Certain words recently ascribed to an opposition flagbearer aspirant or hopeful denigrating Mendes necessitated this write up. Regardless of the content of the alleged statement or whether it was even uttered or not, the people of Sierra Leone are here being called upon to not only disassociate themselves from any politician preaching the tribal card, but to expose them Now more than ever, Sierra Leone is in serious need of her entire population complement. Today, we should start seeing ourselves as we have always been different tribes belonging to one nation. Now, the interests of thit nation should and must supersede those of the tribe.

It was Africa’s own super Rasta man, the late Lucky Dube, who in his song Different Colours, One People” called out governments and politicians for trying to separate the people. The late Rastafarian preacher long saw them in South Africa what we have been experiencing here in Sierra Leone, the use of race, tribe, religion, region and party to keep people apart and thereby limiting the country’s true potential economic, political, academic, athletics, etc.

It is common talk among political scientists that politicians or parties lacking sound policies are prone to employ the tribal card, which they see its a common unifier against their opponents, who are also citizens of this country, albeit from other tribes. Instead of focusing on what a tribe is known or not known for, what are your plans for the nation? What is your track-recard so far? This is what should matter going forward not words that will further divide us.

From this day to eternity, the people of Sierra Leone should not allow or encourage politicians or ruling party governments talking down other tribes and regions in Sierra Leone. The nation is way bigger than the tribe and her interests much more; so when a politician, party or government wants to take their focus off the bigger picture, which is the nation, then we need to remind them that no matter what, we are one people from different tribes belonging to one nation.

We should remind them that we want to hear their plans for developing the nation district, constituency, ward or council, instead of denigrating our fellow citizens based on stereotypes. We also want to hear how they failed to perform to expectations, not using our fellow citizens as scapegoats. We shouldn’t allow politicians and governments to separate us. At the end of the day when the dust settles, they will be gone to their homes and communities and we will be left with our neighbours to settle our differences. As a party, the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC), and indeed all political parties, are made up of all tribes. Trying to tie the party down to one tribe first of all alienates citizens belonging to other tribes in the party. The talent and qualifications and other abilities of these individuals will not be exploited for the benefit of the entire nation. As institutions that wholly depend on grassroots support, the opposition parties should be reminded that the grassroots is made up of members of all tribes.

When the opposition takes power next year, we hope that they will be doing so in the interest of the nation, not their tribe or region or party. In this regard, parties should be about numbers, as numbers win elections. One
tribe connot win a national electiong leader needs all the tribes behind him or her for success (Sarcoh Lewis)

A long-time friend and political commentator.reminded this medium that the former APC cabinet had 40% south-easterners in government ministries, department and agencies (MDA) including 80% of the Permanent Secretaries, this for a party whose strongholds are in the North.

Today the nation state of Siera Leone needs all hands on deck for her total emancipation from corruption and all other national development killers. Blessed with a tribal complement that meets her needs, Sierra Leone for the longest time has been the case of her own problems not by her poor handling of the economy, but’s qualified citizens from key positions of Trust in government all because they are the not from the two Big two tribes, Mendes and Temne.

Maybe this will come as a newsflash to many, we are neither Mendes n Temnes we are all Sierra Leoneans.This is indeed something we should have learned from Rwanda where they no longer refer to themselves as Hutus or Tutsis as per law. Everyone is now Rwandan. While our tribes are very important to our upbringing, gone should be the days when nonperforming politicians, parties, and governments cleverly avoid talking about their governance failures or what we expect them to do for the state to instead focus on what that party, that tribe or region did or didn’t do that should justify them not performing.