Janaury 25, 2022
By Dadson A Musa
We are a nation of 16 tribes and the Mendes and Temnes are the two dominant ones. A nation of a little over seven million according to data from the 2015 census has a good percentage of that going to the two dominant tribes. And these two tribes have dominated our politics not because they have they have the best brains or the strongest men and women but because they have the numbers. They are also located in specific regions, south- east and north- west. After independence in 1961, the struggle for power and resources has been fierce. This tribal bickering led to the eleven- year rebel war and the dimensions it followed.
The two major political parties, APC and SLPP have been formed mainly along these two major tribes and not for ideological, policy or reasons of principle. For these reasons resource distribution and job allocation has been tilted towards which tribe is in power not who knows the job or qualified for it. Tribesmen of both parties and by extension both regions have advanced their personal interest instead of that of the country’s. Sierra Leone has remained under developed even with the vast natural resources that we are endowed with.
To get this country off the ground we must have the courage and the foresight to get over this tribal curse. It has affected development in this country and has played into the hands of foreigners who have become better off with our resources while majority of Sierra Leoneans are languishing. Our economy is in the hands of foreigners; Lebanese, Indians, Nigerians because of this. Just looking beyond tribe and doing what is right for this country will be one big step towards making this country better.
Sadly and ironically a lot of Mendes do not benefit when the SLPP is in power which also applies to the Temnes when the APC is in power.
So political parties are playing the tribal card to fool the masses.
Our much fought for democracy is being stifled by tribalism as we see tribal imbalance in appointments and resource distributions. But for our donours and international development partners it could have been worse. So to overcome this curse we are going to need them until things change. As only with one voice, one mind unity of purpose can Sierra Leone make it to the promised Land. Worst still every one of the dominant tribes has removed very good professionals from their offices just to fill them with mediocre tribesmen for the advancement of personal agenda not the country’s.