Looking back, activities like the VOA’s “Request Time” and Barclay’s visit and interactions with her fans in Freetown could be described as US soft power — mobilising young minds to appreciate American values… Trump doesn’t seem interested in such activities if they don’t generate immediate returns to the US.
The smokescreen of liberalism or defence of freedom in US foreign policy is being systematically cleared. ‘We’re all authoritarians now’, Chinese politicians would be saying. Trump’s attack on liberal internationalism rolls on aggressively. His sledge hammer is falling indiscriminately on international organisations, humanitarian initiatives, and US propaganda outfits without regard for the long-term effects on the US’ position in the world.
I’ve never been a fan of the VOA’s news broadcasts. The few times I listened to VOA news when I was growing up, I couldn’t distinguish it from Soviet and Chinese propaganda. It lacked the subtlety of the BBC, which also promotes British interests but in less brazenly ideological ways.
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However, during my teenage years, as a high school student in Freetown in the 1960s, I was hooked on the VOA’s music programme “Request Time,” which was anchored by the charismatic Liberian journalist, Yvonne Barclay. “Request Time” was a very popular programme among Freetown’s youth. It was the go-to programme for soul music — the place where we first heard the latest African-American sounds before they got picked up by the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS). We were awestruck by Barclay’s voice and presentation.
I had the opportunity of meeting Barclay in 1969 when she visited Sierra Leone. I was a member of the US Information Services library, which I often consulted to read about world affairs, including the Apollo space programme and mission on the moon.
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The library invited a few of us to the lecture that the USIS organised for Barclay at the embassy, which at the time was located at Walpole Street — just opposite the mighty and iconic Cotton Tree.
After her talk, Barclay took the floor and invited us to join her to dance to some soulful African-American sounds. We formed a circle around her and tried to copy her steps and moves! She was a great dancer.
Unfortunately, Barclay passed away a few years ago. I think she died in Jamaica where she lived during her twilight years, but she was buried in Liberia. I read a few lovely tributes to her.
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Looking back, activities like the VOA’s “Request Time” and Barclay’s visit and interactions with her fans in Freetown could be described as US soft power — mobilising young minds to appreciate American values.
Trump doesn’t seem interested in such activities if they don’t generate immediate returns to the US.
Good riddance, if you ask me! US imperialism will now reveal its real character.
Yusuf Bangura writes from Nyon, Switzerland. Email: [email protected]
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