Once there was a dangerous wolf who threatens to eat a dog which he caught in one of his hunting expeditions.
The dog cunningly convinced the wolf not to eat him because he’s too skinny and needs to eat some food in order to get fat enough to be a good meal.
The wolf believed the dog and let the dog continue eating while he promised to come back.
When the wolf returned, the dog had already escaped.
The wolf became very angry with what the dog had done to him and promised to kill him at first sight anytime he set eyes on him.
The clever dog took an oath that, he will never come anywhere closer to the wolf anymore in his entire lifetime.
Hence the saying; once bitten, twice shy.
Bad experience causes one to believe that extra caution is needed when you’re frightened to do something again because you had an unfriendly experience with the past.
Chief Sam Sumana had been bitten once by the APC party but had he learnt anything from the saying: once bitten, twice shy?
Political pundits have expressed doubts whether Chief Sam Sumana’s “return” to the APC was a general consensus within the top echelons of the party or it was a single-handed operation orchestrated by former president Ernest Koroma.
It could be recalled that, when Chief Sam Sumana was expelled from both the party and subsequently as Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, he went to Ghana for a very long period for reasons best known to himself.
It was disclosed that former president Koroma paid him a visit at his residence in Ghana where it is understood both former bitter enemies became friends.
Not surprisingly, when Chief Sam Sumana returned from Ghana he went straight to see his “Comaneh/ Biankeh in Makeni.
That singular move angered not only the ruling SLPP who were expecting him to have pitched tent with them, but also some senior members of the APC party especially those who played active role in the “coup plot” to expel him from the party.
Some of them came out openly accusing former president Ernest Koroma of betrayal to the highest degree. They said, he didn’t inform them about his intentions of making peace with Chief Sam Sumana and they’re afraid of retaliation if he return to the party.
The dark cloud surrounding the meeting between the former foes now friends, is what exactly did the two men agreed upon which made Sam to have so much confidence in Ernest Koroma this time around believing that he will not let him down for the second time.
Hence the saying; once bitten, twice shy.
Political commentators have expressed dismay with the latest press release from the APC party on the agenda of the pending national delegates conference scheduled to take place in Makeni, from 17 to 19 September, 2021.
In that release, the issue of membership was conspicuously missing out. This is in complete violation of the Court Orders which stated two important issues; the adoption of the constitution and to resolve all outstanding membership issue.
Sadly though, only the issue dealing with the constitution was mentioned in the press release and nothing about membership.
However, as all roads leading to Makeni are now widely opened, commentators are watching with keen interest whether the reinstatement issue of Chief Sam Sumana will come up at the last minute as leaks coming out from The Office of Former President Ernest Koroma reveals.