Rejection of the notion that “all’s fair in love and war” was put in me during my upbringing and reinforced by schooling, military training and the countless moments of horror in front of the television, listening to the radios or starring into newspapers. So I look with sadness at the reality that ends continue to be deliberately or subconsciously used to justify dastardly ways and means of people with lofty ideas of themselves and their causes.

The desire to prevail, to be the most advantaged, or to keep all the spoils often precludes consideration of costs or consequences in pursuits that push some close to the basic instincts that drive the animals. There has been little or no learning from the many historical and contemporary examples that point to the desperate need for us to look beyond short term tactical gains to see the more enduring strategic outcomes.

In 21 days, exactly three weeks, Sierra Leoneans will queue to pass judgement on their leaders and indicate preferences for the future. They could on 7th March decide to “carry on regardless”, go for the “come what may” option, decide it’s “time for change” or go for any of the other thirteen options. There is a simple message that reminds them of how much or how little there is to show for the cumulative 51 years two of the options before them have shared custodianship of their collective aspirations. It would be even simpler if the decision they make is all they have to live with. Alas, the environment, climate and manner of the decision-making process will counts too and could even impact on the potential of the choice they make to deliver the on the hopes they have.

Whatever remains or changes after the votes are counted, there will be the assured constant that Sierra Leoneans will still only have the one country in which to live and work with each other. Being the adversarial game that it is, democracy sucks us all in and dump us on different parts of a spectrum that starts with utter apathy at one end through to being waist deep in some of its ugliness at the other. However, as President Bill Clinton told us, “democracy does not have to be a blood sport; it can be an honourable enterprise that advances the public interest”. So, where is the advancement of public interest in the no holds barred pursuit of dominance? Where is the public interest in deliberate untruths, character assassinations and the totally unhelpful misrepresentations that deliberately seek to sow mistrust among people who, after the dust has settled, must live and work together?

For me, being human is that we conduct adversarial activities and even outright hostilities with firm nods to the fact that we are supposed to be better than the other creatures we supposedly were given dominion over by God in his wisdom. We enter boxing rings to knock each other out within accepted rules. We go to battlefields to kill each other under rules that have “humanity” written all over them. Paradoxically, the political arena from which we get most of the people who set, refine and protect the standards that define us as ‘superior’ beings is the very same place that often reveals how low we can get.

Nobody knows what the outcome of Sierra Leones Decides 2018 will be and we all have an absolute right to favour, support and promote whichever persons or sides for whatever reasons we choose. However, feeding mistrust or fermenting hate between people who will still have to be neighbours, colleagues and compatriots after the event cannot be a right. It is wicked and it is especially nasty when done by those with the means, ability or circumstance to extract or exclude themselves from any fallout.

Let those who truly feel for their country and compatriots resist being sucked into dangerous games by the “down pressers” who “would do anything to materialise their every wish”. (RNM, ‘Guiltiness’). As for me, while “I throw me corn, me no call no fowl”… but “who the cap fit…”.

© Othame Kabia