By Ibrahim S. Bangura
Bo District, Sierra Leone — August 2025: At 78 years old, Bockarie Ansumana, widely known as Dr. Kposowai, remains one of Sierra Leone’s most revered cultural icons. Yet, despite decades of service to the nation through music and traditional performance, he now lives in quiet neglect.
Speaking from his modest home at 12 Aamara Street, Shellmingo, in Bo District, Dr. Kposowai shared a heartfelt plea:
“I have performed for almost every president Sierra Leone has had. I’ve represented this country abroad, won awards in its name, and brought glory to our people. Yet today, I struggle to find food. It is a national shame.”
A Legacy of Service Across Generations
Dr. Kposowai’s career spans administrations, from the late President Siaka Stevens to Captain Valentine Strasser, Joseph Saidu Momoh, Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, Ernest Bai Koroma, and now President Julius Maada Bio.
“When President Bio was a young soldier, I played for him,” he recalled. “But today, I am forgotten.”
Despite his international accolades and cultural contributions, he says the Ministry of Tourism and other state institutions only remember him when a performance is needed.
“After the show, my team and I are left behind again. We give everything, and yet receive nothing in return.”
Dr. Kposowai warned that the neglect of traditional musicians is discouraging young people from embracing Sierra Leone’s cultural heritage.
“They see how elders are treated and feel discouraged. That’s why our culture is dying.”
He lamented the lack of studio recordings and institutional support, which have made it difficult for traditional music to resonate with younger generations.
“In the past, live performances with Kongoma, Kele, and Shegbureh united communities. Today, those traditions are fading.”
His children and grandchildren have learned to play these instruments, but without government backing, he fears the legacy may not survive.
Foreigners, he noted, continue to visit Sierra Leone to learn about its rich musical traditions, only to refine and repackage them abroad.
“We used to sell masquerades and instruments to foreigners. Now, we must take our culture to the world ourselves to preserve its authenticity.”
He cited the unrecognized deaths of legends like Salia Koroma, Dr. Oloh, Kandeh Bureh, Fatmata Sowa, Efah Kongoma, and Sulaiman ‘Sullay’ Conteh as painful reminders of the state’s neglect.
Dr. Kposowai is calling on the Ministry of Tourism, Youth Affairs, Gender, and President Bio himself to acknowledge his lifelong service with a national award.
“Please, I have served this country with honesty and dignity. I am pleading for help—not just for myself, but for the survival of our culture.”
His story is a sobering reminder that cultural preservation requires more than applause; it demands recognition, investment, and respect.