Music Goes To War

Music Goes To War

In 1996, Liberia was searching for peace. The politicians had their answer: a power-sharing government that brought rival warlords into a six-man Council of State. The musicians had a different idea. At the Don Bosco Youth Centre in Monrovia, a group of teenagers including this podcast's very own Aaron Weah were learning guitar, writing songs and joining forces with some of Africa's biggest stars. Through the International Committee of the Red Cross's Music Goes to War project, they found themselves sharing a stage with Youssou N'Dour, Papa Wemba and Lagbaja, riffing on a simple message: Drop your guns and go to school. In the midst of the chaos, a different future seemed possible. There was even talk of travelling to a music festival in Cameroon. Then came April 6, 1996. As Liberia's fragile peace process collapsed once again and Monrovia descended into violence, the dreams of a generation collided with the realities of war. This episode tells the story of two competing visions of peace – one negotiated by warlords, the other sung by teenagers. Featuring archive audio from the International Committee of the Red Cross's Music Goes to War project and Liberian singer-songwriter, Peter Cole. Liberia: Remembering the Future is presented by Gerry Naughton and Aaron Weah. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit liberiartf.substack.com/subscribe [https://liberiartf.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Episode 10 - Aaron's War

Monrovia, early 1990s. Aaron recalls his early teens. Home, school, and the compound on 8th Street, where there was food and somewhere to sleep. His father is unwell. Money is tight. He cleans classrooms to stay in school. There is music. There are friends. Arguments, laughter, the usual awkwardness of being that age. Some nights there is shooting nearby. Other nights there isn’t. At one point, he shares a room with another boy – the same age – who has his own story to tell. At the time, it doesn’t feel like anything unusual. Years later, he comes back to these memories and begins to ask what they meant. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit liberiartf.substack.com/subscribe [https://liberiartf.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Episode 9 – Charles Taylor Finds His Voice

Episode 2: Charles Taylor Finds His Voice In this episode, Gerry Naughton and Aaron Weah explore how Charles Taylor emerged not just as a rebel leader, but as a powerful communicator during the early years of the Liberian Civil War. The discussion focuses on Taylor’s use of radio – particularly the BBC World Service programme Focus on Africa – to reach Liberian audiences and shape public perception. Key themes: Taylor’s rise as a media figure during the early 1990s The role of the BBC as an unintended platform for influence “Domestic propaganda” and psychological warfare How radio brought the war into everyday life The gap between stated and underlying objectives in the conflict The proliferation of peace agreements and their limited impact The lead-up to Operation Octopus (1992) The episode also touches on Aaron Weah’s later attempt to interview Charles Taylor in prison – and the weight of confronting such a figure directly. Next episode:Aaron's War Additional links:Audio references to BBC Focus on Africa theme music will be shared in accompanying Substack posts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit liberiartf.substack.com/subscribe [https://liberiartf.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Episode 1 - Liberia and the UN Security Council - re-post

You’re listening to Liberia: Remembering the Future. In this first episode, we start with Liberia's seat on the UN Security council, which is due to last for two years from January 2026. We ask what status or influence does this give, and what might change as a result? We also go into Liberia's presence on the world stage over the last 180 or so years.Aaron brings the grounded, lived perspective – as a researcher, teacher, and Liberian. Gerry brings the long view – first arriving in 1992, and still learning things that surprise him. We also explore the idea at the heart of the series: remembering the future. Not just recalling the past, but putting it back together – re-membering – in a way that helps make sense of the present. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit liberiartf.substack.com/subscribe [https://liberiartf.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Episode 8 - Taylor Rising

This episode traces the early stages of Charles Taylor’s rise and the outbreak of Liberia’s civil war. We begin with the little-known background – Taylor’s position within government, his time in the United States, and the network of relationships that shaped his path back to Liberia. From there, we move to the pivotal moment of December 24, 1989, when a small group of fighters crossed into Nimba County and set in motion a conflict that would transform the country. We explore how quickly the situation escalated. What began as a relatively small incursion developed into a multi-front war, with internal splits, shifting alliances, and a rapidly expanding force. As resistance to Samuel Doe grew, Taylor’s movement gained momentum, drawing in fighters and support while also exposing the absence of any clear or unified political vision behind the violence. The episode also looks beyond Liberia’s borders, examining how the conflict was connected to wider regional dynamics in West Africa. At the same time, we begin to confront one of the most disturbing developments of the war – the emergence of child soldiers. Not as an abstract concept, but as something rooted in fear, survival, and the breakdown of society. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit liberiartf.substack.com/subscribe [https://liberiartf.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]