By Alieu Ceesay
For Musa Sissoho, poetry is more than words arranged on a page or spoken before an audience. It is a way of confronting the questions that have followed him from the classroom into adulthood, and of turning private and public pain into language that others can hear.
Known in poetry circles as the “Logical Intellect Poet,” Sissoho says his journey began with a desire to move beyond the four walls of the classroom and question the realities surrounding him. “I wanted to get myself out of my comfort zone and out of the four corners of the classroom, to see through the horizon that many are yet to feel,” he said.
He founded the Spirits of Pan-Africanism poetry movement, which he describes as an effort to challenge mental colonialism, promote self-worth, and reconnect Africans with their history and identity. In his view, poetry has long served a communicate ideas, question authority, and influence society. Through spoken word, he argues, complex social issues can be shaped into messages that people can emotionally connect with. “Poetry has the power to resonate with people, to send the information out in a way that people will be able to resonate,” he said.
His poems frequently address leadership, corruption, social responsibility, African identity, and the experiences of young people. He says his aim is not simply to entertain audiences but to provoke reflection. “I believe my voice carries weight and my understanding of how the system works and of how we’ve been mentally colonized and blinded to the point we no longer realize who we are as people,” he said.
Sissoho launched his first poetry album, Gambia’s Time to Change, on July 5 last year. He describes that project as a reflection of his frustration with the challenges facing Gambians and of his desire to use poetry to stimulate public consciousness. He is now preparing to launch a second poetry album on October 18. This time, he says, the work will focus even more heavily on the concerns and frustrations of Gambian youths. “I don’t want to live in a country where my future is at stake,” he said, explaining his motivation for the new project.
The upcoming album, he says, will explore what he calls the pain, anger, and frustrations of ordinary Gambians, while encouraging young people to become more conscious of their society and their responsibilities. “What they should expect from me is the pain of the Gambian people,” he said. “What they should expect from me is the bitter truth with no sugarcoat.” He also hopes the album will challenge young Gambians to question the systems around them rather than accept the status quo.
Beyond the poetry itself, Sissoho says young people largely drive the project. He claims that about 95 percent of his team are below the age of 18, making the initiative an unusually youth-led creative effort. The team, he says, has invested significant time and resources without major sponsorship, relying largely on commitment to the message.
The October 18 event will feature ticket categories ranging from advance tickets to VIP access. Sissoho is calling on individuals, organizations, and philanthropists to support the initiative. “We are calling on philanthropies, on organizations to come and partner with us, to come and support the message,” he said. “Because we believe the voice of the youths matters.”
For him, the album launch is not simply another entertainment event. It is meant to be a platform where poetry, youth expression, and social commentary meet. As he prepares to take the stage, he says his message remains rooted in one central idea: that young Gambians should become more conscious of their history, their society, and their ability to shape the future. “We cannot do it alone. Together we are stronger,” he said.
For the young poet who describes his work as painting pain into poetic rituals, the next chapter of that journey will unfold through his second poetry album.
