“Open your eyes and look within. Are you satisfied with the life your living?” So sings Bob Marley (‘Exodus’) in thoughts of that movement of people to a supposedly better existence. He followed that with from the song: “we know where we’re going; we know where we’re from”.

When Sierra Leoneans nine weeks from today have their polling booth moments on their collective journey, will they do so with eyes on the journey their country has travelled and the path they hope it will take?
A little less than three years ago, with many minds still focussed on defeating that nasty epidemic, there were shenanigans in Sierra Leone that concluded with the removal from office of the country’s Vice President. The debates about the legality or constitutionality of the events of February and March 2015 drag on and I will for now draw attention to what I saw as the significant revelation as a new vice president was appointed.

After a man with a record that only huge doses of sycophancy can make palatable was sworn in, there was an acceptance speech that told of loyalty to the party, loyalty to the president, loyalty of a previous holder of the job to the then boss, and of his appointment being reward for service to party. He even encouraged others to serve the party well so they too could be similarly rewarded. There was no mention of Sierra Leone or service to country. It was all about the party.

Fast forward to more recent processes and palavers in the main opposition party with many of its members telling us how bad for the country the man they now want to sell as the best thing since sliced bread will be. Nauseating praises that spectacularly contradict what they said very loudly and clearly not long ago can now be heard everywhere. While some have had courage of sorts to admit it is “party first” for them, others are engaged in spinning exercises that frightfully reveal the fragility of integrity.

The narratives above tell of fixations with party that give little chance to deliberate and determined efforts to getting the best for country. The open and unashamed “party first” postures of some of the presidential candidates and their allies actually render irrelevant discussions or questions about fitness for the presidency. Their fights are about and for their cabals and they have skilfully captured and dragged minds into partisan traps that enhance electoral prospects.

There is a cry in ‘Exodus’ to “set the captives free” but Fela Kuti (in ‘Colonial Mentality’) alludes to the problem with captured minds when he says “den don release you now but you never release yourself” (they have liberated you but you haven’t liberated yourself). Marley thinks the same in ‘Redemption Song’ with “none but ourselves can free our minds”. And only then will the people clearly see where they have come from and properly think through where they wish to go.