Patriots storm debut march in Freetown
At least a thousand Sierra Leoneans came out to mark a debut patriotic march in the capital Freetown on Saturday March 31. Their attendance follows a clarion call by the Patriotic Sierra Leoneans organization to establish a sense of belonging and ownership of Sierra Leone.
Different personalities from all walks of life thronged the occasion, among them were the Reverend Canon Ajai Nicol, the Deputy National Attitudinal and Behavioural Change Coordinator, Nanette Thomas, police, school pupils and journalists.
Various speakers from the membership of the Patriotic Sierra Leoneans explained the theme: “Taking Ownership of Sierra Leone,” to mean Sierra Leonean citizens should take possession of the country, protect and safeguard it the same they would do to their sole properties.
Mohamed Kamarainba, president of Patriotic Sierra Leoneans made clear the intentions, aims, and purposes for which the organization was formed, stating that PSL was established to unify and uphold the tenets of citizenry democracy and to teach Sierra Leoneans how to implement love for their country by transforming patriotism into state activism. For example, he said he travelled all the way from the United States of America to come home to register as a show of patriotism, while other Sierra Leoneans sat complacently without making use of the opportunity provided them by NEC.
Kamarainba said Patriotic Sierra Leonean is an organization for Sierra Leoneans which costs nothing for members to sign up. He said it was time for Sierra Leoneans to adopt programs and initiatives that would move the country’s governance system in a wholesome way. Part of these reasons explain why the organization adopted the road adopt initiative, the cleaning exercise at the end of every month and political debates all gearing towards giving the country a facelift value. He urged the attending crowd to divorce tribal sentiments and party politics as these are nothing but recipes for hatred and dissent.
The Reverend Ajai Nicol prayed for God’s divine intervention and continued spirit of nationalism and patriotism as he said the only thing that keeps humanity progressing is change and positive change. He said Sierra Leone is blessed again having suffered a horrific history of warring violence and a huge loss of the country’s mineral resources with minerals such as iron ore and other precious ones. The only thing which makes these things of worth, and of benefit, he says, is patriotism. He said a patriot is that citizen who would fight, not minding to give their lives away for the sake and pride of the land that they were born. Nanette Thomas expressed happiness seeing Sierra Leoneans underneath the burning sun seated to just demonstrate how patriotic they are. She said a thousand miles journey counted on one step and that step being the one on Saturday’s debut patriotic march, which to say the least, interests many in manifesting their shared love and affections for Sierra Leone.
The Million Man Patriotic March came in at a time when other political establishments have just imbibed the initiative of saying thanks to President Ernest Bai Koroma for being through his five year tenure of a term witnessing plenty development facelifts in the country. The million man patriotic march differs a bit from the concept of thanking President Koroma as this one says thanks to all Sierra Leoneans – for being this resilient and bold to showcase your love for country.
Other speakers included Adeyemi Paul, CEO and Publisher of Sierra Express Media, Foday Morris, a Sierra Leonean – diaspora journalist, teachers of the Raining Season orphanage school and a host of others. Security was a no cause for alarm as the Sierra Leone Patriotic police were in attendance and guarded the occasion to the last stop.
Kids of the Rainy Season orphanage school performed a song kit which earned them a million Leones on reaching the climax of the occasion.
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