Lecture delivered Monday Jan. 30th at the Pre. Lunching of
Transformation and development Conference at Miatta Conference hall
Speaking of Human Rights, a lot has been said about our lack of patriotism and self-esteem. All too often, it was always with a deep sense of anger that I and many others have watched as some Sierra Leoneans allowed themselves to be treated badly by non-Sierra Leoneans. While we were quick to resort to internecine violence, we were always worshipful of others, so that the expression: Sa Lone people den lek tranger pass damsel, oh became not a by word for our generosity, but an admission that anyone could come here and be treated better than the average Sierra Leonean.
But we are better than that; we are not a subservient people, and others should not confuse our generosity with a lack of self-esteem. We had, and must emphasize our history, be proud of our heritage, our collective sensibilities regarding the future. It is a sacred duty we must incline to, as we map out new strategies for our development.
There were many Sierra Leonean who very proudly represented that spirit of Sankore that I mentioned earlier: people like Talabi Lucan, John Akar, and Tamba Mbriwa. One aspect of their African personality that I always liked was that they were very proud Sierra Leoneans. In the early days of our independence, few were the Sierra Leoneans who would be caught dead or alive wearing a gara shirt to their offices, to official functions or to church. In the course of my research for this lecture, I came upon this gem:
In 1888, one year after the century of the founding of the colony, African consciousness hit Freetown. People started to use, or adopt African names such as Tuboku-Metzger, Orishertikeh, Faduma and Africanus. A Dress Reform society was also formed to promote the wearing of loose robes more suited to the climate. It never caught on’ (2)
We preferred a suit and a tie, until very recently. But there was John Akar, for one, always wearing a gara shirt: a tall, proud man, with a playful and seductive wink in his eyes. There was an undeniable sense of dignity about how he felt.
At a subterranean level, there was even, and still is, a form of colour prejudice in some sections of our society, as there is in nearly all ex-colonies. Something that the great Martiniquan poet Aime Cesaire referred to, when he said:
‘I am talking about a people who have been skilfully injected with the vaccine of their own inferiority complex’.
One of the songs that I heard recently, after I came home for the first time in five years was by Emerson, about the preference of some men and women for a light skin. The verse that clearly struck a cord iin me went like this:
Udat born malatta nor go eat arata’
As you can see, quite clearly, I am a very dark-skinned man and very proud of it. And although I admit to being a cultural mulatto, in Leopold Sedar Senghor’s definition of himself, because of a cosmopolitan taste in music, literature, women, cuisine, etc. Etc. I have had to rely on my pen to earn a living; not because ah born malatta pikin.
Mr. President, esteemed ladies and gentlemen, no nation can have a development strategy when some of its citizens are not proud of their heritage and continue to see themselves in other people’s mirrors. Our development will continue to be stymied if we continue to import food items we can easily produce here: Irish potatoes, onions, rice, etc. As any good health food specialist knows, brown sugar is much better for our health than the tons of white sugar we continue to import; brown rice is far superior to its white variety. Mr. President, as you yourself said, not too long ago, with good access to the rest of the country, not only can Koinadugu produce all kinds of food items, it can feed the entire country; it can help us to change our attitude to our own well-being. I strongly believe this is a serious concern that the so-called office for attitudinal change should address, alongside many other concerns.
As we are all aware, recent developments in technology around the world have made it almost impossible for any country to be considered backward or isolated. As I said earlier on, the age of the internet with tools such as the email, twitter, texting and face book has opened up unimaginable possibilities for communications and transformation.
Today, a farmer in the most remote corner of, say, Binkolo, has the same chance to communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world, as his counterpart in Kenya. Radio and television continue to reach people in far flung places, as long as there is electricity for them to gather in front of a set in the evening.
ADVERTISEMENT