Recent events in our country’s history bode ill for our still fledgling democracy. And when it is considered that this tension has mounted on the heels of a Peace Conference there is cause for concern and a national preparedness for the worst. Witnesses of our 11-year civil war who are goading innocent youths to undertake unpatriotic action seem not to have digested the import of that war.
While in opposition the incumbent government’s officials and members suffered incalculable injuries and victimizations which they took in their strides. On one occasion even the incumbent President suffered from one of those unprovoked attacks with only a whimper. The SLPP headquarters in Freetown was vandalized with women raped immediately after the 2007 victory without an apology from their leader or secretariat.
The genesis of the present imbroglio is the statement made in 2007 by the present leader and Chairman of the APC Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma that if his party did not win he would make Sierra Leone ungovernable. His party won and no one would hold him to account for that statement that is for all intents and purposes treasonable.
Now that his party has lost he seems intent to carry out his threat by subtle means while the SLPP government takes the situation for granted as was done by former President Tejan Kabbah when he was given a hint of the January 6 invasion.
The APC non-cooperation with the SLPP was illustrated by their absence from the peace conference which was mentioned by the President of the Bar Association. The nation is in suspense as the captain who was in charge Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma’s body guards and who had been under court martial escapes without a bounty on his head. Ironically a political escapee has had Le 5 million on his head for inciting statements. The fact is that the APC had misruled Sierra Leone for relatively so long that they are now laboring under the delusion that they are the destined exclusive rulers of the country. This is the rationale behind all the haughty and impish behavior of the clique dignified by the name APC.
Peace becomes mankind. Let the former Athens of West Africa leave fury for the beasts in the jungles and embrace civilized behaviour. Peace implies reconciliation and not recalcitrance. Let us seek the peace of God which passes all understanding. It is our final good. The law breaker may have little to fear from the anger of his judge who is enforcing the law but for that very reason he has nothing to hope from his compassion, for law, because it is passionless must also be pitiless. In any case it was not an entire win for the petitioners. Six of them lost their petitions all because justice under the SLPP government is justice that holds our society together.
In the perspective of peace it is a pity that the leaders of the APC have not considered that if Sierra Leone descends into anarchy not only SLPP will suffer but the whole country regard less of party affiliation and membership. If Sierra Leone remains peaceful the dividends will be shared by all and sundry. In the present APC resistance movement there is need for patience; the proverbial patience of Job. Like Shakespeare asked “How poor are they that have not patience? What wound did ever heal but by patience?”
Will APC not wait? Less than four years before the next elections is not an eternity. The APC could come back to power with a flourish.
If only the APC should think patriotically and put nation before party all will be well; all manner of things.