Sierra Leoneans are now very conscious of every thing that presupposes the national drive to political sobriety. Indeed some national purification has dramatically taken place. Those who thrive on winning electoral votes for their own selfish gains are now making conscious moves to de-stigmatize their already stigmatized personal beings. As long as they achieve their objectives, they will stop at nothing to bulldoze their way into the ring of corruption and other attendant bad governance practices even amidst the grumbling and protestations of the majority of the poor and impoverished Sierra Leoneans. "Bo, Una Lef"!
It is out of sheer folly and pathetic ignorance however, that some people ascribe Sierra Leone’s growing technological responsiveness, (not advancement!) to scoring good marks in the drive to development. Even though we are experiencing a gradual step forward in the IT world, thus exposing our children to reckless pornography, we are still a crippling nation that is dotted among the least of impoverished and unimproved nations on the United Nations Human Development Index.
We are still trying to map out our internal and external programmes for possible implementation. The governing elites are desperate to spill the beans on the ground so that the stupefied and pauperized class can start to count their losses. The youths are now very conscious of all these indicators and are strengthening their capacities- both physical and mentally, in order to capsize what ever fake ideologies or projects that certain worthless politicians may take to the vulnerable and gullible majority as a bait to capture votes. The youths in their right senses are getting prepared to tell such politicians in their faces that "Salone nor to Bar for pwell."-literally meaning, Sierra Leone is not a haven for destruction.
The consciousness of the citizenry now, and which the youth are preparing themselves to communicate well to the people is that Sierra Leone, now at 45, after several decades of corruption, bad governance and economic misappropriation, should not be allowed again into such nemesis, by a few people. The message will also entail warning the people against ‘sweet-mot’ politicians who are now prepared to dish out a few thousands Leones and few bags of rice to cover up for their past neglect and contemptuous approach of the people.
The message will also remind traumatised and or mutilated Sierra Leoneans, who are still anxiously awaiting reparations from government never to forget what politics and politicians have done to them, thus resulting in a permanent change of the smiles on their faces and the happiness in their hearts consequent upon the war and caused Sierra Leone to be faceless. It will be telling the people that 45 years of ‘suckiyar’ is no good news to write about. Those dark days of the 80s, 90s and now 2006 will always be a dent on the conscience of people of this country.
The growing consciousness in Sierra Leone today is really incredible. This has provoked quite a lot of changes however, and of course this is also succour for the nation and the people. Go to the remotest parts of the country and sound the lyrics of the protest song of the Bow Wow Society, ‘Wo dat una go put now ba’ in a twinkling of an eye, you will be greeted with ceaseless and sustained chorus of this lyrics and of course, the blasting and bashing of the governing elite. This is all an indication of the growing consciousness of the people at that level.
Recently, I held consultation with different youth groups in the country on the pending elections in 2007. I was shocked at what was the response of my colleagues with regards their impression about the way they see the country being governed. Many seem to have lost faith and confidence in the leaders in their respective areas and are undoubtedly ready to ensure that the get the red card out of the country’s political ball game through the ballot box come 2007. The message from what I deduced from their respective outbursts is that as youths, they are never to be manipulated by anybody, be you a politician or not so cheaply, like by the use of drugs and alcohol.
What I am assuring everybody of is that the bitter lessons of the eleven years war will always be the restraining social factor for any planned form of outright conflict. The youths are now treading on the path of peace and are as well vigilant over national security, and clearing the way for progressive leaders. They have now had the consciousness that they are the gateway for Sierra Leone to be a failed nation or a progressive one, and are therefore hugely conscious of the fact that they need to inculcate the spirit of patriotism as armour to fight against unpatriotic and un progressive leaders.
The vogue now is that Sierra Leone must show to the wider world that her people are no longer the daft they used to be of the early 60s, the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2006. This time round, the youths will be by the side of their elders as well as their younger ones to ensure that the perfunctory services of weak and corrupt officials will be thoroughly checked by the proactive and progressive leader the people shall elect in 2007.
The national consciousness of Sierra Leoneans is what is pushing the youth of today to demand answers from government and who so ever is in a position of trust in this country. This is definitive and the youth are prepared to continue with the trend. It is this conscious motivation that is urging the demand from government the situation of Yenga, as it is poignantly occupied by Guinean soldiers. It is this growing consciousness that is urging the people to question NEC why political campaigns are been conducted by certain politicians when in actual fact this has not been officially sanctioned by it as the rightful authority.
This growing conscious not only of the youth, but of the people of Sierra Leone is a plus to the nation’s general drive towards the elimination of those factors which have for the past 45 years served as subservience for the under development of Sierra Leone and characterized by corruption, bad governance, abuse of human rights and economic mismanagement. This is what Sierra Leone’s growing consciousness is aiming at erasing from the psyche of all and sundry. What a consciousness as we approach 2007! No gimmicks will ever be tolerated.
