Suomi
Finland: what a place! A country of endless forests and meandering lakes, its beauty is unspoilt and natural. Once voted ‘happiest country’ and ‘best country’ in the world, it never fails to deliver. Join me as I introduce the country of ‘White Nights’!
On arrival the first thing you notice is the beautiful infrastructure and eye-catching nature of the buildings; they act almost as ambassadors inviting you into their wonderful country. Another feature you will notice is the warmth and kind-heartedness of the people. Not once was I met with a frown or a fake smile, but instead questions about where I had come from, how I was finding my stay and my first opinions of their land. They were always very attentive, as to what I had to say was concerned, and I didn’t have a bad word on anything. In fact, I was lost for words – especially when it came to my physical surroundings.
The scenery! The mere thought of it sends my senses wild! I can almost smell the fresh, unpolluted air, running ragged round the rustling leaves; I can see the trees as tall and towering as a turret; I can taste the fragrance and flavour of freshly foraged fruit for feeding and feasting.
As I had arrived at midnight, I hadn’t had a lot of time to observe the surroundings in the city. In the broad daylight, however, I was met with all the colours of the spectrum. It actually came as a surprise to me that the buildings were this brightly coloured; shades of pink, orange, blue and beige, glistening as the afternoon sun bestowed upon them the gift of sunlight. The walls and windows were animated in the road, a carnival in the city.
I think, no, I believe that everyone should visit this country. It is the most relaxed I’ve felt in my life and my only regret is that I couldn’t stay longer. Hopefully, everyone will see the country in a good light for its peaceful nature, social freedom and welcoming people who will be more than happy to have you in their country!
Delighted,
Sengbe
Sunday, 14 December 2014
ANSWERING CALL FROM MY MOTHERLAND
Journey to Sierra Leone
Henry Ward Beecher - famous abolitionist and brother of author Harriet Beecher Stowe – once said “We should not judge people by their peak of excellence; but by the distance they have travelled from the point where they started”. This would suggest that you will not become the best you can be after a journey, but it will change your outlook and people’s opinion of you. It is for this reason I composed this article – to describe an interesting and memorable journey!
The year was 2006 and I was 7 years old. I had never been to a foreign land; all my movements had been restricted to the UK. That was until my parents told me we were going on holiday to a country called Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone is a small country on the west coast of Africa. It is home to some of the most beautiful beaches and diverse jungles on Earth; despite its picturesque landscape, it was thoroughly ravaged by civil war between 1991 and 2002 (leaving many people dead and displaced). This article details my first journey to the land which holds my history in its soil.
I was only a small child; this was my first experience of a third world country, and the tropical climate added to the excitement. After having met my father and mother’s sides of the family, they welcomed me in with open arms; my cousins and I went on excursions and adventures each day. Whether it was in the bubbling town, or the silent countryside, we were just pleased to have each other’s company and it felt as if we had grown up together.
On one such adventure, there was a specific section of the jungle we came across which filled me with awe. I stepped onto the jungle floor, so soft beneath my sandals; as I walked further in, the longer blades of grass caressed my naked limbs, so gently that it made the hairs on them stand up. We stopped and listened intently to the breeze dancing and dashing through the leaves on the trees, like animate skyscrapers in a windy, jungle city. In the distance the mountains were peeking out of the clouds, majestic lions coming above the long grass, proud of their pride.
For me, the main reason why this journey was memorable is solely because it was my first experience of a place of that nature; this, therefore, has altered my perception of the world and has allowed me to analyse things in greater detail from a variety of points of view. However, I think a rule I will have for all journeys in life is: “Don’t try and control the journey, let the journey control you”.
Thank You,
Sengbe
Henry Ward Beecher - famous abolitionist and brother of author Harriet Beecher Stowe – once said “We should not judge people by their peak of excellence; but by the distance they have travelled from the point where they started”. This would suggest that you will not become the best you can be after a journey, but it will change your outlook and people’s opinion of you. It is for this reason I composed this article – to describe an interesting and memorable journey!
The year was 2006 and I was 7 years old. I had never been to a foreign land; all my movements had been restricted to the UK. That was until my parents told me we were going on holiday to a country called Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone is a small country on the west coast of Africa. It is home to some of the most beautiful beaches and diverse jungles on Earth; despite its picturesque landscape, it was thoroughly ravaged by civil war between 1991 and 2002 (leaving many people dead and displaced). This article details my first journey to the land which holds my history in its soil.
I was only a small child; this was my first experience of a third world country, and the tropical climate added to the excitement. After having met my father and mother’s sides of the family, they welcomed me in with open arms; my cousins and I went on excursions and adventures each day. Whether it was in the bubbling town, or the silent countryside, we were just pleased to have each other’s company and it felt as if we had grown up together.
On one such adventure, there was a specific section of the jungle we came across which filled me with awe. I stepped onto the jungle floor, so soft beneath my sandals; as I walked further in, the longer blades of grass caressed my naked limbs, so gently that it made the hairs on them stand up. We stopped and listened intently to the breeze dancing and dashing through the leaves on the trees, like animate skyscrapers in a windy, jungle city. In the distance the mountains were peeking out of the clouds, majestic lions coming above the long grass, proud of their pride.
For me, the main reason why this journey was memorable is solely because it was my first experience of a place of that nature; this, therefore, has altered my perception of the world and has allowed me to analyse things in greater detail from a variety of points of view. However, I think a rule I will have for all journeys in life is: “Don’t try and control the journey, let the journey control you”.
Thank You,
Sengbe
Saturday, 13 December 2014
LETTER TO A PRESIDENT - OBAMA
Dear Mr President,
Please allow me to register my appreciation to you and your governments in addressing the EBOLA scourge. Let me also in haste apologise for impinging on your busy scheduled. Mine is prompted by the disaster that continues to take lives in my country Sierra Leone.
Mr President you will agree with me and if I'm not mistaken you've acknowledged that the scourge of EBOLA is a threat to international security. What that means Sir is that no one in our global system is safe. Agreed, then, measures have got to be taken to address what is gradually turning into Armageddon.
Sir, as know EBOLA is destroying lives, homes and it's becoming a generational issue - the very existence of the future generations in countries in the West African Sub-Region - Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone are at crossroads.
Thus, more is required from the international community to stop the scourge. If we agree that EBOLA is a threat to world peace, then would it not be prudent sir the Security Council of the UN evoked Chapter vii provisions - specifically Article 39.
Sir, through your good office and what you stand for - justice and peace to all nations, I'm appealing you to you to use your good office in mobilising nations to fight EBOLA epidemic. For the people of that region, the Ebola scourge is a third world war and therefore it will be prudent everything is done to stop it.
Thanking you in advance for helping to save Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Yours sincerely
Mohamed Yongawo
London
Please allow me to register my appreciation to you and your governments in addressing the EBOLA scourge. Let me also in haste apologise for impinging on your busy scheduled. Mine is prompted by the disaster that continues to take lives in my country Sierra Leone.
Mr President you will agree with me and if I'm not mistaken you've acknowledged that the scourge of EBOLA is a threat to international security. What that means Sir is that no one in our global system is safe. Agreed, then, measures have got to be taken to address what is gradually turning into Armageddon.
Sir, as know EBOLA is destroying lives, homes and it's becoming a generational issue - the very existence of the future generations in countries in the West African Sub-Region - Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone are at crossroads.
Thus, more is required from the international community to stop the scourge. If we agree that EBOLA is a threat to world peace, then would it not be prudent sir the Security Council of the UN evoked Chapter vii provisions - specifically Article 39.
Sir, through your good office and what you stand for - justice and peace to all nations, I'm appealing you to you to use your good office in mobilising nations to fight EBOLA epidemic. For the people of that region, the Ebola scourge is a third world war and therefore it will be prudent everything is done to stop it.
Thanking you in advance for helping to save Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Yours sincerely
Mohamed Yongawo
London
Friday, 12 December 2014
THE FIGHT IN ME IS EVIL
THE FIGHT IN ME IS EVIL
The fight in me is evil
The blood in me is evil
The veins runs evil
The fight in me is evil
The head is evil
The brain stores evil
The mind thinks evil
The mind seeks evil
The mind dreams evil
The fight in me is evil
The eyes are evil
The looks are evil
The fight in me is evil
The nose is evil
The nose smells evil
The fight in me is evil
The ears are evil
The ears hear evil
The fight in me is evil
The mouth is evil
The mouth says evil
The tongue licks evil
The teeth bites evil
The fight in me is evil
The arms are evil
The fingers are evil
The fingers write evil
The fight in me is evil
The feet's are evil
The walk is evil
The feet goes places evil
The fight in me is evil
The heart is evil
The heartbeats evil
The heart oozes evil
The fight in me is evil
The lung in me is evil
The lung breaths evil
The lung carry evil
The fight in me is evil
I am evil
Everything I carry is evil
The fight in me is evil
Man is evil
Woman is evil
Human be civil
The fight in me is evil
Authored by Mohamed Yongawo
The fight in me is evil
The blood in me is evil
The veins runs evil
The fight in me is evil
The head is evil
The brain stores evil
The mind thinks evil
The mind seeks evil
The mind dreams evil
The fight in me is evil
The eyes are evil
The looks are evil
The fight in me is evil
The nose is evil
The nose smells evil
The fight in me is evil
The ears are evil
The ears hear evil
The fight in me is evil
The mouth is evil
The mouth says evil
The tongue licks evil
The teeth bites evil
The fight in me is evil
The arms are evil
The fingers are evil
The fingers write evil
The fight in me is evil
The feet's are evil
The walk is evil
The feet goes places evil
The fight in me is evil
The heart is evil
The heartbeats evil
The heart oozes evil
The fight in me is evil
The lung in me is evil
The lung breaths evil
The lung carry evil
The fight in me is evil
I am evil
Everything I carry is evil
The fight in me is evil
Man is evil
Woman is evil
Human be civil
The fight in me is evil
Authored by Mohamed Yongawo
EMPTY PROMISES
Hollow, vague, clueless and purposeless Sir
Sir with due respect I have never in my life time read an inauguration speech as empty as yours. I implore you sir, in your quiet moment go over your speech again many times. You will come to the conclusion that it failed to address the bread and butter issues, which matter to Pa Santigie, Yagbome, Kenie mambu, and yeah Massa toiling to make ends meet. With due respect sir, I find your speech full of gimmicks and "more" empty promises. Perhaps the contents were designed for foreign consumption – specifically, the mining companies raping our natural resources. That said even they will be laughing at us in their air conditioned offices in Sierra Leone and abroad.
Let me start with your promise to our youths: how long will our youth continue to hear promises about their stake in society with no deliverance. How long will Sierra Leone youths continue suffering because of the ineptitude of politicians and government officials? Yes their importance is only recognised during elections, when they are used as electoral stooges to commit electoral fraud and before then swell up political rallies – some of them been employed to do the dirty job of the powers that be, by sometimes singing unpalatable languages against respectable citizens of the land.
Sir, I would like to draw your attention to an oversight on your part. In your entire long and “more" speech there is no mention of the word "corruption" - hope I am not reading another speech. Hey! Perhaps corruption has been eradicated and every member of your government has their hands clean. Sir, I was in Sierra Leone few weeks ago and the truth is your speech does not reflect the reality on the ground. The mood of the people is not represented in your speech. Or are you telling your citizens and the world that the recent string of reports of significant economic malpractices are unfounded? Every nation has concrete plans for development and every leader including you should be seen talking in concrete terms not in abstract. Sir, what are your plans to bring down the sky rocketing prices of staple food products in Sierra Leone. Sir, advice your lackeys’ from jumping around with same old excuses - Sierra Leone is not unique; it is 'global'. Accepted the world is going through turmoil on similar scale as the pre Second World War years. However, a president should be heard stating concrete measures not vague slogans as if he is campaigning for 2017 polls. These are yet far away; and if I read the 1991 Sierra Leone constitution correctly, you sir will not be qualified to run again.
There is no denying the fact that governments across the globe have the machinery to implement policies in the best interest of her citizens. These policies should been seen to be equitably carried out. Importantly, for any policy to succeed it should be sustainable. It is not good saying one thing today and doing something different tomorrow. This brings me to a meeting you held with “stakeholders” in January to address indiscipline in Sierra Leone’s work places and in the streets. To your credit sir you in a sense declared war on indiscipline and whilst in Freetown a vital but chaotic means of transportation – OKADA RIDERS were taken off the streets of Central Freetown. This has an immediate impact on commuting around central Freetown.
Sir, let me confess – apart from extracts posted on the web, I have not bordered reading in full your “Agenda for Posterity”; simply because your “Agenda for Change” brought no meaningful change in the lives of Sierra Leone. I agree change is a relative term – change in your eyes could be different from mine. However, as articulated in a previous article by this author, your agenda for change was full of inconsistencies.
Sir with due respect I have never in my life time read an inauguration speech as empty as yours. I implore you sir, in your quiet moment go over your speech again many times. You will come to the conclusion that it failed to address the bread and butter issues, which matter to Pa Santigie, Yagbome, Kenie mambu, and yeah Massa toiling to make ends meet. With due respect sir, I find your speech full of gimmicks and "more" empty promises. Perhaps the contents were designed for foreign consumption – specifically, the mining companies raping our natural resources. That said even they will be laughing at us in their air conditioned offices in Sierra Leone and abroad.
Let me start with your promise to our youths: how long will our youth continue to hear promises about their stake in society with no deliverance. How long will Sierra Leone youths continue suffering because of the ineptitude of politicians and government officials? Yes their importance is only recognised during elections, when they are used as electoral stooges to commit electoral fraud and before then swell up political rallies – some of them been employed to do the dirty job of the powers that be, by sometimes singing unpalatable languages against respectable citizens of the land.
Sir, I would like to draw your attention to an oversight on your part. In your entire long and “more" speech there is no mention of the word "corruption" - hope I am not reading another speech. Hey! Perhaps corruption has been eradicated and every member of your government has their hands clean. Sir, I was in Sierra Leone few weeks ago and the truth is your speech does not reflect the reality on the ground. The mood of the people is not represented in your speech. Or are you telling your citizens and the world that the recent string of reports of significant economic malpractices are unfounded? Every nation has concrete plans for development and every leader including you should be seen talking in concrete terms not in abstract. Sir, what are your plans to bring down the sky rocketing prices of staple food products in Sierra Leone. Sir, advice your lackeys’ from jumping around with same old excuses - Sierra Leone is not unique; it is 'global'. Accepted the world is going through turmoil on similar scale as the pre Second World War years. However, a president should be heard stating concrete measures not vague slogans as if he is campaigning for 2017 polls. These are yet far away; and if I read the 1991 Sierra Leone constitution correctly, you sir will not be qualified to run again.
There is no denying the fact that governments across the globe have the machinery to implement policies in the best interest of her citizens. These policies should been seen to be equitably carried out. Importantly, for any policy to succeed it should be sustainable. It is not good saying one thing today and doing something different tomorrow. This brings me to a meeting you held with “stakeholders” in January to address indiscipline in Sierra Leone’s work places and in the streets. To your credit sir you in a sense declared war on indiscipline and whilst in Freetown a vital but chaotic means of transportation – OKADA RIDERS were taken off the streets of Central Freetown. This has an immediate impact on commuting around central Freetown.
Sir, let me confess – apart from extracts posted on the web, I have not bordered reading in full your “Agenda for Posterity”; simply because your “Agenda for Change” brought no meaningful change in the lives of Sierra Leone. I agree change is a relative term – change in your eyes could be different from mine. However, as articulated in a previous article by this author, your agenda for change was full of inconsistencies.
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