Why I played the Mega Million

The Ticket

I don't gamble. I grew up being told that gambling was wrong and somehow it stuck, the strange effect parents have on us. Except for the occasional workplace Powerball which I join for team spirit and to also avoid being the poor jerk at the work place where everybody suddenly becomes a millionaire, I only entered a casino when I went to Las Vegas for a wedding and I stuck with the penny slot machines.

Today however, I played the Mega Million. With a jackpot of over 650 million dollars what have I got to lose. I know I am not going to win. It is easier for a crocodile to bite you in the anus right in the middle of the African Sahara desert than it is to defy the odds and win the jackpot.

The chances of winning the Mega Million jackpot according to probability mathematicians are 1 in 259 million. So how does this probability compare in real life? Well it is 1000 times more likely for you to be hit by an asteroid or comet than to win the Mega  Million jackpot. It is more likely for the history teacher in Methodist Kailahun to manufacture a rocket that he will use to travel to the moon tomorrow than it is to win the jackpot.

Will Avoid this Cold 

So if it is so difficult to win, why do people play. The reason is simple; as long as the probability of winning is not zero, there is still a chance of winning no matter how slight. Even if the probability of winning asymptotically tends to zero, it is still not zero.

So I played today knowing I will not win but hoping I may. Who knows, a crocodile may fall out of a plane and fall right in the middle of the Sahara while you are sitting in the desert relieving yourself. Coming from Sierra Leone and from a very poor and marginalized area of the country, I think it is my obligation to try for this chance to help my people even if the probability of that help occurring is so small that it could not be seen under a microscope.

So I am playing, sure of failure, but aware that if I did not play, the probability of that failure will be 100 percent. At least by playing, I am decreasing the probability of failing to 99.99999999999999% with no rounding up and just neglecting the rest of the other 9s.

So what will I do if I am lucky enough to get bitten in the buttocks by a crocodile in the middle of the Sahara? In other words, what will I do if somehow I win?

The first thing I will do is establish a wind energy farm around the peninsula ranges of Freetown to give the city power from a renewable source. With the peninsula range so close to the Atlantic, we will always be assured of cheap wind power, better than most I have seen in America.

The next thing I will do is help the Sierra Leone government upgrade the Connaught hospital in the capital Freetown, spending at least 5 million dollars on a state of the art Dialysis facility in the country. With the high incidence of blood pressure in that country, where every single meal has sodium glutamate in the form of either Maggi, Jumbo or Ajino Moto, and with the consumption of alcohol growing exponentially in the country mainly due to lack of education as to its harmful effects and the 444, Sierra Leone badly needs renal and state of the art lab facilities.

Another area of investment will be to pour about 20 million dollars into governance and public administration programs at our universities. The current crop of Sierra Leone government employees really need  a lot of training about the distinction between public service and political party loyalty. Our public policies in Sierra Leone today are based more on political expediency than on sound pinciples of public administration and that is a real shame and tragedy for a country that is so far behind in almost every index of human development.

The rest of the money will be for family and good friends, investments and the rest devoted to charity. So even though my probability of losing is near certainty, there are two very important facts in life; it is better to fail than not to try. For it is only by trying that you fail and only by not failing that you succeed. The other important thing in life is that instead of saying I wish it would have been me, try to do the best you can to make it be you.

With that I will go to bed and wait for the results tomorrow, confident that I will not win, but glad that at least I tried. Whoever wins tonight know that you are one very lucky guy and may you live long to spend the money well.

Sierra Leone and the Millennium Challenge Corporation Fiasco

Some months ago, those of us with some knowledge of the operations of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an American Congress sanctioned independent foreign aid agency established in 2004, were surprised by the statement on one of the local radio stations in Sierra Leone by government spokesperson Abdulai Bayraytay that Sierra Leone had "won" the Millennium Challenge Corporation Challenge. In a blog post I wrote on September 16, 2013, I expressed skepticism about Bayraytay's claims, as even though Sierra Leone was being considered for either a compact or threshold grant, the 2013 new grants and grant renewals had not yet been announced. See link http://segbwema.blogspot.com/2013/09/sierra-leone-tax-payers-getting-ready.html

President Ernest Bai Koroma

Bayraytay's claim coincided with criticisms of the usual yearly bloated delegation of nonessential individuals that accompany President Koroma on his yearly trips to address the United Nations General Assembly, an action that had been roundly condemned both domestically and in international circles as reckless squandering of vital state resources by a government that cannot even afford to lift its employees above the international standards of poverty.

For those unfamiliar with the Milliennium Challenge corporation, it is an independent US foreign aid agency that gives aid to developing countries based on the pre-established criteria of good governance, economic freedom and investment in their citizens. There are two main types of MCC grants, Compacts and Threshold Programs. The Compacts are large five year grants for countries that pass MCC's eligibility criteria. The threshold programs are smaller grants.

Unfortunately, in spite of all the hoopla, the Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation   met in Washington DC yesterday and rejected the compact proposal submitted by Sierra Leone, delivering a serious slap to the face of the Sierra Leone government.

The main reason expressed by MCC in rejecting the Sierra Leone's bid was the country's failure to pass the Millennium Challenge Corruption's control of corruption indicator. The MCC board of directors decided  not to even bring Sierra Leone up for a vote after a review of supplemental information provided by Sierra Leone, a serious blow to the government of the small West African country. Sierra Leone had devoted substantial manpower and scarce resources towards the development and submission of the  MCC proposal bid. The MCC board encouraged the organization to continue limited engagement with Sierra Leone with the hope that the government would have taken serious steps to tackle corruption before a compact could be approved. They expressed the hope that the Koroma government would stop paying lip service to fighting corruption and be serious about tackling it.

Daniel W. Yohannes
MCC CEO

Dr. Richard Conteh
Proposal not Supported by Evidence

The other country rejected was Benin. Some other African countries however delivered on the MCC scorecard. The very small Southern African nation of Lesotho's bid was selected and they were granted eligibility to formulate a new compact. Of the total bids, five countries accepted and told to continue putting together compacts and another two were approved to continue the development of Threshold Programs. According to MCC, Lesotho had, " consistently demonstrated a clear commitment to democratic governance and sound policies. A new compact with Lesotho offers MCC the opportunity to have a significant impact on reducing poverty and creating economic growth in the country."

Poverty in Sierra Leone

The new Lesotho Compact was a clear boost to the tiny country, as it had just completed a five year 365 million dollars compact in September that had helped the country greatly improve their health care system and expand domestic water supply capacity for household and industrial use in the country. Lesotho had also used the compact to promote foreign and domestic investment by identifying and eliminating barriers that impeded investment in the country. The MCC board were also suitably impressed that in addition to the 365 million dollars grant, the government of Lesotho had devoted $50 million of its own scarce resources to supplement the compact.  This action was viewed as a very strong commitment to the compact. Daniel W. Yohannes the Chief Executive Officer of the bilateral aid agency praised the government of Lesotho for being a strong MCC partner during the implementation of its old compact. The Basotho government had also taken cogent steps to improve the status of women in the country by granting men and women equal rights in marital relationships through legislation.

MCC grants are awarded on three broad criteria; the manifestation of good governance, the creation of an atmosphere of economic freedom, and demonstrating investment in the citizenry. Individual government actions and policies should demonstrate a commitment to these three broad criteria as measured by independent third party agencies.

Sierra Leone MCC Delegation

It is not only a blow to the  Koroma government's  political pride to lose out on the MCC compact, but a real blow to the poor citizens of Sierra Leone.

 According to Sheku Sheriff of Hamline University, MCC aid is the ideal assistance tool for African countries plagued by corruption, accountability and ineptitude, as the corporation ensures that its grants are used for the purpose for which they are intended, otherwise they will not be renewed. For a country with a history of poor accountability such as Sierra Leone, it is only grants of this kind that will benefit the country, as public officials will be forced to use the monies for the development programs for which they are intended.

Though Sierra Leone has been given a black eye this time round, the country still has the chance to demonstrate commitment to the principles of good governance and participatory democracy. According to a Sierra Leonean political pundit, 'the image that President Koroma's horde of sycophantic journalists have been trying to paint of his government as a model of good governance in the West African region has been dealt a major blow, but the blow is not mortal as the President still has time to rehabilitate his legacy."

What has truly been amazing in the lead up to this important announcement  is the sheer recklessness of those around the President who should have been trying to do all they can to project a good image of the country in anticipation of this substantial compact. In the past few months, the Special Assistant to the President has used the Presidency to embark on a policy of press and opposition intimidation and harassment and even went as far as to write derogatory statements against the country's grossly marginalized Vice President. For a country seeking a major grant from USA, a country which has freedom of expression enshrined in its constitution, this was a very idiotic move by the President's right hand woman. The President also appointed a notorious warmonger Omrie Golley to an Ambassador just a few days ago. Golley was the spokesman of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), a group that embarked on the wide scale massacre of thousands of people in the country during its long civil war.

The Sierra Leone judiciary, always too eager to satisfy the government in power, has also not helped matters in the country. The spate of strange rulings in which individuals who should have been found guilty of corruption are routinely acquitted even in the face of tremendous evidence and the ineptitude of the country's Anti Corruption Commission displayed by rushing to court with cases without sufficient evidence has manifested to the international community and independent observers that Sierra Leone after President Tejan Kabbah is no longer serious in the fight against corruption and the statement of "zero tolerance to corruption," once the mantra of the President Koroma, now has little meaning, as corruption has reemerged in Sierra Leone with a vengeance. For the last two years the country has won the singular distinction of the country with the highest incidence of bribery in the world.

Not a Sign of Good Governance

During the first term of President Koroma, his actions were seen as that of a man with a commitment to good governance and a leader eager to avoid a repeat of the trouble of the past.

 However, the President's decisons over the past several months and the actions of those close to him has been nothing short of erratic. If it is not ministers being accused of rape, it is police gunning down children or protesters in the streets, or journalists being locked up for foolish charges. If government officials are not on Facebook writing incendiary statements, it is reports of health officials stealing funds meant for the vaccination of children, or ministers claiming that the scarcity of food is due to Sierra Leoneans eating only rice. Koroma's second term is nothing short of organized chaos and even all but the most die hard APC supporters are now starting to realize that they are just being taken for a ride. The appointment of Golley has manifested a callous indifference to the feeling of Sierra Leoneans, as many people contend that there are many Sierra Leoneans eminently qualified for this position.

Omrie Golley

To compound the growing chaotic situation, two opposition MPs who won their elections with very wide margins have in the past week had their votes annulled by the country's corrupt court system and two government candidates roundly thrashed in the elections have been awarded the seats. Many opposition supporters are being forced to ask whether Koroma's moves are a well calculated ploy to use the country's democratic institutions to give himself a third term, a statement he continues to strenously deny. Many see this latest move as an act that will cause further resentment in a country in which those who are not close to the presidents political circle are increasingly starting to feel as if they were second class citizens in their own country.

African Reaction To Mandela: Threat to Despotism or Example to Emulate?

Nelson Mandela RIP

While tributes to the late President of South Africa and iconic freedom fighter Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela who died on Thursday December 5th 2013 continue to pour in from countries, international organizations and individuals all over the world, the reaction among the political class of Africa has been mixed.

While Africans all over the globe hail Mandela almost to the point of deification, many in the political class have been uneasy, as Mandela represents all the things that they are not. 

The African countries that were first to send condolences and tributes were those that were either democratic or had semblances of democratic rule, even if somewhat contrived.

President Ernest Koroma
Sierra Leone

President Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone, a country that has held multi-party elections since 1996 issued a very short press release describing Mandela as "a true nationalist, visionary leader, great Pan-Africanist and Ambassador of Peace, Nelson Mandela touched the lives of many. We will always remember him as a larger than life political figure who through his tenacious struggle for equality and freedom has left an indelible mark in the History of Mankind." 

President Ernest Koroma, always eager to burnish his declining democratic credentials, ordered flags to fly at half mast for three days.

President Ian Khama
Botswana

The message from sub-Saharan Africa's beacon of democracy, Botswana, was more convincing. President Ian Khama described Nelson Mandela the South African icon as a remarkable leader. In a message to the South African People he stated, "I wish to convey to you and through you to the Government and people of the Republic of South Africa, our deepest sympathies and most heartfelt condolences. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, and in particular, the Mandela family,” Continuing, President Khama stated that, “His consummate belief and steadfast commitment to the fundamental principles of liberty, justice and equality were immense,” He paid tribute to President Mandela's deep understanding and intolerance of human suffering and his immense moral standing.

A new democratic entrant, Guinea's leader Alpha Conde made a very touching tribute. Of Mandela he stated, "He is comparable to a great baobab, this invincible tree under which everyone shelters. And when this baobab falls, we find ourselves exposed," This statement is poignant in a continent starved for good leadership, as Mandela represented an ideal towards which many other African leaders will be expected to strive.

President Alpha Conde Guinea

President Barack Obama, the first American President of African origin stated of Mandela that, "He no longer belongs to us. He belongs to the ages," 

One of the most touching tributes came from President Mandela's country man and fellow South African liberation icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Talking movingly about Mandela Archbishop Tutu said, "God was so good to us in South Africa by giving us Nelson Mandela to be our president at a crucial moment in our history. He inspired us to walk the path of forgiveness and reconciliation, and so South Africa did not go up in flames."

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

In a continent populated by tyrannical leaders, one party despots and other leaders who were dragged to democratic government only by threats of cut in Western aid, not every leader has been so quick to send condolences and tributes. 

Alhaji Yayah. A. J. J. Jammeh
President Gambia

President Yayah Jammeh who is currently in France, the leader of the small African country of the Gambia, has yet to make any official statement. President Jammeh recently withdrew from the Commonwealth upon Western criticism of growing oppressive tendencies, lack of press freedom, and suppression of the opposition and basic freedoms in the country of less than 1.5 million people. It would be difficult for Jammeh to have anything positive to say about Mandela as they are on completely opposite sides of the political spectrum.

While Mandela is forgiving, Jammeh is vindictive. Where 

Mandela is tolerant of opposing points of view, Jammeh views the opposition as avowed enemies. While Mandela strived for racial equality Jammeh strives for tribal domination. In the Gambia, it is the opposition parties and the ordinary people who have led the messages of condolence from their country.

President Robert Mugabe
Zimbabwe

Another leader that took a long time to send messages of condolence is South African neighbor Zimbabwe's President and Africa's oldest leader 89 year old Robert Mugabe, who only sent a message on Saturday, three days following the demise of Mandela. In a complete reversal of earlier statements about President Mandela's legacy, President Mugabe described Mandela as, "a champion of the oppressed." Mugabe stated that, "Mandela's renowned political life will forever remain a beacon of excellence." Writing in Zimbabwe's state paper the herald, Mugabe also said of Mandela, "Not only was he a great champion of the emancipation of the oppressed, but he was also a humble and compassionate leader who showed selfless dedication to the service of his people. The late Nelson Mandela will forever remain in our minds as an unflinching fighter for justice,"

Many Zimbabweans and others were surprised at Mugabe's late but touching tribute as he had recently been very critical of President Nelson Mandela, describing him as being too saintly and too soft on the white people in South Africa. In a documentary earlier this year Mugabe chided Mandela for being too good to other races in South Africa at the expense of the country's black majority.

I expect that in the coming months and years many African politicians and leaders will compare themselves to Mandela, most for the political capital that will bring them and I pray and hope that some will do so to emulate his example. Already many of my African friends on Facebook are using Mandela's picture as their profile picture in honor of the great man, though I have seen some unsavory characters who will make Mandela roll over in his grave if he saw his face attached to their profiles.

Of all African leaders I have encountered, the one that reminds me closely of Mandela was a former Paramount Chief of Njaluahun Chiefdom, Chief David Kekura Jimmy Jajua who died in the early 80s. Those of us who knew this chief were privileged to have known him. He was a model of good, of tolerance and of respect.

I remember when I was admitted to Bo School. After the first term holiday of form 1, I decided to go to Segbwema instead Freetown. Though I had left Segbwema in class 2, Chief Jimmy recognized me as soon as he saw me. He was walking with a group of chiefs, left them, came over to me and asked me where I was now, as my family was very close to his. When I told him I was in Bo School he was so happy he ordered one of his wives to cook a whole chicken just for me! From that moment I became a huge fan of his, I was just 12 years old. When Chief Jimmy died, he was mourned in Segbwema for close to two months and the people of the chiefdom practically begged his son who looked so much like him to become paramount chief, just to remind them of his late father.

Giant Among Men

The best we can do for Mandela as Africans is to follow his example. African leaders must stop the quest for power for powers sake. If Mandela could live and work with white people who took away his youth and his freedom for 27 years, why can't you be tolerant of your black brothers and sisters who just happen to speak a different languages. I hope Mandela's lasting legacy will be for Africans to see the futility of tribalism. In Sierra Leone for example there are supremely competent Sierra Leoneans who will never get any meaningful role in that country under the current dispensation as they fail Koroma's acid test: party, region and tribe. 

Our leaders do not need to listen to the President of France or the Prime Minister of Britain, all they need to do is listen to the words of Mandela and embrace his teachings. Mandela urges leaders to become partners with their enemies, to dwell on love rather than hate, to look not at the color of a man skin, but at the countents of his character. With Mandela, Martin Luther King, Thomas Sankara, Marcus Garvey, Fela Kuti, Kofi Annan, Chinua Achebe, Booker T. Washington, Milton Margai, Kwame Nkruma and now President Obama, Africans have all the leadership examples they need if that is just what they are looking for.

Our Leaders need to Wake Up

One day the Jammehs, Mugabes, Bongos and other African tyrants will hopefully be names only in dusty history books as we free the continent from their tyranny. For the youths of Today, Mandela's true excellence lay in the excellence of his mind. For any African youth to emulate Mandela you first have to learn. The problems of this world are just too complex to be tackled by commonsense alone.

The Sun Sets on Africa; Mandela Passes On

Today December 5th 2013, Africa lost her greatest living son, Nelson Madiba Mandela.

Mandela was a true gift of God to a continent filled with strife, stagnation and despair. He became like a guiding light in a land filled with darkness. Oh Mandela, from Bintumani to Kilimanjaro, minstrels should shout your name, from hill top to hill top, to tell the whole world that Africa's eldest son has gone, and Africa weeps cause she has lost her pride, has lost her joy.

Adieu Mandela

Mandela showed us that the value of a man's life is measured not by the amount of wealth he accumulates or the fear he instills in others, but the hope he brings to the lives of others. To the oppressed people of South Africa, their pain was his pain, their suffering his suffering, his incarceration was their incarceration and his freedom was their freedom.

To the African leaders and youth of the continent, Mandela provided the model of the ideal African leader for our present time and the future. The type of leadership that will free our continent from its perpetual state of backwardness and despair. Mandela's leadership traits were the following; selflessness, altruism, bravery, determination, integrity, patience, single minded devotion to a cause you believe in.

Young Mandela

Mandela was one of those unique individuals whose life mirrored his words. Here are a selection of Quotes from the Great Mandela himself as the words of a humble man from Segbwema in Sierra Leone cannot do justice to this great giant.

MANDELA ON OPTIMISM

“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death" From 'Long Walk to Freedom"

MANDELA ON LEADERSHIP

“A leader. . .is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.” From  "Long Walk to Freedom"

“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.”

Mr and Mrs. Mandela

MANDELA ON SOCIETY

“It can be said that there are four basic and primary things that the mass of people in a society wish for: to live in a safe environment, to be able to work and provide for themselves, to have access to good public health and to have sound educational opportunities for their children.” —Speech at opening of Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy, January 2, 2007

“A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy. The press must be free from state interference. It must have the economic strength to stand up to the blandishments of government officials. It must have sufficient independence from vested interests to be bold and inquiring without fear or favour. It must enjoy the protection of the constitution, so that it can protect our rights as citizens.” —International Press Institute Congress, 1994

Face of Sacrifice

MANDELA ON LOVE AND PERSONAL FREEDOM

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” —Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” —Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

MANDELA ON PERSEVERANCE

“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment”

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

“Difficulties break some men but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that he will rise even in the end.” —From a letter to Winnie Mandela, 1975

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

With FIFA World Cup

MANDELA ON ENEMIES

“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”

“I am not the only one who did not want revenge. Almost all my colleagues in prison did not want revenge, because there is no time to do anything else except to try and save your people.” —Larry King Live, May 16, 2000

“I was called a terrorist yesterday, but when I came out of jail, many people embraced me, including my enemies, and that is what I normally tell other people who say those who are struggling for liberation in their country are terrorists. I tell them that I was also a terrorist yesterday, but, today, I am admired by the very people who said I was one.” —Larry King Live, May 16, 2000

MANDELA ON POVERTY

“Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is people who have made poverty and tolerated poverty, and it is people who will overcome it. And overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.” —Ambassador of Conscience Award Acceptance Speech, November 01, 2006

“While poverty persists, there is no true freedom.” —Ambassador of Conscience Award Acceptance Speech, November 01, 2006

MANDELA ON CHARACTER

“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” —Rivonia trial, 1964

“If I had my time over I would do the same again. So would any man who dares call himself a man.” —Pretoria, South Africa 1962

“Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished”

“A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.”

“It is never my custom to use words lightly. If twenty-seven years in prison have done anything to us, it was to use the silence of solitude to make us understand how precious words are and how real speech is in its impact on the way people live and die.” —International AIDS conference, 2000

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”

MANDELA ON THE CHANGING WORLD

“Long speeches, the shaking of fists, the banging of tables and strongly worded resolutions out of touch with the objective conditions do not bring about mass action and can do a great deal of harm to the organisation and the struggle we serve.” —Presidential address to the ANC Transvaal Congress, 1953

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

“When the history of our times is written, will we be remembered as the generation that turned our backs in a moment of global crisis or will it be recorded that we did the right thing?” —Tromso, Norway, 2005

“It is now in the hands of your generations to help rid the world of such suffering.” 90th Birthday Gathering, June 25, 2008

Segbwema Member of Parliament Hon. Abu Jajua's Inauguration Inauguration

Hon. Abu Jajua

Next month, all roads lead to Segbwema, the headquarters of Njaluahun Chiefdom, as Kailuhun Constituency 7 prepares to inaugurate the young, dynamic and hardworking member of Parliament, Hon Abu Jajua, an engineer and machinist by profession. The inauguration slated for December 22nd to 23rd 2013 is planned as follows.

• December 21st-Arrival of dignitaries, delegates and guests.
• December 22nd- Day masquerade dance for the women and general population.
• December 22nd- Night Masquerade dance for the men.
• December 23rd- Inauguration ceremony followed by masquerade dance.
• December 24 and 25th-Christmas and Boxing day.

Honorable Abu Jajua is gradually becoming the most hardworking Member of Parliament in the recent history of the Kailahun Constituency. He is easily accessible to his people, gives constant updates of his activities and is very responsive to problems affecting the people. His hands on approach distinguishes him from past MPs who spent much of their time in Freetown and only went to the constituency during occasions or to campaign for reelection.

Abu Jajua, Robin Faley, PC Coker Jajua
Chiefdom Unity

With just a year in Parliament, Honorable Jajua has successfully undertaken the acquisition of a cassava plantation in Upper Nyawa for the women and youths and sought approval to install a large scale gari processing machine for commercial activities. The goal of the honorable is to increase the income potential and productivity of the people in this traditionally neglected area of the constituency.

The young MP was also very involved and active in the provision of material and financial assistance to the victims of flooding and windstorms earlier in the year around the environs of Laleihun Kovoma and Segbwema. The MP toured the affected areas, gave emotional support to the victims and donated bags of cement and food to help the area recover from the natural tragedies.

Wesley Secondary School has also benefited a lot in material and financial assistance from the MP who was at hand for the school's jubilee celebrations earlier in the year and also rushed to provide emergency assistance when windstorms blew off the roof of the main school building earlier on in the year.

Hon. Jajua Inspecting Flood Damage
Laleihun Kovoma

Honorable Jajua has also sought approval for the rehabilitation of the Bunumbu to Tondola feeder roads and the rehabilitation of the Togoma Yekedu to Kailahun highway through Mendekema. He has also been very involved in the lobbying effort for the ISU road construction project from Kenema to Segbwema with the help of the government. The once menacing and treacherous Kenema Segbwema highway is expected to be as smooth as a ride in a European city. The honorable has also been actively seeking for the families whose lands were used to mine granite for the ISU road construction to be adequately compensated.

Honorable Jajua has also been actively lobbying Gold Tree Palmoil Processing Company to assist in the rehabilitation of the feeder roads in the areas in the proximity of the massive oil palm plantation and about 40% of the feeder roads in the area has been rehabilitated just within the year.

Hon. Jajua Providing Disaster Relief

Honorable Jajua has reached across the political divide to encourage president Koroma to support the construction of a fence around the Segbwema Town field. The honorable has seen the necessity to collaborate with the government on issues of development as he is acutely aware that development is both a government and an opposition business. Former honorable Robin Faley who defected to the All People's Congress and lost to Hon. Abu Jajua by over 9000 votes still has his eyes on retaking the constituency and is working hard to bring some APC propelled projects to the area. At the end of the day these efforts can only help the people of Njaluahun Chiefdom who have long been neglected in terms of meaningful infrastructural development under many successive governments.

Inspecting Storm Damage at Wesley School

To further encourage education. The honorable has instituted a full university scholarship for a deserving student and he intends on working on a scholarship program for more students in the immediate future.

Segbwema Town Library

Segbwema Bridge Construction ISU

On the political front, Hon. Abu Jajua was one of the champions for the campaign to replace the late MP of  Kailahun Constituency one, MP Alice Foyah who died suddenly after a trip from overseas. Hon Jajua was campaigning for her to be replaced by her husband Amb. Patrich Foyah on the SLPP ticket, while his Njaluahun rival ex-Hon Robin Faley campaigned on behalf of Susan Bona the APC candidate. APC badly wanted this priz and  poured in millions of leones, but were ultimately unsuccessful in capturing the seat from SLPP. 

Hon. Jajua has also been very active in engaging Constituency 7 descendants in the diaspora to participate in constituency development. These discussions are promising to yield some dividend soon.

We congratulate Hon. Abu Jajua for his hardwork, dedication and devotion to the people of his constituency and continue to encourage him to do the best he can to set an example of what a member of Parliament is supposed to be.

Historic Segbwema in 1972
42 years ago

Dr Yumkella's Inspirational Speech to Alumni, Students and Stakeholders of Christ the King's College (CKC) Bo.

CKC 60th Anniversary Celebrations 

Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella's Address to CKC Stakeholders

Dr. Yumkella Addressing CKC

Theme: Responsibility and Values 

Principal, Staff and Board of Governors, National President of COBA, His Excellency Former V. P. Solomon Berewa, Honorable Ministers, Traditional Rulers, Mr. Mayor,  Elders of Bo, Former Ministers, Members of the Clergy, Members of the 4th Estate, Parents, Students,All Protocols Observed.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. I wish to express my deep gratitude to the Board of Governors, staff, students and the executive of COBA for inviting me to this 60th Anniversary celebration. I also had the opportunity to join you for the 50th Anniversary (when I was UNIDO Representative in Nigeria).

Today brings back a lot of memories such as my first day in the boarding home in 1971 at age 11; or the day I interrupted the prayer session in 1977 to mobilize the students to join national demonstrations under the No-College-No-School protest (started by the late Hindolo-Trye and others); I can recall the day in 1977 my late Uncle, Drissa Macua Yilla got up from his sick bed with his hunting gun and fired 2 shots in the air at the Clock-Tower location to protect his pharmacy and the TOT-Bar from being burnt down by thugs during the national elections, and two days later when Kaindeka led a group of youth from Jaboima to protect Sweet Bo from being burnt down by the same thugs. But the best memory of course is the day I summed up courage to propose to the most beautiful girl in Bo Town, one of the daughters of Bo, my wife Philomena Nicholas (daughter of Madam Nancy Nicholas, aka Mama Nicho, the former Mayor of Bo).

School Alumni

I was told that many people are curious about my speech. There are even speculations about what I may or may not say. Some even wonder why I would come to Bo for this event. In order to keep my commitment to COBA and get here in time for this event, I traveled 24 hours, through different flight connections, to be here for 48 hours. I did this because I owe a lot to CKC; more importantly, when I give my word, I stand by it. The bottom line is that I am here to celebrate with my kith and kin, I am here to inspire the young generation that they can be better than me and others before them. So I will speak from my heart about how CKC prepared me for my journey through life. The theme of my remarks is:

Responsibility and Values.
I firmly believe that one must have a strong sense of responsibility and a commitment to a set of core values in order to achieve success. CKC taught me to have a sense of responsibility at a very early age. The teachers and Priests of the Holy Ghost Order shaped my values at the formative period of age 11-18 years (of course I had also received a lot of do(s) and don't(s) from my parents and the extended family). As the saying goes " It takes a village to raise a child". I will draw from my own personal journey in life to show how CKC gave me the tools, core foundation and sense of Responsibility and Values that have contributed to my few achievements during the past three decades

CKC Bo Town

Sense of Responsibility.
One of the turning points of my youth, was when charged with the privilege and responsibilities to serve as school monitor. My responsibilities at school included ringing bell as notification for change of classes, ringing the bell at boarding home to announce study time, play time, meal time, bed time etc. This meant by the early age of 12, I've been introduced to sense of responsibilities and to manage activities when things happened in the entire school at large. It also meant that I had to be more responsible and conscious of time than my peers, because if I am late then every body will be late. This also taught me discipline and personal sacrifice because I had to stop doing things I liked in order to be ahead of other students and ring the bell (I had to wake up at 6 am to ring the bell to wake up others at 6:30; I had to stop playing before others, I had to eat quickly ahead of others, I had to stop hanging-out ahead of others). In form three, I was put in charge of the dispensary in the Boarding Masters office. I had to clean the wounds of those with soccer injuries, to dispense WL-Laxative to those who had constipation from too much garri (till today I do not know why the medicine was called WL). This experience taught me humility and public service. The Priests were teaching me to "wash the feet of others". From then till I reached upper-six, I was a Prefect or Monitor for all sorts of things. So early in life CKC taught me Responsibility, Service and Humility. So discipline is the other requirement. Respect for law and order including the rule of law must be embedded in the young minds, and must be a golden thread in the fabric of society. But discipline begins at home, it is also institutionalized when those in authority respect and enforce the rule of law.

A sense of Proportion
In life, one must know ones limits. One must accept that as good as you are, there are others who are better, and to get ahead you must cooperate with others. There is a saying that goes like this, "Alone you can go FAST, but Together, we can go Far." CKC taught me to build partnerships and strategic alliances. When I was in form one, I was top of the class. But this was form 1B; then we went to form 2A to meet the brightest students. In the first term in form 2A, I was placed 7th in the end of term exam. Can you imagine from being top to being 7th. In fact, the man who was 1st continued to be first in class for the next 5 years. So I learnt that though I was smart, there were others who were far smarter, and if I had to be as good as them, I had to partner with them, study like them, and play like them. My friends coached me in mathematics, chemistry, and physics. I coached them on how to cram history, literature, bible knowledge and biology. I remember some students use to call me "photographic brain", because I could cram very well. To cut a long story short, My friend Sam was always first, Joseph was always second, and I was always comfortable at 3rd place. From Donald Bash-Taqui we learnt bravery and courage, to stand for what we believed. If you are in trouble you want Donald next to you. But the two of them showed me how to be analytical, they sharpened my numeracy, and helped me think hard and connect the dots. We were best of friends and in form six we slept in the same small room.

CKC's Iconic Crocodile

 A Readiness for Leadership

In 1977, when we got to lower-six, the teachers decided for the first time that the students should elect their senior prefect from a short-list of three nominees provided by the principal and staff. Three best friends, KKY, Sam and Joseph, sleeping in the same 8x8 room, had to compete, campaign and debate in front of the students. How can I compete against two guys who were smarter than me and always first and second in class. Wow, I was introduced to politics; I had to dig deep into myself and ask what is my competitive edge, why do I believe that I should lead the students? In the end, I won the elections. One year later, I had to join our friends in Bo school (Harry Selenga, Baba Musa Danjaji, Eric Jumu, J.B. Laggah, and others) to organize the Bo version of "No College-No School" demonstrations. I also became president of the the Bo United Nations Students Association (BUNSA).

God's Time is the Best

So my association with the United Nations started in 1977-78, at 17-18 years, when I was elected President of BUNSA. The Vice President was the senior prefect of the Bo school. You fast forward to 1989, when I desperately wanted to be a young professional in the UN and World Bank. I lobbied some people, but it did not happen. I went on to be Assistant to the Dean University of Illinois College of Agriculture, and then Assistant Professor at Michigan State. Well God's time is the best. In 1996 two decades later, I was called to join the UN at much higher level (a director level at age 36). I learnt another lesson, that one must always work hard, train properly and prepare oneself so that when the Almighty opens the door of opportunity, you can sprint through it to success. Remember I was a long distance runner for St John's Hall in athletics (400 meters, 800 meters and the mile); I know that to win in long distance competition, you train, you pace yourself and be ready for the dash at the finish line. When I ran for the election to the post of Director General, I was dismissed by my opponents because I was the youngest candidate and they said my country did not have international clout. Well, as I did for the senior prefect election, I ran a smart global campaign, focussing on my superior knowledge and practical experience within the UN; and I won by a landslide. So sometimes the Almighty might not answer your prayers immediately, he prepares you through detours and rough terrain; and then, Eureka! all factors suddenly come together easily and smoothly. Some call it luck, I call it Devine intervention having a date with solid preparation and hard work.

The Future

Mr. Principal, distinguished Alumni, Elders, ladies and gentlemen,What we do now, sometimes determines our future. The choices we will make in the next 3-4 years will determine the fate of our country (your fate), for the next two decades. We can be as poor as the Niger Delta, or we can be as wealthy as Dubai. I believe that the best way to predict the future is to create the future.

Many days and nights I ask myself and ponder over questions about our country Sierra Leone.In the abundance of our natural wealth that have been discovered over the past 8 years and provided by the Almighty for 6 million souls; in the presence of abundant open-source knowledge systems in this digital age, why must the next generation of Sierra Leoneans (our children and grand children) be poor, why should they be destitute, and why should they be ignorant? It was Bob Marley who said "In the Abundance of water, only the fool is thirsty".

Ckcrocodile

 Are we pre-ordained to be poor? Why should another generation of Sierra Leoneans become economic refugees in London or New York? Our children and grand children deserve better. As a man who has defied the odds, worked hard to find a place on the global stage, I believe we can shape our destiny if we have some shared values and a strong sense of responsibility, coupled with determination to be amongst the best. 

Since we live in a globalized world, we must think global and act local. We must learn how others are creating wealth and spreading prosperity for their citizens and generations yet unborn. You the current students of CKC (the next generation of Sierra Leonean Leaders), and your parents as well, should understand that to make Sierra Leone a prosperous nation, to ensure that you do not continue to hug the bottom tier of the development ladder (as we have done for the past two and half decades), you must be ready to compete with other youth from other nations. Competitiveness of nations, and the prosperity of the citizens require knowledge, skills and a core set of values (a culture) that molds the people into a formidable professional cadre or productive labour force. It requires leadership that puts the interest of the common people first; it requires leadership that understands how private sector led-growth buttressed by smart macro-economic and trade policies can propel a nation to double digit growth and structural change.

We must embrace foreign direct investments and global strategic alliances for trade and technology cooperation. We must invest in functional literacy. Functional literacy rate refers to the percentage of literates imbued with enhanced adaptive capabilities to use modern technology and devices and to commercialize new knowledge. To this end, the future workforce should be empowered with adaptive thinking and skills to blend with and adapt to the rapidly changing facets of industrialization. Functional literacy rate facilitates creative and innovative thinking skills in order to remain dynamically relevant, to face the challenges in global market place, and to seize emerging opportunities.

 An Indian friend recently told me this story. At the Crystal Palace Industrial Exhibition in 1851, American goods were at the center of attraction. The surprised British industrial stakeholders, whose forefathers emerged as the pioneers of industrial revolution a century ago, went to the US to find out the reasons. They realized that the productive functional literacy rate in the US was higher than that of England. In the 1980s when Japanese goods successfully penetrated the European and North American markets, the surprised industrial magnates of the US, whose forefathers transformed a great agrarian economy into a mighty industrial power after the civil war, went to Japan to find that functional literacy rate in Japan was higher than that of the US.

School Campus

Over the past ten years I have supported the promotion of functional literacy in Sierra Leone. I encouraged UNIDO to build 11 growth centers in communities all over the country, with the largest one in Bo Town. Two years ago we started building the fisheries training institute (which the rebels had burnt down) at Ferry Junction; I am happy to say that in four weeks on December 18th the President will inaugurate the new fisheries training institute.

Today, on behalf of my family, I pledge to help establish the computer lab in CKC. In addition, we will provide 10 tuition scholarships for the school, one 4-year college tuition scholarship (to Njala University or Fourah Bay College) for the student with the best WASSE result. (He will be required to maintain a high Grade point average while in college). We will also make a contribution towards the new school block, and are willing to assist COBA to raise funds for its construction. 

Finally, I hope in the next couple of years I can join you on the ground to shape our country's future. Yes, I will be back in Salone in the near future. As I have always said, there are no red or green Sierra Leoneans. There are only one people with a common destiny, and a dream for a better tomorrow. I hope that all my stories todaywill convince you that you can compete and that you can be great. In fact, you must compete, otherwise we will all remain poor, begging for aid and help all the time. With a strong sense of Responsibility, a sense of Proportion, commitment to Partnerships, a readiness to serve others, commitment to Hard Work, a solid Education, and unwavering Faith in the Power of the Almighty, are the the keys to success and prosperity for you and me.

Fire at Sierra Leone Post Office.

Post Office on Fire

The central part of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone was a hubbub of activity today as a column of smoke that soon grew wider was seen billowing out of the Sierra Leone Post Office (SALPOST) in the morning hours. For the better part of 45 minutes, amazed onlookers gazed in bewilderment as columns of smoke engulfed the building with no response from the city's Fire Force, only for them to come later to the scene with all the urgency of a snail.

Reports from Freetown indicate that the fire originated from the office the General Manager Samuel Koroma who at the opportune time was having a meeting at the National Revenue Authority (NRA) and later stated that he had no idea what might have initiated the blaze. He had left his laptop on in the office, according to a reporter from Politico Sierra Leone and had himself only known about the blaze through a telephone call.

There was extensive damage to the contents of the office, with suspicions that the fire could have been the result of faulty air conditioning in the GM's office.

Still Smoking

With the high level of corruption in the country's capital and given that the country has a history of fires mysterious whenever there are serious investigatory probes, the Sierra Leone conspiracy theorists today had a field day on social media, especially with the coincidental timing of the GM's meeting at the NRA and a fire outbreak in his office that destroyed all documents in his office, including his laptop. 

Smoke Spreads

Luckily the damage to the SALPOST building did not involve any human tragedy as the workers and those there at the time seemed to get out of the building in one piece.

Immediately post independence, the Sierra Leone Post Office, which later in its history was called SALPOST, was one of the most efficient institutions in the country with branches all over the country and tonnes of mail and parcels sent domestically and internationally. However the immense corruption of the late 70s and early 80s did not spare the post office, marking a precipitous decline in the provision and efficiency of postal services. By the early 80s staff at the postal offices in the country started to tamper with packages and letters, especially from overseas and the institution gradually lost faith with the people.

Before the war, many people used the post office to send small sums of money to their relatives.However, criminal elements at the post office started to reportedly scan mails to see if there were any monies and the letters never reached their intended recipients. At the height of the war and before the proliferation of money transfer services such as Western Union and MoneyGram, the post office was the main way to send money and people living out of the country started to be very creative in sending money, sometimes using carbon paper to wrap money before putting it in envelopes. It was however a losing battle as corrupt delivery men just grew more creative and bolder.

Fire Force Finally Here!

Some years ago, there was a report that American Diversity lottery Applications posted by people anxious to escape the grinding poverty in Sierra Leone were dumped secretly in the ocean. The news whether true or false was met with outrage and protests by young people who had applied for the lottery and that was another low point in the history of this once reputable agency.

With the proliferation of Internet based sources of communication, the emergence of courier services such as DHL and UPS and the widespread use of mobile services, the once formidable hold the country's post office seemed to hold over communication seem to have been lost for ever.

Unlike other African Postal services that envisioned the impact that emerging technology will have on their business model and were proactive in championing Internet and in some cases mobile technology, the Sierra Leone Post Office, buried deep in corruption and institutional inefficiency, was not nimble enough and has largely become a white elephant that no longer has any degree of impact in the country.

Sierra Leone Post Office in 1910

This fire as bad as it is, could provide the much needed impetus to reexamine this colonial relic that is headed by yet another Koroma and question what next for this once formidable national institution. But with all the documents in the GM's office on fire, I guess it is just another case of what Sierra Leoneans call "Kombra fart pan in pikin nar buff case"