By Hassan Ibrahim Conteh
The outlook of the Aberdeen Beach roundabout has got new looks, done by the artistic hands of popular local sculptors. The whole place is undergoing rapid transformation as sculptors design and shape objects, which depict the country’s animal wildlife and culture.
To attract more tourists’ attention, animals like lions and giraffes are modeled, and carved women could visibly be seen in one of the sitting grounds on the intersection, which connects Lumley and Aberdeen routes.
Other cultural designs are underway, which are expected to depict Sierra Leone’s past heroes and heroines. The project, to transform the Aberdeen’s roundabout, is an initiative by one of the prominent residents of the community, Councilor Ahmed Karim Bangura.
Since his election, as Councilor, in Ward 443, Constituency 131, Mr. Bangura has transformed the Aberdeen main intersection, which links the Central Business District (CBD).
Upon being elected, in 2018, he ensured that the sitting grounds on the Aberdeen Junction had a befitting facelift.
“I know the importance of tourism; so I need to transform Aberdeen,” he boasted.
The project, he says, is solely being funded by him with little support from the National Tourism Board. “This is a self-sponsored project undertaken by me, which is based on the little I get from teaching and other earnings,” he explained.
Aberdeen Beach roundabout under artistic transformation
Considering the fact that Councilors are not on government payroll, Bangura is exploring other alternative sources of income to get his project completed and to bring more development to his community.
He told Nightwatch that he had to abandon his previous teaching job at Erndys Preparatory school, a private institution at Aberdeen community and established an after-school class at home.
The project, to refurbish the two major interjections, had cost him approximately eighty million Leones (Le 80,000,000). The added running cost is paying the sculptor’s workers. The tourism industry is hampered because of high degree of government’s ill-attention and the absence of support from private investors.
“The transformation of these areas is just serving as promotion to the hotels, restaurants and bars around Aberdeen, but none of them is ever supported,” said Councilor Bangura.
“Let them join the boat, including the government, because this is not about politics. It is about transforming Aberdeen. I need more assistance because this project involves more money,” he pleaded.
Already, Qcell Company, a mobile network operator in Sierra Leone, has erected some paneled guard gates around the sitting grounds on Aberdeen’s main intersection. It is where its advertisements are done.
“A similar move will be made at the beach junction,” Councillor Bangura said.
Fame and admiration in the Sculpture industry
The local sculptors, at Aberdeen, play a critical role in the drive towards transforming the community, which is mostly known for its touristic environment. With his twenty-year experience, Musa Kamara and others have left an indelible print on the community with their admirable artwork on the gardens of Aberdeen’s interjections.
“We want to complement the Councilor’s effort in beautifying our community. Therefore, we are more than happy to work here,” Kamara said.
“I have worked for Mayors through the City Council and other important personalities. So, it’s a payback time to my community,” he narrated.
He told Nightwatch that about three thousands of them were trained by an Italian called Pablo who was, at the time, the head of Metchem Construction Company based in Sierra Leone.
“This work has helped me a lot. With this job, I have built a house and I have a family too,” he said.
Idris Kamara and Charles Nuni later joined the old man and they both have revealed that they have greatly learnt a lot from their boss. Charles has spent six years in the sculpture artwork and he seemed much more devoted to tap into the knowledge of the old man.
This group of people forms part of the bedrock that accounts for the growth of the country’s cultural tourism. But the government, through the Tourism Ministry, often ignores this class of people despite echoing calls to revamp the sector as a means of economic diversification.
“No government has ever contracted us to do any art work for them; except when some people admire our work then we get hired by them. That is how we have been operating over the years,” their boss said.
Sadly enough, this also means that the Tourism Ministry is not creating a thriving economic platform for local artists across the country. A good number of these artists’ works are not rewarded with money in the absence of a booming presence of tourists as compared to other countries.
The only thing they get, as personal reward, is simply the ‘admiration’ and ‘fame’ they get among people.
“I have come to love this job because people admire us. The work has made us to become more popular,” Charles boasted.
What could have been another means of reward and source of income, for them, is through the organization of National Cultural Festivals. One such festival is the traditional ‘Lantern Parade,’ which used to showcase the country’s culture through various artworks.
During the reign of then President Koroma, Sierra Leoneans celebrated this festival on the 26th of every April, which effectively marks the eve of Sierra Leone’s Independence Day. Each craft work is represented by a community and the winner is given appreciable sum of money as a reward from ex-President Koroma.
The lantern festival used to attract tens and thousands of Sierra Leoneans and is mostly cherished by most citizens. However, President Bio pronounced a ban to the festival and other masquerades, once cherished by Sierra Leoneans, after he was announced winner of 2018 Sierra Leone’s Presidential Elections.
His action has led to the dire consequences on the sculpture industry and other masquerade activities. His move was part of his clarion call to cut down public spending and mitigate financial leakages, which he had severally blamed on the previous government to have caused. However other countries, around the world, generate huge income from their sculptural industries.
For instance, every year, New Zealand Affordable Art Show attracts thousands of visitors who are required to pay less than $5,000 for various artworks priced by artists, according to the institution’s advertising website. The event presents a wonderful opportunity to visitors who buy and take home pieces of artwork.
Despite President Bio’s promise to diversify the economy, since 2018 when he was elected, he has, however, ignored a significant population who, on a very large scale, attract tourists’ attention through their exhibition of the country’s cultural values.
But the pronouncement of the President, to diversify the economy, is considered by a number of critics as a farfetched reality in the face of a hostile environment evidenced by some incredible reports by police brutality of innocent citizens in some parts of the country, particularly in opposition strongholds in recent past. Against this background, some observers have also expressed fears that the country would hardly see a boom in tourism as compared to other countries.
They premised their argument based on the fact that the existing public beaches, on the shores of Aberdeen and Lumley, have allegedly been sold off to private business investors to give way for the construction of restaurants, bars and other entertainment centers.
They said, although they would not dispute the fact that restaurants should not be seen around coastal areas, putting up bars and other wooden structures on the shores of the beaches make it rather uncomfortable for public view and relaxation.
Moreover, during night hours, it is evident that the Aberdeen-Lumley Beach areas usually experience incessant traffic congestion and media reports have, over the years, indicated that a number of women die as a result of rape and criminal attacks.
But some determined marshal beach officers told Nightwatch that such incidences hardly occur as they have intensified their security operations on the perimeter of Aberdeen-Lumley Beaches.
The sculpture industry is an important form of public art, which has vast dimensions. And the materials used in sculpture are diverse in nature. This has enabled many sculptors to innovate ways to design their artistic works.
Kamara and his team said they often applied materials, like iron rods, cement, mesh and cement papers and such work is normally done in the dry season, to avoid destruction of the objects. However, the head of the sculpture team shared his bitter experiences with some apprentices whom, he said, had on two occasions carted away their modeling tools worth thousands of Leones.
“That young guy just started work with us three days ago. This morning, when I gave him my room key, he took away my bag, which contains all other working tools. I’ve got no option but to start buying other materials. They have taught me some lessons; I will never assist anyone who meets me to serve as apprentice,” Kamara said.
The sculptors also expressed anger against people who pose to take photos but without acknowledging their presence.
“They just come and take photos and walk away without showing any courtesy. They don’t greet us at all. In Guinea, people don’t behave like that,” they said.
They continued: “In Guinea, people respect sculptors. At times one would be amazed to see prominent personalities, stepping off their vehicles, give you some money,” the sculptors complained.
Whilst they were working at the Aberdeen Beach Roundabout, their explanation of Sierra Leoneans’ scornful attitude toward them was evidenced when a man walked into his jeep ignoring them and eventually raced off.
As the Aberdeen Beach Roundabout still undergoes sculptural transformation, under a poor Councilor, it is a mockery, on the part of the Ministry of Tourism and a heavy slap on the face of Parliamentarians who drive fancy cars around town, they could not bring development in their constituencies.