The Big Sierra Leone Diaspora Investment Conference Roundup You've Been Waiting For is Here (Event Photos)
Vickie Remoe makes opening address at the Sierra Leone Diaspora Investment Conference at Metro Points Hotel in New Carrollton, Maryland on Oct 7, 2023. Suit by SBSuits.com
You should have been there! Over 200 people gathered at the first Sierra Leone Diaspora Investment Conference in Maryland this weekend, and it was magical. How can a conference about business and investment feel magical? When the Salone diaspora, often divided by politics, puts their differences aside and unites for progress.
Was I weary that the panels would be drowned out by partisan politics? You bet! But the people who came to this conference came for Sierra Leone; not an APC nor an SLPP was spoken or heard. Participants engaged in discourse about laws, policies, corruption, trauma, access to capital, local content, diaspora engagement, and more. They challenged the status quo and asked tough questions but no palava, kulala, or stress. Like I said Magical!
The conference opened with the US and Sierra Leone national anthems played by Reginald Thompson, Saxophonist (Freetown Uncut Band), and Francil Thompson, Keyboard (Freetown Uncut).
Reginald Thompson
Next up our hosts Fatima Sesay (Inside the Diaspora) and Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr invited David Vandy and Mr Bah who led us in Christian and Muslim prayers.
Fatima and Saidu (Co-hosts)
David Vandy
Usifu Jalloh (The Cowfoot Prince)
The Cowfoot Prince, also known as Usifu Jalloh, followed with his usual one-man show extravaganza, combining drumming, singing, and narrative storytelling showcasing Sierra Leone's griot heritage.
I gave the opening address––and talked about our collective trauma and how we can overcome Salone paralysis by analysis. I talked about how I have been building my marketing agency and narrowed my focus from trying to solve Salone's problems to tangible things within my control––my compound, my company, my campaign to Make Sierra Leone Famous, and community service.
Next, the Minister of Trade, Ibrahim Alpha Sesay (known by his nickname Tex), talked about the government's commitment to diaspora engagement and trade and investment incentives. He challenged the diaspora to join President Bio's second-term Big Five Agenda.
Mr. Ibrahim Alpha Sesay, Minister of Trade and Industry, Sierra Leone
I moderated the first two panels, firstly with founders and the second with business leaders on investment opportunities.
The first panel, From Struggle to Success: Overcoming Business Challenges in Sierra Leone, featured diaspora and returnee entrepreneurs, including Dori Massey Turay (Co-founder, Stafford Lodge), Edleen Elba (MD, Elba), and Dr. Fouad Sheriff (CEO and Co-founder, Cotton Tree Medical Group).
Vickie, Dr. Fouad, Edleen and Dori
The second panel, Leaving Money On The Table: The Case For Investment & Entrepreneurship in Sierra Leone, included Abdul Koroma, Senior Corporate Executive, VP, Marampa Mines Limited, Franklin Ibemessie, Global Procurement Expert, Millennium Challenge Corporation, and Ibrahim Cole, Managing Director, Leoneoil.
Vickie with Abdul, Franklin and Ibrahim
In the weeks leading up to the conference, the team at VR&C Marketing produced a video segment on local entrepreneurs for the forum. The film featured the founders of Nina's Coffee, Unimax, Smart Systems, and Ragsul Trading. The founders, Sylthea Redwood-Sawyer, Fatima Sesay, Mahmoud Idris, and Alhaji Siraj Bah, shared how they had gotten into the business, stuck it out against the odds, and continued to grow.
After the Voices of Entrepreneurs, Alex Rivera, outgoing MD for Sierra Tropical SL Ltd (Dole), shared how Dole had grown in investments in Sierra Leone after seven years of operating a large-scale plantation. He also shared the company's social impact, offering free healthcare to the community.
Edwina, Ibrahim A. Sesay, Mohamed, Rahama and Susan
The next panel, Building Bridges and Fostering Stronger Trade and Cultural Ties between the USA and Sierra Leone, was moderated by Business and Tech leader Edwina Manyeh. It featured Professor Susan Shepler, School of International Service, American University; Rahama Wright, CEO, SheaYeleen & Presidential Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa; Mohamed L Bah, Member, Maryland Governor's Commission on African Affairs, and Alpha Sesay, Minister of Trade and Industry.
The Cowfoot Prince
The Cowfoot Prince returned to the stage for a second performance, and yes, there was an outfit change, of course!
Ibrahim Cole, CEO, Leonoil
After that enthralling performance, the CEO of Leonoil, Mr. Ibrahim Cole, gave the private sector keynote address, sharing his journey from the diaspora to Sierra Leone and recipes for successful impact in business leadership and investing. He advised the diaspora to have purpose and passion before profit and prepare to accept some of the "cultures of doing business in Salone" that might seem like a waste of time. He challenged the government to double down on its local content commitment by offering mining licenses to indigenous Sierra Leoneans with a clause requiring that 65% of their forex revenue be repatriated to Salone. He said this would ease the forex pressures on the local economy. His keynote got a standing ovation!
Hamid with Isatu, Simon and Saio
The next panel, Get Funded Strategies for Securing Financing for Investment Opportunities, was moderated by Business Development Expert Hamid Gbawuru Marah. This hybrid panel included Isatu Harrison, Founder of Izelia & Creative Hub Africa; Andrew Tarazid-Tarawalli, Investment Manager, Small Foundation (joined virtually from Lagos); Simon Levell, Advisory Board Member, Truestone Impact Investment Management Limited and CEO of Mikashboks and Saio Bobson Kuyateh, SME Development Specialist, Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project at the Ministry of Finance.
Mai with Dennis, Hamid and Haja
The final panel was moderated by Chef and Author Mai Burnette. Panelists included Hamid Marah, Business Development Expert; Dennis Jusu, Masterfarmer and CEO of Jam Jay Agricultural Company; and Haja Myers, AgriBusiness Specialist and founder of Estu Delight.
Abu Kamara, CEO, Grovara
Our final guest speaker of the day was global trade expert Abu Kamara, CEO of Grovara. His insightful remarks shared lessons for entrepreneurs who want to make a mark by building Sierra Leone's first global brand.
with Kadisha Conteh, Virtual Assistant to rockstars!
Wearing custom-made Sallieu Barrie suit and shirt in my fav color.
Yeah the suit was suiting! Visit SBSuits.com for ready to wear and custom-made suits here in Maryland.
I then closed the program by thanking our various partners and supporters, including our headline sponsors, Marampa Mines, the planning committee, my marketing team in Sierra Leone and Ghana, who provided the remote communications and promotional support, my DMV-based virtual assistant Kadisha Conteh, fashion designer Sallieu Barrie of SB Suits in Maryland who made my custom burnt orange suit and everyone else who played a key role in making the conference a success. Special shoutout to our vendors including Ofino Naturals and Shea and More who joined us from Sierra Leone thanks to a grant from the Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project.
The Cowfoot Prince sent us off with his drums, playing oldies and new hits, and we danced and sang to our heart's delight. To say the conference was a success is an understatement! We really do am! There's only one thing we could do differently: we had started on time at 9:00 a.m. instead of three minutes later at 9:03 a.m. (shade implied). My apologies to everyone who waited three minutes for us to create; next year, we do better!
Some people have already reached out to ask what to do next. And here is what I can say: It is up to us! I closed the conference, inviting the diaspora to buy back Sierra Leone. That means investing in Sierra Leonean SMEs and becoming angel investors. Yesterday, I had a call with a young man in the UK who shared some ideas about setting up Special Purpose Vehicles for investing. My moonshot is that between now and when we reconvene for the 2024 Sierra Leone Diaspora Investment Conference back in the DMV, we would have announced the SL Diaspora Angels Network that will allow us to pool funds and invest in businesses back home. So, if this is your area of expertise and you're interested in Making Sierra Leone Famous for Diaspora Investment. You have the vision and resources to make it happen; come holler at me! #WeAreTheInvestors we’ve been waiting for.
For those in the UK who have been commenting and DMing about bringing the conference to you, let's do it in 2024 and volunteer to join the UK planning committee.
In the next week, expect an announcement about whether there'll be a conference in Sierra Leone this December to cater to those who might be going home and want to attend this conference. Until then, you know where to find me. Fambul dem una tenki en tata.
Check out the event photos by Woki Massaquoi who came down from New York to be our photog of the day (and congrats to you for submitting the surveys so the images could be released. Victoria Romeo has left the building! Hehehehehe HAHHAHAA!
