By Sahr Musa Yamba, PV correspondent, Winnipeg, Canada.
It has been a while since I sat behind my laptop to type a news story. But that is not to say I have not been partaking in my beloved hobby, surfing the Internet and reading about Salone, our beloved country.
Everyday, reading the news stories online does not stop bringing laughter to my very boring day after working tirelessly for hours, with very little break, for my white superiors. Yes! White superiors I say, because our land, flowing with all the milk and honey still ranks least according to the most recent UNDP Human Development Index, which is why most of us run away to fetch greener pastures. Don’t misunderstand me, I am not gone for good, I shall be coming back to continue my contribution to nation building.
And as I write this piece, I am laughing my sides out after reading numerous publications, from the Cocaine saga, to former Ombudsman Gabbiddon’s wahala to Elizabeth Lavalie’s lambasting of APC as ‘not serious’. Same old story! But most notably among them is Puawi’s online piece of 12/21/2008 in The New People online publication. My old friend Puawi, makes very interesting reading, I must confess. His articles are precise, to the point and captivating. I wish Puawi would be using his talent in a better way, but alas, he still refuses to put his feet up even after bidding him good night in my last publication, ‘Good night Puawi, sleep well’. What struck me most was that he still points that accusing finger of attention-seeking from President Koroma to search for favour.
Interesting! In as much as I am not defending Kurugba in his piece and insinuations about former President Kabbah, it still bothers me why Dr. Banya still indicts people who write critical articles about the opposition SLPP as job or attention-seekers. Ridiculous! Oh, lest I forget, did Dr. Banya refer to the ruling APC as ‘our APC government’? Read him aloud! ‘Our ruling APC party has been overwhelmed by the tough events of 2008, a situation that has left a large number of their supporters and the youth completely disillusioned.’ Rings a bell? I am still left in Disney land why the learned doctor, a product of The Bo School, chose to use ‘our ruling APC’ instead of ‘The ruling APC.’ Makes interesting reading though. The age-old adage, when you point one finger, the rest point back at you, comes into play here. Compliments of the season, Puawi!
As we say tata to 2008 and welcome 2009, most of us in the Diaspora keep pondering what hopes there are for mama Salone.
Many Sierra Leoneans in the Diaspora are keen on returning home and help develop the country; this curiosity was stimulated by the recent call by the APC government for those in the Diaspora to return home. But what are we returning to? Has been the zillion-dollar question. In retrospect, all we hear, read and see is just laboh, laboh, very little or no positive action. Several JC’s currently on vacation in Sierra Leone still paint a very gloomy picture of our country. Overcrowding of the capital Freetown, corruption galore, limited electricity and water supply, et al still remain the core issues to be resolved in our country. And President Koroma has so much on his plate that I am pretty sure he would have asked himself why he took the job. While I have so much respect for the President and think he has some of the best intentions for the country, my concern remains, and has always been his team. With his calm demeanour and arm-twisting by his party stalwarts, I am not sure what meaningful achievement he might bring to Sierra Leone by the end of his term, let alone 2009.
I read he was off to the ECOWAS summit in Nigeria, another talk shop and window dressing platform. I am not a prophet of doom, but the GLOBAL is biting hard on our people that the future for them remains as for ever bleak. Olangba, so why not roll up your sleeves and start acting like a true man of action. Take the bull by the horn! In my view, too much diplomacy is not what Salone needs now, but rather, action. There has been too much talk of attitudinal change. I remember attending a lecture given by ‘your President, my President, our President,’ former Minister of Information, Professor Septimus Kaikai, but what fruit that lecture yielded remains to be seen.
And now, President Koroma, as I read in a recent story, has also joined in the clarion call. Good job Mr. President! But not good enough, acting tough and now is what Sierra needs in the New Year. Or shall we start asking, are you he who is to come or shall we look for another? The cost of living in the country still keeps skyrocketing, as far as my memory serves me, all of the country’s problems are about the same as two years ago if not worse. So with 2009 here, what hopes do we have for a better Sierra Leone?
Editor’s note: I would like to use this opportunity to wish you all a very enjoyable break. For those of you in North America, please don’t allow the brutal weather conditions to get you down. Enjoy yourselves, you deserve it!
Gibril Koroma
Editor/Publisher.
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