Raw, Unfiltered Truth About Growth Especially As a Young Man

Nick Wood (aka. Krio Borbor)

3:39 PM · Apr 11, 2024, from Sierra Leone: Krio Borbor on his Twitter handle, wrote:

14 years ago almost to this very day, I came to Sierra Leone. I was your classic 'white man' from America who had no idea this country existed or that Africa was a continent and not a country.

If I’d known the physical challenges/changes I was signing up for when I boarded the plane …

  • no electricity

  • bucket showers

  • sweaty poda poda rides

  • rice for every meal

  • run belleh

or the mental/emotional challenges …

  • learning a new language

  • being a minority in a new land

  • homesickness

  • betrayal

  • questioning if what I believed was true

I can’t 100% certainly tell you that I would have still agreed to come _just being honest.

But it’s a catch-22 because I know what all those challenges and experiences did for me when I stepped on that plane to return to the USA 2 years later.

I wasn’t the same person

I was humbled by force, my belief in God was unwavering, I felt empathy for everyone around me, and my confidence in myself was indescribable.
I craved growth and learning over pleasure
— I had BECOME

I came here as a prideful, immature, and insecure boy. I left a confident, humble, and purpose-driven man. So, for those who know me as Krio Borbor, this is where it all started.

Nick Wood, from Utah at age 19 was assigned a two-year humanitarian mission to Sierra Leone in 2010. A Latter-day Saints missionary, Krio Borbor laments, 'It was the experience of a lifetime and it certainly changed me forever.'

Now, he lives in the country with his family after completing his Mormon missionary assignments.

He has a large following on Instagram, where he records his adventures in Sierra Leone and his passion for the language and culture.

Responding to critics, Krio Borbor revealed that since his arrival, he hasn't earned any money in Sierra Leone.

BBC Africa took notice and produced a video back in 2019. The reaction of many Sierra Leoneans to the BBC Africa video of this former Mormon missionary Nick Wood aka. Krio Borbor and his stay in Sierra Leone, suggest unrecognized elements of white privilege or supremacy ~ thoughts from a Wakanda Warrior.

In this BBC Africa One Minute Story in January of 2019, he explained his love of the country and why he is teaching his children Krio

Krio Borbor recognizes his privilege by making himself vulnerable. In a video he shared on January 21, 2019, Krio Borbor used words with metaphors of neo-colonialism and white privilege. However, in that video, Krio Borbor made it clear ‘he just doesn’t know what’ he might do to make a difference. This means – he is not in this country with an agenda to exploit or impose his views on us. Krio Borbor might be naive to some of his white savior complexities, but he can recognize them with vulnerability.

Krio Borbor’s views on Sierra Leone are from a strength perspective. I have scanned through his pictures and videos; they tend to portray a positive image of our country. His posts energize people to get involved with our country in different ways. He is in NO WAY negatively appropriating our CULTURE, but selling our COUNTRY in a positive dimension. A good number of our Western-based NGOs are busy showing the negative side of our country – and this man is reversing the conversation.

Krio Borbor has shown humility in understanding our context. The guy (Krio Borbor) has taken his genuine obsession with our country to another stretch. He has learned the language, eaten our food, hung out with our people, and plugged into our complicated country. He has done this with a heart of humility. You can sense his love for our place, people, and patterns. He is for real!!!

Krio Borbor might be struggling with elements of white privilege (which he might not recognize), but his positives surpass the negatives. He has done a good job by staying away from our politics and pop culture. He used social and mainstream media to develop a ‘tourism brand’ for our nation _This is something we have not done well as a people. We might disagree or agree – but don’t take one thing away from the man – he loves our country.
— Paul A. Conteh (Lecturer/Public Affairs Analyst)

Fast forward to ‘The reaction’ to Apr 11, 2024, from Sierra Leone: Krio Borbor on his Twitter handle—

 

Tap to Read the Response. Launch the Twitter 'Read the replies,' and select a browser of choice if you haven't got an 'X' /Twitter account.

 

So, the question is: ‘White privilege or a life of humility?’

Humility in the Bible is presented as the practice of meekness, obedience to God, respect for self and others, submissiveness, and modesty (Colossians 3:12-13). People with humility put others' needs before their own, sacrificing for the love of others.

So, the question is: White privilege or a life of humility? You decide.

 

Related

Fatu Kanu @fatu-kanu7 Replying to @krioborbor
— the video she is referring to [attached]

Excerpts from the video The First Lady Fatima Bio, wife of the current president Maada Bio discusses the enduring impact in present-day SaLone at a symposium at Harvard. 

The interesting irony and explanation of @krioborbor's experience in Sierra Leone as challenging is blamed on foreign partners, especially the British. They are the cause for the blackout and bucket shower.'

The Tragic Story of Sierra Leone Under the Bio, SLPP

Level of deceit

The SLPP Administration needs to apologize to the citizens of Sierra Leone.
— Commentary in the local dialect Krio by Concord Times Newspapers (SL) former editor, Atomic Pen:
 
Fatima Bio exposed her husband: The analysis.
— Arthur Pratt /Courtesy video
 
 
 

Running thread commentary! Launch the Twitter 'READ REPLIES,' and select a browser of choice if you haven't got an 'X' /TWITTER Account.

‘A mineral-rich nation buying electricity from a #Turkish ship anchored on the city's shores has failed to pay its dues, and the ship's owners have reduced their output, plunging the entire capital into darkness.’ @AlphajorbaBah

 
 

EDSA apologize! What a mockery

 
 

Paopa v2.0 is nothing but lightweight and trivial. The struggle is real.

Article Source: By Theo Edwards

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Theo Edwards

Theo Edwards has over twenty years of diverse Information Technology experience. He spent his days playing with all things IBMi, portal, mobile application, and enterprise business functional and architectural design.

Before joining IBM as Staff Software Engineer, Theo worked as a programmer analyst and application specialist for businesses hosting eCommerce suite on IBMi platform. He has been privileged to co-author numerous publications such as Technical Handbooks, White paper, Tutorials, Users Guides, and FAQs. Refer to manuals here. Theo also holds a degree in Computer Science, Business Administration and various certifications in information security and technologies. He considers himself a technophile since his engagement at Cable & Wireless then later known SLET.