By Alpha Amadu Jalloh
Mr. President, I hope you are having a great moment in Edinburgh with your friend, “THE KING.” Yet, I must ask, how come, Mr. President, you have not cut short your trip to address the pressing issues facing our nation?
What happened recently, where our embassy car was implicated in drug dealings, is an emergency that warrants your immediate attention. Instead, you chose to stay in a foreign land, chatting with a man who has achieved everything in life and is worshipped by many, even when it offers no tangible benefit to Sierra Leone. These very kingdoms, historically, have contributed to Sierra Leone’s current plight. Had I been in your position, I would have turned my back and said to the King, “Trust me, I have urgent matters to address back home.”
Mr. President, it baffles me that this situation does not compel you to act. What happened in Guinea is not something to dismiss lightly. I feel sorry for the trouble you are going through, but as they say, “Bo Ol Tem Problem Fo Dae.”? It seems that trouble has become a constant in your administration. Yet, instead of confronting it head-on, you choose to surround yourself with individuals who add to the chaos rather than resolve it.
Let’s talk about your appointees, Mr. President. The very individuals you have entrusted to set a positive precedent for the youth, like Amadu Bah, aka LAJ, Peace Ambassador, and Dennis Turay, aka Kao D Nero are failing miserably. These are the individuals who should be promoting peace, yet they perpetuate violence and division. Why, Mr. President, do you allow this nonsense to continue without so much as raising a finger?
What really is your problem, Mr. President? It’s as if you appoint people and then forget they exist, or worse, you allow them to act with impunity. Every day, the news is filled with stories of incompetence, corruption, and scandal. Are you happy with this state of affairs? Are you proud of what your administration has become? If not, what is stopping you from doing a mass clear-out of those who are clearly unfit for purpose?
Now, let’s address the scandal involving our embassy car being used for drug dealings. This is not just an embarrassment; it is a crisis that tarnishes Sierra Leone’s reputation on the global stage. Mr. President, I sincerely hope our diplomats in Guinea are not involved. I pray that this is the work of unscrupulous individuals unaffiliated with our embassy. However, if it turns out that our diplomats are complicit, then, Mr. President, we have reached our Waterloo.
The fallout from such an event would be catastrophic. Like the Ebola crisis, this scandal could lead to Sierra Leoneans being treated like criminals wherever they go. The trust and goodwill of the international community are hard to earn but easily lost. If our diplomats are involved, it will haunt us for years to come.
Mr. President, there are still people in Sierra Leone who are trustworthy and capable of serving the nation with integrity. Yet, you continue to reward incompetence and mediocrity. Why, Mr. President? Why do you compensate individuals who do not deserve it while ignoring those who could make a real difference?
The people of Sierra Leone deserve better. They deserve leaders who prioritize their welfare and uphold the nation’s dignity. They deserve a government that takes swift and decisive action in times of crisis. Unfortunately, your administration has been characterized by inaction and misplaced priorities.
Mr. President, every decision you make has a ripple effect. When you prioritize a trip to Edinburgh over addressing a national scandal, it sends a message that your focus is elsewhere. When you fail to hold your appointees accountable, it breeds a culture of impunity. When you ignore the voices of the people, it erodes their trust in government.
The issues we face as a nation are not insurmountable. However, they require leadership that is willing to make tough decisions and put the country’s interests above personal or political gain. Mr. President, are you that leader? Or will you continue to allow the same cycle of mismanagement and corruption to persist?
Mr. President, I am pleading with you to take a hard look at your administration and the direction in which our country is headed. It is not too late to turn things around. Start by addressing the immediate crisis, the embassy car scandal. Ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted and hold those responsible accountable, regardless of their position or connections.
Next, reassess your appointees. Remove those who have proven to be liabilities and replace them with individuals who are competent and committed to serving the nation. Leadership is not about loyalty to individuals; it is about loyalty to the people and the principles of good governance.
Mr. President, prioritize the needs of Sierra Leoneans over international appearances. While diplomacy and foreign relations are important, they should not come at the expense of addressing pressing domestic issues. The people of Sierra Leone need to see that their leader is present, engaged, and dedicated to their well-being.
Mr. President, the challenges we face as a nation are many, but they are not beyond our capacity to overcome. What we need is leadership that is willing to confront these challenges head-on, make tough decisions, and prioritize the welfare of the people above all else.
I hope you take these words to heart, Mr. President. The future of Sierra Leone depends on it.
