Peep Sierra Leone

Christopher Koker

With the plethora of criticisms, some realistic and others unrealistic, some constructive and some destructive, again, there are those that are objective, while you have the unobjective ones, governance, like leadership, should be seen to be a constructive mechanism to serve the guardian and the welfare course of the state.

There is therefore no doubt, that with barely 26 months in office, President Ernest Bai Koroma has proved himself a worthy or deserving leader of Sierra Leone, not only of the All People’s Congress (APC) party.

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When president Koroma, despite human feelings, was leader of the APC party then in Opposition from 2002 - 2007, he is reputed to have acquitted himself on the floor of Parliament when it came to debates with extreme decorum, decency and competence; and was even regarded from that moment, as one of Sierra Leone’s most articulate Opposition Leaders, second only to the late Siaka Stevens, for his able ability and political sagacity.

In short, even from his days as leader of the APC party in Opposition, Ernest Bai Koroma was already fast becoming a future leader of Sierra Leone, which ever way we may look at it: debate wise, credibility wise, on grounds of personal merit and experience.

That an earnest and fervent call to grant him the chance to do a second term in office on a respectable premise is an advocacy this author advocates.

President Koroma’s humility, tranquility, credibility and integrity are indeed virtues that are worthy of emulation for elevation.

His campaign on a platform for change will only see the light of day when firstly and fore mostly, his Cabinet Ministers are seen in both their Attitude and Behaviour to trim their sails to the wind of their boss; the president.

Three months - September ending to December, 2007, true to his pre-election campaign promise, Freetown, the nation’s capital, that had been almost in permanent darkness prior to President Koroma’s assumption of the office of the presidency had light restored.

And today, Friday 6 November, 2009, President Koroma will be commissioning Phase 1 of the Bumbuna Hydroelectric Plant to generate 50 (fifty) Megawatts capacity for a start.

Indeed, the process of development is never an easy one, which is all the more reason why president Ernest Bai Koroma should be patiently observed and allowed time to do the job  he has committed himself to doing.

After 18 (eighteen) months in office, he reshuffled his cabinet that saw 4 (four) ministers heads roll: i.e. the Cabinet Reshuffle of Thursday March 5, 2009; a few were moved to other Ministries even when they had performed very, badly in the Ministries from which they were removed.

That President Koroma is properly focused and could be seen to have a very strong desire to move this country forward in real human progress and not just in political deeds of words, only in false and foul propaganda is clear and transparent; that his courage, vision and commitment, his desire, drive and will-power, his hard work, responsibility mindedness and sincerity to make Sierra Leone a country for Sierra Leoneans to be very proud of is equally obvious.

Born in 1953, to Mr. Sylvanus Koroma and Mrs. Alice Koroma, both of whom were teachers, Ernest Bai Koroma attended the Rogbaneh Primary School in Makeni, and subsequently the Government Secondary School for Boys at Magburaka and Fourah Bay College, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in the mid 1970s.

He briefly taught at the St. Francis Secondary School in Makeni, and attempted the 1977 general elections to the Parliament of Sierra Leone, but later withdrew because he was convinced that there was time ahead.

President Koroma left the classroom to take up employment with the National Insurance Company (N.I.C), just to later switch over to the Reliance Insurance Trust Corporation, (RITCORP), where he rose to the position of Managing Director in less than 2 (two) years.

He subsequently became President of the West African Insurance Association, and in the year 2002, Ernest Bai Koroma was adopted by the APC as the presidential flag bearer or candidate, in that year’s presidential and parliamentary elections on the district Proportional Representation Pattern (PR), which saw him in Parliament as the Leader of the APC party in opposition.

President Koroma should be admonished or warned that one fundamental recipe for a leader’s downfall is when he is seen and known to maintain and sustain sacred cows in his cabinet as ministers.

There should be ‘No Sacred Cow’ or no Cabinet Minister must regard himself or herself as being untouchable.

The Chief Executive should be advised to continue to stay focused.

Anyhow, and in anyway, but for a few exceptional mistakes, president Ernest Bai Koroma continues to have and enjoy this nation’s venerable love and respect yet again.

For the purposes of emphasis, president Ernest Bai Koroma should again be advised and reminded that maintaining and sustaining ‘Sacred Cows’ in his government is indeed a Measure Prolific of Much Misery for him, and only, for him.

Any attempt by the Chief Executive, to protect, oversight and ignore the failures, shortcomings, abuses and excuses of any Cabinet Minister in his government, any Chairman or Board Member of any Parastatal, or any person/persons placed in any position of public service, owing to cronyism, because they are his cronies, is verily going to earn and muster for him massive unpopularity, like some previous Sierra Leonean leaders... who in their persistent, consistent and  dogmatism, had been forced to retire from that esteemed and sacred Public Office, ingloriously.

For when over the affairs of a nation, any individual is elected and installed as president, his protestations or utterances, attitude, behaviour, especially in Deeds, must be circumscribed within a degree appropriate to that responsibility and charge.

Having meticulously studied him since his assumption of office on Monday, 17 September, 2007, to the time of writing this piece, as a very critical journalist, I have evidence conclusive enough to substantiate the fact that President Ernest Bai Koroma is indeed acquitting himself with honour, dignity and competence, to say the least.

It would be rather prudent for politically myopic monoticians, or political confusionists to understand and know that any subterranean or under the ground activities that have for their purpose undermining Good Governance are not only a measure prolific of much misery, but also an act harbouring lawlessness and sinfulness.

The Law hates this unpatriotic act, and does not encourage it at any level or angle, so help President Ernest Bai Koroma, Oh Jehovah God!