Akwa Ibom should be the Zanzibar of Nigeria.
It’s so beautiful, it’s safe, it has culture, longest sand beach in West Africa, no traffic, hospitable people.
The South South is so amazing! 😍
Historical Spotlight: The Sovereign Spirit of the Mende
Before he was a symbol of freedom, Prince Sengbe Pieh (Joseph Cinqué) was the son of a Mende King—groomed in the ancient traditions of leadership that define our lineage.
Prince Pieh did not merely "seek" liberty; he asserted his inherent sovereignty. He serves as a blueprint for the "Warrior-Scholar"—proving that a Mende heart, even in the face of adversity, remains unyieldingly royal.
We do not just honor the past; we steward the future of this noble line.
Honor the Lineage. Restore the Dignity.
An Open Letter to Sierra Leonean Citizens on Social Media (X)
Dear Sierra Leoneans,
A dream deferred often has multiple layers of complexities.
@VusiThembekwayo once said, "It seems like Africans are the only ones who provide space for collective struggle but none for collective economic empowerment."
Before delving into why I am writing this, I must acknowledge that I hold no moral high ground to address you all. I am but a common man whose only hope is that you reflect deeply on every word written here. It's important to mention that you need not feel compelled to respond, for while I would enjoy hearing from you, it is insignificant compared to the profound thoughts I hope my words will unleash within you.
Like many Africans, social media—especially X (formerly Twitter)—has become our space for collective struggles. We talk and tweet about how disenfranchised we feel by political leadership. We have complained and, in some rare instances, held political leaders accountable for their actions.
Some of our activism has fallen on deaf ears, while some has yielded results, regardless of our thoughts or perspectives on success. At the very least, we can take comfort in the notion that we have achieved a space to attempt to speak openly.
It makes sense that I am writing to you from X because, like everyone here, I feel safer here.
I have been on X for several years now, but it's only fair that I speak about the last couple of months of actively engaging with our community.
We all know our struggles with socio-economic pressures and the apparent lack of leadership from those we hope to know better; there's no need to delve deeper into this.
However, as we hold political leaders accountable, we must also hold ourselves accountable. By every standard, we as a people have the moral responsibility to create a space for shared economic prosperity.
I have keenly observed how harshly we judge our political leaders; some criticism is justified, while other attacks are frankly irresponsible. I recently had to withdraw funding from an entrepreneur who decided that the best way to communicate his disgust for leadership was to resort to "Mami koss" (cursing one's mother). I am imperfect myself, but I know one thing: leadership is not as easy as we think it is. Yet, sometimes leaders are incredibly selfish and must be thoroughly held accountable. But "Mami Koss" has never worked and will never work. Every time you decide that "Mami koss" and senseless attacks are the way to go, more opportunities are taken away from you, and your character is placed on full display.
I would be a hypocrite if I didn't mention that I understand the place from which some of these actions stem. Yes, some of us have had our hopes dashed, and some of us frankly see no hope. But if nobody is coming to save you, it is your responsibility to save yourself.
There are people among us who have far more social and economic capital than we do. These people can, no matter how vile, get away with certain statements online. But you cannot. Why? We simply have not built enough social and economic capital as a collective to get away with things easily.
Honour is a two-way street: Leaders, honour is a two-way street! Demanding honour from a people whose honour and lifestyle you constantly spit on has never left a better legacy. Being on social media does not mean you have opened yourself up to the people. Engaging with every comment does not mean you are being accountable or, at best, hearing what people are saying. Social media is a place where people can get lost quickly, but it is also a place where we can have open, honest conversations. For some reason, being behind the phone emboldens people more than if they were seated across the table. I have witnessed in awe, and have myself faced, severe backlash and political blackballing because I called out something I thought was wrong. Irrespective of how far-fetched a thought is, you have two opportunities: First, to educate with factual information without being condescending, regardless of the emotions involved; and second, to understand the reasoning behind what people are saying. Either of these options takes a lot of discipline and, most importantly, emotional intelligence. If it is too emotionally intense, take a break before responding.
Everything is NOT politics: I saw on X how many people went after each other in the diaspora vs. home-based conversation. Witnessing this gave me an even clearer perspective of what people feel and think of Sierra Leone. MEMBERS OF THE DIASPORA, YOU ARE NOT SIERRA LEONE'S SAVIOR. Yes, your social and economic exposure might provide a tempting opportunity for you to think you are, but you are NOT. You, like every other Sierra Leonean, have the same responsibility. The only difference is you are coming from a position of PRIVILEGE. Sierra Leoneans in Sierra Leone, the Sierra Leonean economy is hugely dependent on remittances. The Sierra Leonean diaspora, like many others, plays a significant role in the nation's development. Just because they are away from home doesn't make them less aware of the suffering of their people. We are all in this together, and politics SHOULD NOT affect our collective bargaining power. To truly develop, we need people who have built the skills and influence required for our next generation of growth, and these people are mostly in the diaspora. Welcome their opinions and, at worst, educate them with clear context.
We must celebrate more than we tear down: I have noticed that our entrepreneurs and creatives, except for very few, are often left without support; even a simple like or retweet promoting their brands is almost non-existent. Our celebration seemed to be reserved for the elite (who frankly don't need it), and yet we say we are better; we are NOT. Building anything in Sierra Leone is HARD, and those among us who are intentionally engaged in this act should be celebrated, not shunned. Do not get me wrong, it is your RIGHT to SUPPORT those whom you think you should SUPPORT. But how do we build shared economic prosperity when we care more about the latest gossip than we do about celebrating builders?
We are online, and everything we do counts. For every post we have made and for every opinion we have shared, we create a public perception of ourselves. Yes, many of you will be hypocritical to think public opinion does not matter, but it does. It is simple science: unless you have enough social capital like Elon Musk, everything you do as a young person online has cost you something and will continue to cost you something. It may not feel like it right now, or you may even think it is insignificant, but that doesn't make it any less true. Think about my entrepreneur friend, whose funding we (my investors and I) had to pull because of how he handled an online conversation. People would celebrate nepotism and even proudly back your display of "folly online." They will cheer you online and honour you for your bravery every time you engage in vanity online—but at what cost? Your dreams matter, your future matters, your opinion matters, and so you must hold yourselves accountable and at least be cautious of the cost of some of your actions online.
Finally, we all have dreams of what we hope for ourselves and, in some ways, for Sierra Leone. Today, for many of us, it may feel like those dreams are fading, and an easy escape is through the alter egos we have formed online. But as I said earlier, we must identify areas for shared economic development and draw from our shared struggles those lessons that will only make us better; for together, we can have better bargaining power.
And to our leaders, every single one of you serving as an extension of the trust the people of Sierra Leone place in H.E. President Julius Maada Bio: While you serve because it pleases him, your actual responsibility is to those whom you serve. Hitting KPIs through tasks and activities completed does not mean you are delivering on the promises made to the people. Leadership is NOT task-oriented but people-centred. Your service to His Excellency is an extension of Sierra Leoneans' trust. Failing to deliver for the people while delivering for your boss is still a FAILURE!
Reflect, learn, and let's build together!
Best wishes,
Sidi
#SaloneX
#SierraLeone