In the streets of Freetown, Bo, Kenema, and beyond, a noticeable and troubling trend has emerged: Sierra Leoneans have lost their joy.
Once a people renowned for their resilience and communal celebrations during festive seasons, today, most can barely spare a moment for joy, let alone festivities.
Christmas, Independence Day, and other landmark celebrations have become hollow days marked by silence, fatigue, and desperation. Such is not due to a lack of culture or spirit, but stripping Leoneans of the basic ability to enjoy life. Instead, the focus has been diverted to one relentless task: survival.
Whilst the people exhaust themselves in the daily struggle to fend for a meal, clothe their children, and meet the most basic needs, the government seems to exist in a parallel reality.
To all intents and purpose, the attention of the powers-that-be has been firmly fixed on consolidating power, presenting an illusion of progress through flashy Town Hall meetings, cocktail events, and festivals. Such gatherings are promoted as symbols of unity and governance; but to the average Sierra Leonean, such gatherings are meaningless displays of extravagance in the face of widespread hardship.
Festivities reduced to Empty Days
Traditionally, Sierra Leone has been a country of vibrant celebrations. Christmas has been a time when families would gather, cook elaborate meals, and exchange gifts with joy. Likewise, Independence Day was also celebrated with pride, parades, and a collective spirit of patriotism.
For years, such moments of celebration provided a brief reprieve from life’s hardships, uniting citizens in a shared sense of identity.
However, such a festive reality is no more. Today, Sierra Leoneans cannot afford to celebrate. A day that was once reserved for feasting is now spent worrying about the next meal.
Many families go to bed hungry, not out of laziness or irresponsibility, but for incomes that are not enough to survive the soaring costs of living.
Parents no longer buy Christmas clothes for their children or festive meals because they cannot spare the extra money. For them, survival has become a day-to-day endeavor, and celebrations are seen as a luxury—an unattainable dream.
Independence Day, which should be a moment for reflection and pride, is equally diminished. What is there to celebrate when the country remains stagnated?
Instead of national progress, citizens see worsening poverty, youth unemployment, and an alarming lack of opportunities.
Sierra Leoneans are exhausted, not because they are unwilling to work, but that their labor yields so little in return.
Workaholics in a Broken System
In the face of suche struggles, Sierra Leoneans have had no choice but to become workaholics. Some men and women rise at dawn and toil until late at night in search of daily bread. Street vendors, market women, taxi drivers, and farmers push themselves beyond their limits, yet their efforts are rarely rewarded. The informal sector, which dominates Sierra Leone’s economy, provides little stability or financial security. Many earn just enough to keep themselves alive for another day, but nothing more.
Parents, especially, bear a heavy burden. In addition to meeting their own needs, they must strive to pay school fees, buy uniforms, and provide for their children’s daily survival.
Education, which should be a path to a better future, has instead become a source of immense pressure for families. Free education, as promised by the government, often exists in name only. Parents must still bear the costs of school supplies, transportation, and hidden fees. As a result, celebrations of any kind are abandoned, with every resource directed toward survival and the future of the children.
Government’s Cheap Popularity Campaigns
While Sierra Leoneans labor tirelessly for their survival, the government remains focused on consolidating power and crafting an illusion of progress. The proliferation of Town Hall meetings, cocktail events, and festivals is a testament to misplaced priorities. Such events are often advertised as platforms for dialogue, peace, and development. However, they are nothing more than carefully staged spectacles designed to distract citizens from the government’s failures.
Town Hall meetings, for instance, are promoted as forums where citizens can engage with their leaders. Yet, they rarely result in concrete solutions. Government officials appear to listen but offer nothing substantial in response. Instead of addressing issues such as unemployment, inflation, and the declining quality of healthcare and education, such meetings become opportunities for political grandstanding.
Cocktail events and festivals are even more galling. The gatherings, often attended by political elites and their allies, are characterized by lavish spending and empty speeches. Taxpayers’ money is used to fund expensive venues, catering, and decorations, all in the name of “unity” and “progress.” However, there is a glaring contradiction: how can a government host celebrations when its people cannot even afford to eat? The message that is sent is one of indifference and detachment from the reality of the population.
A Nation Stuck in Stagnation
Sierra Leone’s stagnated status cannot be ignored. Despite promises of economic growth and development, the country remains burdened with poverty, high unemployment rates, and inadequate infrastructure. The government’s focus on building its image through Town Halls and festivals does little to address such issues. Instead, it reinforces the perception that leadership is more concerned with appearances than action.
The people, on the other hand, are forced to live in survival mode. With no real economic opportunities, Sierra Leoneans are trapped in a cycle of poverty that leaves no room for celebrations or hope. Young people, who should be the drivers of the nation’s future, find themselves unemployed and disillusioned. Many have given up on their dreams entirely, choosing instead to leave the country in search of a better life abroad.
The Disconnect Between Leaders and the People
The most troubling aspect of the situation is the widening disconnect between the government and its citizens. Whilst Sierra Leoneans work tirelessly just to survive, their leaders remain blind to their struggles. There is little acknowledgment of the suffering that exists in the country, and even less effort to provide meaningful solutions. Instead, the government continues to organize events that serve no purpose other than to maintain its popularity.
Such an approach is not only unsustainable but also deeply unfair. The people of Sierra Leone deserve more than empty speeches and superficial events. They deserve leaders who prioritize their needs, invest in the economy, and create opportunities for growth. Without such leadership, the country will remain trapped in stagnation, and its citizens will continue to suffer.
Sierra Leoneans are tired. They are tired of working endlessly with no reward, tired of a government that focuses on its image instead of its people, and tired of watching their dreams slip further away.
The inability to celebrate Christmas, Independence Day, or any other festive occasion is not just a symptom of poverty—it is a sign of a deeper crisis. It reflects a country where hope has been replaced by exhaustion, and joy by survival.
If Sierra Leone is to move forward, the government must abandon its obsession with consolidating power and focus instead on addressing the needs of its people. Resources that are currently wasted on Town Hall meetings, cocktail events, and festivals must be redirected towards building infrastructure, creating jobs, and improving education and healthcare. The people deserve a government that listens, acts, and leads with integrity.
The plight of Sierra Leoneans today is a stark indictment of the government’s misplaced priorities. Whilst leaders indulge in celebrations and hollow displays of popularity, the people have been reduced to workaholics that cannot afford to celebrate even life’s most important moments. Festive days that once brought joy have become reminders of the nation’s stagnation and the people’s suffering.
Sierra Leoneans deserve better. They deserve a future where their labor is rewarded, their children have opportunities, and their leaders work to improve their lives. Until that day comes, the joy of celebration will remain a distant memory—overshadowed by the struggle for survival in a country that has so much potential but so little progress.
