The Conference on Development and Transformation has kicked off with a bang as award winning poet and playwright, Professor Syl Cheney Coker delivered the pre conference lecture in which he urged Sierra Leoneans saying “we should take control of not only mining and development policy, but also of our history.”
The prolific Sierra Leonean born Writer of over 40 years experience gave an expansive and humourous background of the country raising the question whether Pedro Da Sintra had drunk a lot of wine or had been looking at the beautiful women when he gave the name Sera Lyoa.
He aptly catalogued the journey the country had taken right through independence and the last twelve years.
Syl Cheney Coker maintained that as the country moves towards transformation it is very important that Sierra Leoneans redefine themselves as Africans in that spirit where peace and rule of law is respected and that the people should emphasize that their history is a sacred duty “we must incline to as we map our way towards development.”
He further proposed a rational national dialogue which is based on ideas, and platitudes are replaced by practical ideas. He added that it is the time to make use of our talents to manifest the success and intent of national development.
If we wish to make the country great he went on, political parties should be less volatile, teachers are to be deeply respected and well paid as the country cannot boast of good teachers without making provisions for them.
He called on all Sierra Leoneans that as we have one common means of communication which is the krio it is seen as “our pillar of strength as ‘we all na wan’.”
The chairman of the pre-launching ceremony Professor Gbamanja said that the conference is timely as the country will channel its way forward for its development. He noted that the education sector has first started it long ago with a tertiary conference in Makeni, – an international conference on education and development where a communiqué was signed.
He added that the educational sector has set the pace and it is now left with the economists to map the way since the conference is based on the economy.
The Chairman further highlighted the successes of the government which includes that of road construction, electricity, water, Free Heath Care Initiative, Agriculture and business.
The full text of Professor Syl Cheney Coker will be published in subsequent editions.
By Betty Milton
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