By:ALUSINE FULLAH
Sierra Leone gained independence from Britain on 27 April 1961. The golden jubilee of that glorious day is this April. It has been an eventful 50 years, and as the nation celebrates, New African devotes this special commemorative report in honour of the people. Prepared by Edward Kargbo.
Like many African leaders at independence, Sir Milton Margai, Sierra Leone’s first prime minister, knew what was coming. He saw the urgent need for national cohesion after the deep divisions that had marred the run-up to independence.
There had been tensions between the “countrymen” (people from the inland “protectorate”) and the Krios in the Western Area who had had a better relationship with the colonial administration, probably because of their education and adopted European lifestyle.
The taste and smell of politics during the run-up to the “independence conference” at Lancaster House in London (known locally as the Constitutional Talks) became unpleasant as rivalry among various political parties and interests became blatantly spiteful. But the time for independence had come. The British were ready to go and nothing could prevent the green, white and blue flag of the new Sierra Leone from replacing the Union Jack.
When Sir Milton led the nation, which was once called Romarong by the indigenous Mende people to independence on 27 April 1961, he was keen on reunifying the people.
He was a man who did not know tribe or region. A medical doctor, he had worked in different parts of the country, made good friends, and gained the admiration of the people and their British colonisers. Sir Milton wanted to see a nation that was strongly united.
In his independence message on 27 April 1961, he made this clarion call to the people: “I ask you to deal fairly and honestly with your fellow men, to discourage lawlessness, and to strive actively for peace, friendship, and unity in our country.”
Sir Milton’s message sounded more like a priest’s homily to a congregation on a Sunday morning. For him, being a leader at that point in time was more than just holding the country’s highest office. He believed that the basic life principles of “honesty” and “fairness” in human relations were crucial to the growth of the nation.
At sixty-six at the time, Sir Milton knew and acknowledged that independence could not bring “sudden change”. What was important was the fact that the people were “now in complete control of [their] destiny”.
Unfortunately, the polite and conciliatory Sir Milton did not live long enough to actualise his dreams of making the country a place to be proud of. He died in 1964 – barely three years into his reign. It was then that his younger brother, Sir Albert Margai, controversially took over as premier and succeeded in trashing Sir Milton’s dreams of a united and development-driven Sierra Leone.
According to several accounts of history, the young Margai exuberantly turned everything upside down firing some influential members of his elder brother’s government; and creating ethnic and regional divisions, in the process causing the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) to lose popularity.
These ugly developments subsequently cost the SLPP the tightly contested 1967 elections. The SLPP’s loss gave way to the opposition politician, Siaka Stevens, of the All People’s Congress (APC) gaining power. But the joy of presiding over the first peaceful transfer of political power in Africa from ruling party to the opposition was thwarted within hours, when the Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces under Brigadier David Lansana [loyal to Sir Albert] staged the country’s first coup d’état.
However, within 24 hours, senior military officers divested Brigadier Lansana of his command of the army and later instituted the National Reformation Council (NRC). It took another 13 months and another coup d’état, this time staged by non-commissioned officers, before Siaka Stevens could regain the premiership.
Stevens’ APC, to whom Sierra Leoneans turned for succour after Sir Albert’s disappointing leadership, unleashed what some have called “a reign of terror” and hardship on the people – the very same people that Sir Milton had admonished to be loyal, honest and fair.
Since then, the country has come a long way – through a series of coups and a bloody rebel war. It has been an eventful 50 years for a country that is abundantly endowed with natural resources (diamonds being the chief endowment), and yet remains poor.
Sierra Leone’s 11-year rebel war (1991-2002), occasioned by bad governance and selfishness, has had a heavy toll on the already poor infrastructure and economy.
Eight years after the devastating conflict, the government of President Ernest Bai Koroma is still faced with serious challenges: reconstruction, unity, fairness and honesty – the same things that Sir Milton preached at independence. Divisive politics based on ethnicity and regionalism is perhaps the newest and toughest challenge facing Sierra Leone today.
Politics and elections have become a serious source of tension and division along regional and ethnic lines.
Depending on whom you ask, but, from the opposition viewpoint, the Koroma government’s “discrimination” against the people from the south-east of the country is too blatant. This is certainly a claim of bias that the APC has refuted numerous times. The government argues that the president’s appointment of prominent opposition politicians from the SLPP and other south-easterners from the People’s Movement for Democratic Change (a breakaway party formed by Charles Margai, son of Sir Albert) should be enough reason not to believe the opposition’s ethnicity and regionalism claims.
Sierra Leone has long struggled with some of the world’s worst health outcomes—including a maternal mortality epidemic in which a woman’s lifetime risk of dying in pregnancy or childbirth is 1 in 17. Extreme poverty prevents most families from accessing health care. And often the care they need isn’t available, given the country’s severe shortage of trained clinicians, health infrastructure, and medical supplies. The overall life expectancy is 50.1 years. Communicable diseases are the leading cause of death and disease in Sierra Leone, of which malaria is the single biggest killer, accounting for 38% of all hospital admissions. Tuberculosis is another significant public health problem, with an estimated three new infections per 1000 people each year. In line with that, many Sierra Leoneans are still asking why that is after 63 years we are still grabbling with health efficiency.
The opposition guys will say since President Bio took over his second term in office, Sierra Leoneans have witnessed series of hardship in the country. The unprecedented increase in the prices of our local commodities across the country is very alarming and couple with the incessant power outreach. It is no long a secret that the country is experiencing too much ‘Blackout’ which this government cannot handle for its citizens in the country.
Recently, we saw a notice from the Turkish Karpowership informing the country’s Chief Minister David Sengeh for their intention to suspend the service of the Karpowership if they aren’t paid by April this year. The Karpowership had requested that the government of Sierra Leone pay the sum of US$27,102,555 which corresponds to the overdue amount for their invoices from 2022-2023. If a whole government cannot afford to pay what they owe to the Karpowership, what the future holds for the citizens of this nation?
Sierra Leoneans are suffering in silence and our leaders are busy enjoying luxuries. The economic hardships that the country is facing is going out of hands for which many hold the view that if the situation continued like this, it is certain that the country is not heading to the right direction, rather it is heading to the wrong direction.
The inflation rate in the country is nothing good to write home about as it has caught the people in a state of dismay as to what has went wrong with the prices of basic food items, like rice, onions, oil among other items are all skyrocketing or even triple in recent years.
The high cost of living has led to many homes unable to afford the basic three meals per day which is a right of every citizen.
Some can’t even afford two meals talking less of the normal three meals per day, a signal that the country is heading in a wrong direction.
A country where it citizens cannot earn more than $5 dollar per day and the country’s inflations is skyrocketing on a daily basis is a serious cause for concerns.
In additions, it seems like the government is reticent towards salvaging the issue of electricity in the country and talk less of the issue of inflations in the country. Despite the hue and cries from citizen about the current state of the country’s economic status and the power crisis, President Bio and his administration are not sending any signal of hope to the people of the nation; instead they are acting as if everything is bright and beautiful.
One of the residents from Freetown noted: “It will be interesting to note that some communities in the capital has taken more than a week without seeing EDSA’s light and some had gone even more days without electricity. The ways things are going in the country; it seems like President Bio’s current regime needs miracle to solve this economic and power crisis in the country.”
Indeed, for over 60 years, corruption is still taking centre stage. Corruption is a toxic scourge that continues to cast a long and dark shadow over Sierra Leone. Its detrimental effects penetrate multiple sectors of the nation’s economy, negatively impacting the lives of its citizens and impeding the country’s path to prosperity.
One of the most concerning aspects of corruption in Sierra Leone is its deep-rooted presence within public administration. Here, corruption thrives through misallocation of resources, bureaucratic inefficiency, and the draning off of public funds. It is within the heart of government institutions that corruption misdirects resources away from essential public services, severely affecting sectors like healthcare, education, and infrastructure development. Funds intended to strengthen these vital areas often vanish into the pockets of corrupt officials, leaving the nation’s progress and economic growth in an unstable state.
The impact of corruption becomes painfully apparent in the healthcare and education sectors. Corruption directly translates into inadequate healthcare services, resulting in a lack of quality medical care and mismanagement of vital resources. The inevitable consequence is higher mortality rates and reduced economic productivity as citizens suffer from preventable diseases and ailments. Similarly, the education system bears the burden of corrupt practices with teacher absenteeism, exam fraud, and misappropriation of educational funds, limiting access to quality education and suppressing human capital development, an essential driver of economic progress.
Corruption casts a chilling effect on Sierra Leone’s business environment, discouraging both foreign and domestic investment. Unfair practices, such as bribery and favouritism, distort market competition, impede entrepreneurship, and hinder job creation, all of which are critical components for a thriving economy. Potential investors are discouraged by the perception of corruption, and existing businesses struggle to navigate a landscape tainted by underhanded dealings.
Sierra Leone’s rich natural resources, including mining and forestry, fall target to corruption’s insidious reach. Dishonest practices in resource management lead to revenue leakage, environmental degradation, and the loss of potential income that could otherwise fund crucial infrastructure development and social programs. The country’s vast potential wealth is drained away, leaving a void in the nation’s coffers and hindering economic development.
Corruption’s infiltration into the judicial system undermines the rule of law, erodes public trust, and discourages investment and commerce. The consequential legal uncertainty prevents economic activities and strangles economic growth. When citizens lack confidence in the judicial system’s ability to provide fair and impartial justice, they become hesitant to engage in economic activities, leading to stagnation.
Within law enforcement agencies and customs, corruption not only raises crime rates but also obstructs trade. This impacts the ease of doing business, disrupts international trade, and, by extension, harms the economy. It creates an environment where unlawful activities can flourish unchecked, further eroding the country’s economic prospects.
Corruption’s destructive impact is felt keenly in tax collection. Corruption within this sphere leads to tax evasion and revenue leakage, leaving the government with limited resources to provide essential services and invest in economic growth. The economic burden is borne by the citizens as they experience reduced public services and limited infrastructure development.
Yes, there was euphoria, hope and promise. The people of Sierra Leone looked forward to a brighter future, being able to govern themselves, feed themselves, and provide for all of their basic needs as well as continue to be the Athens of West Africa through its excellent education institutions. But, oo no! We are still crapping to achieve our basic amenities like food, light, education, water and many more.
Others nations like, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Rwandan are all far away with development, but it’s a different situation in Sierra Leone. These countries are ahead of Sierra Leone in different sectors and for Rwandan, they had their genocide, also known as the genocide against thez Tutsi, occurred between 7 April and 19 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. Despite the genocide, they’re also one of the developing countries in Africa, but Sierra Leone is now 63 years without any signs of development.
Also, Like for Uganda, the country formally achieved its independence from the United Kingdom and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations (CON) on October 9, 1952, whereas. Our nation is 63 and we still finding it difficult to feed ourselves. The area of education is going down the drain on a daily basis! Sierra Leone has been known as the Anthem of West Africa where other nations usually come to acquire Education, but The impact of a bad education regime has started haunting our nation. It’s not a secret that in Sierra Leone, many high school pupils can’t write and or speak properly without someone aiding them. And the revelation of sex for grade and bribery for grade at High school and other Tertiary Institutions has been the order of the day. The issue of sex for grade and bribery for grade scandal is characteristic of many Tertiary learning institutions in our country. We had seen successful government tried to ease the issue of education but it seems like they had been beating a dead horse.
Moreover, to maintain the Education standard in the country, Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio’s declared a free, quality education for primary and secondary school children, and many at home and abroad has applauded the vision of the President.
This provision, which came into force in September 2019 and is however failing the most vulnerable children whom the system was supposed to liberate from hard labour, destitution and impoverishment. However, despite the free quality education in the country, we are still seeing a lot of street children selling cold water and other things in the country just to survive with their families.
Education for many especially in developing countries is clear route out of the acute poverty they find themselves. It has been a great tool for developing the intellectual capabilities of citizens and countries alike. But, in Sierra Leone, we are seeing some educated people who are still struggling for basic livelihood.
However, there has been a considerable rise in the level of dropouts/failures particularly within the secondary and university education system. In the recent West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results for instance, it is estimated that 95 percent of students in Sierra Leone failed to obtain the necessary grades needed to successfully enrol on a university programme.
This has stirred a huge debate among citizens as to the root cause(s) of such a poor performance when compared with other countries within the sub-region. One side of the debate blames the students with specific reference to their cheating culture and lackadaisical approach to their studies whilst others blame the staff and institutions. Sierra Leone is now 63 years after Independent and our education is still not matched to the international standard. Where have we gone wrong?
As a part of the remedy, we have seen the last time, the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission publicly naming and shaming some of the teachers involved in exams malpractices. But, is it the right thing to do? Despite the intervention of ACC, we are still seeing a lot of malpractice in the country.
Meanwhile, to understand the root cause of our failing educational system since Independent, we will need to dive a little down into history.
Precolonial days, there was no formalised form of education system; people learnt through apprenticeships with storytelling and observations being the most form of pedagogical methods. Rituals and festivals were also used to teach the younger folks about taking responsibilities for themselves and community.
In this informal setting, people mostly learnt practical skills like cooking, dancing, carving of masks and stools, wine making, farming etc. Dipo which is a famous ritual was for instance used to teach young girls about cooking and general skills that will help them through womanhood.
Then came the colonial period which officially ended the informal nature of African’s education system. The colonists came with one agenda: to extort the natural resources of its colonies. As such there was no need to educate and train members of its colonies as the primary focus was on using labour to do the hard core jobs that met their agendas.
At present, we have children who work on the streets as hawkers, stone-breakers and beggars. They are the very children who are supposed to be at the heart of the programme. In Freetown, there are CSO who record labouring children on stone-breaking sites. Just to let the government know that people are still lacking quality education in the country. Sierra Leone a country of 8 million people on the West African seaboard had one of the highest economic growth rates in the world. After emerging from an 11-year civil war in 2002, the country was rebuilding its governance and economy with the help of international donors. And 63 years after Independent, our nation is still battling with basic stuffs.
This issue is seeing everywhere in the country, Poverty is visual. Rural poverty is widespread in Sierra Leone. Nationwide three-quarters of people live in poverty, and a quarter cannot afford a basic diet, good education for all. Poor housing and health, high infant and maternal mortality, high illiteracy, limited access to clean water and very low incomes are also commonplace, especially among woman-headed households, landless young people, and small-scale farmers. As a result productivity is low.
We are now at 63 and we still need a lot. Sierra Leone is a nation that’s blessed with a lot of riches, yet the citizens are sleeping with hunger. The government really need to set the bar high if only they want to improve the lives of the people in Sierra Leone.
