He stammered whenever he tried to talk. People laughed. Teachers ignored him. But when he discovered writing, his world changed. On paper, he had no limits — only rhythm and truth.
He started leaving poems under desks, in books, and even on Facebook. People read them and wept. They were powerful, moving, and deep. No one knew who the poet was, only that his words carried fire.
Until one day, at a spoken word event, he walked on stage with shaking hands. He stammered as usual… until he read from his notebook. The hall went silent. Then came the applause — loud and long. The poet had found his voice.
In Sierra Leone and across Africa, there are powerful stories waiting to be told — stories of struggle, creativity, identity, and change. If young people don’t write them, others will write for them — and possibly get it wrong.
Ibe Blog stands to change that. We must encourage more youth to write, reflect, and archive their lives. The future belongs to those who dare to document the present.
Too often, history is written by those with power, leaving the voices of the youth unheard. But we live in a time when young people can tell their stories without waiting for permission — through blogs, videos, poetry, and songs.
In Sierra Leone and across Africa, there are powerful stories waiting to be told — stories of struggle, creativity, identity, and change. If young people don’t write them, others will write for them — and possibly get it wrong.
Ibe Blog stands to change that. We must encourage more youth to write, reflect, and archive their lives. The future belongs to those who dare to document the present.
The African Union (AU) has convened an emergency summit in Addis Ababa to address rising security threats across the continent. Leaders from over 40 African countries gathered to discuss strategies for combating terrorism, cross-border crime, and political instability. The meeting comes amid a recent surge in armed attacks in the Sahel and Horn of Africa regions.
AU Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat emphasized the importance of collective action, saying that no African nation can tackle these threats alone. Delegates discussed strengthening intelligence sharing, deploying joint peacekeeping forces, and investing in community-based security programs.
One of the key topics was the growing role of technology in modern warfare. Cybersecurity experts briefed leaders on how extremist groups are using social media for recruitment and coordination. The AU plans to set up a continental cybersecurity task force.
The summit also explored ways to engage youth in peace-building initiatives, recognizing that unemployment and social exclusion often push young people toward criminal activities. Development funding for education and skills training was proposed as a long-term solution.
The meeting concluded with a pledge to increase funding for security programs and create a coordinated response mechanism to handle future crises more effectively.
