As ABC Celebrates ‘Pride Week’
As the Attitudinal and Behavioral Change (ABC) Secretariat celebrated ‘Pride Week’ to mark the 49th Independence Anniversary Celebration of the country, many Sierra Leoneans who witnessed it have questioned, what do we celebrate in the midst of endemic corruption and bad governance? The Pride Week celebration which was done along side the Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Fair Show on the Youyi Building Grounds attracted the general public from all walks of Life.
The celebration which commenced on the 27th April and ended on the 9th of this Month saw the massive display of both national and international wares of assorted qualities; exhibiting them with a view to re-branding  from what the hopeless state it used to known for to a now very productive and resourceful and business potential country.
Looking at the word pride itself is something of dignity and self respect according to the Webster’s Dictionary definition. But looking at the word pride in the Sierra Leonean context, there is little or nothing one can take pride in celebrating in terms of achievements in governance growth and development. In fact, some thinking Sierra Leoneans have described the Pride Week celebration as a mere waste of national resources that would have benefited and alleviate the poverty of some vulnerable Sierra Leoneans.
Coincidentally, the Pride Week Celebration happens to fall within the country’s 49th Independence Celebration, and at 49th Anniversary, much have been expected of the country and its people in terms of  economic, political, social, cultural ,and infrastructural developments. Taking all these crucial and indispensable aspects into consideration, many have come with an unhesitant conclusion that Sierra Leone and its inhabitants have nothing to take pride in since the advent of Independence.
If Sierra Leoneans are to celebrate Pride Week as purported by the ABC, the so-called Attitudinal and Behavioral Change move must started from above; using the top bottom approach to influence change in the attitude of the people. Assessing the counterfeit changes that have characterized the Sierra Leonean scene in this two and half year rule of President Koroma and the sickening behaviors of some top ranking officials, one would come to see that nothing has changed in their attitude. The recently conducted bye- elections in the Southern district of Pujehun and Kenema have shown little semblance of the president’s call to Attitudinal and Behavioral change. The puzzling question asked by many democratic-oriented Sierra Leoneans is that why must politicians in the cadre of ministers and their supporters go there to solicit support from voters through unwarranted intimidation.
In a similar vein, why the blame-game still rings bell on our local tabloids over the French-leave taken by the out oust while Commissioner of the ACC. If the ABC is not another ‘white elephant’, the ardent change of ‘archichude’must has been sensed in the behavior of ministers and their cronies. Another issue attitudinal change is over the fuss made by the supporters of the sacked Marine and Fisheries Minister Haja afsatu Kabba during her trial. Had it been that the attitude of people is changing, the thought of branding the Afsatu Kabbah case as witch-hunting stuff could not have been entertained in the first place. It takes the change of attitude for people to know that the prosecution and trial of former Marine minister is part of the legal course of this country as is stipulated in the 2008 ACC Act.
Unequivocally, from all what has been accrued in the relentless fight against attitudinal and behavioral change, it is conspicuous from the keen look of things that the ABC needed to do more the image of the Secretariat.
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