Disappointment and subdued anger?

Older folks and those of my age may remember the Super Combo hits of the sixties; my favourite was “MEMUNA.” As I type this page I am already humming the tune to myself and tapping my toes to the rhythm as I recall those beautiful evenings on the splendid night club floor along Sewa Road in Bo. Memuna it would appear was the heartthrob of the composer who left us in no doubt about the intensity of their affection for each other. Then, something must have gone wrong leading to great disappointment; in the lyric the singer laments the incident in the following words. “Memuna ai, wetin u do me so?” (Memuna, what have you done to me?) And the wretched miserable lover pours his heart out to Memuna in Krio, Mende and Temne urging her to assure her mother that if she still loved him, he was ready for her.  If you should know dear reader, I had just returned home from abroad, much younger, versatile and full of life and our Bo was fondly referred to as “Sweet Bo” and believe me Bo was sweet. (Photo: Dr. Sama Banya)

From the suppressed manner in which the newspapers which had persistently thrown the achievements of the APC in our faces as giving us “clean and uninterrupted electricity supply” from Bumbuna and for our  outright criticisms or apparent lack of appreciation of the NPA over Bumbuna’s recent dismal performance. I could almost hear the lamentations of the APC leadership over Bumbuna. Yes, as with Memuna, one could almost hear echoes of “oh ya Bumbuna, wetin u do we so? We had poured all the propaganda out of our system in praise of you and how our commissioning of you with great fanfare had transformed the lives of our people and sparked off an industrial revolution, and now this!” And what has happened? First the Kabbah tigers have resurfaced with a bang and could be heard all over the place. Bumbuna was previously shut down in less than four months after it was commissioned, we were told for maintenance, I mean less than four months.

And now even as it is raining heavily up country, someone is taking us on a ride with the incredible story that the water level in the dam was low. But the truth eventually forced itself out; the turbines, or was it the transformers or transmission lines required servicing and so for the second time in less than six months, Bumbuna has been shut down for maintenance. I am not cock-a-hoop with joy over what has happened. After the blackout does not affect only members of the red sun but all of us who had been made to believe that we were on the verge of a new utopia. As it is I must continue to spend my meager resources on buying fuel for my generator. I have no sympathy with the APC government for two reasons. They were warned a long time ago against their mad haste to commission the project, that certain things needed to be done; but they ignored that professional advice and stubbornly went ahead in order to meet a deadline and have one over the SLPP. Secondly the ministry of energy has not been forthcoming with the truth. This column is among many voices that have persistently called on the ministry to come out with a frank and open statement about the state of affairs of Bumbuna. Even the minister’s most recent statement is very economical with the truth. We are being consoled into believing that the Japanese Mitsubishi Machine and other satellite generators would serve us, what deceit! Ah Bumbuna, wetin u do dem so?

I have received threats from my friends the Kaikai duo in Pujehun; like many before them they are in possession of facts about me which when released would embarrass me among my circle of admirers. There are skeletons in my cupboard as well as a history of violence perpetrated by me in 1977. I am in public life and would welcome the uncovering of any dark side of my life either by Moijueh or Patrick Kaikai or anyone else who may be in position to unveil my apparent bluff and pretense at integrity.

Puawui joins our brothers and sisters of the Republic of Nigeria in mourning the death of their leader President Umaru Musa Ya’rdua. our links with Nigeria go back many years; they have always been there for us, especially in times of need and desperation. May his soul rest in peace. 

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