By Khadi Mansaray
Independence Day provides a reason to celebrate and painstakingly search for things to be proud of. It is sometimes extremely hard to find things to be proud of and admittedly you have to look hard. Among the despair there are things that we can be proud of - and that is our people.
Amongst the Sierra Leoneans behaving badly lie the gems of our society that redeem us and give us hope. There are those who not only give tireless service but also do so with compassion and nobility.
Two weeks ago, to mark the country's 53rd independence anniversary, a number of Sierra Leoneans were given honours. I was particularly pleased about the recognition of the non-political people as they serve as a reminder that politics is not the only way to be a good citizen. And there are other ways to make an impact in society. We can proud of Dr Ishmael Peters who has delivered so many babies, including some distinguished Sierra Leoneans. Doctor Patrick Coker another household name, for not only being an excellent doctor but for providing his services free on several occasions.
These gentlemen represent the excellence of the medical profession in Sierra Leone that keeps us alive and healthy under very challenging conditions. Every health professional deserves a medal for their tireless effort and although all cannot receive a medal, those that did including these two gentlemen should be immensely proud of the work they do.
In education A J W Lasite was recognised for his service to education. The Sierra Leone Grammar School is still one of the educational institutions that have maintained integrity and standards in Sierra Leone. I was particularly pleased that non-Sierra Leoneans such as Gary Schulze and Sherene Ranasinghe were recognised for their service too.
On the political front Andrew Keili was recognised not only for his work as an engineer, but his contribution to democracy. He has shown exemplary leadership in many ways within the opposition. There were no shortages of outstanding women. There was Aminata Kallay the current South African Consul who is also a successful businesswoman, and had previously won the title of Businesswoman Of The Year in 1989 and 1990 consecutively. There was the philanthropist, Rev Deborah Freeman.
The award to Single Leg Amputee Sports Association was particularly refreshing as it reinforces that the disabled are also part of our community who not only contribute but deserve accolades too. I hope this helps reduce the discrimination and exclusion of disabled people but also the stigma attached to them. I cannot mention all the recipients but award aside there are also the unsung heroes.
These awards are only part of the story. Earlier this year in Freetown I found people and organisations we can be immensely proud of too.
Sierra Rutile is a success story we can be proud of. It has stood the test of time and like many Sierra Leoneans it suffered the ravages of war, had its casualties and survived. Today Sierra Rutile is making a profit, creating employment and paying corporate taxes. But what we should be most proud of is that it is run by Sierra Leoneans. Headed by John Sisay, the senior management team is 75% Sierra Leonean. They are professional and progressive and their corporate social responsibility is impressive. It develops its staff and gives back to the community. Sierra Rutile is a benchmark for mining companies in Sierra Leone.
We can be proud of independent law firms like DeLuxe Chambers, Made in Sierra Leone in every sense of the word, its owner Chukwuemeka Taylor never left Sierra Leone apart from short stints during periods of instability. DeLuxe Chambers is modern, ethical and gives a world-class service. There are other small businesses we can be proud of: Project Sierra Leone showcases our local products and is a delight to tourists too.
The food and entertainment sector also do us proud, Phasebook in the city centre is a delightful social hub to lunch in. It’s not just the emerging businesses that do us proud, Crown Bakery has been run by the Keserwanis since my school days and is still a thriving business providing excellent service.
We should be proud of our women. The current administration has done its best to increase women in public office and they are performing extremely well. President Koroma must be listening to Naasu Fofanah his Gender Advisor, who recently launched "Women at the Wheel". It is really encouraging to see women taking on jobs that were traditionally male-dominated and not just being given the scraps of political appointments.
The private sector also has its share of women showing exemplary leadership not only in their own businesses but also in various organisations. Freetown’s popular resort, The Place has a senior management team that is 90% female.
There are male and female returnees opening sustainable businesses and taking professionalism to our institutions. Nyamacorro Sarata Silla who is doing amazing work with the Rainbow Centres and raising awareness for rape. Edleen Elba who in addition to the challenging role of human resources at NPA is also doing a great job with Jobsearch Sierra Leone, helping companies recruit excellence. Zee Tunkara Clarkson returned to Freetown and is working closely with Afford to empower local businesswomen. Leah Mansaray bravely stepped and set up Fadugu a money transfer business that makes Diaspora remittances easier. They are all Sierra Leoneans who are contributing to its development in very different ways.
Late last year Sierra Leone lost a great woman in the person of Hon Elisabeth Lavallie, a vibrant politician and parliamentarian, her interest in women's rights was not restricted by political loyalty. She was dedicated, sincere and tireless in her efforts. A true icon in female leadership that was not only admired but left a legacy of leadership for us to aspire to. May she rest in peace. We should be proud of them. And there are more outside the country too. Dynamic Sierra Leoneans from the Diaspora, with values, ethics and professionalism that we can be proud off. Amidst the chaos and despite a lot of challenges there are Sierra Leoneans who hold it together. They raise the flag through their actions; they make us proud and give us hope. We must support them and we must celebrate them and hope that one day we will rise above the bottom rungs of the development index.
Long live Sierra Leone.
(C) Politico 15/05/14
