By Ibrahim S. Bangura
As Sierra Leone approaches its Independence anniversary, a pressing question emerges from the heart of its cultural landscape: how does a nation celebrate its identity while neglecting those who have preserved it?
At 79 years old, veteran traditional musician and cultural icon Bockarie Ansumana, popularly known as Dr. Kposowai, is calling on the Government of Sierra Leone to recognise his decades of service to the nation. From his residence in Shellmingo, Bo District, his voice carries a mixture of pride, pain, and urgency. “I played music for the late President Siaka Stevens until he died. I performed during Captain Valentine Strasser’s rule, for Joseph Saidu Momoh, and for Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. When Julius Maada Bio was a young soldier, I played for him. I continued under Ernest Bai Koroma and still serve under President Bio. Yet today, I am forgotten—not even a national recognition. Is it not a national shame?” he said, sadness in his eyes, though his face still bore a smile of pride.
He added, “I have served this country with honesty and dignity. Now I ask the nation to remember me—and to act before it is too late.”
Dr. Kposowai’s story reflects a broader reality faced by many traditional artists across the country—those who have dedicated their lives to preserving Sierra Leone’s cultural heritage but now find themselves overlooked and unsupported.
For decades, he has been a pillar of indigenous music and performance, mastering traditional instruments such as the shegbureh and leading cultural displays that once brought communities together.
Beyond performing, Dr. Kposowai is a master craftsman who designs and creates various types of masquerades and traditional musical instruments. He currently mentors over 27 apprentices, further cementing his role as a custodian of Sierra Leone’s cultural heritage.
He has trained generations of young performers and established cultural groups that have represented Sierra Leone both locally and internationally.
Yet, according to him, recognition often ends when the performance does. “The only time we are remembered is when we are needed to perform. After that, we are forgotten again. We are used and set aside,” he lamented.
Beyond his personal struggles, Dr. Kposowai warned that the neglect of veteran cultural practitioners is discouraging younger generations from embracing traditional arts. “When young people see how we are treated, they lose interest. They begin to feel that there is no future in culture. That is how a nation begins to lose its identity,” he explained.
He further expressed concern that while Sierra Leone struggles to sustain its cultural heritage, foreign interests are increasingly benefiting from it. “Foreigners come here to learn our traditions, refine them, and present them to the world,” he said. “Meanwhile, we who own this culture are left behind.”
He recalled several late cultural legends—including Salia Koroma, Dr. Oloh, Kandeh Bureh, Fatmata Sowa, Efah Kongoma, and Sulaiman ‘Sullay’ Conteh—who passed away without receiving national recognition. “Those of us still alive may face the same fate unless something is done,” he warned.
Dr. Kposowai is calling for the establishment of training programmes, provision of instruments, financial support for cultural troupes, and formal national recognition for cultural practitioners. “Culture is not just entertainment. It is identity. It is dignity. Without it, we are nothing,” he stressed.
This concern is shared by Vandy Kallon, a 32-year-old cultural dancer and member of the Tegloma Cultural Dance Troupe founded by Dr. Kposowai. Despite years of dedication and multiple awards across the country, Kallon says survival remains a challenge. “We lack instruments, funding, and support. We continue because culture is part of us, but passion alone cannot sustain our work,” he said.
Community elder Pa Brima Lapya also highlighted the challenges facing cultural groups, particularly the lack of essential equipment. “They are doing important work for our community. But without support, their efforts are limited. Culture cannot survive without resources,” he said.
With a sense of urgency, Dr. Kposowai is appealing to the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, and the Presidency to take meaningful action—not only for him, but for the survival of Sierra Leone’s cultural identity.
As Independence Day draws closer, his message serves as both a plea and a challenge—that national celebration must extend beyond symbolic gestures to include those who have shaped and sustained the country’s heritage.
There is a growing call among cultural advocates for the state to honour Dr. Kposowai with a national award—an acknowledgement many believe is long overdue.