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Freetown PAID SUPPLEMENTS PAID FOR SUPPLEMENTARY BY NAMING PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS IN SIERRA LEONE Accompanying Commentary by Lunsar Descendants in the United States of America Naming is one of the most important rituals in human society. In most societies, it is even a sacred ritual. There is, certainly, a link between naming and control. To name something is to have control over that thing in some way. In the case of public institutions like schools/colleges/universities, the ritual is usually done as a national/regional exercise; hence the names reflect the nation or state that owns the institution. Personal names on public institutions are very rare, and for a very good reason. To name a national institution after an individual requires, at least in a sane society, that such individual be a local or national hero or heroine. This is why, until recently, we have not heard our government schools named after individuals. But Sierra Leone has changed and below is a story in letters that reflect such change.
LETTER TO EDUCATION MINISTER FROM DESCENDANTS OF LUNSAR LIVING IN THE USA
November 14, 2005
Dr. Alpha Wurie Minister of Education and Technology New England Ville Freetown, Sierra Leone
Re: A.D. Wurie Memorial Secondary School
Dear Dr. Alpha Wurie,
We recently learnt that a new school built in Lunsar by the government of Sierra Leone, with donor funds, was named after the late A.D. Wurie, your father. On behalf of the people of Marampa chiefdom, we, the descendants of Lunsar residing in North America, wish to register our total opposition to the idea of naming the school after the late A.D. Wurie, for the following reasons:
Dr. Wurie, we are aware of your argument that “the people of Lunsar” provided the land and suggested the idea of naming the school after your late father. However, we are terribly disappointed in you for even entertaining such an idea. Even if a small group of opportunists wanted you to, we expect you, as an educated minister of this post-war government, to know that it is simply improper to do such a thing. We have tried, through your friends and family members, to convince you to reverse the decision, but have not succeeded. We are left with no choice but to write this letter to you and copy the President and the Vice-President of Sierra Leone.
We therefore urge you to take the necessary steps to change the name of the school to one that reflects the school’s national or regional status.
We await your response to our letter.
Sincerely,
Dr. Sheikh Umarr Kamarah Associate Professor of English Department of Languages and Literature Virginia State University USA.
Dr. M. Saidu Kabia Associate Professor of French and Comparative Literature Department of Languages and Literature Virginia State University USA.
Mr. Hassan Baraka, M.Sc (Agric. Economics) Businessman (Franchise owner) Maryland, U.S.A.
Dr. Momodu Ahmed Kabba Associate Visiting Professor of African-American Studies University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
Cc:
His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Tejan Kabbah President, Republic of Sierra Leone
Mr. Solomon Berewa Vice-President, Republic of Sierra Leone
RESPONSE FROM LUNSAR DESCENDANTS TO LETTER FROM EDUCATION MINISTRY
April 30, 2006
Ref. No: ME/Z/29
Dr. Alpha Wurie Minister of Education, Science and Technology New England Ville Freetown, Sierra Leone
Dear Sir,
RE: A.D. WURIE MEMORIAL SECONDARY SCHOOL
Thank you for your response to our letter, dated 16th. January, 2006. We notice that the letter was signed by the Director General (administration) of your ministry, Mr. E.B. Kamara, shifting the burden of responsibility to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The implication, we take it, is that the Ministry of Education, not the minister of education, is responsible for naming this particular government school after the current minister’s late father. Either way, Honourable Minister, the behaviour is still unethical and objectionable.
In an embarrassingly feeble attempt at sarcasm, you urge us, in your first paragraph, to send our “recommended names for all 600 schools now being constructed in all chiefdoms of the country.” It is welcome news that more schools are being constructed in all chiefdoms. That is what a government worthy of that name, should do. However, it is ludicrous to suggest, as your statement does, that the country is in a naming crisis for its newly built schools. Had past ministers of education named government schools built during their tenures after their parents and relatives, I wonder what names our schools could have been carrying today. If this is the thinking that underlies your service, then, Honourable Minister, our nation desperately needs Divine Intervention.
It is no news to us, Honourable Minister, that our government, as you rightly put it, solicits funds “for its people.” Congratulations on your successful solicitation. We are delighted to know that at least you realize that “National Service” is crucial to the decision to name any national property after a citizen or non-citizen of our country. But it is not just any service, the quality of the service is of utmost importance. That is exactly our point. Your late father’s service to the nation does not measure up to the level of either a local or national hero. If your late father had even made a memorable contribution to the development of Lunsar and the chiefdom when he had the chance, or made a significant contribution to national development, naming a school after him would have been in place. Based on the circumstances in which he was chased out of Lunsar, we would be guilty of abdicating our moral responsibility if we sat idly by and allowed this charade to go unchallenged. Honourable Minister Sir, if you were genuinely interested in rewarding a family member for meaningful national service, your uncle, the late Pa Amadu Wurie, commonly known as the “Education Wurie,” would have been a perfect choice. Who would have argued against honouring such a man?
Honourable Minister, we wish to make it clear to you that this is not personal; it is an effort to shed light on the tainted legacy of your late father while he was working at Delco. We think it is disingenuous to reward him posthumously for betraying the workers he was supposed to protect. No, we have no “fears” about the name, rather we are concerned about the unethical nature of this behaviour. As we pointed out in our first letter, this practice of conflating personal and public property with impunity has been at the core of our deeply corrupt system.
We are concerned about the lame and retrogressive argument you make in the final paragraph about Sierra Leoneans who are “out there,” and those of you in the country. There is a subtle, albeit unprogressive suggestion that because one is in the country, one is necessarily more useful and more patriotic than someone who lives outside. Have you forgotten that the president you are now faithfully serving lived three decades of his life outside Sierra Leone? Have you forgotten that Foday Sankoh and the people that helped him ferment and perpetuate the horrendous civil war lived in Sierra Leone? What is your point Honourable Minister? Could this be a failure of the imagination on your part?
Honourable Minister, we fully understand that we may not be able to convince you or your ministry to reverse this terrible decision. However, our goal is to create a public record that may be useful to those who will succeed you. Some day, we believe, sanity will return to our country, and respect for public property will once again return to public offices.
Mr. Hassan Baraka, M.Sc (Agric. Economics) Businessman (Franchise owner) Maryland, U.S.A.
Dr. M. Saidu Kabia Associate Professor of French and Comparative Literature Department of Languages and Literature Virginia State University USA.
Dr. Momodu Ahmed Kabba Associate Visiting Professor of African-American Studies University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
Dr. Sheikh Umarr Kamarah Associate Professor of English Department of Languages and Literature Virginia State University USA. END OF CORRESPONDENCE
© Copyright 2005, Freetown, Sierra Leone. |
