Its 2015 in the land that we love - Sierra Leone. A year ago, people were making resolutions as 2014 was ushered in. Goals and challenges were set; some with a passion to succeed, whilst for others it was to participate in the annual ritual at this time of the year. One thing that is common during this frenzy is the underlying fear of the vulnerability we all have over the uncertainty of reaching the point where we examine how close we came to realizing our goals. 2014 will go down in history as one of those years that failed to meet the wildest imaginations/dreams of even the strongest optimists. A lot went terribly wrong for the nation and its citizens with the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). There has been significant losses of human resources at every sector of life, the magnitude of which is yet to unravel as the drive at the moment remains focussed on halting the spread of the virus. Sierra Leoneans have responded in diverse ways to this disaster. There have been actions of bravery and selflessness on the one hand, whilst at the same time, the actions of some of our brothers and sisters have portrayed hidden agendas with a selfish motivation. Underneath this diversity however is the recent realization of the length to which the average Sierra Leonean can go to follow the directives of our leaders. Case in point the two national lockdowns and the various orders issued under the State of Emergency declaration and the nations response to same. If you ask me, obeying orders is not a problem for the average Sierra Leonean; continuing to obey those orders however when those that are suppose to guard the orders start taking shortcuts without consequences. Sustainability is our major problem as a nation in every aspect of our development. The three branches of government plus the fourth estate all share some responsibility for this lack of resolve to exalt our nation above ourselves and our social connections. Like some of our New Year resolutions, our National Pledge to most people is just a nice literary juxtaposition of words by a brilliant scholar that we render lip service to. How many of us can sincerely convince ourselves that we mean what we say in the pledge 100%? As we respond to H.E the President’s call for national fasting and prayers, let us remember to embark on a reflective journey on the roles we can play towards effective nation building. Those privileged with access to the national cake, please demonstrate the values of transparency, accountability, dedication, and fairness. There is enough cake to go around, as long as those in high places refrain from excessive accumulation of unexplained wealth. Ebola would go and Sierra Leone would get back on track. It is my hope that when that happens, there will be more visionaries, pro-active, and collaborative patriots within the governance structure. HAPPY NEW YEAR! As I pray for a speedy return to normalcy for our nation.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 09:53:22 +0000
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