DISCOnnections: Popular Music Audiences in Freetown, Sierra Leone

Acknowledgements

  xiv Acknowledgements This book is about the social dis/connections that music creates in Freetown. These words of thanks – and apology – are for the social dis/connections that the work on this book created between me and those close and loved by me. In this sense, I, first and foremost, want to apologize to all those affected by my prolonged absence and recurring disconnections. I owe my deepest gratitude to my family, without whose support I could have never finished this work. I am equally strong indebted to my academic supervisors . In the first place, to my two main supervisors: Paul Richards, whose combination of divine-like perspicacity, illuminating comments, sharp critiques, wisely timed reticence and solace were the best teaching I could possibly imagine ; and Daniela Merolla, without whose inexhaustible enthusiasm, encouraging ideas, and generous intellectual incentives I would not have reached terra firma. I also owe many thanks to the gang of voluntarily and otherwise involved supervisors in Leiden and Freetown that I was fortunate enough to meet and get involved into my research and writings. In Leiden: Mirjam de Bruijn & Robert Ross – thank you for your time, patience, visions and wisdoms. For Freetown, the list reads lengthier and will, most probably, not include all those I actually wanted to thank. However, I would like to thank Joe Alie for welcoming me at the Fourah Bay College, for supporting my work, and for sharing his ideas on that work with me. Furthermore, I want to thank Lansanah Kormoh for introducing me to Mount Aureol’s most inspirational spot and its ever-inspiring group of regulars, the cohort of supervising minds I encountered there. Among these, I would like to thank for their critical and most humane engagement with my work, ideas, theories and other sorrows and worries: Augustine Pessima, Ambrose Rogers, Chris Squire, Dr “MTK1000” Koroma, Patrick Walker, Dr Charles Silver, Dr Danfode, Dr Kormoh, Dr Sahr Fillie, “Sammy B”, Mr Dumbuya, and all the others listening, laughing and commenting. A special thanks to John Alie – thank you for all your support in Freetown and beyond, for your critical engagement, your courage, dedication, love, belief, inspiration and patience. Many warmest thanks to Hanna and Henry Monrovia – thank you for making me feel at home in Freetown and for making me miss my Freetonian home today. Haj Fawaz – thank you for all the invaluable help and trust. To Mustapha K. & Mustapha D., to Samory, James, Sandy, Adama, Emanuel , Mussa, Alpheus, Thomas & Munday – thank you for listening and sharing and for allowing me to listen and share. This piece of work could not have been done without all the people I met in Freetown. To all those who allowed me to share in their lives, their stories, xv dreams, anxieties and, very often, much more – thank you for your time and trust. I would like to thank, for their infatigable will to make me understand, the most patient and most dedicated historians and connoisseurs of Freetonian music life: Mohammed “King Millan” Bangura, Michael “Dr Daddy” Loco, Reuben “Jahlord” Kamara, Mr Mohammed, and all the folks from the CSA. Finally, I want to thank my dear friends and classmates in Leiden. It was a great pleasure to share these experiences with you all: Cathy, Alena, Claire, Anna, Carien, Femke and Innocent – you are wonderful; iLASA for ever! And, Sara, thank you for every moment, thought and motion. ...