Reclaiming Sierra Leone’s Glory Part I

In the beginning the Supreme Architect of the universe said ‘’ Let there be The Realm of the Free!’’. The waters isolated the land; dust took form; the stones cleaved together—forming enormous rocks; and a certain rumble in a jungle geographically located in Eastern earth and precisely in the Wastern Region of a distinguish borough called Afriqueka—was the climax in the course. Then a certain materialisation of hills, vallies and mountainous miracles began to appear. They forged and formed pathways that gave way to a fabrication in the like of a lion.

It is the glory of the Supreme Architect of the universe to conceal a matter, and the duty of kings to search it out. A young explorer by the name Pedro de Sintra, who was in a cute transitory mode, had a divine and equally predestined glance at this distinct land robed with hills and mountains likened to the grand master, Leo Leo. He exclaimed fiercely ‘’ Sierra Lyoa!’’ a Portugees term which means—a mountain with the shape of a lion—the young Pedro de Sintra couldn’t help it but returned to his compatriots and their allies to break this incredible news; the year was 1462. Subsiquently, the British with their bogus attitude and larger-than-life manner of doing things, hearing the news Pedro de Sintra spread, took to their heels to claim the said land and deceived the inhabitants whom out of sheer British influence coined with slim slices of ignorance and ignoble deeds, embraced the English version of Sierra Lyoa, as Sierra Leone. And now in the same darkness we brandish this foreign proclamation (not the nomenclature but bravura) as part and parcel of our indigenous configuration.

Before I you read further I must warn that this is not your everyday piece which nurses you to accept the norm and clinches your fist to the status quo. I write for the uncommon soul, the out-of-the-box thinking individuals; compatriot or ally. I write for the exceptional few who have set themselves apart to set the tone of this generation. These men have seen a transcending vision of conquering glory; hence they conduct themselves with an incredible sense of responsibility in a bid to renovate Sierra Leone.

Walking among these men, you become instantly aware that they are guided by a superior perspective of life. The sad part is that they are in short supply. And it is not hard to see why. We mostly live in a survival mode in Sierra Leone, wanting first to survive before we attempt the "incredible". We are more concerned about today's lunch, than about some distant future that may never come for all we know. This concern is legitimate! It makes sense that every Sierra Leonean child should go to school and get a good job and raise a nice family and "become somebody”. I mean who will argue against those nice virtues of that quiet student, who doesn't make a noise in class, always punctual and civil, a very good boy or girl, the teacher's favourite, does everything s/he is told, does not challenge what the elders say, accept the teacher's opinion on the subject as the final gospel, gets a good grade, joins the civil service, rise to the rank of supervising officer, retires at 60 with a nice pension and a vintage spot at the old people's home. This is such a nice story. And if this story looks like what you want for yourself, kindly pause here and quit reading this article, no offense, you are not my audience.

I write strictly for that X-generation young people with bleeding geniuses for creativity. 82 people die every minute, several millions every year; mention how many of those you know. But, the world stood still when John F. Kennedy fell to the Assassin’s bullet; the world mourned when the great Martin Luther King Jr. drowned in the pool of his own blood as the assailant's blow found him; the universe shook and the skies wept when Nelson Mandela bade farewell after a leading a legendary life and recently, we delved into a staid mood as we celebrate the life and legacy of our beloved former President, Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, the Voltron of Sierra Leone. I could go on, but the point is Originals don’t go down unnoticed. And this is the path I have chosen to engage you continuously till we rebirth that once held endearing desire—for utmost growth & development-- for the land that we love; till we achieve a national epiphany that would spur a matchless transformation which would propel Sierra Leone to the pinnacle of prosperity as we diligently implement that current national agenda.

And one thing should be spelt out conspicuosly; we don’t solve a problem when we ignore it. The only way out of a problem is right through the bowels of it. Some of us will quit, some men will stop short for legitimate reasons; some will grow weary, some will look on in indifference and some will know all the reasons we cannot achive the Sierra Leone we envisage. But there abide a few compatriots who will not for the fear of defeat fail to attempt. The blue-blooded individuals who pay no mind to distraction, whether infinitessimal or humongous; but would remain focus on the goal with a self motivating engine that would cause them to get up when they fall, adjust the sail when the wind gets rough and tear down walls of obstacle seeking to prevent them from accomplishing their desired Sierra Leone.

These are pure patriotic Sierra Leoneans who have resolve to defy their doubts and ignore their limitations---bearing in mind that safety is not the goal of life; adventure is! And to these rare breed of compatriots I invoke this jingoistic lines:

One with a faith that wisdom inspires,

One with a zeal that never tires;

Ever we seek to honour thy name;

Ours is the labour, thine the fame.

We pray that no harm on thy children may fall,

That blessing and peace may descend on us all;

So may we serve thee ever alone.

Land that we love, our Sierra Leone.

Indeed, their place will never be among those cold and timid souls who know nothing of victory or honest defeat. Upon the shoulders of such men the future of Sierra Leone now rests.

Feedback:

Paul Jibateh is a conceptual theorist.

He from Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Tel: +232 (25) 252-879

Email: jibateh1@yahoo.co.uk