Sierra Leone Telegraph: 28 September 2017
One of Sierra Leone’s most popular musicians – Peace Ambassador Amara Denis Turay, popularly known as Kao Denero, emphasized in his most recent hit single that the forthcoming national elections of the country in 2018 is a time for citizens to vote for fresh faces, to effect the real change that will develop the country.
Some of those closer to Kao Denero are not surprised at his passionate endorsement of the Ex- UNIDO Boss and former Chairman of UN Energy – Dr. Kandeh Yumkella (Photo), at this critical time in the country. Kao has been very upset with the increasing rate of youth unemployment in the country.
Last year Kao disagreed strongly with the Internal Affairs Minister who said the prevailing rate of clique and gang violence in the country is a form of domestic terrorism.
For Kao, the youths are likely to cause unrest because of their lack of hope that their bread will be buttered tomorrow, and to worsen their hopelessness the communities and the country as a whole were rejecting them.
While everyone hailed the “5-O” Minister Palo Conteh for testing the gallows in the face of the condemned-youths, Kao was on various Radio and Television stations in the country appealing to government to provide growth centers where the youths can learn skills.
Dr. Yumkella once said “when people lose hope, they do bad things”.
Unfortunately, for Kao those pleas did not simply fall on deaf ears, he was further ill-branded as the pioneer of the gang violence, and thus was maltreated by the state’s security apparatus.
In his song – ‘Fresh Faces’, Kao (Photo) raps that the country needs a leader with the appropriate international exposure that could provide job opportunities for citizens in the country. “We need soba leader, lek Man lek Kandeh,” he says.
“The Man of Energy” he says, is a soba minded leader, a development expert whom Sierra Leone needs at this time for its young generation to earn greater chances of advancement.
Just as most Sierra Leonean youths have prayed for God to bless them with a leader that will not pledge to die for them today, and tomorrow allow the police to shoot them for standing for their promised Youth Village and their right to education, Kao prays for God to bless them with a leader who cares for them; one that will not let them rush to Bomeh Dump Site to eat chicken.
Kao counts how much Kandeh has done to end poverty in Sierra Leone and empower rural women, through his former UNIDO Director General’s Office.
Youths of Sierra Leone appreciate the “Ghetto struggle” and “Child of the ghetto” hip hop Star Kao Denero, for his rappings, as they feel it in most of his songs.
When he released songs like “E mona”, “Man must betteh” and several others, his self-acclamation as King of Freetown, was widely accepted. Today he is referred to as King Kao. He is indeed the King of the Sierra Leonean youths. No wonder the National Stadium is always full to capacity when he performs live. Listen to Kao here:
It is now time for someone really to advocate for the youths who are left behind and trying to work hard for everything. I am sure the next president will come in to create jobs and provide education for them.