By: Winstanley. R. Bankole Johnson
Something both terrible and tragic happened in my country Sierra Leone last week. I don’t suppose I was the only one to have noticed it, but being the “Nosy Parker” I have always been, I could well be the only one with the audacity to out it, which partly explains my predicament in Sierra Leone politics for as long as I have actively practiced it.
Polarization
I have no regrets describing the occurence as both terrible and tragic, because it exposed the
depth or seriousness of the ethno-centric polarization affecting the country – and which I daresay has adversely impacted our socio-economic advancements – since the ascendancy to power of the SLPP as a government with Dr. Julius Maada Wonie Bio at the helm since April 2018.
Oath
But what actually makes it terrible and tragic is that the blame or buck for our degeneration to this abyss of political intolerance rests squarely on the desk of President Julius Maada Wonie Bio, who Per Sec. 40 (1) of our 1991 Constitution is not only our President and Fountain of Honour, but is also Supreme Executive Authority of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, who by implication is further obligated under “Oath” per the Second Schedule of the same Constitution to inter-alia “…..to do right to all manner of people according to law, without fear of favour, affection or ill-will”.
The buck or blame (in my view) rests squarely on President Dr. Julius Maada Wonie Bio because it is in him who, his oath of office and pre-supposed committment to it notwithstanding, is the only President on record to have publicly admitted that divisions exist within the polity of the country but has not to my knowledge made any effort to correct same by stating to wit: “This country has always been divided since Colonial days…..We have always had Mende Line and Themne Line”.
Freedom
But let’s get back to the background about why I have chosen to have described the incident of last week as terrible and tragic. It centered on a social media video of a young, beautiful and vivacious lass in the South-East – possibly a University Student in her Pa-O-Pa Tee-Shirt – ecstatically celebrating the SLPP’s continued tenuous grip on power following announcenent of that much discredited Electoral Commission Sierra Leone final result that posited Dr. Julius Maada Wonie Bio as winner by barely surpassing the 55% threshold at first ballot.
Now whether or not she sounded provocative, was irrelevant insofar as she kept her utterances and demeanour within the law, and within her freedoms as are
guaranteed particularly under Sec. 24. Sec. 25 and 26 of Chapter 3 our 1991 Constitution to wit:
– Sec. 24 – Freedom of Conscience
– Sec. 25 – Freedom of Expression and the Press
– Sec. 26 – Freedom of Assembly and Association.
Depravity
Regrettably this lass died a couple of days after circulation of her SLPP celebratory video in circumstances that are yet to be fully investigated or explained. So to me it was utter depravity of mind, terrible and tragic that in disseminating the sad news of the still unexplained circumstances of her transition, people – presumably from opposition political camps – not only trivialized it, but also disingeniously parodied the late lass’ statements in manners to vile to reproduce here.
I honestly think that was (and still is) in bad taste – no matter the animosity – to gloat over the death of anyone because of narrow political interests, let alone of such a young child, barely of the age mate of some of our first grandchildren. Even if her words and actions were provocative, they were neither injurious nor life-threatening as to warrant jubilations after her demise.
As I pray for the peaceful repose of her Soul, I can only also pray that the wrath of God does not retribuively visit those who have circulated those vice voice notes and video clips of the poor lass with glee.
Value
But even though like I said the blame or buck for our terrible and tragic and political polarization stops at the desk of President Dr. Julius Maada Wonie Bio, I feel I also have a responsibility to joggle his mindset to revisit his relationship with those he has chosen to surround himself with in the last three years – particularly those coming from the main opposition APC Party.
As a matter of fact post the June 24th 2023 elections they do not appear not be of any residual political value, neither to the SLPP nor to Sierra Leone.
Prudence directs that I should not mention specific names here, but for God’s sake if they are the true “Statesmen” that they have always professed themselves to be, and are sincere in their urge for former President Ernest Bai Koroma to begin to play the “Statesman” that they continue to imagine him not to be, then I sincerely believe that they are also obligated to have a re-think and to start guiding President Bio along paths of sober reflection that would steer him away from on the issues that have polarized us thus far, instead of continuing to be blaming the main opposition APC Party unnecessarily for all the failures of the SLPP especially those pertaining to governance and over which the APC has actually has absolutely no control.
Hegemonies
For many of us of heterogeneous ancestry and blood line, the last thing we would wish for is a politically divided Sierra Leone into “Mende Line” and “Themne Line”, because there are other fourteen or more tribes (including my own Krio minority clan) that can hardly fit into a political situation ruled/dominated by either of such hegemonies.
Accordingly our present parlous state of political polarization is untenable and every opportunity inherent in the tasks of the Tripartite Committee to revitalize national integration and cohesion should be harnessed to the full. Otherwise should the
present fratricidal political spheres hinted by Dr. Julius Maada Wonie Bio continue, I can bet my bottom dollar that the next elections will definitely be a bloodbath.