By Ezekiel Nabieu
Giving is the circumbendibus route to prosperity. The two religions - Christianity and Islam - which we mainly practice in this country support that assertion. I crave the indulgence of readers with regard to my religious inclination because I am also a priest by profession. The Bible states inter-alia “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have for such sacrifices are pleasing to God" Hebrews 13:16.
Another Bible text states “Every man shall give as he is able according to the blessing of the Lord your God which he has given you”-Deuteronomy 16:17.
Yet another verse states: “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver- II Corinthians 9:6-7. These verses speak for themselves needing no elaboration.
What givers have been doing can be described by the rarely-used English word ALTRUISM which means unselfishness. In other words we are altruistic when we think of the problems, hardships and sufferings of our fellow human beings. We should be thankful to God for what we are. We should not see our status as a special favour from God. Furthermore we should remember that whatever intelligence or wealth we have is given to us to help our less fortunate compatriots. They are not cursed and none of them chose to be born to poor parents or beggars. The Bible also says that we should bear one another’s burdens. Which is why we should all contribute to the giving effort each in his own way not necessarily financially.
Before that advent of Ebola there had been individual and corporate giving in this country though some individuals think they have special blessings from God and so are superior to others. From time to time we hear in the media the need to fly citizens abroad whose relatives and friends cannot afford it. And some philanthropic individuals have sometimes responded anonymously. These are the true patriots. There has also been perpetual need for charity to institutions like the Old People’s Home and Cheshire Homes among others. Destitution is not necessarily due to laziness. Try as they might some people have not just found themselves in fortuitous circumstances in spite of education in some cases. Some are genetically disabled and others are disabled by mishaps like amputations. It therefore behooves us to give freely to these categories of citizens without compulsion.
Instances of philanthropistm at home, and abroad in modern times abound. Notable among individuals is retired Justice Cornelius Harding who donated Le1 billion to the state to mark his 65th year at the Bar. It was in conformance of the Latin proverb: Non Sibi Sed Alis (Not for self but for others). No one knows what the state did with it. Whether “the State” in that case was represented by cabinet ministers is not known. One would wish that the money or part of it is still available to be used for the Ebola cause and announced according to OGI (Open Government Initiative). In any case it is known that who gives to all denies all. That money could have been pocketed and used to buy jeeps and build buildings for them.
Mercury International is one of the most outstanding philanthropic organisations providing not only employment for Sierra Leoneans but also enhancing the livelihoods of many unemployed youths. Even for this scourge the enterprise has ploughed in an impressive amount unfailingly.
When idol worship enters into the fray the whole concept of genuine giving is turned upside down. A starling example of idol worship or vanity is that of Emelda Marcos of the Philippines who had three thousand pairs of shoes. Can you believe that? I have four or five pairs of shoes and if that number is not sufficient for anyone then he or she has entered the realm of the vain and egoistic. We are taking the fat bank accounts and stockpiles nowhere beyond the grave.
This brings me to the recent donations of Dr KandehYumkella and Maada Bio to the Ebola eradication course, cutting across party lines. They are not the embodiment of the SLPP but the party itself does not seem to have come on stream. Aside from joining APPA what have they done as a separate party? What statement has SLPP made in connection with the choice of days of the lockdown or stay-at-home as the exercise has been euphemistically tagged. When will the SLPP up from its somnolence and grab propaganda opportunities blowing in the wind?
MISCELLANY
Member of Parliament Claude Kamanda of the Koya Rural District has got a bye-law passed that anyone denying publicly that Ebola does exist should be punished by law. Small wonder that he is Chief Whip in Parliament probably for his original thinking. This should have been the line of Parliament instead of jailing people for hiding Ebola patients. Hiding victims arises from denials. If it is not too late to let these mischievous culprits be punished.
The Minister of Finance and Local Government Councils are at cross-purposes with regard to allocation of funds for Ebola. The two of them cannot be right. The fact is that there is so much incompetence in governance that these things are bound to happen. There are too many square pegs in round holes which competence having been thrown out of to the winds and the state suffers.
I thank you for reading this sermonizing piece but I deem it to be absolutely apt at this point in time.
(C) Politico 23/09/14
