“It is Not a Crime to be SLPP or APC” – SLAJ President Discusses Unity, Peace & National Cohesion With Artists

Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), urged artists from the Sierra Leone entertainment industry to uphold their support for the two major political parties in the nation, the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the All People’s Congress (APC).

Emphasizing the importance of political tolerance, Nasralla declared, “It is not a crime to be SLPP or APC; it is your political right. What is a crime is when you see your SLPP/APC brother and sister as enemies because you do not support the same political party. APC and SLPP are not the enemy; the enemies are those who capture these parties to preach messages of division and hate.”

Expressing his enthusiasm about the gathering with representatives of the entertainment industry, Nasralla referred to them as “powerful agents of positive change.” Notable figures like Collabo, Base Aphonyx, and Bulls attended the meeting, representing the influential force of musicians in fostering positive transformations.

Discussing potential collaborations between musicians, SLAJ, and the Bar Association, Nasralla envisioned a partnership that would promote peace, dialogue, and national cohesion. He proposed the idea of a nationwide concert, featuring artists from both political spectrums, joining forces to create a unifying anthem centered around justice, unity, peace, and national cohesion.

“We also talked about the need for a nationwide peace concert where the major artists, including the core artists from the two political divides, could partake and do a song on justice, unity, peace, and national cohesion,” Nasralla shared as part of their conversations.

In a closing call to action, the SLAJ President urged all artists in Sierra Leone to unite in educating the public, emphasizing the concept of unity irrespective of political affiliations, tribe, ethnicity, and region.

Nasralla concluded, “Time to join forces to educate our people that we are ONE, irrespective of our political allegiances, tribe, ethnicity, and region.”