Much has been said recently about who we are, where we come from and even who is seen as really belonging. In the mix were insults, rejections, anger and confusion as emotions competed for space with rationale.

What the USA President allegedly said about certain countries got blood boiling and even the African Union got uncharacteristically noisy. Well, on Trump’s inability to show respect let’s remind ourselves that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. With the African Union, it seems a toothless bulldog was trying out some dentures. Anyway, most of my mental energy was elsewhere.

Sierra Leone decides in 49 days. Look back on my life and you’ll learn that 49 years ago my family left Saudi Arabia for Sierra Leone. The move was rationalised to an older me by Dad as coming out of his desires to give back to his country and make sure we knew our people.
I remember a country largely free of the issues that now keep most of its people up at night. There was clean safe water, reliable electricity, medical services that treated and cured, schools and colleges taught good stuff, order everywhere, and so on and so forth. However, things were happening then that the wiser me now recognises as the transition to what prevails now.

The contemptuous arrogance of politicians and their cronies, misuse of the judiciary, downgrading of education and health from rights to privileges, and the ideological, philosophically, economically, morally and spiritually bankrupting of the nation were all going on in ways I suspect would be difficult to better even if you paid someone carry them out. The scary reality is that the natural successors to those who did all of that are now in charge and frequently remind us of the resilience of DNA. There are also others who passed on opportunities to significantly and positively put the country on the different axis after lofty promises to do so and blood spilling in the name of that.

So, with seven weeks to decision day I see old dogs lining up. Some claiming they have been chosen to continue with the old tricks, some telling unrecognisable versions of their previous tricks, and some just wanting to perform without saying or knowing what tricks they have. Meantime, rational talk of tricks that involve joined up dots and promise difference are dismissed by the old dogs that cannot even see the need for change.

I processed Trump’s insult through Eleanor Roosevelt’s wisdom that “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent”. I also observed reactions with a nod to Marley’s thinking that “some people feel the rain; others just get wet” because obvious to me is that many heard the ‘what’ but didn’t process the ‘how’ and ‘why’.

In seven weeks, there will be opportunity to give Sierra Leone the chance of an axis that promises to change its fortunes and how it is looked at. The people could decide they no longer wish to be disrespected by refusing permission for that. Those unable or refusing to see the path to current tribulations and respect issues are failing to “feel the rain”.

I will go on barking till all hear, but only because I fear the madness of inaction.

© Othame Kabia