By Mohamed Fadlu Bah – 23 Aug. 2019
On Thursday 13th August 2019 at the Salone Bar and Night Club in East End of Freetown, the Sierra Leone MCs Union disclosed their intention to honour Lansana Sheriff commonly known as Steady Bongo for his excellent contributions to the music industry.
The President of the Union, MC Puffy, in releasing this information said before and after the colonial era in Sierra Leone, people were celebrated for their excellent works when they were alive adding how it is against such a backdrop that the Sierra Leone MC’s Union (SLeMCU) thought it very necessary to start this very important idea to celebrate people for their excellent performances while they are alive.
He continued that the Union of MC’s in Sierra Leone and many other people including politicians regard Steady Bongo as a father, uncle, friend, brother and a mentor in the Entertainment industry and that choosing him cannot be overemphasized as he is amongst the few musicians that have touched the lives of many Sierra Leoneans, if not all but 90% of this country’s population.
The said event is scheduled to take place on the 22nd November, 2019 at the Hotel 5-10 East of End of Freetown and will target all walks of life
Lansana Sheriff commonly called Steady Bongo was born on the 24 July in the 90s by an Arab Mr Mohamed Lamin Sheriff a Mauritanian and mother of the Mende tribe, Haja Water, in the Kailahun District Daru Borbor. He attended the Ahmadiyya Muslim Secondary School at Kissy Dockyard in Freetown where he sat his ‘O’ level Exam.
The musician is married to a Fullah woman Mrs Jariatu Sheriff from Bo district.
Steady Bongo is considered as someone that has spent his money and time in promoting not only himself but young artists like Big Joe, Papa Minkailu and others as well as the group known as Steady Bongo and the Cultural Heroes.
He has been in the music industry for over 25 years and he can play most of the country’s local instruments. Steady has bagged many awards for dancing.
The musician released his first album in 1991 and has done 24 other albums and among these albums are many hit songs. Over 90% of his songs are played all over Sierra Leone and the diaspora.
Steady Bongo was honoured by the late President Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabba with the Order of the Rokel Award and he has earned many other awards in and out of Sierra Leone.
Yes, Steady is a musical product of Salone .