By Richmond B. Tholley
In the heart of Sierra Leone, a nation that has known its share of struggle and resilience, something painful happened during the heated 2023 national elections. The very bonds that held our communities together were tested, stretched, and, in some cases, broken. And it was the young people who were handed the hammer.
During the election season, promises flowed like water. Youths were fed to the brim. Shelter was provided. Salaries were handed out. Shiny motorbikes were given to team leaders. It all came with one condition: fight the opponents. The bitter irony? Those “opponents” were not distant strangers. They were neighbours, colleagues, and friends. The same people you grew up with, shared laughter with, and borrowed salt from. In the heat of the moment, the simple, sacred command to “love your neighbour as you love yourself” was forgotten.
In the name of politics, properties were destroyed, and innocent lives were lost. Even innocent animals, who know nothing of party symbols or rallies, suffered. We were used not as citizens but as tools. The politicians who sponsored the chaos and turned us against each other have abandoned us. They have moved on, leaving us to pick up the pieces.
Now, the rallies are a distant echo. The posters have faded. It has been two long years since June 2023. Let us ask ourselves the real questions, youths of Sierra Leone: Are those politicians who sponsored the chaos and turned you against your brother, still picking up your calls? Are they still feeding you? Providing that shelter? Paying that salary? Is your team leader’s motorbike still running, and who pays for the fuel? Are you financially stable today, or are you now begging from the same neighbours you were taught to see as enemies? Have they given you the jobs they promised? Look at your hands – are they building, or are they idle?
Now, ask your heart: Was your mother proud of your actions during those violent days? What about your close, productive friends – are they still talking to you? Are you, in the quiet of the night, truly proud of what you did? For most, the answer is a heavy, resounding NO.
So, here comes the pivotal question: Will you let them use you again in 2028? Sierra Leone is a nation with immense potential, but we can only realise it if we stop being selfish. Our strength is not in fighting each other, but in working for the general good.
Let’s have a clear proposal. There are two dominant parties in Sierra Leone. Why don’t we, as a nation, do something revolutionary? Let us send our unified representatives to both parties. Let us draft a National Development Agenda – a concrete plan for our schools, our clinics, our roads, our water, our electricity. We make this agenda the only price for our support. Whichever party wins, they must work on this agenda.
This way, no matter the changes in government, Sierra Leone will never be left behind. Look around. Our country is still lacking basic amenities. The real struggle isn’t APC vs. SLPP. The real struggle is progress vs. stagnation. Our work now is not for a politician’s victory; it is for Sierra Leone’s victory.
Let this reflection be our turning point. Let our regret fuel a new purpose. Let us heal the rifts with our neighbours, for they were victims just like us. Let us build a nation where our youth are valued as builders, not as fighters; as future leaders, not as political thugs.
This is no longer about you. It is for Sierra Leone, our beloved nation. Our home. Our future. Let’s build it together.
