SLPP Loses Governance Opportunity
The saying is true that opportunity once lost can never be regained. SLPP had the golden opportunity even the diamond opportunity to govern this country for fifty years after independence in April 1961 but for the practice of tribalism by Prime Minister Sir Albert Margai who was later flattered by the Title Albert of Africa. That man was educated but myopic. He had the impression that the Mende tribe was the best in the world and therefore they were the only ones to be in the forefront of governance.
He was the 2nd Prime Minister of Sierra Leone taking over from his elder brother, Sir Milton Margai. Under his leadership and watch, Sir Milton Margai ensured that there was fair play in state governance to the extent of creating the platform for others to thrive. He paved the way for West, North, South and Eastern leadership to thrive by appointing people from the North and Western Area to form part of his government. His style of leadership was rated as the best.
With regards to the outgone APC there is not much to write home about Ernest Koroma’s ‘copycatism’ of Albert Margai. Was he an admirer of Sir Albert? Ask him? He seemed to complete the tribalism of Albert Margai in the same way that Siaka Stevens completed or actualized the One Party inclinications. Brigadier Rtd. Julius Maada Bio has started well and his well-wishers would want him to go down the road of Sir Albert of Africa. Let him be Maada Bio of Sierra Leone only.
WHERE IS MAADA BIO WRONG?
In his maiden independence address President Bio was right in denouncing our hypocritical posture in singing our national anthem. In fact the anthem is sung mechanically. If only citizens and their leaders had been putting into practice what they were singing Sierra Leone would have been Utopia today.
Unfortunately, the President may not know that the vast majority of citizens do not sing Sierra Leone’s praises apart from each Independence Day. They bash the country everywhere and are always of the impression that other countries are better. That is a complete lack of nationalism and patriotism.
UNDEMOCRATIC SLPP GUNS
During the APC era scores of APC guns used to enter polling stations to influence voting and that was frowned upon by the SLPP. Now that the SLPP is in power with a New Direction it is strange to hear that they are guilty of the same practices. Where is the NEW DIRECTION?
During the by-election in Koya the National Elections Watch (NEW) reported that the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Emelia Gogra, and Sierra Leone Ambassador to Guinea, Alhassan Bangura, separately and at different locations entered the polling environment at the Community Centre in Masiaka and Ahmadiyya Muslim Primary School. Can’t the New Direction rein-in these rebels? Are they uncontrollable?