Let’s stop tribal politics in Sierra Leone

The issue of tribalism in Africa needs careful and serious approach when it comes to politics. The danger is, when weak minded politicians utterly failed their people, they often resort to tribalism propaganda.

In the case of Sierra Leone, when you carefully take an in-depth look at the demographic distribution in the country, you could visibly discern how interrelated we are.  Generally, there are inter-marriages among tribes as well as free movement of individuals.  Northerners could be found in the east and south, marrying and establishing homes over the years without any fear.  You can find tribes in the east and south everywhere in the north and the west marrying the indigenes of those places. In addition to that, most of those noisy politicians shouting about tribalism attended the same schools, universities and even work in the same establishments without any tribal sentiment.  So where does this menace of heighten tribalism come from?

Africa, being a unique continent; quite different from other continents, modern days political system of democracy, if it is to work, has to be modified to suit our customs and traditions. Copying the American or European democracy is catastrophically dangerous and perilous to our development.

As a concerned observer, it is a common practice in our politics to easily blame a ruling party or leader of tribalism.  The issue of tribalism in Africa needs careful and serious approach when it comes to politics.  The danger is, when weak minded politicians utterly failed their people, they often resort to cheap propaganda of “tribalism”.

The idea of “Tribal Politics” in Sierra Leone has no concrete base. It is the work of certain selfish minded politicians, who think can score points against their opponents, by playing on tribal line, to garner support. The reality everyone should have at the back of his/her mind is “Tribes are God’s creation”. The people have to live peacefully with one another and by their contribution towards national development.

My final word on tribal Politics, I hope and pray all Sierra Leoneans uphold their natural values of belonging to tribes, which contribute hugely in the development of the country.  It is an indisputable fact that a president in Sierra Leone has to come from one of the tribes and so are ministers or heads of government departments.  Sierra Leoneans should know that our country will never ever accept a governor from Britain to head our government again for he will be out of tribal influence!  Let us accept any person that receives the mandate of the people to head our government without tribal prejudice.

All tribes in Sierra Leone are equal in the eyes of the law and therefore, we all have to work together for the betterment of our nation.

By Sorie Ibrahim Kanu, Chairman APC Chapter, Saudi Arabia

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