"High we exalt thee realm of the free; Great is the love we have for thee; Firmly united ever we stand; Singing they praise oh native land;...Land that we love our Sierra Leone". How often do we sing these words! How less often do we really mean them! How many times do we actually remember them!
With a little over nine months to go to DECISION 2012 – as we in Politico have decided to refer to the November 17 polls for president, parliament and councils – we cannot help but feel some sense of trepidation amongst Sierra Leoneans emanating from the high display of hate exhibited by our politicians against each other. For this we wish to make an impassioned plea to all the players involved.
If our politicians have not learned anything about what political greed brings forth a nation, what desperation to get or cling onto power brings forth a nation we the ordinary people of this country remember vividly what ten years of a brutal conflict and decades of dictatorship brought upon us. The thousands that were killed, the hundreds of thousands that were displaced, the hundreds that were maimed most of whom still roam the streets today begging to feed.
The level of intolerance by all against all is shockingly alarming. Friends are falling out as if political power is the alpha and omega of everything. If these politicians and their supporters want us to believe in anyway whatsoever that the people of this country are the reason they are in politics, let them show it in ways other than the present foolishness and anti-people behaviour they are displaying. We in Politico are sceptical about their real intentions in politics. It seems the amassing of wealth while the people suffer in penury is what preoccupies our politicians – in power or in opposition.
Again we seem to have so easily forgotten how we all struggled very hard to attain peace and stability and we are allowing it to ebb away. What we all had hoped to see sustained seems to be slipping away. In the hands of God we commit the ruling APC and the opposition SLPP and all their allies so they see us as a nation they must cherish and defend not only by word of mouth but from their heart too.
Since it is all about political power borne out of elections, the National Electoral Commission must strive for the truth and stand for it at all times. May they not favour anyone unduly – except of course the people.
The police are under pressure – tremendous pressure oh Lord. And they so often lean on the side of the powerful as their continued employability lies in their hands. May you strengthen their resolve to do what is good for this nation.
We pray for the political parties registration commission for your continued guidance oh God! May they stand tall and be counted. The young people of this country, may they say NO to foolish politicians who incite them day-in day-out to wreak havoc of this country.
May Government officials see themselves as government officials and not as party interest seekers.
And to us the journalists, may money and tribal and other considerations that make us compromise our country to corporate and political interests go away. And may we imbibe the notion of love of country first and second and third.
