By Kabs Kanu
Sierra Leone’s 60th Independence Anniversary was a golden and auspicious occasion in New Jersey as Sierra Leoneans used the opportunity to celebrate diversity, inclusion and unity during a colorful flag-raising program held at the Naman Park in Somerset.
The occasion, which was organized by the Sierra Leone Community of New Jersey ( SLCNJ ), attracted many leading personalities in the Sierra Leone Community , including the SLCNJ Chairman, Mr. Lamin Alharazim and his wife, Mary ; his deputy Mr. Hardy Gabisi and other key members Professor Abdulai Ben Jalloh, Mr. John Samba ( Who is also President of the Mabohanday Organization), Prof. Pavi Jalloh, Youth Leader Hindolo Barnet, Mr. Suliman Kargbo , Mr. Donald Cline-Thomas , Mr. Unisa Alharazim; Mr. Busairi Savage , Mr. Hamjat Jallomy-Bah of SIERRACAST TV, who covered the program, and his wife Sukai; Khadija Jalloh ( KJ ) , Madam Fallah, Tynesia Mansaray .
In opening remarks, Mr. Hardy Gabisi introduced the attendees and explained the significance of the occasion. He said that the program is held every year to commemorate the Independence Anniversary day, “despite our challenges. ” He described the flag-raising program as a historic occasion, which shows our inclusiveness , in spite of challenges. He thanked the Franklin Police for hoisting the Sierra Leone flag. He called on Sierra Leoneans to inculcate inclusiveness.
Mr . Gabisi pointed out that SLCNJ is not a club but a coalition, and a coming together of various organizations that cut across all barriers.
The SLCNJ Chairman , Mr. Lamin Alharazim, welcomed everybody to the program .He reminded attendees about the losses the community suffered last year as a result of Covid-19 and asked for observation of a minute’s silence in memory of the victims who included top community activists Ambassador Foday Mansaray, Alhaji Badara Kamara, Mr. Alex Mansaray and Mr. Abou Whyte. The community, he said, had planned a bigger program but their plans were affected by the present covid epidemic. He welcomed the attendees and said their presence was appreciated. Mr.Alharazim congratulated every Sierra Leonean for the Independence anniversary and hoped that things would get better back home, especially economically .
Mr. Suliman Kargbo , in a short remark , said that the community always made it its business to always celebrate the Independence anniversary because Sierra Leone’s business is all Sierra Leoneans’ business
Following the hoisting of the flag, national anthems of Sierra Leone nd the U.S were then played . As a show of inclusiveness, the Sierra Leone national anthem was also played in Mende, Temne and Krio. Dramatist, Mr. Busairi Savage , who introduced the Krio version translated by another dramatist, Mr. Charlie Haffner, appealed to the authorities in Sierra Leone to ensure that children were taught to sing the version.
In another display of diversity and inclusiveness, prayers were rendered by christians and muslims. Mr. Donald Cline-Thomas did the Christian prayers while Alhaji Alpha Mohamed Conteh conducted the muslim prayers.
The opportunity to give Short remarks was also extended to various organizations in the community , which included Mabohanday, Tegloma, Sarbeh , Hope For Sierra Leone, Fulbe etc., religious institutions and the major political parties in Sierra Leone , the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP) and the opposition All People’s Congress ( APC) and the National Grand Coalition ( NGC ). Messrs Hindolo Barnet, Pavi Jalloh and Abdul Hardy Gabisi spoke for the SLPP, APC and NGC respectively.
Mr. John Samba spoke on behalf of Mabohanday; Mr. Hardy Gabisi for SLCNJ ; Mr. Suliman Kargbo for Sarbeh, Mr. Donald Cline-Thomas for Hope for Sierra Leone and Madam Khadija Jalloh ( KJ ) for the Fulbe Organization. Mr. Muctarr Alghali spoke on behalf of Dawaltu Islamia Jamaat while Mr. Suliman Kargbo made a short remark on behalf of the JamaatTul Haq who gave a dua for the nation and for children, especially.
During their brief remarks, Alpha Mohamed Muctarr Alghali thanked organizers of the program and asked all to think about our people back home , what they are going through and pray for them , while Mr. Hindolo Barnet, the SLPP Young Generations Leader and NJ Youth Leader lauded the spirit of democracy and inclusiveness in New Jersey .He said he was made Youth Leader while the APC was in power.
In his own short remark, Mr. Pavi Jalloh congratulated everybody on the Independence Anniversary celebration and said “We had faltered ” but we have an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. The Mabohanday Chief, Mr. John Samba, described the gathering together of Sierra Leoneans to celebrate Independence anniversary as an incredible milestone but regretted the absence of the young people who could carry the legacy forward. He asked that the message be got to them and he also called for more tribal inclusiveness that our politicians could emulate.
Mr Gabisi, in his short remarks appealed that as Sierra Leoneans, let us instill collaboration and unity .
Madam Khadijah Jalloh of the Fulbe Organization wished everyone a Happy 60th and said she believed in community groups and everybody. We are not here as politicians, but as Sierra Leoneans, she stressed and lamented that this is not practiced in Sierra Leone. She appealed to politicians back home to eschew tribalism, regionalism and partisan politics.
It was a magnificent program which saw inclusiveness at its highest , with everybody and every organization, club, religious institution and political party given carte blanche to freely participate and the program reflected the spirit everybody was wishing for in the motherland, our sweet Sierra Leone.
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