By Mohamed Sankoh (One Drop), Freetown, SL. May 24, 2024.

In a country where the main opposition party appears to be in comatose; a country where the Medical and Dental Association seems to be the quietest of all the quiet professional associations; a country where the Bar Association is accused of being politically puppet-stringed; a country where the Journalists’ Association appears to have been bought with subventions from the government, and a country where the Inter-Religious Council seems to be religiously political; there have to be some people who ought to have the guts to speak truth to power.

But Sierra Leoneans who seem to have the guts to speak truth to power are few. Even the few among the very few are becoming handful every day because they appear to have come to the conclusion that they have been throwing water on ducks’ backs. And among the handful of the few are those who have now convinced themselves that the truth appears not to be appreciated in Sierra Leone anymore.

Our Academics seem to be thinking and behaving like frightened illiterates. Our Judiciary no longer seems to be the bastion of justice it once was. Our House of Parliament appears to be a collection of archaic furniture only tolerated by the Executive for their bygone decorativeness. Our Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are compromisingly compromised because of partisan colourations. Our Pastors, Reverends, and Imams appear to be hopelessly hopeless in their hopelessness. The Students’ Unions in most—if not all—universities in Sierra Leone no longer believe in students’ unionisms but in tribalism, regionalism, and keeping silent about intellectual degradation brought about by a “Free Education” programme that is indeed free of all intellectual niceties.

I’m not trying to paint a bleak picture of Sierra Leone—my Sierra Leone—my country of birth. I’m just at pains in trying not to call a spade a garden spoon. What has always been despicable is the fact