By Ezekiel Nabieu
On the 28 April 2014, the 50th anniversary of the death of Sierra Leone’s first Prime Minister was observed privately by relatives and friends with little mention of the event in the media.
For them it passed placidly like water under a bridge. What message does that send to genuine observers of our historical scene? It simply speaks of an attitude of selfishness and self-aggrandisement on the part of the ruling APC party. No other political party should be heard of. All things were done by the APC and without them was not anything done that was done.
Indeed without them there would have been no civil war and no premature hosting of the then OAU to cause our currency to plummet.
It is ‘APC Live Forever’ all the way. What has been done cannot be undone by lack of mentioning. In the words of the late former President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, Sir Milton’s 50th death anniversary was shelved because of BAD HEART. His deeds are in the catacombs of history, according to them.
At the King Memorial United Methodist Church in Freetown, a memorial and communion service was held with the Theme: “Lead Kindly Light”, his favourite hymn. There was rendition of the school song of Albert Academy, the school that he attended and the National Anthem was rendered by the Freetong Players. The sermon was delivered by Bishop Emeritus Dr. J.C. Humper.
In a brochure he prepared, Professor Joe A.D. Alie of the University of Sierra Leone highlighted Sir Milton’s legacy and produced excerpts of his independence day messages. He said Sir Milton’s vision was to make Sierra Leone a model state in West Africa. Sadly, death’s cruel hands prevented him from fulfilling this dream. Yet, he said, Sir Milton’s 3-year rule as Prime Minister of independent Sierra Leone is important for a number of reasons. Among them were the following:
(a) His administration laid the ground work for the socio-economic development of the country through a ten-year plan of Economic and Social Development for Sierra Leone:1962/63-1971/72.
(b) He allowed critical governance institutions to operate freely and independently without interference from government. For example, the Electoral Commission conducted free, fair and credible elections in May 1962 which saw the opposition All People's Congress win a significant number of seats.
(c) He was a very peaceful leader who detested lawlessness and violence.
(d) Sir Milton was keenly interested in the welfare of Sierra Leoneans including the less privileged. For instance, in 1961 he appealed for funds to construct the School for the Blind and in the following year he laid the foundation stone for the School along Wilkinson Road in Freetown. Other institutions he helped to found are named after him.
He concluded by saying that the most befitting tribute to Sir Milton by all well-meaning Sierra Leoneans on the occasion of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of his death is to make a firm promise to go back to the basics; that is to uphold those democratic and governance principles and practices he and other Sierra Leonean nationalist leaders stood for at the time of independence in 1961.
He said today Sierra Leoneans look back to his time in office as a period of prosperity and social harmony.
This is the man that should not be remembered because the omniscient ones have come on the scene. But they should realise that history has no eraser. Sir Milton will surely be remembered by patriots. His remembrance cannot be wished out of their minds. That’s a man who changed the spirit of the age. Among our substantive heads of state since independence, Sir Milton has been the most educated with the following degrees, namely MA, MB, BS, and DCL (Honoris Causa).
If Sir Milton did not live it would have been necessary to invent him. To attempt to blot the memory of such a national icon from the minds of patriotic citizens is base ingratitude which is treason to mankind. This is the most unkindest cut of all, as Shakespeare would put it. The golden rule espoused by Jesus Christ says: “Do unto others as you would want others to do unto you”. Today it is a do-nothing Sir Milton whose memory is being shielded. Tomorrow it may be that of a do-all.
Sir Milton was an honest man of high principles who made no lavish display of wealth like splashing ill-gotten gains on the streets, and loathed corruption as the following episodes show:
An incident once occurred at a meeting of one of his pre-independence cabinet sessions. After prayers, Sir Milton informed members that one of the papers to be considered in the meeting was tainted. A minister (unnamed) had received US$ 250 as an inducement to help see that paper through. Sir Milton stressed that the cabinet paper would not be discussed unless and until the money had been returned. There were goings-out and comings-in and whisperings to the Cabinet Secretary by members.
Eventually, Sir Milton disclosed that he was satisfied that the $250 had been returned and cabinet continued its session to the end of the agenda.
In another incident some diamonds were offered to Sir Milton after a visit to Yengema as a gift to a head of state. He ordered them to take the diamonds back because the act was corrupt. Imagine what happens these days with visits to London Mining and African Minerals. It will be a miracle to hear of such a reaction.
ARE WE INDEPENDENT?
Are we independent? If so, independent of what? Every Independence Anniversary ought to be commemorated as a day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty with pomp and parade, with shows, games and bonfires etc. Instead, what has been obtaining since 2007 when unbridled banditry became the order of the day? It has been a narrative of misery with sweat and tears, hunger, lamentations, ostentations and debauchery by the fleecers of the people and their cohorts.
In his Independence Message Sir Milton said, among other things, “I would like to make it clear that independence will not result in any sudden changes in our day-to-day life…life will go on just the same with the same rights and privileges safeguarded, the same type of laws, the same justice in our courts…” One would hope that Sir Milton would arise briefly to see if the same justice he expected is what we are having in our courts these days.
The showers of justice in the Kailahun constituencies is a case in point. True patriots shall remember Sir Milton.
(C) Politico 22/05/14
