Sierra Leonean often start gatherings using the wisdoms and experiences of the old, the powerful and the religious to set the scene for deliberations and help steer proceedings.

In eight weeks there will be a dispersed gathering of Sierra Leoneans. It will be decision day – a ‘D-Day’ of sorts – and the gathering will be spread across the length and breadth of the country and concentrated at polling stations. This dispersed gathering will include private assessments and actions following many months of very public discussions on the direction the country should take and who should lead on that.

At this point, let me introduce two wisdoms I suspect many hope will shape the collective consciousness on 7th March 2018. While the origin is disputed, there cannot be much arguing with the notion that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Also difficult to refute is the thinking that “in the abundance of water the fool is thirsty”.

So, will Sierra Leoneans in 56 days look back on a 56 year narrative that tells of how the consistent failure has been enabled by doing the same thing over and over again in terms of the leaders they have chosen? Will their reflections lead to conclusions that the tragic failure to realise the country’s potential is tantamount to fools being thirsty in the abundance of water?

A Sierra Leonean joke tells of a man’s response to what he perceives as confusion between his state of mind and his intelligence. He proudly announces – “I am crazy but not stupid”. My deeply held hope is that in eight weeks there will be confirmation that Sierra Leoneans as a people are neither crazy nor stupid.

© Othame Kabia