CNN featured her.
Think about that.
A global media giant recognized a young Sierra Leonean artist Boii (Boimanya Martha Fahnbulleh Koroma) and put her on a platform most artists dream of. That should have been a national moment.
A moment of pride. A moment of noise. A moment where Sierra Leone rallied behind one of its own and said, “This is ours.”
But that didn’t happen. Instead? Silence.
While Sierra Leone looked away, Nigerians leaned in. Nigerian producers filled her comment sections. Nigerian blogs shared her music. Nigerian creatives from a country already dominating Afrobeats took time to uplift an artist that isn’t even theirs.
Let’s not sugarcoat it. That’s embarrassing.
The Real Problem: It’s Not Talent. It’s Us
- Sierra Leone doesn’t have a talent problem.
- It has a mindset problem.
- We don’t support each other.
Everything feels like competition. Everything feels like ego. Everything feels like, “If it’s not me, it shouldn’t be you.”
And that mentality is killing the industry before it even has a chance to grow. Because here’s the truth:
Boii has what it takes.
She sings in pigin english meaning her music travels. She has the look meaning she can sell globally. She has the voice meaning she can compete anywhere. And now she has international visibility. She could be the one. The breakout. The door-opener. The artist that changes how the world sees Sierra Leonean music especially for women.
And instead of pushing her forward, we’re acting like she doesn’t exist.
Meanwhile, Nigeria Understands the Game. Nigeria doesn’t need Boii. Let’s be clear. They already have global stars. Their industry is already loud, organized, and dominant. But they still show up for rising talent even outside their borders. Why? Because they understand something Sierra Leone hasn’t learned yet:
- When one artist rises, the entire ecosystem benefits.
- They don’t wait for perfection. They don’t wait for validation. They don’t sit back and analyze.
- They support. Loudly. Consistently. Strategically.
That’s how you build a global sound.
The Therapist Said It And We Ignored It. Another Sierra Leonean artist, The Therapist, already called this out; Sierra Leoneans don’t promote their own. Promoters don’t invest locally. Producers don’t collaborate at home. And what happened after he said it?
A few claps. Then silence again.
Because truth makes people uncomfortable especially when it hits close. But let’s be honest:
- Blogs barely post local artists unless they’re already trending.
- DJs rarely prioritize Sierra Leonean music at events.
- Producers hesitate to work with rising talent unless there’s something to gain immediately.
- Fans wait for foreign validation before they show love. And then we wonder why artists leave.
The Drizilik Exception Not the Rule.
There are exceptions.
Artists like Drizilik are trying. He puts Boii on his shows. He’s building platforms. He’s extending opportunities. But one artist cannot build an industry alone. You can’t build a culture on one person’s effort. Where is everyone else?
The Comparison That Hurts (But Matters).
- Nigeria supports its own → Global dominance
- Ghana supports its own → International reach
- South Africa supports its own → Cultural takeover
Sierra Leone?
We hesitate. We critique. We compete. We stay quiet.
And then we lose.
What Nigerians Understand That We Don’t ? Support isn’t about liking every song. It’s about understanding the bigger picture. Nigerians will push an artist because they know that visibility compounds. That growth multiplies. That culture expands when people show up.
Sierra Leoneans, on the other hand, often think:
- “If they win, what about me?”
- That scarcity mindset is the real enemy.
Because while we’re busy competing with each other, other countries are collaborating and winning.
The Cost of This Behavior ? If nothing changes:
- Boii will leave.
- She’ll build her career somewhere else.
- She’ll blow up without Sierra Leone.
- And then we’ll claim her after the fact. We’ve seen this story before. We’re watching it happen again.
So What Now?
Enough talking.
If Sierra Leone actually wants an industry, not just isolated success stories, then everyone has to play their part:
- Blogs: Post your artists before they trend not after.
- Producers: Collaborate locally. Stop gatekeeping opportunities.
- DJs: Play Sierra Leonean music like it matters because it does.
- Fans: Stream, share, comment. Support doesn’t cost much, but silence costs everything.
- Established Artists: Open doors. Build ladders. Don’t hoard the spotlight.
CNN saw Boii before Sierra Leone did.
Nigerians are supporting her more than her own people.
The Therapist had to look outside his country to grow.
This is not about talent.
This is about culture.
And until Sierra Leoneans choose collaboration over competition, support over silence, and unity over ego the country will keep exporting its best talent to places that know how to nurture it.
Boii could be the first to break through.
Or she could be the next to leave.
Do you support Sierra Leonean artists before the world notices them? Or only after they’ve already made it? No excuses.
