By Ezekiel Nabieu
It's true. I hope the innuendo is well taken. More than one country has been attacked or stricken by the deadly virus and it could be any one of them that could be bowled out or caught by Leg Before Wicket (LBW).
What I do know is that one of these governments was kicked out by rebels from the same part of the country from which Ebola has emerged. And history has a tendency of repeating itself the difference being only in the details. Whether that is going to be the case in the present scenario cannot be ascertained. It remains to be seen.
If it is the Sierra Leone government that will be bowled out by Ebola the fault will be largely due to LEADERSHIP FAILURE.
They would never admit it because of their syndrome of infallibility. It should be noted in passing that countries like institutions are lengthened shadows of single individuals. The Roman Empire was made possible because of the birth of the man Caesar. Christianity is due to the birth of Jesus Christ that has resulted in the growth of millions of minds cleaving to his genius. The same applies to the birth of Mohammed.
A Latin proverb tells us that an army of stags led by a lion would be better than an army of lions led by a stag. As at now in Sierra Leone it is any one’s guess which is which.
There are various forms of leadership that mold the lives of individuals and the destinies of nations. Leadership does not only depend on policies and rules but also on implementation. And talking about implementation it is also important to think about the mode of implementation or style which can make lots of differences between individuals. This is obvious in the case of nations when we consider that they can prosper or stagnate under the same constitutions.
Reaction to Foday Ebola
What I am writing here is a reflection on government’s reaction to the plague with a view to preventing further lackadaisical reaction to it as it progresses. The Bible states: “If the trumpet gives an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battle? (1 Cor. 14:8).
In the days of old there were trumpet sounds not only for battle but for revelry, mere adorationof leaders etc. there were no megaphones and no radios. “A stitch in time saves nine” though our leaders have chosen the proverb “better late than never.” Oh erstwhile Athens of West Africa!
Are we content to be world best at lagging behind? As I write I have just heard the BBC say that Ghana has postponed the reopening of their universities for two weeks due to Ebola. When will Sierra Leone ever take any initiative? “The leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.” (Isaiah 9:16). Are we being destroyed by inches? The answer is yours.
The syndrome of exonerating the Head of State for the state of the nation should cease forthwith. There is for instance an ongoing trial of the captain and crew of a South Korean ship that sank recently. President Ernest Bai Koroma is the captain of our ship of state. It is therefore only sycophantic to exclude him from blame if the ship is directed to the rocks. He bears the greatest responsibility and not the coxswains or engineers.
Talking about leadership football fans and others would know that there are looming changes in the fortunes of the world famous Manchester United club due solely to the leadership change. We know the ascendancy of the club under the leadership of Alex Fergusson who was later Knighted as Sir Alex Fergusson. Entered David Moyes and we know how the club plummeted. Now the club is under the leadership of Van Gaal and we know how the club with the same players performed recently in the United States winning a much coveted cup against formidable teams in Europe. Can you read between the lines? The foregoing demonstrates the importance of leadership.
Sierra Leone should have been quite a different country under Charles Margai or Solomon Berewa. True or false? The praise singing team however would have us believe that with their omniscient Ernest Bai Koroma we are in Utopia.
The APC government should now take the golden even diamond opportunity to abandon their malignant diseases of tribalism and regionalism that are eating into the vitals of the state. That way they may avoid being bowled out by Ebola thereby securing a third innings.
(C) Politico 19/08/14
