By: Hassan Osman Kargbo
It’s not a secret that the Sierra Leone Entertainment Industry is still scrambling to reach it higher height; it’s also not a secret that entertainment has been a career paths where people are making millions of dollars across the world. But when it comes to Sierra Leone entertainment it’s a different scenario.
In the aftermath of the 11-year civil war that ravaged Sierra Leone until its end in 2002, the nation witnessed a remarkable resurgence in its music scene. And majority took it as their careers and eventually they have achieved great things over the years. some of the main superstars who took music as career are: Emmerson, K-Man, Famous, Innocent, P.M de player, Manzu Avec C-Bolt, Extra-O, Laurish, Star Zee etc, etc. These artists were not just musicians; they were storytellers, reflecting the harsh realities and dreams of our Sierra Leone. Their songs provided a sense of catharsis, hope, and unity in a nation that had endured unimaginable suffering.
Entertainment especially music is a career path. People had known Sierra Leone music as a powerful tool for social change and a source of pride for the nation. But,
What has been the main problem for the entertainment not to get it actual recognition? Because this craft could be of help people to gain everlasting recognition and as such it’s important. Entertainment especially Music is not only meant for entertainment, but it’s also a tool that brings people together to form a peaceful atmosphere.
Music is a language of communication which can remove stress and sometimes it could be a contributing factor to help someone to regain his health. It could also be a potential tool for achieving unity and harmony in a nation. According to J.J. Keki, music is a whole career brings positive atmosphere in any society. We’re seeing how entertainment is making waves in other countries and it’s one of the areas people speak their minds on certain burning issues.
Music contains huge potential of contribution to peace building, such as removal of direct and indirect violence, igniting hope.
It’s vividly clear that music has been instrumental in not only building or bringing peace, but also it has been a way of life of people. We have seen people have been relying on music to recollect their memories over something they had come across with over years.
Because of the beauty of music or entertainment in general, we saw President Bio and his entourage during the 2023 election campaign used music in almost all of their campaign trips ranging from the capital City to the interior villages to send in their campaign messages, and even the President used to dance on stages to captivate the minds of his audience to vote for him. That shows how important is music or entertainment in the country. This has led to many to used it a career.
In enhancing the growth of music and Entertainment in general, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report recommended that, music or entertainment will be a pivotal in maintaining peace in our nation. It stated ‘The Commission found that the central cause of the war was endemic greed, corruption and nepotism that deprived the nation of its dignity and reduced most people into a state of poverty,’’ TRC No. 34.
After the aforementioned the Commission made recommendations for the former war nation to having a lasting peace, and from having a new constitution, respect of its citizens fundamental human rights and freedoms, respect for freedom of expression to name a few. To enhance this, the Commission further encourages citizens to create more entertainment policies, as well as other members of the community can express themselves through drama, music, song, and storytelling, and art, poetry in order to promote tolerance, respect, and non-violent means of conflict resolution in country.
Moreover, music is not only a medicine, it’s also a means of happens and also a career paths in any nation. To show the power of music or entertainment as a whole, I have seen some elderly people listening to songs from 80’s or 90’s shakes their heads to that particular song.
In all of this, music is part of our lives and the government needs to treat it with utmost seriousness because some energetic youth have taken it as their careers and we need to trade it with caution.
