The new Sierra Leone

IF YOU HAVE A HAMMER WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH IT?  THE BEST ANSWER MAY BE A PIE OF MODERN DAY POLITICS IN SIERRA LEONE. In the history of politics in Sierra Leone, the last five weeks have been the “Perfect Storm”. A useful and enduring definition of modern day politics, where boundaries are drawn on the sand but it is all a matter of a local dessert piecrust-may be? Let us look at “Romancing Politics” from the distinguished piecrust positions of two fine female writers and defenders of our constitution in the prominent names of Dr. Sylvia Blyden and Mrs. Agnes MaCauley. They both hold fine piecrust positions in high esteem but sublimely vulnerable to piecrust eaters.     This is no secret that the politics of perfect storm in Sierra Leone is nothing but a perfect Sierra Leonean Dessert Fruit Pie made of coconut, pumpkin, mangoes, pears, oranges, limes, and whipping cream for licking.  Hmmm whacky, sweet- n- sour. All fruits and ingredients are locally produced just as all the politicking and selection of Flag Bearers of political parties is all local. Still sweet-n-Sour? Yep.

On a more serious note cognitive science sheds fresh light on political meandering, we must be able as a nation and nation builders to focus on current issues of “Political Portion Control”. In the case of our esteemed Dr. Blyden, flip flopping however you defend it is a near death mishap. In the essence of your job as political strategist, you must understand the practice of politics in the modern day as an application of partial interpretation by your competition. To the wizened up beloved sister Agnes MaCauley, the marked Queen Victoria Campaigner, you have failed to build a culture of trust and innovation. Democratically, both daughters of Ma Salone have a hammer. How will they use it to foster good will and nation building is the question of the day.

My opinion is, although Sierra Leone politics may make you hesitant to acknowledge failure, you must do so to make progress but in the absence of party affiliations. An independent by-stander or a seasoned journalist in this case Dr. Blyden must be objective, fair and balanced in her disposition of failures as her team evaluates policy options from peace with the enemies of our State to political romancing with the undoubtedly experienced Ruling APC Party. But must stay true to your core principles to gain attractive returns on your investments as an unyielding nation builder. Mrs. MaCauley your opinions about governance were misplaced because you have a political affiliation and in business, the best practices are evidence-driven in the decision making process such as recommendations for how to handle failed forward and backward metrics of systems in government. From a management perspective you did impress most readers not those that are buried in the canals of effective and efficient management hyper-specialization.

Now the good news and bad news:

Of course we will never know why Dr. Blyden flip flopped on the JMB Amelioration Saga. Maybe she got paid off with some of the USD in Ghana or her boys were lured by the SLLP hammerlock-Sir Opongo Benjamin-to handle the hammer differently. We all know hammering is not an easy job especially for women journalist not only in Sierra Leone but all over the world. Let us assume for a moment Dr. Blyden and her boys were hammer-locked. The good news is she got the benefit of being tough and good for nothing without sweating but no promise of compromise and collaboration with the SLPP Hammer-Locker and the only talent of the SLPP Mr. Julius Madaa Bio. The losers are the SLPP, who by nature will always want to defy hyper-connection, globalization of social media, demands of leadership style that can harness the power command and control.

The bad news about Mrs. Agnes MaCauley is she showed strong hand in criticizing the mechanics of change in government but did not ensure proactive decision making management style with agility. The good news is Mrs. Agnes MaCauley, in my opinion can harness and engage talent at the periphery of cultures, disciplines, generational innovation with arms twisting to let go off of “Distant Opportunities in government jobs and ministerial or cabinet positions”.

We all have agreed on attitudinal change as a must to move the country forward. What is still missing in the opinions of many fine writer and contributors to nation building dialogue is the difficult quest of dismantling distant opportunities.  In Sierra Leone it is a given that one of the drivers of attitudinal change is knowledge and the right attitude. I may not make any sense to suggest that in the absence of strategic and omniscient leaders who are good economists and good psychologists, the troubles of doing away with the Old Establishment from Permanent Secretaries to Modern Day Secretaries who DO NOT RELY on research to report on malfunctions and malfeasance of government agencies, ministries, and the State House per se is atypical. I only imagined the HAMMER as a tool to give us new ways to compete visibly without tearing or hammering ourselves apart. Where is your power of Associative Thinking to help me with my limitations and the limitations of the GoSL. Please help with your Intelligent Reasoning in the context of the HAMMER and how you think Julius Madaa Bio will use it in our beloved Nation of Sierra Leone.

Written and submitted for publication by:

Senesie M. Kabba

Boston-New England

© 2011, Senesie M Kabba. All rights reserved.