Sahr Yamba urges Sierra Leoneans
Erstwhile Editor of Concord Times Communications, Sahr musa Yamba, has urged Sierra Leoneans in Canada to be patriotic and contribute positively to the development of their Country.
Yamba was speaking as Keynote Speaker in Winnipeg Canada during the country’s 4th Independence Commemoration.
Excerpts of Yamba’ keynote speech read thus. “A Krio adage says, ``if you nor know usai u dae go, know usai u commot.` I think that should be Food for thought!!!
Say what you may, it is good living in the West, but in my view, it is a better idea to be home. Our brothers back home think we are living very luxurious lives over here. They just don’t get it that we are merely “dregging” to pay bills, make ends meet. They can never understand what we do and how we go about to get money here. I usually talk to my family back in Kono and I emphasize to them, folks, You see the glamours and the glitters, and you think it’s a bed of rose! He who feels it, knows it! Living in the West comes with a host of new challenges that you had not anticipated before immigrating.
Since I left the shores of Sierra Leone in December of 2006, there has always been one thing on my mind. That thought has never wavered and I had never
stopped to think the contrary. When I speak to my colleagues, friends, family et al daily, I always emphasize my desire to return to my mother country and
continue where I stopped to contribute my little quota to nation building. Some even think I was joking or dreaming of something I will never attain.
But I have always stuck to my desired goal. One of my Canadian friends once asked, “yeah! I saw the movie ‘Blood Diamonds” do you really think you want to go back to that country of yours where I read so many terrible things happening...? My response was an emphatic “YES!... I have the prospect to be a minister or even President in my country, but here in Canada, I can live here for donkey years but the chances of becoming a Minister or Prime Minister is a little asking too much, if not impossible...I am Mr. Nobody here and you don’t even recognize the education I have from my country...” the friend looked at me, shook his head, acquiesced and replied, “ there are very few Africans that I’ve come across who think like you, You have a very good intention but unfortunately most of your brothers don’t get it...” my fellow citizens, are we all thinking in that same direction?
For the sake of some of us who know very little about our beloved county, Sierra Leone’s history, I will attempt to go a little bit down memory lane.
On 27th April, 1961, at the stroke of midnight, Sierra Leone became an independent nation after 150 years of British Colonial rule. Monday the 27th April will make our country 48 years since achieving independence. Sierra Leone made an initially peaceful transition to independence with Sir Milton Margai, then leader of the SLPP, becoming the first Prime Minister after Independence.. In 1967, the APC came to power under Siaka Stevens, who became President in 1971, and in 1978 made the APC the sole legal party. In 1985, Major General Joseph Momoh was elected President after being selected as the sole candidate. He was overthrown in a coup led by Captain Valentine Strasser in 1992.
At the same time, a vicious war broke out in neighbouring Liberia, and Sierra Leone was rapidly sucked in. Ten years of savage fighting followed, marked by atrocities. Innocent civilians bore the brunt of that senseless war and today the scars of war are very visible.Peace was finally achieved in early 2002, with the help of Britain, the former colonial power, and a large United Nations peacekeeping mission.
More than 17,000 foreign troops disarmed tens of thousands of rebels and militia fighters in the biggest UN peacekeeping success in Africa for many years after debacles in the 1990s in Angola, Rwanda and Somalia.
A UN-backed war crimes court was set up to try those, from both sides, who bear the "greatest responsibility" for the wartime brutalities. That court sitting is still in effect. We have had a few democratic elections after the war with the SLPP winning the initial post war elections, leading our country while the APC, Under President Ernest Koroma just took over power from the SLPP recently.
That’s just a brief run down of how far we have come as a nation. But before proceeding, i have a couple of questions for you this evening which I want you to ponder over. How independent are we as a nation? Are we patriotic citizens?
In the past, Sierra Leoneans were noted for their educational achievements, trading activity, entrepreneurial skills, and arts and crafts work, particularly woodcarving. Do yo remember our country once refered to as the Athens of West Africa? Sierra leone was among one of the first West African states to print a newspaper. Fourah Bay college is among one of the oldest universities in the sub-region. However, the level of education and infrastructure has declined sharply over the last 30 years. The less I talk abot that, the better.
Our couuntry has an area of 71,740 sq. km. (29,925 sq. mi.); slightly smaller than South Carolina. Very small contry with a population at about 6,144,562. But my brothers, a UN Development Programme estimates the average salary is US$2 per day.
The literacy rate in our contry stands at about 36% with Our life expectancy about 40.58 years.
Folks, I am of the conviction , and many of you agree with me that our scorecard should be reading better. So what have we as a people decided to do about all the many challenges facing or contry? Challenges of corruption, poor infrastucture, poor water and sanitation, poor roads, no jobs, tribal divisions, the list is long.
Sierra Leone is a major producer of gem-quality diamonds. We have one of the world's largest deposits of rutile. Vast land aeriable for agriculture. Sierra leone has one of the largest natural harbours in the world. Our ccountry has a very rich culture, rich in marine resources, buxite, iron ore…The list goes on!
But alas, we still continue to rely on significant amounts of foreign assistance, principally from multilateral donors. The bilateral donors include the United States, Italy, and Germany, the largest are the United Kingdom and the European Union.
However, Sierra Leoneans as a nation, I believe we have the potential, and with concerted efforts we shalll overcome. It took the USA many years to have the first ever African-American President, but they did it, which makes them so proud. When President Obama first launched his campaign, many did not have confidence he would succeed, not until he won the Democratic Party leadership after beating Hilarry Clinton. At the start, many thought it was going to be a Clinton Coronation, but no, Obama proved them wrong! Dead wrong!! As Sierra Leoneans, let’s put our shoulders to the wheel and prove them wrong! Prove those pessimists wrong that Sierra Leone can be a safe haven like Canada or the USA. Let’s make it our challenge, that at 48, our goal is to succeed. Succeed in improving our country’s broken systems. Succeed in putting aside tribal divisions, corruption. Let’s believe in ourselves and our potential.
Sierra leoneans, for once let’s put our differences behind us and work for the better of our country. I am a christian, so forgive me if I have to make a reference to the bible, Matthew 12:25 states “a house divided against itself shall not stand”. Which, I believe is very true.
If we can be patriotic and work towards the positive development of our country, we can do it!
If we in winnipeg put or differences behind us and start here with our little organisation, Salnam, the sky is our limit!
If we wake up every day and believe in our selves, put petty jealosies aside, we can do it!
If we put our country first, I strongly blieve, we can do it!
If we stop the “ker go bring cam” and concentrate on the positives, rather than the negatives, we can do it!
If we become our brother’s keeper, like the Kono man who believes in “Kono aye Kono fah” (a Kono man does not kill a Kono man), We can surely do it!”
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