Honestly Speaking with Antonia Howard
by Antonia Howard
Honestly Speaking is a thought-provoking podcast featuring conversations on pressing issues, social dynamics, and professional insights in Sierra Leone, and connecting them to global narratives and trends. Through an accessible, yet informative approach, the show navigates serious discussions with entertaining elements by creating space for real and unfiltered views of contributors.
Episodes
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Why Resource-Rich Countries Stay Poor | Governance, Power & Public Contracts in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is rich in natural resources — yet poverty remains part of the narrative. Why?In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard is joined by Andrew Lavali, a governance and public policy expert, for a deep conversation about how poverty is produced and maintained — not just…
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What Kind of Sierra Leone Do We Want?
In conversation with Zainab Bangura, one time presidential aspirant in Sierra Leone and now Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi, we explore values, civic responsibility, and the shared role of leaders, institutions, and citizens in shaping Sierra Leone’s future. Grounded in...
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Part 3 - January 18: What Does Remembrance Ask of Us Now?
In Part Three of this special Honestly Speaking series for National Remembrance Day, the focus turns to prevention — and responsibility. Often repeated, “never again” can sound like a slogan. In this episode, it is treated as a question: what must be done to ensure Sierra Leone never returns to…
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Part 2 - January 18: What Does Remembrance Ask of Us Now?
This is Part Two of our special National Remembrance Day series. In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard picks up a difficult but necessary question: How did a country like Sierra Leone descend into war just thirty years after independence? Building on conversations from Part One at...
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January 18: What Does Remembrance Ask of Us?
January 18 is National Remembrance Day in Sierra Leone.But what does remembrance really ask of us?In Part 1 of this special Honestly Speaking series, journalist and creative storyteller Antonia Howard begins a journey into memory, accountability, and unfinished questions from Sierra Leone’s civil...
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Who Are We Without Our Stories?
Across Africa, storytelling was how knowledge moved. It shaped values, preserved history, and held communities together. In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with Usifu Jalloh, widely known as The Cowfoot Prince — a storyteller, cultural practitioner, and educator who…
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How Do You Build a Global Brand Without Diluting Culture?
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with Foday Dumbuya, founder and creative director of LABRUM London, for a thoughtful conversation about fashion as cultural storytelling, identity and power. Through LABRUM’s work, from references to African history and diasporic...
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Carrying Culture Forward: What Does It Take to Rewrite Tradition?
Culture is often treated as something fixed. But culture is also lived — and sometimes changed by those bold enough to step into it differently. In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard speaks with Lala Bayani Sidibe — kora performer, girls’ advocate, and Miss Sierra Leone finalist —...
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How Do We Protect the Rights of Women & Girls While Honouring Culture?
Culture is often defended as “the way things have always been done.” But what happens when tradition causes harm? In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with feminist activist Josephine Kamara to confront the reality of Female Genital Cutting/Circumcision/Mutilation in...
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Can Sierra Leone Build a Culture of Quality in Music Entertainment?
For over a decade, Joseph “Nashito Kulala” Koroma has been a quiet force behind some of Sierra Leone’s most defining sounds. In an industry shaped by limited resources, inconsistent standards, and a culture of “that’s good enough,” Nashito has built a reputation for insisting on excellence —…
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What is the Role of Theatre and Arts in a Nation's Story?
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with legendary playwright, cultural curator, and founder of the Freetong Players, Charlie Haffner, for a deep, unfiltered conversation on art, power, and national identity. We explore: – How artists function as watchdogs, just like...
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Honestly Speaking Live — Truth, Progress & the Power of Conversation
Thirty conversations later, Honestly Speaking stepped out of the studio and into a live room full of truth-tellers, dreamers, and changemakers. 🎉 Hosted by Antonia Howard, this milestone 30th-episode celebration brought together some of Sierra Leone’s most compelling voices for an evening of...
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How Do We Build a Better Sierra Leone Without Burning Out?
Everyone wants change, but what happens when the people trying to fix Sierra Leone are running on empty? In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with Ibrahim Yusuf (Beloz) Bangura to unpack the emotional weight of being a young Sierra Leonean today. They explore the tension...
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Beauty, Risk & Reality: What Should We Know About Cosmetic Procedures?
From “glow injections” and IV drips to lip fillers and body sculpting, Sierra Leone’s beauty industry is evolving fast — but not always safely. As more people turn to quick fixes and unverified beauty treatments, the risks are becoming impossible to ignore. In this episode of Honestly Speaking,...
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What Is Fueling Youth Addiction & How Do We Stop It?
Drug dependency among young people in Sierra Leone is alarming and “Kush” has become a dangerous escape for those caught between pressure and hopelessness. But beneath the crisis is a deeper story about mental health, limited opportunity, and a generation trying to survive. In this episode of...
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Can Journalism Rebuild Trust and Hold Power Accountable in Sierra Leone?
In Sierra Leone, the role of the journalist has never been more complex or more necessary. The fight for truth is happening in an environment where access to information is limited, resources are shrinking, and public trust in the media is fading. In this episode of Honestly Speaking, journalist...
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Can Sierra Leone Redefine Leadership for the Next Generation?
Leadership in Sierra Leone is often discussed through titles, politics, and power, but what if true leadership has less to do with authority and more to do with values, competence, and followership? In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with Dr. Modupe Taylor-Pearce,...
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How Do We Rebrand Farming for the Next Generation?
For years, farming in Sierra Leone has been seen as a last resort — something for survival, not success. But what if agriculture could be reimagined as innovation, opportunity, and national pride? In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with Lachaeveh Alberta Caizarine...
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Why Does Sexuality Education Matter for Sierra Leone’s Future?
In Sierra Leone, conversations about sex and sexuality remain taboo. In our homes, schools, communities, and even in policy, sexual and reproductive health is rarely named or discussed openly. But this silence comes at a heavy cost: high rates of teenage pregnancy, preventable infections, unsafe...
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Can Sierra Leone Build a Future Without Protecting Its Environment? (Part 2)
In Part 1, we celebrated Sierra Leone’s UNESCO recognition of Tiwai Island and the Gola Rainforest with environmentalist Tommy Garnett. In Part 2, host Antonia Howard speaks with Bala Amarasekaran, founder of the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, about what it truly takes to build a culture of...
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Can Sierra Leone Build a Future Without Protecting Its Environment?
Sierra Leone just celebrated its first World Heritage recognition with Tiwai Island and the Gola Rainforest — a milestone decades in the making. But beyond the pride lies a deeper question: can we truly build a future if environmental protection remains on the margins of our development agenda?…
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What Can Sierra Leone's Past Teach Us Today?
Sierra Leone’s past is full of lessons ,but are we paying attention to the ones that matter for our future? In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with veteran educator Mrs. Cassandra Garber, whose decades of teaching and leadership give her a unique perspective on how far...
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Did Sierra Leone Forgive & Forget?
We often say we have forgiven and forgotten the past, but have we really? In Sierra Leone, forgetting doesn’t erase trauma; it lingers, shaping our identity and our future in ways we rarely admit. In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with writer, historian, and human...
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Are Sierra Leoneans Truly Engaged Citizens?
Democracy is not just about elections, it is also about citizens' participation. But how engaged are Sierra Leoneans in shaping the future of the country? In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with Valnora Edwin, a leading civil society leader and governance advocate, to...
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Are Sierra Leone’s Youth Ready to Lead?
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with youth advocate Mariama Sahid to explore the state of youth engagement, leadership, and service in Sierra Leone. From political spaces to grassroots movements, we unpack the opportunities and barriers facing young people who want…
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Speaking Truth to Power: What is the Price of Truth in Sierra Leone?
Speaking truth to power sounds noble, but in Sierra Leone, it can come with a heavy price. In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with journalist Umaru Fofana to unpack what it really means to challenge authority in a country where truth can be dangerous — and sometimes,...
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Who Are We Leaving Behind in Sierra Leone’s Classrooms?
Sierra Leone’s classrooms are full, but not always inclusive. In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with a specialist teacher trainer working to support children with special needs to unpack the hidden crisis of exclusion in our education system. From undiagnosed learning...
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What Role Does Mental Health Play in Sierra Leone's Journey?
Sierra Leone has survived war, disease, economic instability, and natural disaster, but what has it done to our minds? In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with mental health advocate Dr. Carol Labor to explore how unspoken trauma, cultural stigma, and the absence of...
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Is Beauty Empowering or Exploitative in Sierra Leone?
We talk about beauty all the time in Sierra Leone, but rarely do we stop to ask what beauty actually represents. In this episode, Antonia is joined by Hawa Turay - pageant coach, entrepreneur and Sierra Leone's first representative to Miss Universe, to reflect on how beauty pageants shape…
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Is Patriarchy Our Biggest Barrier to Progress?
We talk about bad roads, corruption, poor education systems, but how often do we name patriarchy as a root cause of Sierra Leone’s slow progress? In this powerful episode, lawyer and activist Nicky Spencer-Coker challenges us to rethink development through a gender lens. She argues that until we...
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Why Honestly Speaking?
In this special solo episode, I’m taking a moment to pause and reflect. No guest, just me, Antonia, sharing the heart behind the podcast and what I hope it does for you, for us, for Sierra Leone. This episode is about the why: The thoughts that sparked it. The love that fuels it. The honest...
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Is Feminism Misunderstood in Sierra Leone?
Feminism is a word that sparks debate — sometimes curiosity, sometimes backlash. In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard and Dr. Aisha Fofana Ibrahim explore the meaning, the misconceptions, and the lived realities of feminism in Sierra Leone. From cultural resistance to structural...
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How Do Cultural Events Contribute to Nation-Building?
From festivals to fashion shows, cultural events in Sierra Leone are doing more than just entertaining — they’re building identity, community, and pride. In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia sits down with educator and vibe curator Yeniva Sisay to explore how intentionally curated events...
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Customer Service: A Reflection of Culture and Standards
Why is poor service so widely accepted in Sierra Leone? Is it a lack of training — or a deeper cultural mindset about what people deserve? In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia and guest, Edleen Elba, explore how customer service reveals more than just business practices — it reflects…
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Environmental Crisis: Are We Ignoring the Writing on the Wall?
Floods. Landslides. Rising tides. The signs are no longer subtle — Sierra Leone is in the middle of an escalating environmental crisis. In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia sits down with environmental scientist and advocate Dr. Alhaji Njai to explore the urgent consequences of...
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The Digital Dilemma: Is Social Media Helping or Hurting Sierra Leone?
From trending clips to viral outrage, Sierra Leone’s digital space is louder than ever — but is it actually moving us forward? In this episode, Antonia Howard is joined by media personality and digital strategist Vickie Remoe to explore how social media is shaping our society. They discuss online...
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Youth on the Rise: Can We Really Make It Here?
In a country where systems often fail and opportunities feel limited, what does it really take to succeed? In this episode, media entrepreneur Phebean Swill and host Antonia Howard unpack the balance between personal responsibility and systemic barriers. They discuss youth mindset,...
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What Does It Take To Make Music A Sustainable Career in Sierra Leone?
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, award-winning artist Drizilik joins Antonia Howard for an honest conversation about what it really takes to turn music into a sustainable career in Sierra Leone. They explore the business side of creativity — from record deals, branding, and financial...
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Is Sierra Leone's Education System Preparing Us for the Future? (Part 2)
In Part 2 of our education deep dive, we move beyond policy talk and dive into what really happens in classrooms, workshops, and training spaces across Sierra Leone. Why do we still treat vocational skills like a fallback plan? What does it say about our values when creativity and craft are seen…
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Is Sierra Leone's Education System Preparing Us for the Future?
In this episode, Antonia and Dr. Yakama Manty Jones explore whether Sierra Leone’s education system is equipped to meet the demands of the future. The conversation dives into outdated curricula, the need for skills-based training, and how the system prepares young people for work in an…
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What is the Sierra Leonean Mindset?
Exploring the cultural and psychological traits that shape Sierra Leone’s national identity—for good or bad. Antonia Howard and Dama James dive into the often unspoken ways attitudes influence national growth, with critical reflection on how mindsets shape the nation’s future. Check out the...
About this show
Honestly Speaking is a thought-provoking podcast featuring conversations on pressing issues, social dynamics, and professional insights in Sierra Leone, and connecting them to global narratives and trends. Through an accessible, yet informative approach, the show navigates serious discussions with entertaining elements by creating space for real and unfiltered views of contributors.
Hosted by
Antonia Howard