By Ibrahim S. Bangura
Alhaji Amadu Bah popularly known as Boss LAJ, a local popular rapper and Peace Ambassador of Sierra Leone with his team, has attended a two-day forest conservation seminar in China in Beijing to discuss possible ways of forest conservation.
The United Nations Forest Instrument provides countries with a framework for promoting sustainable forest management. The instrument articulates a series of agreed policies and measures at the international and national levels to strengthen forest governance, technical and institutional capacity, policy and legal frameworks, forest sector investment and stakeholder participation.
The two-day seminar, which started on Thursday July 17, 2024, and ended on Friday July 18, 2024, was attended by many countries across the world. The seminar was sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (MOFCOM), and it was organized by the National Academy of Forestry and Grassland Administration (NAFGA).
The two-day seminar paid attention to the implementation of the United Nations Forest Instrument and sustainable forest management practices.
During the seminar, a lot of contributions were made by the attendees on how they should find various ways in their countries to help protect and preserve their forests. They also discussed the needs and importance of protecting and preserving natural forests and wildlife.
To attend the seminar, LAJ was selected by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Sierra Leone due to his commitment to environmental advocacy and his ability to influence public opinion effectively over the years.
LAJ was given the responsibility to use his artistic abilities to raise public awareness to promote positive environmental change and the implementation of sustainable forest management practices as outlined by the United Nations, ensuring Sierra Leone’s forests are safeguarded for future generations, to build collaborative ties with international stakeholders, using his platform to advance policies that go with economic development with ecological conservation.
On Monday February 12, 2024, LAJ was appointed by His Excellency, President Brig. (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio, as Peace Ambassador to assist in the promotion of peace, reconciliation and unity in Sierra Leone, and peace-related matters abroad; assist in building peace cultures, enhance tolerance and support peaceful resolution of conflict. The rapper has over the years released many songs that have made it to the national and international markets, songs like ‘Freedom’, ‘Say no to Kush’, ‘Lollipop’, among others.
LAJ is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder of the Red Flag Movement (RFM), one of the renowned music record labels in Sierra Leone.