By Kabs Kanu
News that Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai was coming to Freetown for a three- day working visit filled many Sierra Leoneans with joy because we are proud of the sisterly, fraternal and fruitful relations between Sierra Leone and Liberia.
More than any other two countries in West Africa, Sierra Leone and Liberia share historical, cultural, geographical and familial ties and commonalities that are deeper and more solid than anybody would have ever conceived.
Both Sierra Leone and Liberia were founded on the same Christian principles — the establishment of a safe haven in Africa for blacks freed from heinous slavery in England and the Americas.
Also, the demarcation of Sierra Leone and Liberia into different countries was nothing less than a division of families and ethnic groups that once lived together and shared the same cultural beliefs and practices . That is why the same ethnic groups in Sierra Leone exist across the borders in Liberia. Often, moving over to live in either country is much more an exercise in moving in with your families in another location.
As a measure of the common family bonds between Sierra Leone and Liberia, President Joseph Boakai received his schooling in Sierra Leone. A Kissi man, bred just across the borders between Kailahun and Foyah, President Boakai attended the Kenema Government Secondary School in Eastern Sierra Leone. He is very fluent in the local languages Krio , Kissi.and Mende. When in Sierra Leone, Joseph Boakai is a Sierra Leonean.
After graduating from college in my native Sierra Leone and running into conflict with the repressive Siaka Stevens government over the president’s undemocratic governance, I moved over to Liberia and spent 12 memorable years in that friendly country where I was not only blessed to have served in responsible capacities ( Curriculum Specialist in the Ministry of Education ; high school teacher in the Monrovia Consolidated Schools System ( MCSS) and Educational Psychology professor at the Ministry of Education / University of Liberia World Bank- sponsored Inservice teacher Training Program at KRTTI ) but had my children there. By constitutional rights, my children are Liberians and I also once held Liberian citizenship. When in Liberia, I am therefore a Liberian. Nobody can deny me that right.
All these issues demonstrate the fact that Sierra Leone and Liberia are one and both countries have much to gain and learn from each other. That is why we want to advice President Joseph Boakai to hold the ears of the much- younger and less politically experienced Sierra Leone Leader Julius Maada Bio to advice him as a father would do to his son , to respect the constitutional and fundamental human rights of the Sierra Leonean people.
I do not care the memorandum of understanding the two presidents sign to commit themselves to strengthening the historical and cultural ties between their two countries ; such a memorandum will be less useful if it is not further burnished by a commitment for the elderly Liberian President to advice President Bio strongly to change the direction he is leading Sierra Leone .
Though he too is not perfect and there has been some clamour from the Liberian people about some governance challenges since he came to power last year, President Boakai has fared far much better in power than the rascal , heartless , impunity- clothed , lawless and undemocratic Maada Bio. Without any attempt to demean the Sierra Leonean President, it is a fact that he is a pigmy in comparison to the giant that Boakai has been in governance.
Unlike Boakai who won a clean victory to come to power in Liberia in elections highly acclaimed by citizens and the international world as being free and fair, Bio won himself local and international shame by boldly stealing the Sierra Leone elections and subjecting himself to condemnation and disgrace from all international elections observers, international stakeholders , international media and a broad spectrum of the Sierra Leonean people.
When they had state dinner at the State Lodge, Hill Station , Freetown, the highly – respected Liberian President supped with a criminal, who is even under sanctions from the U.S. Congress that continues to hold on to the Millrnnium Challenge Corpiration ( MCC ) U.S $ 480 Million Compact grant Sierra Leone won years ago since the incumbency of former President Ernest Koroma. Humilatingly, Bio has been even given 84 recommendations to implement by the U.S and UN, following a Tripartite Committee judicial hearing that nailed the fact that Bio indeed stole the Sierra Leone elections and is an illegitimate President.
Bio is very tribalistic, conscienceless and has no respect for law and morality. He is a one-man wrecking crew that does not respect and honour any truce or obligation.
Bio has shed massive human blood in Sierra Leone and is in danger of being indicted for murder and extrajudicial killings when he leaves office. Therefore, Joseph Boakai cannot leave Sierra Leone without drawing the ears of Maada Bio that he should respect democracy, human rights, the rule of law, the constitution and civility. If Boakai does not do this, he is unfit to be regarded as an elder African statesman . Secondly, he will be considered as a collaborator with Maada Bio . After all, light and darkness cannot fellowship unless they have something in common ( 2 Corinthians 6: 14).
We also hope that after coming such a long way with an impeccable and unblemished record of brilliant public service until he became President, Boakai will do himself and his country much good by not allowing himself to be corrupted by Maada Bio. The Bible warns that BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD MORALS ( 1 Corinthians 15: 33). Bio is not a good example to even Satan and he and a clean and honest man like Joseph Boakai should actually not be seen together, but for the fact that politics makes good and bad people congenial bedfellows.
I am sure President Joe Boakai will leave Freetown untainted by Bio . After all, a stitch in time saves nine.
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