APC Diaspora adds more value to the politics of the land
The relationship between APC supporters in the Diaspora and those at home has never been clearly defined; and it creates some amount of absurdity, given the fact that members of both groups are Sierra Leoneans and to imagine that we would be having this social divide is something that is seriously unfortunate. Be that as it may, I strongly believe that both sides have a responsibility to re-evaluate the relationship in order to discover how we need one another in the effort to create the environment that works for all of us and for the betterment of our motherland. Yes, it is true that APC supporters in the Diaspora do not fully understand or fully experience the difficulties on the ground as much as the “home-based” do; but we understand the general problems confronting our nation and all sectors of our socio-economic development. (Photo: Brima M Turay, Asst. PRO APC-NA)
This understanding translated into moral and logistical support from APC “Diasporans” to the APC party in the 2002 and 2007 elections. As supporters in the Diaspora, we will never boast of being able to provide all the support and logistics that the APC party needs. We can only do what we could in our own little way to augment some of the needs and demonstrate our willingness to participate in the process of improving our political party and our country. We are not in any competition with anyone because there is no one to compete with. What we do for the APC is done for every Sierra Leonean at home and in the Diaspora. The good that comes out of what we do is enjoyed by not just members of the Diaspora but by all Sierra Leoneans; whether or not they belong to the APC party. If the APC government does well by virtue of the very little that we contribute, such good work will be felt by all Sierra Leoneans in the country as is presently the case in even areas where the APC secured less votes.
Diasporans jubilating in the last APC rally in Freetown
It is with this spirit of national service that the APC Diaspora supporters decided to leave their jobs; their families; their schooling; their pleasures and everything else to come down to Sierra Leone in large numbers to register and then came back to vote for President Koroma and members of his “World Best” team on November 17. We may not have constituted the majority of support for the APC party but our presence adds to the number; and whatever the results may be, the history of victory or failure cannot be complete without our names being added to the colourful writings of that history. Does this, in any way, make us entitled to anything in the government? I would say no; but we stand to participate at any time when called upon because the spirit of national service is nothing new to us and we are an embodiment of selfless sacrifice in the face of provocation and spite. Does that bother us? I would say no; because Jesus Christ himself had to be provoked and ridiculed before the people finally realized what they had missed while he was gone!
My message therefore is that let us make use of the Diasporans while they are still available to us because it would be politically suicidal to wait till we start looking for them. Most of these people would never benefit directly from an APC-led administration because they may never want to leave their lucrative jobs to come down and serve on the ground. What they do for the APC comes out of personal love for the party and the country. They must not be seen as job competitors but as fellow Sierra Leoneans who strongly believe they have a stake, by choice, in our nation’s socio-economic development. If you see them dancing and rejoicing over the successes of the APC like the APC North America branch Secretary is doing below, please understand that they are merely adding flavor to an already fragrant APC party. Such flavor can therefore not be discarded because other political parties are dying to receive the blessings of such flavors in their midst. Politics, everywhere in the world, is about keeping the numbers and increasing them every day.
Hassan Kamara in his “Michael Jackson” moves for the APC
President Koroma understands what the APC Diaspora supporters mean to the APC party and the country. In 2007, it would have been inconceivable for the APC to attain victory save the logistical and moral support of the Diaspora and home-based combined. The President therefore did not mince his words when he stated openly, at a meeting with Diaspora supporters at State House that, he recognizes the worth of the Diaspora and would like to encourage them to pay greater attention to and participate effectively in the private sector investments that will soon constitute the bulkier part of the Sierra Leone economy. As a former business executive, the President understands how much benefit we can enjoy as a nation if the majority of our private sector activities are in the hands of citizens of this country. We therefore call upon our home-based brothers and sisters to look at us as partners in development and not job grabbing aliens from another planet. We are part of the old and new political dispensation. We are Sierra Leoneans too; and what we do is equally important as what anyone else does for this country.
Diaspora Supporters took over the Streets of Freetown
In recognition of how important it is that we remain organized, the various APC Diaspora groups have come together and formed what is now known as the APC Diaspora Alliance. We have our office in the APC party office where we meet every day to strategize and plan on the way forward for our political party and our beloved country. We therefore invite government functionaries and private citizens to stop by and share with us how we could strengthen this alliance for the common good of our nation. Our country deserves better; and better we would give to it!
By Brima M. Turay – Asst. PRO; APC North America
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