CDP Leader Joshua Carew: your legacy lives on
A famous American President Abraham Lincoln once said: “A nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure.” Indeed, Sierra Leone lost a political legend – the leader and party Chairman of the Citizen Democratic Party (CDP), Joshua Albert Carew (in photo) who passed away on July 8, 2014 after a brief illness at the Choitram Hospital in Freetown Sierra Leone. The CDP which he founded almost three years ago will miss his charismatic leadership and his strong determination to make history.
Noticeably, when leaders and heroes are not honored; the fundamental principles of service to country are seriously undermined. The ethical propositions of doing justice to the reputations of patriotic citizens are tragically compromised. Every citizen who has contributed to national service one way or the other deserved respect, honor, and dignity especially at their final hours on this earth. People will view reluctant politicians today who are in the position to performing such sacred obligations to the nation as morally bankrupt and politically devoid of compassion.
Leaders are anointed servants of God and must be respected when they are chosen by the people. Indeed, Joshua Albert Carew traded the snow in Cedar Rapid, Iowa (United States) to run for President in November 17, 2012 in his native homeland of Sierra Leone.Carew, 60, came to Cedar Rapids in 1974 at age 20 to further his education. He attended Kirkwood Community College and Mount Mercy University, and he eventually landed a job with the United Parcel Service (UPS), where he spent 35 years until retiring. Returning home to serving his people was his final hope and dream as a Sierra Leonean. He truly believed that the CDP was a platform through which he could further his political aspirations.
When he was in the United States of America, Joshua Carew said he “did everything” at UPS from loading and unloading trucks to washing them. He also served as chief union steward. To many people who knew him, Leader Carew was the David against Goliath person. Here is an excerpt to support his political vision for Sierra Leone: “The only way to salvage this nation is for solid structures to be put in place to prevent individuals from gaining access to the nation’s wealth and corruptly converting it to their personal use and benefit with impunity.”
The Citizen Democratic Party leader’s bid in Sierra Leone’s 2012 presidential election surprised a lot of people. He and his newly-established political party, the CDP, placed fourth out of nine candidates, earning 22,863 votes, according to the country’s National Electoral Commission. His strong showings were due to the populist message about the economic plight of poor Sierra Leoneans, access to political power for women and the disable citizens, the serious neglect in the social service sectors, and the need for accountability and transparency in government. Good governance was another hallmark of his political campaign.
Even in his last days, Joshua Carew called on government to account for Ebola donor funds and for all political parties to work together in the sensitization fight against Ebola. His concerns were shared by many due to the lack of information and proper reporting about local and international donations to support the Ebola fight. Invariably, he left a golden footprint on the sand of history by reclaiming the Sierra Leonean dream of working to build a nation of peace and prosperity where good governance and the rule of law are valued and protected.
Leader Carew also inspired many young politicians that you can achieve greatness if the higher purpose you seek is for the greater good of the nation. And today, he joined a galaxy of imminent personalities like Sir Milton Margai, Siaka Stevens, Karefa Smart, John Karimu and others as a notable Sierra Leonean who formed and led a credible political party in Sierra Leone. Such contributions tremendously helped to advance the multi-party democracy in Sierra Leone – something that only few African countries enjoy today and one that our nation is proud of.
Indeed, his works personified his unyielding commitment to democracy and development. His message of national unity and the aggressive fight against corruption made him a political legend of all time. He will be remembered for his generosity and openness to sharing his own vision for Sierra Leone and for telling a story about how a man from nowhere can run for the highest office in the homeland. Joshua Carew was able to do that: because of his faith in God, his sacred mission to serving humanity and the absolute truth that we can be a change that we wish to see.
On behalf of millions of Sierra Leoneans, who valued the contributions of this giant patriot, I wish to extend my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. We are deeply humbled and overwhelmed by his radiant spirit of selecting the path of democracy through the ballot box and not yielding to violent arm struggle like Foday Sabana Sankoh of the RUF party. His life gave us the majestic hope that no matter what you do or who you are, your character and worthy mission may ultimately determine your destiny.
Rest in Peace Leader Carew. We salute you for your service to the people of Sierra Leone. And your legacy still lingers on.
By M C Bah, former NDA Presidential aspirant, Atlanta, GA-USA
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