By Rev. Kemoh Sulimani jr :
You thought I forgot about making LOUD NOISE for others and have moved on to other topics. Didn’t you? My last time out the attention was on Sierra Leone’s Distinguished Vice President Alhaji Samuel Sumana. I will never forget to point the sunbeam on Sierra Leoneans. Unless we draw attention to what others are doing to “REBRAND” Sierra Leone, no one else will feel joyful shining the spotlight on the nation’s accomplishments. So here I come ready to announce the new Let’s Make Loud Noise LMLN recipients.
Thousands of Sierra Leoneans are worthy of being praised. We are familiar with our shared stalemates and we know what is not working in our communities. Most of us are not secluded from the extreme challenges millions face every day. However, we cannot focus our energies only on exaggerating our frailties and shortcomings. Whenever possible, we must underline the efforts of those making a difference by helping Sierra Leone the envisioned new nation.
Today, let us take first send the LOUDEST SHOUT OUT to all Sierra Leoneans. All Sierra Leoneans living on the face of the earth deserves compliment. Leading up to Independence Day, the Red and Green divide became secondary to celebrating the nation’s fifty years of sovereignty. Even pro-SLPP newspapers, who did not want to cover the festivities, went silent. Life has thought many of us that, “Silence is golden”. We cannot be quiet about our inimitability. Sierra Leoneans are unique. We do not know all the traits that are distinctive ‘only’ to Sierra Leoneans. However, because Sierra Leone is your land of birth, this LOUD NOISE is more than ever for you.
Within the broad-group of Sierra Leoneans, there is a sub-group that I cannot overlook. These are the dedicated patrons of Cocorioko. Because of you, Cocorioko has the largest readership amongst Sierra Leone’s International Newspapers. You demand quality reporting from us that has become the culture of reporting from our keyboards. You share our stories with others and value our coverage on insightful issues. We do not have to mask our proclivity for President Ernest Bai Koroma and his APC led GoSL. Because of your undaunted support, Cocorioko will keep on towering to greater heights and ensure that you receive the most accurate news from Sierra Leone. Cheers to the millions of Cocorioko fans all around the world. You have helped to strengthen the newspaper’s voice on matters of national significance.
Someone is spending considerable time to make it all happen. I am sure that Sierra Leoneans everywhere, the Cocorioko readership and contributing writers will join me to make LOUD NOISE for Sierra Leone’s Plenipotentiary Minister, the Honorable Rev. Kabs Kanu. He spends time giving others their glees. We easily forget he is in the background and deserves to be in the spotlight too. Beyond the call of duty, Rev. Kanu has rendered his professional services to advance the course of Sierra Leone. Rev. Kanu is a pioneer of Sierra Leone Journalism on the global front. One must be a fool to think that his writings had nothing to do with propelling President Koroma to power. One would even be a bigger fool not to acknowledge his universal role in transforming the perception of Sierra Leone around the world today.
It’s working and thanks to Rev. Kanu. The new structure of the elevated Cocorioko, suggests that the first-fruits of the ‘REBRANDING’ efforts undertaken by the Honorable Rev. Kabs Kanu, are in. Sierra Leone’s Plenipotentiary Minister to the UN knows too well that “charity begins at home.” Just as Cocorioko is unmatched in bringing you the best about Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone is becoming unparalleled in terms of renewal and improvement in Sub-Saharan Africa. Let us shine the spotlight on Rev. Kanu for his patriotism and a lifetime of ‘breaking new grounds’ to give Mama Salone the best media coverage.
Those who have heard Rev. Kanu speak, would testify he has an unbelievable gentle and soothing voice. He is soft-spoken. However, the Right Rev. never minces his words. There is power in Rev. Kanu written and spoken words. His high standards of communication proved vital to my late father’s FBC Student Presidency in the early 70s. I recall that the day my father won the Student Union Presidency, the easterners brought out the N’goboi devil at FBC. There were jubilations in FBC for the entire weekend.
I heard about the ‘Chuk Press’ during my childhood. I thought at the time that Kabs was one of the guys choking and pressing on my dad. Finding out what Chuk Press was, and who Kabs is, made me laugh. Rev. Kanu at the time through his commentaries and writings helped my father maintained is unifying FBC SU Government. I recall that Sidique Dao was the VP of that government.
Sierra Leone’s Plenipotentiary Minister to the UN, Rev. Kabs Kanu has a proven record in unifying Sierra Leoneans around praiseworthy undertakings. This record spans the lifetime of many individuals practicing journalism today in and outside Sierra Leone. Rev. Kabs Kanu, gave the most extensive and inclusive coverage of Sierra Leone’s Golden Jubilee Independence Day celebrations. Over the years, Rev. Kanu has made invaluable contributions to Sierra Leone.
Once again, let us lift up all Sierra Leoneans as high toward the skies as possible. Sierra Leone’s portrait is incomplete without you. There is no place for the pettiness in the nation’s picture. There is only the space for one Sierra Leone that looks sturdy. Because you are reading this material from Cocorioko, you are also in the spotlight. I am convinced that other writers, contributors, and editors would join me in making LOUD NOISE for you as a faithful reader. Finally, all of these would not have happened, without Rev. Kanu’s originality.
Cocorioko is a reliable BRAND in Sierra Leone’s news business. From everywhere on earth, let’s raise the roof, and make LOUD NOISE for our very own Honorable Plenipotentiary Minister Rev. Kabs Kanu. From the young to the old, from the simple to the complex and from men to women, let us acknowledge that Rev. Kanu is a standout everywhere. His embrace of diversity and empowerment has made his nationalistic message appealing to millions. KODUS!
Blessings & Peace
Rev. Kemoh Sulimani
RESPONSE BY COCORIOKO PUBLIHER
Dear Rev. Kemoh Sulimani jr,
Thank you for your kind sentiments.
First of all , I want to reiterate here that your late father, Mr. Kemoh Sulimani , was an excellent example of the model Sierra Leonean we are all praying for in our resurgent nation. He left a rich legacy as one of the most truly democratic student union Presidents we have ever had in Sierra Leone. How I wish he had been alive today to teach us Sierra Leoneans how to be democratic.A man like your father would have been a great asset to our democratic President , Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.
What impressed me most about your father was that though I was one of the most bitter critics of his government , he never held it against me and gave me an award at the end of his tenure. In those days , the tradition at FBC every year was that at the end of his/her tenure, the student council president during his handing-over ceremony at the Mary Kingsley Hall gives awards to students who during the year had contributed to the social, political, academic and cultural embellishment of campus life . Your dad was the first man to motivate me in my early journalism career by having the FBC Student Council Government give me an award for outstanding journalism and discjockeying . I wept that night after receiving my award. I could not believe it.
Your dad’s government was nice and motivating to me, though I was criticizing it bitterly everyday on CHUKS PRESS. The Minister of Information of the students council was another perfect and wonderful gentlemen called TAMBA KOMBA.I think he did an Honors course in English or Geography. He recruited me as one of the resident DJs who used to go host the weekly DJ Programs on” Radio FBC ” ( As we used to call it –The dining hall announcement table in Solomon Caulker Hall ). I did very well because I used to play the latest disco, soul and reggae music in the country because my brother, Max Kanu , worked for the SLBS as a presenter and DJ and I used to borrow his records when it was my day to do the dining hall musical extravaganza. Your dad and Mr.Komba were so thrilled they used to ask me where I got those latest sounds which were not at the disposal of the other students. When I learnt of your father’s death while I was living in Liberia, I did not eat that whole day. I was very sad. May his worthy soul continue to rest in perfect peace.
You are following in your father’s footsteps as a progressive and productive citizen of Sierra Leone. You will never know how many people you are providing enlightenment with your articles . All your articles in COCORIOKO get published in newspapers in Sierra Leone . Sama Banya has responded to a few of them. Therefore I think you too deserve a shout. Please keep it up. You are shaping up yourself into one of our nation’s best journalists.
KABS KANU
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