Sierra Leone: View Point - Nation's Neo-Colonial Heritage
John Momoh
27 June 2011
Freetown — Sierra Leone marked 50 years of independence from British
colonial rule amidst the usual pomp and pageantry befitting any golden
jubilee on the 27th April, 2011. The point of discussion however is
that not only the lavish spending which poses a burden on the national
coffers is regarded by certain critics as a show-off, but other issues
such as very few development gains to boast of and the marked absence
of homage to pre-independence agitators for freedom, which include Bai
Bureh- who waged the Hut Tax rebellion, and ITA Wallace Johnson,
Edward Wilmot Blyden to name a few whose efforts culminated into the
granting of independence, were not mentioned in President Ernest Bai
Koroma's independence golden jubilee anniversary message.
This is indeed a point of contention, as the saying goes, if there is
no past, there will be no present and no future. Every aspect of human
endeavour or activity is being replayed today because the stage had
been set by past events. What this writer is indicating is that the
past, the present and the future are an inseparable organic whole. We
must however bear in mind that too much attachment to colonial values
can sometimes create a situation of marginalization by the current
trend of modern values and similarly too much attachment to
traditionalism can do likewise.
This is why it is a matter that is subject to controversy for anyone
to categorically state that 'Sierra Leone's rulers celebrated 50 years
of neo-colonialism, poverty and backwardness'. What has stultified the
progress and development of this country over the past decades and
probably even before are the twin forces of corruption and poverty,
something the government of Sierra Leone - be they APC or SLPP - has
just begun addressing with seriousness and dedication in collaboration
with the international community during the past twenty years. To
address chronic backwardness and poverty in a situation of desperation
wherein the average Sierra Leonean continues to survive on a budget of
less than one dollar a day, the Sierra Leone Government had since the
rebel war when the international community came in to join forces with
government to ensure that every Sierra Leonean lives comfortably, and
to address the issue of this country being at the tail-end of
benchmarks for development according to international standards set by
the UNDP's Annual Human Development Index, Transparency International,
which monitors corruption at the global level, government had had to
re-introduce new dynamics to ensure democratic values, such as
increasing the level of financial accountability and transparency in
government, improving on efforts to attract investors, health and
sanitation, educational arena, job creation among others.
This means that over the past 50 years successive governments have not
been closing eyes on the existence of corruption and the need to fight
poverty with vigour. Thus it is an error to equate corruption in
Sierra Leone to neo-colonialism as corruption and poverty had always
subsisted in this country even before the colonial era. In my opinion,
neo-colonialism is at work when a group of the educated elite strive
to imbibe and perpetuate the values of colonialism at the expense of
the vast majority of society.
It is true that since independence in 1961 to now, a major hallmark of
politics is that both the SLPP and the APC parties have been in power.
But what is essential to note is that both Sir Milton Margai, the
father of our independence and Dr. Siaka P. Stevens did not turn their
backs on the colonial heritage and the role played by political actors
on the stage during the colonial era; such as Edward Wilmot Blyden,
ITA Wallace Johnson, Sir Henry Lightfoot Bolton etc as evidenced by
monuments and the naming of streets among other homage in their
honour. Despite the vicissitudes of the political climate over the
years, President Siaka Stevens made sure there was an intervention of
referendums; as was the case before the declaration of one-party
state, and later before the return to multiparty democracy rule under
President J.S. Momoh.
In all fairness, the only neo-colonial tendencies in both the SLPP and
the APC revolve around democracy and not neo-colonialism. It had been
a question of permeating the society with the values of democracy such
as ensuring the independence of the judiciary, ensuring transparent
and credible elections, and redefining the role of the executive
presidency. Thus it can be a puzzle to many if one asserts that both
the SLPP and the APC colluded with neo-colonial forces or committed
themselves to perpetuating the values of the colonial past.
In fact both the SLPP and the APC came into existence to oppose
colonialism. Before the era of Sir Milton Margai and Siaka Stevens,
radical Pan-African Movements made their mark in Sierra Leone in their
demands for more freedom and justice in the society. Unfortunately
however, some of their pleas fell on deaf ears because the time was
not appropriate as it came at a time that the British colonial powers
were not ready to grant independence.
It was just at an opportune moment that both Sir Milton and Siaka
Stevens were on the political arena at the moment that Britain, the
colonial power, had already decided on granting independence to all
their former colonies for reasons of administrative and financial
burden. According to the history of the SLPP, the party was formed to
serve as a national unifying force to prepare the country for
independence. The party was meant to be a unifying forum for political
groupings in the Western Area and the Provinces as political parties
in the Western Area lacked extending their influence into the
Provinces.
In a similar vein from the onset the APC party detached itself from
every aspect of colonialism and neo-colonialism. In fact Siaka
Stevens's motive for forming the APC was out of the contention that
the SLPP should hold a referendum demanding whether the people are
prepared for independence at that time, before requesting for
independence. Siaka Stevens's motive was to take advantage of the
liberal democracy values enshrined in the national constitution, which
include the freedom of association, freedom of the press, the
independence of the judiciary etc to depose the SLPP from power in a
general election. And of course he succeeded, and once the APC assumed
the leadership in 1968 in the aftermath of the controversial 1967
general elections, he followed pro-socialist precedents in other
African countries such as Guinean and Ghana to deviate from western
democracy path to the socialist-communist path.
What this writer is portraying is that it is wrong to assume that both
Sir Milton and Siaka Stevens colluded with neo-colonialist forces,
which some people feel is in part responsible for the poverty and
backwardness of this country since independence 50 years ago.
President Koroma did not mention ITA Wallace Johnson, Edward Wilmot
Blyden and other eminent Pan-African personalities probably because
the President wanted to focus on the development, socio-cultural and
political contributions of leaders that had made their impact on the
lives of Sierra Leoneans from independence on the 27th April, 1961 to
the 27th April, 2011.
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