Salia Koroma's Spirit Lives on in Maada Bio Pt Four

THE LEGENDARY Sierra Leonean folk singer and accomplished accordionist, the late Pa Salia Koroma of glorious memory, singing in Mende, laments the departure of the white colonial master from the shores of Sierra Leone in one of his many catchy dance refrains.

He cites among other things the numerous disadvantages that he and his friends labour under, from the new political masters -- his own people - following the departure of the "white man" from the shores of Sierra Leone. Under the white man he could to go to sleep, wake up and head for his farm, and play his accordion without being molested. He was able to feed his family and send his children to school. But, he laments "now this thing called 'independence' has become like an albatross around the neck of my people".

Pa Salia was cunningly critical of the 'new politics' that was being practised by the APC and the fact that those things that he had taken for granted as his' were no longer at his disposal. Mid way through his rendition, he all but invites the British to return and re-colonise his country. "Please come back, watch over me and free me from my woes"