By Saidu Daphay Turay
Thursday August 25, 2005
The people of this planet are short sighted and full of falsity because society have made them this way. Ideas that populate people’s minds have no logic or purpose. They face reality and they refuse to acknowledge the truthfulness of it. Like parasites they infect the minds and spread from one person to the next. They have no point or purpose; they exist without any logical basis or foundation and they will never reason or see beyond.
While Sierra Leoneans have all their indifferences politically, the clutches of war and internal destabilization have made it possible for them to resist being indoctrinated into becoming insensitive to the very things that have sent them in Diaspora. I believe the people at this juncture are looking for someone who will restore their lost dignity than a military pundit who will lead or remind them of the very things that have devastated the country.
E.P.J. Vandy’s irate and illogical defense of Mr. Maada Bio’s threat to destabilize a country that he claims to love and aspiring to lead is a semblance of the falsehood and unreasoning among people which has permeated society today. He sees the truth but he refuses to acknowledge it. His allegiance to ethno nationalism and partisan interest supersedes national interest. For him seeing Sierra Leone razed to the ground because a party or group he dislikes will ascend to power is something he is comfortable with even at the expense of bloodshed.
What is wrong with Concerned Citizens of Sierra Leone expressing their fear of impending catastrophe in the country? If Vandy is not an ethnic bigot, I don’t think he will feel indignant or offended by the mere fact that citizens are raising concerns about an impending catastrophe from the very people who contributed overtly or covertly to the destruction of lives and properties, nurtured the culture of violence and undemocratic principles in Sierra Leone.
While no sane Sierra Leonean condones to the inefficiencies and destruction of the economy caused by past regimes, can Vandy pinpoint among the recycled politicians serving the present government or military juntas that used force of arms to hijack power that will exonerate themselves from the pathetic state Sierra Leone find itself today? The truth of the matter is the failure of any government illustrates something extremely important about the structure of reality that most people are likely to forget. It comes down from the leaders, and public officials, no matter how powerful they may be, cannot finally control social outcomes as in the case of past and present regimes.
Through all of human history, the used of force to solve political problems have caused frightening levels of bloodshed and horror as evidenced in the notorious 11-year civil in Sierra Leone, but in the end what has prevailed is not power but the will of the people to make their choice of leadership.
The passion for liberty and freedom burning in the hearts of the citizens in Sierra Leone after years of tyranny and turmoil is undaunted and cannot be threatened by any egocentric or self-proclaimed populist “redeemer” without whistling blowing from patriotic citizens. It is high time we formulate a new concept for the common good based on political consensus and people’s consent instead of encouraging ethno nationalism that has the tendency of breeding rivalry, hatred and conflict between the people of Sierra Leone.
Finally, if the illusions that a specific leader or government has to be in power before the mass participation of people in the well being of Sierra Leone is envisioned, then we are losing sight of people’s power to prevail, ultimately, the country could face anarchy and chaos. While no government is perfect, it is certainly far better than many other alternatives that have the propensity of sending the country back to the doldrums.
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