Umaru Fofanah, a well-known journalist, has recently reflected on the tragic mudslide that struck Sierra Leone on August 14, 2017.

Fofanah described Sierra Leone as a nation where people forget things they should remember and remember things they should forget.

He vividly recalled the events of August 14, 2017, when a part of Mount Sugarloaf collapsed due to intense and sustained rainfall, causing trees and boulders to cascade down the mountain. The disaster claimed the lives of over 1,000 people in just two minutes, with the rolling debris engulfing a canal and dragging more victims into the ocean.

Fofanah expressed concern that the victims of the mudslide have been forgotten, and the causes of the calamity have been disregarded. He highlighted the ongoing dangers and emphasized the need for immediate changes to prevent such disasters from happening again.

He also criticized the lack of environmental regulation, with the authorities allowing uncontrolled deforestation for the construction of mansions, while the poor are left vulnerable in disaster-prone areas.

Fofanah shared a heartbreaking story of a survivor, Daniel Koroma, who lost his mother and left leg in the mudslide. His father, Maligie, struggled to cope with the trauma and became violent, leading to legal troubles and family upheaval. Daniel now lives in a vulnerable area, hoping for support from World Hope International for his education, which is uncertain.

Fofanah lamented the tendency in Sierra Leone for national tragedies to be forgotten quickly, overshadowed by political disputes and vendettas. He criticized both the public and the authorities for turning a blind eye to critical issues, leading to a vicious cycle of ignorance and inaction.