The books, lectures and experiences have informed me of leadership that inspired teams, organisations, communities and countries to up their games. I have learnt of, seen, felt and even suffered failures of leadership.

As the people of Sierra Leone look to choose the next leadership of a country that, as put by a friend, “is too rich to be so poor and too poor for its leaders to be so rich”, there have been criticisms and abuse thrown at people who have referred to one of the candidates for the presidency as a/the “messiah”.

So, do I believe there is a messiah among the sixteen candidates? Absolutely not!!! However, as I have never had the inclination to just dismiss the thinking and actions of others, here’s how it’s going to be with me.

Rather than attack people for proclaiming or hoping for a messiah, I will focus on why they cry out to be saved. I will even hold on to the simple assumption that only the masochists amongst us will ask to be rescued from paradise.

As Bob Marley says in ‘Running Away’ – “who feels it knows it…”

© Othame Kabia