12 February 2008

Abu Bakarr S. Tatawally, Freetown

The Growing Fortune of Time

“Never take the guarantee of time in using an opportunity because it takes just a rotation for a change of system,” the fact of this saying is just as true today. While at the same time one should say hey when it is shining and that every purpose is a reality of the philosophy that man does not need to be wasteful. It is all enshrined to teaching a didactic lesson that to lean on time is something dangerous. This is what has been the result with our African politicians that they chose to hang on power too much for their political expediency. They have many scores to settle within a limited timeframe, and their table of preference never equals the provision of time thus reaching the destination of their plans yet proving cumbersome. There is a hollow in succeeding their immediate plan of leadership and governance, the fulfillment of promises to political allies and recounting the political challenges to opposing political figures, forgetting the fact that there is not enough time to lay wrath on each other.

A Sierra Leone case study is backward in development standards because we tend to misuse time. There is this political history recalling what party A did in the 70s, in the case whereby party B succeeds in gaining power would like to use the precious time of power to relate sentiment on either side, thereby leaving the many promises unfulfilled. The growing fortune of time comes and passes by until in the eleventh hour you realize it, it is another moment for the political contest, yet another period of promises.

This has resulted in not tackling the country’s numerous problems for which the country still enjoys a steady backward status. Going into yesterdays crime to blame some crop of individuals for mischief takes a lot of time, as the previous campaign slogans pointed to the area of liberty for the future prospect of the citizenry, the leadership should by now have nothing on its focus but Liberation. It goes beyond the margin to define liberty; Sierra Leone is rising from the ashes of the civil war cataclysm, deficient of many values most needed by the masses. The anticipation of change much being trumpeted in the public perception of fast improving economic recovery, improved life standard by means that every citizen can afford a three times a day balanced diet and improved life social amenities for the healthy livelihood of the citizens. In fact the high hopes of the average Sierra Leonean is that the change that is much anticipated is a change that should deliver safety laurels for the acquisition of enough food, solving the employment problems which has been a crisis, but failing to meet these immediate standards can reflect a sad emotion in the hearts of the gullible masses and yet we continue to have reports that Sierra Leoneans are starving.

We have Sierra Leoneans dwelling in poverty and squalor with no ray of hope for future prosperity. That signals something alarming. I am afraid, for there is not enough time left to meet our 2012 development target under the new dispensation.

The government might have had good plans for the development of the country but a point to note is that the average Sierra Leonean’s definition of development, is a bit different from the elite concept of definition; therefore if one should live by example, the past regime was defamed for failing to comply with the average mans definition of development. One thing we should know is that Sierra Leoneans, especially the young ones, haven’t got the courage to wait. They want everything to happen with a magic wand. Even though one might argue in defense of the government that they are young in the business of governance, determinations for development is not seen within those that are holding the responsibility.

The other area is this political vindictiveness; it is too early for the APC to start vindictive politics. It will not work. Sierra Leoneans have gone through very hard times and that has made most of us fearless of violence, especially when it comes to protecting our rights. Some political allies are alleged to have been showing muscle on their opponents in order to make them silent. Sierra Leoneans should ever beware that the love of power and its protection is sweet for a period of time but only lasts for a particular time. The message here in this piece is aimed at saying that procrastination of time is detrimental to human development and one must not use power to intimidate his opponent, likewise those who use a fist to vent out anger must have been weak and impotent of ideas. Sustain democracy. Lonta!

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