookstore is probably the only one that can actually order and ship books to you on demand as long as you pay for them on arrival. So instead of having to wait until the next time u travel to buy books u can get them in Freetown and that is amazing stuff!! They recently also started renting movies and cds.

But lets get back to the food. Before goods started to skyrocket nationally the prices at Diaspora were dirt cheap compared to all the many delicacies and scrumtiousities on the menu. Although prices have increased on the menu its still a bargain to other restaurants catering to the same audience. The food at the cafe is super tasty. I love their ability to experiment. Every week the specials though they may not be perfect all the time give you an opportunity to try something new and contribute to its improvement. My favourite on the menu was initially the grilled barracuda and fried rice but then one time they had this giant prawn with pineapple and that became a favourite as well. Right now though, I’m stuck on the honey mustard chicken with mashed potatoes or plantains. So good its crack food.

I must confess Diaspora has taken me away from Café De la Rose completely and also Balmaya. I still manage to make it to Crown because celebrities like us have to give the paparazzi a chance to see us every once in a while.

But when I want great food, exceptional customer service, a comfy seat, new gossip magazines, books, herbal teas, brownies, cappuccino, smoothie, wireless internet, traditional salone treats (fish cake), and some chit chat I always go to Diaspora.

And when I can’t leave my house or my office, I have it delivered.

Last weekend I also tried their catering service for a dinner I hosted at my house for Ishmael Beah. Everyone loved the food. I think I can go as far as to say that Ishmael loves the food from Diaspora :-)

Sierra Leone's National Football Team Leone Stars World Cup 2010 Dreams

I Love Sierra Leone & I Support Leone Stars

In February, I was fortunate enough to be in Accra, Ghana for the African Nations Cup. While I was in Accra, I learnt two things: Ghanaians love Ghana, and Ghanaians love football. I was amazed and in awe of the overwhelming support for the national team: the black stars. There was not a car that passed by without the national flag attached to it, neither was there a restaurant, hotel, or public venue that was Black Star banner free.

Oxford street in Osu was covered in Black Star every things…plastic wrist bands,
t-shirts, hats, wigs, cuff links…even panties but I didn’t buy any unmentionables :=)
I headed to Lagos right after Ghana had beat Nigeria in the semifinals…and I remember teasing a Nigerian friend over their loss…he simply retorted… “and how was your performance?? Oh wait a minute, Sierra Leone didn’t qualify, and u fit talk”. Trying to save face, I told him that it was our choice not to participate….we both laughed at my unending effort to paint a brighter picture of Salone.

When I came back to Freetown I wondered if we could ever compare to Ghana patriotism…I tried to remember back to a Zone 2 game that Sierra Leone had beat Nigeria, but other than that I couldn’t remember a time Leone Stars were seen as super heroes…maybe a bit during the NPRC regime. I know our hopes at qualifying for the Nations cup had been shattered during the election period when mobile company Africell was the primary financial supporter of the national team (although the company still has outstanding bills at Hill Valley Guest House that they have not fully honoured from last year when the team stayed there.)

Back in February FIFA banned our national stadium because of the sordid condition of the pitch and a lack of adequate changing room & toilet facilities for the players. FIFA gave us a deadline by which we had to get the stadium up to par. We got an extension on the deadline because the new APC government wrote a letter back to FIFA saying they never received the initial warning. Extension in hand the government was to dole out Le 260m (about $80,000) towards upgrading the stadium to FIFA standards.

If you drive up the hills of Freetown during the day, you will no doubt see the now totally blue stadium from afar. Personally, I think they should have painted it to reflect all three colors of the national flag…it would have been great to see.

I do not know how the company that won the bid to renovate the stadium got the contract but it is interesting to note that the current manager of the national team either owns the company or has great shares in it. I wonder what the procurement process for that was.

Over the past two weekends I have had the to opportunity to meet and become acquainted with the coach of the national team Ahmed Kanu. Older Salone football fans know him quite well as he was once the captain of the national team and many are pleased with his position as coach. Though I intend to find out more about his football career, I already am convinced that he’s a wonderful person.

In conversations with him I have been able to sense his frustrations at the lack of total financial support for the National Team. He wanted to have at least 20 players on the team as we play the first three games in the qualifier for the world cup in 2010. Currently, there are only 9 players in Sierra Leone training at Lungi. I found out that there are players willing to come and play for Leone Stars but the government has not made the necessary financial provisions to even cover plane tickets. Why should players have to come out of pocket??? I feel a bit angry, and disappointed but most importantly I feel sorry for Ahmed because all blame will fall on him if they loose their matches. Sierra Leoneans will not want to hear excuses if we do not qualify for the world cup. Rather they will continue to fuss and cuss the National Team…on the radio football fans always seem to have all the answers. Their strong criticisms of the Sierra Leone Football Association and Leone Stars are reflective of broken dreams and aspirations of the nation and individual wishes to earn a living playing football. Young men in Sierra Leone want to play for the glory and the gold but if football is your dream in Sierra Leone you have to sacrifice both. Sometimes criticisms are misplaced…and other times they are not.

I read in the paper today that the manager of Kalleone radio (soccer star and national team captain Mohammed Kallon’s radio station) turned in his resignation because Kallon suspended him for criticising the team. Some people believe that Kallon treats the team like his personal possession…sometimes he is forced to pay for player tickets and per diem. My response that is what do u expect?? If Sierra Leoneans want to decide who plays on the team they should find a way to raise funds to support the team and not put the burden on Kallon. As my father would say “spend your money and be respected”.

In the next month or, the national team has three games to play against Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, and South Africa. I am 100% certain that all three countries spend more money on their national team than we do. Granted their GDPs and per capita income far exceed ours and they do not rank as low on HDI and are not post conflict societies.( Do you see all my million and one excuses why we may be doomed to not qualify for the world cup)

I have to ask if it’s actually fair for us to play these teams…maybe we should have to play equally as poor countries to compete on a level playing field (get it playing field….:-) . No one can convince me that National Poverty does not directly affect our ability to play football.
We’ve convinced ourselves that when it comes to athletic ability that its pure skill, talent, and practice…etc…and I agree that this is so on the individual level. But when it comes to national soccer, the conditions (money has to be available) have to be right for a National Team to succeed in international competitions.

Some people might think that qualifying for the world cup or football in Sierra Leone is trivial compared to staggering infant mortality rates and issues like corruption and the filth ridden streets of Freetown and I would say they’re probably right. But if the National Team can qualify for the world cup it would do amazing wonders in unifying this country, it will give us a reason to be proud, patriotic, and it will help to develop our confidence in ourselves as Sierra Leoneans. Little boys, little girls, market women, and okada drivers, money man dem, bombas, and combras alike will know that we are just as able and capable to compete on an international level as other countries. No to all tem salone fo cam last…

There are several ideas that I have that were inspired by the time I spent in Ghana during the Nations Cup but the most important of these ideas is opening a bank account for the Leone Stars and ask all Sierra Leoneans who want us to make it to the World Cup to contribute to the World Cup Effort. Sierra Leoneans love football. During the Champions League, and European Football Tournament, young boys and men of all ages flock to cinema halls and pay between Le 1000- Le 3000 ($0.30-$1:00) to watch live games on satellite. We need to get these same young men and sometimes women to sacrifice there one thousand leones one time and contribute to the teams World Cup Fund. I’ve already called a friend who is a treasurer at ECOBANK and shared the idea with the team coach and other football and Sierra Leone lovers. So far people think it’s a good idea.

The target for the team is to raise 1,000,000,000 leones nationally. And for those who like myself under the circumstances would be thinking how do we keep track of the money and make sure it goes to the team. I think it would be best to have five signatories to the account three of which have to sign to authorise any withdrawals on behalf of the team. My friend at ECOBANK has said that the bank may even help promote the account & the idea as well as possibly making a contribution. Another friend at ABCTV says the tv station would be more than happy to let us advertise the cause on air…and we’re also reaching out to radio stations. I’m also thinking we need to reach out to other banks with multiple branches in more remote areas of the country. We could set up a website or develop ways and means for those in the diaspora to contribute to the effort as well.

The point is that we need to unify behind the National team and make sure that they have the financial support they need to attempt to qualify for the World Cup.
Sierra Leone World Cup 2010? HOW AMAZING THAT WILL BE INDEED!!!!!!!!

Chasing Dreams to Sierra Leone

from The National

Fashion designer Adama Kai at work in her Aschobi Designs boutique in Freetown. She is one of many Sierra Leoneans who have moved back after years abroad to start businesses now that the country is at peace. Jared Ferrie / The National

Jared Ferrie, Foreign Correspondent
Last Updated: May 25. 2008 11:14PM UAE / May 25. 2008 7:14PM GMT

FREETOWN // With its open gutters and bullet-scarred buildings, this ramshackle west African capital could hardly seem farther from the catwalks of New York or Paris. But Adama Kai, a clothing designer, has no regrets about returning home to make her mark in the fashion industry.

Although Ms Kai, 25, studied design and worked in both cities, opening her Aschobi Designs boutique in Freetown has created opportunities unavailable to her in New York or Paris.

“I’ve been wanting to do there what I’m doing here, but it’s been so hard,” she said.

“Here, I’ve been able to generate an income through selling my own designs.”

Referred as JCs, or “just comes”, Ms Kai was born in America of Sierra Leonean parents, but spent much time in Africa as a child. She shares the determination of many natives who have returned after years abroad to invest in their newly peaceful homeland.

And she is at pains to point out that her decision to return seven months ago was not just a business venture. She and others share a determination to rebuild their country, which was destroyed by a 10-year civil war that ended in 2002.

“So many of us left and that has devastated our manpower and also devastated our morale,” she said, adding that many of those who have returned form a close-knit community with shared values.

“I’m proud to be part of it,” said Ms Kai, as young men in wheelchairs begged for money from cars crawling through rush-hour traffic outside her shop.

It was her best friend and fellow Sierra Leonean, Vickie Remoe-Doherty, who persuaded her to leave New York to pursue her dream in Sierra Leone.

She left a job with the New York state health department to move to Freetown a year ago. She raised US$3,000 (Dh11,000) before leaving the US to start an internship programme here that provides work experience for youth.

Ms Remoe-Doherty, 23, spent her teenage years in Harlem, but never lost her attachment to the country of her birth. She would spend summers in between college terms as a volunteer teacher at a school in Freetown. “Everything I was doing was in preparation for my return,” she said.

In addition to running her internship programme, she is Ms Kai’s business partner, and works as a marketing director for a local internet service provider.

The hardest part of doing business in Sierra Leone is dealing with the government, she said.

For example, her company provides internet service to a ministry, which she refused to name. That ministry is constantly late with payments and when she complains, staff tell her she should not expect things to run the way they do in the US.

Government inefficiency and corruption are holding the country back, she said between bites of a burger at Diaspora, a cafe owned by another JC. It serves cappuccinos and sandwiches to development workers and middle-class Sierra Leoneans.

“I don’t want to say the country is doomed,” Ms Remoe-Doherty said.

“It’s not, but we need a lot more people coming back with the right attitude and wanting to contribute to development.”

When Jonathan Peters moved back to Sierra Leone after almost 40 years abroad and saw the political problems facing his country he decided to tackle them head on – now he’s running for mayor of Freetown. Initially, he took early retirement from teaching literature at the University of Maryland to raise money to build housing for people who had lost their homes during the war.

“Then I saw the filth in our city and I asked myself, ‘If you had US$18.2 million would you want to invest it here?’ And the answer was ‘no’,” said Mr Peters.

He added that cleaning up the city’s rubbish-strewn streets would be a priority if he were voted into office. Sierra Leone’s rough and tumble politics are considerably far removed from his comfortable life in academia, and friends in the US questioned his decision to move back in January.

“Are you sure this is what you want to do? Can you handle it?” he recalled them saying.Mr Peters admitted that he did get frustrated sometimes. For example, his neighbourhood has been without electricity for the past three days. “The amenities are not here,” he said.

Although Freetown’s power supply has improved in the past six months, it is still sporadic, which means Ms Kai often has to turn on a small generator when she uses her new electric embroidery machine.

She also faces challenges managing her staff.“How do you get them to understand they need to come in on time even if it is the rainy season?” Ms Kai asked with a touch of exasperation.

Still, she plans to expand the business and one day hopes to mass produce her clothing in a factory.“That may sound like a sweatshop or whatever,” she said. “But we need jobs; we need to create a flourishing economy.”

As well as contributing to economic growth in Sierra Leone, Ms Kai is confident that she can eventually market her Africana-meets-Manhattan designs internationally.“It’s not the common way to do it, but it’s possible,” she said, adding that in New York she was just one of hundreds of designers. “The advantage here is that I am very, very unique.”

jferrie@thenational.ae

Aschobi Designs Unleashed

Designs by Adama Kai Kargbo

Aschobi Designs

17 Pademba Road

Freetown, Sierra Leone

West Africa

Press Contact: infoaschobi@gmail.com

Model: Marian

Photographs by Fashion Phographer Henry Jacobson

Photos Taken @ Number 2 Beach

Sierra Leone

Miss Independence Beauty Pageant

I woke up super stressed on Sunday April 27th because I had to get my hair braided to host the second annual Miss Independence Beauty Pageant sponsored by STAR BEER at Family Kingdom on Lumbley Beach. I left the house and chartered a taxi to drop me off at Neneh's Salon next to Plan B. I had already called Nancy the managress aka one of favorite people in Freetown to inform her that i was coming to get my hair done. She then had to call Emeka the guy who does the braiding at the shop. Emeka is a feisty little fellah of no more than 5ft with 3 children....he's a bit effeminate and he's asked me to look out for a white woman for him, "preferably an old one" :-)




I got to the salon at about 11:30am and i figured that worst case scenario i would be out of there by 5pm. Which was enough time for me to go home relax a bit and be at Family Kingdom by 7pm. At 2:30pm my hair was still undone because Emeka had gone to mammy Coka at a lady's house. I WAS FURIOUS to say the least...I had woken up early only to come and wait and wait and wait. Everytime i looked in the mirror and saw my nappy hair starring back at me...the vexation just increased.





While I was waiting to get my hair done, my co-MC for the Pageant Mr Edward Bockarie a very nice chap with a British/Salone twang stopped by to lay the final touches on the program etc...He's tall, slim, dreads, a whole lot of gentleman. We love Edward



When Emeka showed up he was full of excuses..."I had come this morning and no one was here so i thought i could just go and do this lady's hair quick quick wan". Finally he started to plant my hair...en me bin don noh say im no go done. Feelin the pressure Emeka wan cam put rubbish an me ade...thirty mins after he started i had to tell him to stop. I was angry, tired, frustrated, and regretting my acceptance to host the show. A bigin memba say not to lek say dem day pay mi...way ah day cam kill me sef pan "nyanga na pain". I half hearted contemplated the idea of calling the lady incharge of the program to tell her that she had to find someone else because I couldnt do it. One of the ladies in the salon suggested that i put a weave on my head. " No oh ah noh go able do that, it is against my religion". It isnt really put i find it difficult to sew hair on to my head, it is something I have never felt comfortable doing.



After a bit of sulking Emeka began to braid my hair again. We finished a little after 7pm. I hurried home to shower and get ready. Adama spent the entire day by my side, patiently waiting with me at the hair salon and then cancelling her plans to go elsewhere to help me get ready. We got ready at my house, thankfully we had Koroma Electricity so no worries...Light Day



I was going to change 3 times during the show so that i could have the opportunity to show of as many of Aschobi Designs dresses as possible.......but knowing i wouldnt have anyone to help me change I settled on two outfits. A long flowing yellow sundress that criss crossed at the back and a gold, and purple halter I would change into later on in the show.

Adama and I headed to the Pageant and we met Edward outside waiting to escort in. We were going to be asked to pay when Simeon (one of the organisers) motioned for us to be let thru. There were people already seated but it was evident that the show was far from its beginning. Some of the pageant contestants could be seen walking around the almost entirely female audience. Friends and family of participants were there to cheer there favorites on.

When the show finally started it must have been close to 11pm at night. By this time I had been there for over 2 hours and i was tired and a bit frustrated not to mention that i had on heels. Edward and I came on to the stage and welcomed the guests and did some small small talk before I asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs to give speech, followed by a message from Kobe Walker, marketing director for the sponsors of the show STAR beer. Finally we were able to get on with the show and introduce the judges who ranged from the managress of Lagoonda to a female barrister, a rep from star, a Jazz musician from Ghana, and a business man who i cant seem to remember right now. Before the contestants finally came on stage there was a long break with different comedians and musicians performing for the audience...some of it was good and the rest was just nonsense.

Finally finally the ladies started to line up....there were to be five different changes ranging from casual, formal, african, swimsuit, to ball gown...each district had its contestant...so there were twelve of them. They were beautiful, young and fresh...from Bo, Bombali, Bonth etc...

The outfits were mostly locally made and some of them were very interesting for how good they were while others were interesting like wow...what is that?

As the night progressed the show dragged on and on and on and on. I was totally exhausted. When we finally got to the short and long question response section, one thing became clear about out pageant contestants; they look really good :-)
As for speaking, Oh Lord!!! It was entertaining to hear them manipulate the queens language and still manage to make sense...Lord have mercy...what r we teachin our kids in school???

By 3am, the program had still not ended and the heat and bright lights were getting to me. I was dehydrated, exhausted, and it was only a matter of time before nausea kicked in.
While we waited for the contestants to strut up to the front and back to us to pick their questions, i found myself leaning on Edward for support as i could no longer hold myself up. Several times i walked off camera just to catch a breath of fresh air.

I reached my peak.....I was trying to make it thru the last 3 contestants before i got of the stage but my head started to spin and I knew that i had to sit down. It occurred to me that if i didnt sit i would faint and i didnt want to ruin the show for the girls etc....

I handed Edward the papers i was holding on to and walked off the stage and sat on the steps. My put my head between my knees trying to breath...i remember being told that you cant faint if sitting down....but when i felt i was blacking out and i couldnt breath i tried to stand up in panic.

Next thing i know, hands are lifting me from the ground. Chaos and confusion everyone's asking what happened to the MC...she fainted...my eyes were closed...but i could hear the voices. Someone unzipped my dress and my hands quickly reached my zipper to pull it up. My eyes may have been closed and i felt sick as hell but i was not going to be undressed in public.

I asked for water, i felt parched. I opened my eyes and the water was handed to me...to my left and right i was being fanned. Concerned faces of women my age and others old enough to be my mother surrounded me. I heard someone say " i am a student at College of medicine, dont give her water". It was too late, it was in my hands and i was going to put it to my mouth. Almost as soon as i felt my thirst disappear i felt my body rejecting the water...my hand proved an unworthy candidate for what came next. Vomit!!! I vomiting everything that was in my stomach right there and then. But as soon as i vomited, i felt so much better. The crowd lessened and people walked over and on my puke like it was nothing. I was amazed that no one made a face or comment...they were even happy that i vomited...like " much better, u go feel fine now"

After a little while i was asked if i wanted to send for me friends. I said yes. Mahawa and Adama were soon informed of my condition. Mahawa came first...looking disturbed and surprised. She helped me up...and collected my things. Soon Adama was informed as well and we all three still looking fabulous after the vomit and passing out headed to the car. Hamid drove us home...i crashed on the sofa...they were on the bed.

I spent the rest of the day on the sofa feeling too exhausted to even feel sorry for myself. I decided then and there i needed a vacation...called my mom...and i told her i needed to come to Accra for some R&R

Independence 2007 I was with Ishmaeh Beah at Lava Gina in NYC....Independence 2008...i fainted and vomited at a beauty pageant in Freetown, Salone...

Independence 2009....hmmm....i really wonder

Prices in Freetown Continue to Rise

The Price of gas is now 16,500 ($5.50) a gallon
A 50kgs Bag of Rice now 120,000 ($40)

Salaries however are staying low :-(

Home Stays & Room Rentals In Freetown, Sierra Leone

Are you visiting Sierra Leone in the next couple months?
Do you need a place to stay?
Are you on a tight budget?
Would you like to rent a room with a family?
Do you want to have a true Sierra Leonean experience?
Live with the people, eat cassava leaves, learn krio, learn temne, learn to cook using the local 3-firestone method....and more??
Want all that with the luxury of internet access, tv, personal bathroom, gas stove, and laundry & cleaning service??


For availability? Prices? Pictures? Contact HomeStaySalone

Sierra Leone Independence Weekend1 : President Launches his Attitudinal Change Campaign and SwitSalone gets to MC it yet again :-)

Last week I got a call to MC the launching of the president's Attitudinal & Behavioral Change Campaign at State House with the President and Vice President in attendance. If you don't know by now u better recognize that this here girl will take any excuse to have a new aschobi dress made :-) So that the first thing that came to mind after I was asked was "oh damn what am i going to wear". Ofcourse that's never a difficult question to answer...perk numero uno of being co-owner of Aschobi Designs and best friend with the ever brilliant and creative Adama Kai: the guarantee that if i aint got something to wear. We can make it!!!!

I agreed to MC the launching of the campaign which if you heard the president's speech at his innauguration back in November were yours truly was also one of the MCs...the topic du jour was that Sierra Leoneans need a change of attitude. They (meaning the government) have set up a Technical Committee on Attitudinal Change headed by Michel Sho-Sawyerr who is also the Director of the Office of Diaspora Affairs (It’s been clear to me since the days of lobbying for the office that he has no experience and I’ve told him so, but hey no one asked me. He is a friend of mine and I respect him but I am certain that others with training & experience with adminsitrative/govt affairs would be better suited). I was informed by someone at the Ministry of Information that It was Michel Sho-Sawyerr who was the consultant to the Ministry of Information and lead on the planning of the ABC Campaign launch (not to be confused with the ABC Campaign at the National HIV/AIDS Secretariat). It was Mich who called me to MC the event at State House.

It was truly my intention not to go out on Friday the night before the launching but it was quite easy for homies Adama, Mahawa, & Yeniva to make a sista feel like she needed to distress at @old skool.....the normal friday night ritual. And this night was worse than usual because we actually went to Paddies after we left Old Skool and sho nuff stayed at Paddies till after 5am. I must have gotten no more than 3hours of sleep because on saturday morning i had to head to Aschobi shop. When i got to the shop my dress was no where near complete, and niether was Mahawa's or Adama's dresses either. Super exhausted all three of us spent most of the day getting fitted for our dresses. By 7pm when i was supposed to be at State house, the final touches were still being put on our dresses...made from printex fabric bought from Ghana on our last Cup of Nations trip back in february.

At StateHouse everything started on time....
We made it to State House eventually and before the official start of events. I recieved my instructions and last minute details. I was very glad when no more than 30mins after my arrival I was asked to announce the arrival of Vice President Chief Sam Sumana...he came with his wife. After the traumatizing experience of waiting for the president and VP at the inauguration i wasnt sure what to expect. And then to add the iciing to the cake the president showed up no more than 15mins after the VP with the first lady. The words almost did not come out of my mouth as everyone always gets super antsy and expeditious when the president is about to arrive......a quality we like to call waju waju

Anyway the president arrived, as well as the minister of Information Honorable IB Kargbo who chaired the event with Mr. George Coleridge Taylor as the co-chair. After the prayers etc...I announced Mr. Sho-Sawyerr who was to give the opening statement...in his speech he outlined the ABC Campaign and highlighted what had been done so far by the govt to implement the campaign. The speech was much longer than i had expected it to be and a bit repetitious at times but Sho-Sawyerr is very passionate and that you cannot take away from him. In his speech it was clear that he was very much invested in the ABC process.

Next up on the Mic brief speeches by IB Kargbo and Mr. Coleridge-Taylor. Before i forget to mention it, the event at statehouse was also the launching of something called "Know Your Leaders Handbook". The actual title for the event as printed on the program was : Launching of President's Attitudinal and Behavioral Change Campaign (ABC), UNDP/GOSL Open Government Initiative and Know Your Leaders Handbook...try saying that three times...

Honorable Alpha Kanu, Minister of Presidential and Public Affairs, former spokesperson for the APC Party during the election period gave the opening address. It was the kind of speech I have come to associate with Alpha Kanu...sounds very very good on paper. Basically, the man knows how to speak:-) but I don’t believe a word he says. Did I mention he looked superb in his white gown...I would say that Alpha nears the president in looks but that may be an offence close to treason....

The most exciting part of the program and by far the best part of the night was a performance by the legendary, super talented Freetong Players...They gave us a spoken word-song medley of the history of Sierra Leone. It was funny, informative, and witty. The high table consisting of the President and VP were several times in stitches during the performance. I love the Freetong Players they are amazing...and managed to bring life to an otherwise dry event.

Know Your Leaders Handbook
After the performance by the Freetong Players...I was asked to announce as indicated on the program Artists for Attitudinal Change...they came on the steps ready to perform with polo shirts and some jeans to a formal state house event. they also gave their back to the high table and by the looks of things this group of 4-5 artists were not used to performing for the type of audience at the event. On their actual performance i will hold my tongue on my usual array of descriptive adjectives...saying it was not good is enough. Neither the audience nor the high table seemed interested in the performance. All i could think was "oh Lord, make it stop".

After they finished i thanked them for their performance and the Vice President officially launched the Know Your Leaders Handbook-the book is over 70 colored pages with pictures of past and present govt personalities. It is actually very informative because it lists local council government officials from all the 12 districts.

Next up a talk from Sierra Focus International (the org responsible for putting together the book) given by Duada Kamara jr. the son of the minister of local government. He gave us a run down of why the handbook was important and how they went about putting it together. He also informed us that because of a contribution from Comium the cost of the Handbook was going to be Le. 30,000 ($10) instead of 35,000.
He said that it was important for all Sierra Leoneans to know their leaders yada yada yada but at ten bucks a pop i doubt it will truly reach those intended.

Anyway, SwitSalone has a copy...so if u want to know who is the MP or Mayor in Port Loko let me know. Just dont go asking me for no phone numbers and definitely no email addresses. Now that i think of it i wonder if the book has Paramount Chiefs and lesser chiefs listed as well....i will have to check on that and maybe scan a page so u get to see the format.

The worst part of the event came after dinner.
The Chairman of the event permitted reps from the other political parties to speak. The minority party leader (SLPP) in Parliament Momoh Pujeh was up first but he was not at the event. Then the word was given to the PMDC spokesman Mohammed Bangura (a friend of mine) who managed to give a speech that reminded me of the elections...he had to be told to wrap it up...and I wasn’t totally comfortable with the tone in which he said "Mr. President", almost as if he and the president were peers. But maybe he's carrying around the PMDC sentiment that it if wasn’t for them, the APC would not have won the elections. I was seriously going to break into song " you too talk ay u too talk..u na small borboh" but i held my tongue :-)

Up next
Mr Victor Bockarie Foh, APC Secretary General. After observing all protocols Mr. Foh went on to complain that his name was spelt incorrectly and if not for the respect he had for the president he would have spoken at all at the event. I think he spoke for 15mins and ignored every attempt to signal him to wrap it up. After he finished the chairman apologised for spelling his name incorrectly but reiterated that everyone should respect the three minute time limit. I smiled.

The Best Speaker of the night was Mrs Linda Koroma from the Minister’s Wives Association (no she is not related to the president and she is not his wife…I remember asking which one of the ministers she married but I cant remember anymore) Funnily, I don’t remember much of what she said either but her speech was brilliant and it had people clapping and nodding their heads in agreement. She put all the other speakers of the night to shame. It was obvious that she was the only person who spoke that night that had no personal agenda or self serving issue to promote. They should make her a spokesperson for the Campaign…yay Mrs Linda Koroma.

Other disappointing speakers included Philip Neville from the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, Mrs Fanta Kanja-Sesay rep from the National Commission for Democracy, Ishmalai Sankoh from the National Youth Coalition, and Charles Mambu from the Civil Society.

The head of the military Sam Mboma was the only one who spoke for less that 1 mins. It was to the point and I appreciated it tremendously. He got a big round of applause from the audience. An indicator that the other guests were equally as tired of all the beaucoup talk talk.

Finally the president was able to talk about the ABC Campaign and the UNDP Open Government Initiative….yada yada yada…by this time of the night which was close to midnight my interest in the content of the president’s speech had waned and the music blaring from the lantern at Law Court had me going. During the president’s speech, there was a pause so we could listen to an excerpt of his Excellency’s inaugural speech.

Finally it was the end of the program and everyone stood up. The High table walked out and I descended the steps to join my girls for the night. We thought it would be a good idea to check out the lantern…afterall that's exactly where the president was heading.

Looking extremely fabulous in our Aschobi dresses we walked out of State House ahead of the convoy and down OAU drive in the direction of the cotton tree. It was our intention to make it to law court but the crowd was heavy. Millitary Officers with school house canes whipped those who dared to come on to the main road away from the barricaded side walks. Who dared walk into the street?? Us ofcourse….looking like we did not even the head of the military would dare stop us…atleast so we thought. We were almost about to make the right turn to the court when we were asked to move to the side….there was no where to go but stand. I called my driver…we jumped into the car and said goodbye to any hopes of seeing the lantern.

We were going to attend the bonfire at chez nous but as we got closer to Wilkinson rd only one of us was still interested in going. I got dropped off at home and called it a night.

Next up Sunday April 27th 2008…The 47th Independence Anniversary of Swit Mama Salone……I will see you at the The Miss Independence Beauty Pageant were once again yours truly will be hosting the event :-)

Hey to be the African Oprah…I gotta start somewhere…

(On tuesday the 30th Premier News Paper editorial lambasted the event. Also disappointed at the event was Theo Nicol...who writes the My VIEW Column. In summary both Mr. Nicol and the editor were upset at the time, "fake accents" from the JCs, and considered the event to be a waste of resources on elite society while the rest of the people starved. The event was Broadcasted live on TV & Radio)