Commentary
By Ibrahim Sourie Mansaray, Stockton, California.
W.B YEATS, in his poem “The Second Coming” wrote these words: “ The falcon cannot hear the falconer”. Yeats, in his poem, hints at technology progressing beyond mankind’s ability to control it. The problem was evident to Yeats 80 years ago, and the problem has worsened since then.
In contemporary days, Chinua Achebe, in his most popular novel, Things fall Apart, expostulated the dangers of the Whiteman’s emergence on the Umoufian society , when Obierika narrated the division of the once united society. As for Obierika, mere anarchy is loosed upon the world as their values are polluted and Okonkwo cannot reverse the times. The once united township of Umoufia is distintegrating.
The politics of Sierra Leone is interesting nowadays. The local election campaign that had been characterized by violent confrontations between the two main traditional political parties, the SLPP and the APC seems to have been forgotten. Many had feared, according to a notorious pessimistic newspaper, that the election would be bloody and the country would revert to the dark ages of the war. As God had, is and always wil be with Sierra Leone, the elections came and went beyond the imagination of the pessimists. The post election trauma may still be with some stalwarts whilst some will see it as another beginning in the political landscape of the country.
Now that the elections are gone, people of all shades of political parties should now rally around the victors and move the country forward. Sierra Leone should not see people calling for revenge or fire for fire attacks. In the days of Yeats, the rulers of the world were caught up in imperialism and expanding circles of power to the point where they would do almost anything to accomplish their goals.
In the above poem, the falconer in the poem could be regarded as the people of Sierra Leone. It appears as if the dictates by so-called political demogogues are no longer being adhered to by the populace. As stated in my last article, the people will decide who can deliver the best and it is beyond uncertainty that the people have aired their voices. The voice of the people is the voice of GOD.
An ironical scenario is unfolding in the country. As at press time, some defeated scholars are accusing the Kono Chiefs of supporting the APC to power. It is completely an ironical master stroke. Why do people in the country always like scapegoatizing the Kono chiefs?
When the war entered Kono district in the early 90s, was it not the hierarchy of the NPRC that accused the Kono Chiefs of backing the RUF (Rovolutionary United front) and selling their own land? Infact, of all the displaced chiefs in the country, Kono chiefs were despised and disrespected , only because , some malcontents in the country accuse the chiefs of selling out to the enemy.
How many times have people not accused the Kono Chiefs of selling their own land? Was it not only last year that a highly placed politician in the SLPP was saying that the chiefs are citizens and they should exercise their franchise? Why is Kono always being used as a subterfuge? Now that the Kono Chiefs have started exercising their franchise, the hue and cry has started reverberating. No, No, this time the people of Kono have spoken and it is with one voice.
The people have showed APC and the entire world their capabilities. The message is two fold: firstly, it may show the Vice President, Sam Sumana, that he could be the only hope in revitalizing the battered district and the second point, which is extremely significant, is that should the APC fail to deliver on their promises, the people of Kono will teach them a lesson by not voting them in years to come. It is with pain and disdain that the Kono chiefs are always in hot water. When things were great for the SLPP, it was always considered as their constitutional right to campaign; now when the tide has changed, "wahala don cam."
The Vice President of the APC should pay Kono their desired benefits by bringing development to the district. Sam Sumana will be held responsible if he fails to help Kono as being the number two man in a popular government that has received the full blessing of the populace and the world.
As the people of Sierra leone celebrate, the elected councilors and mayors should forget about party politics and consider the country as the only country in the world. As the falcon has turned against its former master, so it will turn against the present if they fail to develop the district.
You may contact the author on: ibramans2001@yahoo.co.uk
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