BY: Dr. Alhaji .K. Tarawally
Today marks a profound milestone in my journey—it is my birthday. As I reflect on the last four decades, I am filled with immense gratitude for the path I have walked, from the streets of Kono District to the tech hubs of California, and everywhere in between. However, today is not just a celebration of age; it is the official announcement of a new era.
I am transitioning from a phase of personal glory, professional accumulation, and academic pursuit to a “Country-First” phase. The time has come to enter full-blown politics to serve my beloved Sierra Leone. I am ready to challenge the current status quo with a third-force political party, drawing upon decades of professional, educational, and entrepreneurial experience.
Detailed information regarding my political intentions and aspirations will be announced soon to the people of Sierra Leone at a declaratory grand launch together with my newfound political party in our capital, Freetown, later this year.
I have dedicated the last 20 years of my life to relentlessly acquiring knowledge and professional experience. My journey began with a BA Honours and Diploma from the University of Sierra Leone (FBC), followed by a Leadership Certificate from GIMPA University in Accra. This hunger for growth led to double Master’s degrees from SIU (Germany) and the University of Roehampton (England), culminating in my Doctoral conferment at SU University in Italy.
Even now, I continue to sharpen my mind through a second PhD research program at California University in the US. With a PhD in International Relations and over 15 years of driving social impact across the US, Europe, and Africa, I am ready to apply global best practices to our local challenges, bringing my experience as a published author, lecturer, sports administrator, and entertainment executive to the governance table.
As the Founder and CEO of the LAKE Group of Companies, I transformed a vision into reality. What began as a social club evolved into one of the nation’s largest multifaceted entertainment and multimedia conglomerates. Through subsidiaries such as the National Entertainment Awards, the Miss Freetown Beauty Pageant, the National Music Awards, the Miss Mano River International Beauty Pageant, and the National Music Festival.
I have championed our culture and provided livelihoods for thousands of Sierra Leoneans over the last two decades. Furthermore, founding Sierra Leone’s first-ever essential home and service construction company enabled me to create jobs for skilled technical service providers, proving that with vision, we can build futures right here at home.
After 64 years of independence, I have watched our beloved country struggle under failed governance policies. I believe I am destined to utilize my administrative and entrepreneurial experience to remake, rebuild, and transform Sierra Leone with the right group of people through a dynamic third political force.
The theme of this next phase of my life is simple yet powerful: a transition from personal glory to putting the country first. I am ready to pour every lesson learned and every skill acquired back into the soil that raised me.
The best birthday gift you can give me this year is to engage with my ideas and join me on my social media platforms as we work to reclaim the beautiful country we love. I also invite you to get a copy of my book, “African Brain Drain,” which explores the challenges and potential of our continent. It is available globally on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and directly on my website.
Thank you for being part of my journey thus far. Now, let us build a better Sierra Leone together.
Mashallah. 🙏🏿🚀
Dr. Alhaji K. Tarawally