By Osman Kargbo
The Chief Executive Officer of the Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah Foundation (ATKF) has called on Sierra Leoneans to emulate the leadership style of the Late President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who espoused peace and dialogue throughout his tenure as president to ensure peace and national cohesion prevail in Sierra Leone.
CEO Soulay B. Daramy, who served as State Chief of Protocol (SCOP) in the government of the Late President Kabbah, made this call on Sierra Leoneans in a statement the Foundation issued out on the August 10th 2022 demonstration that destroyed many lives and properties in the country.
A former Sierra Leone High Commissioner to The Gambia, Ambassador Daramy, whilst speaking over Radio Democracy FM 98.1 on Wednesday 17th August, expatiated on some of the issues highlighted in the press release the Foundation issued on 11th August. He said: “The characteristics of Pa Kabbah are tolerance, peace, dialogue, respect for humanity and human rights.
“All those who worked with Pa Kabbah know that he would always tell everyone that there are no two people in the world who would not have conflict or be annoyed with one another. But Pa Kabbah believed that you would have to sit down and talk on why you are annoyed or aggrieved,” he recalled.
The former Ambassador says that it is only when people talk or dialogue that they would be able to know what each other or group had in mind. “But if you do not talk, you won’t be able to know why the other is annoyed,” he said, adding: “The leadership style of Pa Kabbah is that he tolerated everyone.”
Amb. Daramy further gave a simple definition for good manners, saying: “It is necessary for everyone to realise that the simplest definition of good manners is tolerance of bad manners.”
The ATKF CEO said that he did not believe Sierra Leoneans would want conflict or want to fight any longer, considering the bitter experience of conflict and war the people of Sierra Leone have had.
He appealed to Sierra Leoneans to always have in mind the vow or pledge the Late President Kabbah made to the world about Sierra Leone not going into the pit of violence or war any more.
“Please remember the sacred vow Pa Kabbah undertook and espoused when he declared: “Never again shall we resolve to violence to settle matters of Political Interest,” he said. “All of us want peace; so please, everybody in this country who is a true Sierra Leonean and a patriot, let him remember Pa Kabbah. All his adult life and work in Sierra Leone he was working for peace.”
Talking about the way forward in mending the scars of the August 10th protests, Ambassador Daramy said the way forward are many. “The primary or first thing is choice of words. Choice of words has to be decent and correct. The way forward is let us treat each other with civility. I agreed, there are people who are doing bad or wrong things. But if someone wrongs you, go and meet him and enquire why he or they did what they did. We need to have patience and teach peace. And above all, whatever I am not doing or would not do, I should not tell someone else to do it. Let the elders don’t tell other people to do what is wrong. If government wrongs me I would tell them in writing or speaking that you have wronged me, but I would not go and tell someone to follow me to do something wrong. Peace is the only way.”
He denounced violent approach to settling differences or grievances, as clearly stated in his Foundation’s press release: “The Foundation condemns the killing of security personnel and innocent civilians and appeals to all Sierra Leoneans to conduct interactions peacefully and amicably within the ambits of the law. The Foundation encourages open and positive Dialogue across Divisions on any matter. As people of one nation, we must be tolerant and respect State authorities. We must all continue to maintain our commitment to PEACE and NATIONAL COHESION irrespective of our political affiliations. We must always remember that Sierra Leone is bigger than any group or groups.
“We recommend a thorough Independent Investigation of this shameful incidents in our society and those responsible should bear the full force of the law.”
