The Author: Abimbola During

People are very surprised that a respectable newspaper like the Awareness Times wrote an opinion piece on Tuesday praising someone like Charles Margai just because he apologised to the newspaper on behalf of his thuggish men. Margai is using cheap propaganda to lure people and Awareness Times has fallen into his trap. So, you are now praising him that he is not arrogant. So as to set the facts straight, please publish my thoughts about the real Charles Margai who is very arrogant.

It is often said that history repeats itself. Each passing day seems to confirm that life is like a vicious cycle that goes around with new inventions and discoveries but no fundamental behavior change in human beings. It would appear that while man has the ability to change and influence his environment he has no such capacity to change his attitude when faced with similar circumstances. This is true especially with politics. The concept of Democracy was born as a result of Man’s search for a system of Governance that can offer the best to the most. Thus, the idea of Democracy "for the people, by the People and of the People" was coined by the ancient Greek Society. But the fundamental spectre that continues to haunt Mankind is that nothing has really changed save that man has been able to change his environment not his circumstances.

Back home, this fundamental outlook is noticed when one takes a walk down memory lane. As is known, the Nationalist struggle to wrestle power from the Colonialists in most of the African Continent became clearly manifested at the end of the Second World War in 1945. By 1951, the Legislative Council predominantly comprising the Last of the British Colonial Authorities was grooming what was to be the new corps of National Leaders. Against this background, a humble African medical practitioner the first in what was then the protectorate, Dr. Milton Margai became the choice of the British who were very anxious to have a successor who could have guaranteed their continued influence in Sierra Leone.

The late Sir Milton Margai who became the First Prime Minister of Sierra Leone 10 years later died after 3 years in mysterious circumstances in 1964. However, it should be noted that Dr Margai had his younger brother Lawyer Albert Margai with him in Government who from the inception of the National Government had a serious disagreement with the former. This came to the head in 1957 when Albert contested and won the Leadership of the SLPP against his elder brother Milton. Sir Albert at that point enjoyed the support of Siaka Stevens who was also a member of the SLPP. So when later Albert struck a deal with his brother, Siaka Stevens with whom he had formed a new Political party, the People’s National Party (P.N.P.) prior to his victory over his brother felt betrayed leading to Stevens eventual campaign for ‘Election before Independence’ in 1961 on his return from Lancaster House in London.

After the failure to achieve the "election before Independence" campaign, Siaka Stevens eventually formed the All Peoples Congress Party in 1962 and in five years had mustered enough muscle to contest and under unclear circumstances won the 1967 general elections. Charles Margai is indeed a true son of his father Sir Albert Margai who was the chief architect for the demise of the SLPP Government in 1967. Sir Albert took over the reigns of the SLPP Government following the death of his brother Sir Milton Margai after a short illness in 1964.

The circumstances under which Sir Albert Margai succeeded his brother were dubious leaving rancour and division in the Party. Dr. John Karefa -Smart who was the Foreign Minister and enjoyed the confidence of the late Prime Minister felt cheated as he and others considered him the most appropriate man to have succeeded the late man.

From this point Albert Margai did not enjoy the confidence of some key members of Government and Party. Consequently, he lost control over the Government that he was supposed to preside over. As a result of his attitude and poor human relations with his colleagues (A trait that is evident in this son, Mr. Charles F. Margai), Sir Albert took such unpopular decisions and or actions that antagonised and frustrated such personalities as the late Lawyer Kai-Samba of Kenema Town constituency, visa-vis the traditional chieftaincy in that part of the Country.

In the South, many other Party’s faithful including Lawyer L.A.M Brewa were also ostracised by the Government and the Prime Minister.

To compound the problem further, the All Peoples’ Congress Party’s false propaganda-based on Tribalism and Cannibalism was effectively used to exploit the already fragile situation within the ranks of the SLPP. The result of the 1967 General Elections was 32 seats each.

Even before the declaration of Lawyers Kai-Samba and Brewa for the APC, political analysts already predicted that considering the refusal of Sir Albert Margai to grant the Party’s symbols to them, it was obvious that having won on independent tickets respectively, they definitely were not going to support their Party with Albert Margai at the helm of things. That was how the APC had the support of the dissident elements in the SLPP and how the SLPP was thrown out of Power through the fault of mainly Sir Albert Margai.

The bad precedence however, was when the senior members of the Party allowed Albert to have his way after he out manoeuvred Dr Karefa -Smart. Thereby gave the impression that the Leadership of the SLPP was a Family preserve for the Margais.

This has become the basis for Charles Margai’s arrogant claim to the Leadership of the party. His Father succeeded his Uncle. Thus as far as he is concerned, it is quite usual for him to be the next Margai on the line of succession.

This also explains why if you talk to Margai, he will call the names of some current National Executive Members whom according to the theory above have no business to have been elected and he Charles Margai (a blue blooded SLPP) not be elected even when the members of the party have spoken on three consecutive occasions that he is not fit to be their leader. As a matter of fact leaders don’t quit and quitters can not be Leaders.

Charles has several times propounded the concept of his blue bloodedness. This implied that they whose parents were part of this unfortunate era especially his father the chief architect are superior to the broad membership of the SLPP. It is amazing for a man with such a narrow out look to opt to be the President of a whole Country. In any case, every body knows that politics is a game of numbers. Assuming that the SLPP had to depend on only the blue blooded descendants of the few immediate post-independent Leaders, how would she had won the 1996 Presidential and General Elections after 26 years out of power? It is interesting to note that Mr. Blue Blooded Charles Margai was not with us both in 1996 and 2002 respectively when we won the presidential and parliamentary elections. It means that blue blood or not SLPP will continue to enjoy the support of the People of Sierra Leone.

It is understandable however, since the impression given is that whether you can offer much more to the party than the blue blooded sons and daughters, their perception is that the party is their private property.

Not withstanding that, like his father Charles Margai has deserted the Party three consecutive times. In 1995 following his failure to clinch the party’s Leadership at the Bintumani National Delegate Conference. In 2002 again after he failed to be elected the party’s Leader at the Bo convention. Perhaps the simplest achievement for Charles is to quit when ever he lost the leadership. So the only surprise should have been if he did not leave this time around.

Therefore, when he tendered his resignation it came as an obvious thing from a man who would never stay to be led but like his father would always opt to lead others.

The Fact is Charles’ Resignation is good riddance to bad rubbish. The SLPP is for consistent people. Those with vision and a steady head to carry out our party’s mission. And let Charles know from now on that the SLPP is public property belonging to the people of Sierra Leone and she has now opened up further to offer the best minds of Sierra Leone to Sierra Leoneans through this our vehicle of one country and one people.

I am therefore appealing to all those who may want to take Charles Margai seriously including Awareness Times and all journalists writing positive opinions about this inconsistent man that they should stop henceforth.

You see, Charles Margai hasn’t got the capacity financially, intellectually and otherwise to practically form a successful political party. Therefore when he fails, he will abandon you with your positive writings and apply to come back to the SLPP to try to be our leader again only to leave us again if he is rejected for him to continue his arrogant cycle. You have been warned. Don’t allow this arrogant Charles Margai man to fool you again. Stay with the SLPP which is the only way forward for development minded and progressive Sierra Leonean citizens.