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It was my good fortune to meet Mohamed for the first time soon after I arrived in Sierra Leone in the late summer of 2004. I had been posted to Freetown as military advisor to the Sierra Leone Government with the task of re-building the Ministry of Defense into a subordinate organ of the State rather than a threat to it, and to act as the Deputy Commander of IMATT.

As a lifelong avowed railway enthusiast, I had conducted some limited research into what my new home for the next year or so might offer from a railway point of view and thus, armed with a new British book called Sierra Leone Narrow Gauge, on my first Saturday in Freetown I visited the former National Workshops in Cline Town.

I eventually arrived at the gates to what I took to be the Cline Town railway workshops, and drove straight in, waving at the guard to whom I gave a cold can of Pepsi. The place certainly looked like a railway facility, but here and there were posters and daubed slogans in Chinese/English exalting the African workers to ensure that the ‘new’ factory would be open in 78 days. Not certain what this all meant, I got out of my Land Rover and started to explore the site, Sierra Leone Narrow Gauge in hand, quickly identifying many 

of the key locations illustrated in the book, including the main erecting and repair shop complete with huge overhead cranes. As we approached what the book informed me had been the Works office building, a Chinese man approached, smiled, and in excellent English enquired if we were from the Government. “Sort of” I replied. “Have you come to take the trains away?” he further enquired. The subsequent exchange revealed that the factory site had been gifted to the Chinese on condition that it be converted into a factory employing Sierra Leoneans, which the Chinese intended would open, as publicly advertised, in 78 days (over the coming months this number changed erratically, on one occasion jumping from 41 days back to 47 days overnight – the Chinese motivational techniques were emphatically not well received by their Sierra Leonean employees!). Not quite sure if he had got his facts right about the existence of any “trains”, I asked if he would show them to me. As I walked deeper into the factory complex, I was informed that the building housing these artefacts had been gifted to the Chinese, that they had repaired the roof, but that the removal of the rolling stock was overdue and that further delay could not be tolerated, in other words shift ‘em or we scrap ‘em.

Celebrating 100 years in good health and strength, Alhaji Mohamed Sallu Thomas reveals the secret to longevity

It is not often that people live to celebrate their 100th birthday but whenever they do, society tends to celebrate them. In Sierra Leone, centenarians are hard to come by, but what really is the secret to longevity? The Monuments and Relics Commission's TV Show Salon Kontri Pot finds out.

To be born in 1920 and still going strong remains an outstanding feat. Alhaji Mohamed Sallu Thomas spent his entire life in the Aberdeen community in Freetown aside from the few years he spent in Guinea acquiring education.

His voice sounded like any 40-year-old. Old age has favored the centenarian to an extent that even close to 100 he was still driving himself around. He does not overdo anything and stays positive almost all the time. He spends time with his family and eats fruits and vegetables often.

He has not for once smoked cigarettes or consumed alcohol. He never parts with water. He eats moderately, walks a lot and sleeps for eight hours every day.

His wife Haja Bussainatu Thomas is 89 years old and they have been happily married for nearly 70 years. She attributed the success of their marriage to her submission and obedience.

The Salon Kontri Team on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs presented a gift to the celebrant. He thanked and appreciated the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and Monuments and Relics Commission for the gift and prayed for continued direction to lead well.

Bondumani Arts - Animating the visual arts for a better Sierra Leone It is very uncommon to see youths who have dedicated their lives to making a living and improving the visual or graphic arts in Sierra Leone. But 19 year old Aishatu Jalloh has ventured into that regime as a full time visual artist. She is not alone.Sahr Songu Mbriwa believed all was not lost in the art of painting. That was why they established Bondumani Arts seven years ago. Their skills in the art of painting and drawing has earned them respect and prestige in their community and even beyond. Such is the exceptional talent they possess that bypassers were stunned by the amazing portraits they displayed at the Sea Food Complex on Lumley Beach Road in December 2020.That exhibition was enough to bring them fortunes but for the slow patronage from the public. Aishatu disclosed that they use a lot of resources and precious time to put those work together. She was optimistic that more people would patronize them in future especially in the area of sponsorship.

Bondumani Arts are into still life drawing, face painting, clothing designs/fabrics painting, mural painting and many other concepts. That is not all. They currently train children in art work but their dream is to open a school to train more children. They sell the portraits they produce and do customized paintings as well. In an interview with Salon Kontri Pot TV Show, Aishatu Jalloh admonished her peers thus:

"If you have a talent and passion for anything follow your heart. Do what you love and don’t look down on yourself. No matter how many times people try to put you down keep pushing and one day you will reap the benefits of your hard work."Currently located on Saccoh Drive, Lumley Road, Wilberforce, they are just a call away -+23276403799/ SahrSongu1@gmail.comThis story was covered for the Monuments and Relics Commission's Salon Kontri Pot TV Show which is aired every Saturday on AYV TV from 4:30-5:30pm. Please watch the Show on the link below.  https://youtu.be/9Q5eRzrXInY