It is regrettable that the Third World is being rendered virtually uninhabitable by a majority of its citizens in the midst of abundant mineral and natural resources. Sierra Leone happens to be at the butt of this notorious syndrome. Small wonder that droves of our citizens continually head for green pastures from artificially created drought conditions. The flight is not because of monotony of life but is informed by dire economic conditions.
The basic factors of existence, namely food, shelter, and clothing, are hard to come by for the vast majority of our citizens while the brazen few flaunt their ill-gotten wealth in these circumstances. Time was when we exported rice which is our stable food. The arable lands are still available making it a wonder why we have slipped into a position of importers of massive tons of rice without which there would be starvation.
In the midst of these circumstances the down-trodden, in our society, have little or no alternative but to relocate themselves whatever the consequences may be. Some are however seduced by their compatriots who are lucky to find themselves in fortuitous circumstances abroad. Still others take the plunge simply for the love of adventure.
When you come to think of it seriously there is much wisdom in the proverb that there is no place like home. All things being equal, nobody in his or her right senses could leave home for a foreign land where one has to start all over again to make new friends, adjust to new cultures and perhaps endure indignities if unlucky.
An English proverb states that home is home be it ever so humble. But some of these misadventures are spurred by lack of contentment and envious spirits. The fact that your neighbor, erstwhile a have-not as you are, is on holiday lavishing dollars or Euros kindles your envy not knowing that he/she may just have been lucky or had gone though arduous conditions.
The Arab world that is awash with oil wealth is the usual destination of most of these hapless emigrants. They are scarcely deterred by reports of drowning, deaths along perilous routes and lavish treatment by employers. For them life abroad must be better than at home, which is why even those who garner capital that they could build on sell them and take the risk only to return home or be deported with their tails between their legs as it were. The behavior of such citizens makes nonsense of the lines in our National Anthem that states “Land that we love” in view of the fact that this is not an attitude of love. To be happy at home is the end of all ambition. Dogged hard work and ambition can make home a paradise.
Government ought to embark on robust measures to stymie this malaise before it becomes endemic. Haphazard measures as at now won’t do. With the might political will cross-border traffickers can be put out of business job. There have been feeble attempts by the Public Relations Officer of the Labour Department to address the problem but it has been like pouring water on a duck’s back.
The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) could broadcast human interest episodes from those who go through these ordeals. A biblical dictum states that “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” They should be aware that there are awful breakers ahead; breakers that they may not survive.