FIGHTING CRIMINALITY WITH MYSTICAL POWERS IN LUNGI
In the end it wasn’t a surprise to many Sierra Leoneans who saw pictures of people in Lungi, a town just across the river from Freetown invoking mystical powers to end unbridled criminality in their community.
Our information is that despite the improvement in the supply of electricity in that part of the country, particularly with the use of a mix of solar and thermal power, the people of Lungi have not been able to enjoy the facility because criminals are stealing cables, damaging transformers and taking away solar batteries despite the efforts of Sovula’s men. We have actually seen a few of those arrested and thrown into prison but it would appear as if the young guys in that place believe stealing EDSA facilities is more profitable than farming or dragging fish out of the sea in their backyard.
The traditional authorities have now launched their local nuclear weapons and from what we have been told since those pictures emerged, the consequences could be as bad as firing a cruise missile at Abacha Street market in broad daylight. In fact it’s even worse because we are told that even the family members of the criminals will be within range whether they live in Lungi or America. Isn’t that very serious? One of our sources told us that such a traditional nuclear weapon is never launched without the permission of the local authorities because of the devastating consequences it could have for the community. So now, let’s see what happens to Lungi going forward:
1. It is possible the criminals will simply ignore these traditionalists and continue with their thing. The criminals would conclude that a Stone Age action like that has no power in the 21st century criminal underworld.
2. Sovula’s men should now make those traditional people an integral part of their fight against criminal behavior in that part of the country. Why not? The Sovula boys failed to protect even the solar light just a few yards from their station. In fact the criminals stole things from even the military garrison in Lungi.
3. If the traditional authorities succeed they should open up a big cemetery to accommodate the new people moving in soon with their families. Let’s be prepared for some surprises.
4. In fact EDSA should encourage communities up and down this country to do the same thing because Sovula has failed to protect such vital national assets.
5. We don’t have legs to stand on and criticize the people of Lungi about the use of such traditional tactics even when it makes us look so backward. The truth is Sovula has failed to deal with such small-time criminals so let the people do what they think works for their community.
THROWING RUBBISH IN THE STREETS OF FLOODED FREETOWN
When torrential rains lashed Freetown the other day many awful things happened – some homes were washed away and properties destroyed, power lines were cut and as we write this a good many ordinary Sierra Leone are trying to rebuild while looking over their shoulders to see what the rest of the rainy season holds for this country. We believe climate change is beginning to take a toll on Sierra Leone and there is a long struggle ahead.
Even in the early stages of operation, the National Disaster Management Agency is showing signs that it is ready to lead this struggle against all what adverse weather will throw at us. They need all the support from the government and international bodies that can help.
However, one of the most disgusting things we saw on that day was a widely shared social media video of a man pouring a huge amount of domestic rubbish on a flooded street. It was really disgusting. As part of what the Roads Authority calls FLOOD MITIGATION plans, we recently saw their contractors, supervised by soldiers clearing the drainage system in Freetown to make it easy for the heavy rains of this time of the year to flow freely. Surely, all the Sierra Leoneans who watched that video were appalled at how some of our people behave. It’s not as if the guy was caught in the rain, he actually brought the rubbish out of wherever and spent a good few minutes doing the awful deed.
We think the authorities should arrest him. We can’t continue to waste our taxes paying for people to clear the drainage to prevent floods while others knowingly take us back. We’ve done our own bit to make this a point to note, let the authorities now do their own bit. He is not the only one to have done that on that day but we have to start somewhere and with somebody.
POLICE PROMOTIONS SPARK JUBILATION ON THE STREETS
First of all we want to congratulate all of those police officers who were promoted to different ranks in our Force for Good last week. We know there was huge disagreement over the procedure by which at least some of those promotion decisions were made. The whole thing took a disgraceful dimension when one of those in that decision making body went on social media, essentially accusing his colleagues of acting outside laid down procedures. In other words, they were not true to their oath to be fair with all. He was subsequently suspended, accused of insubordination and violent conduct towards the deputy head of the Force for Good. We read that much on social media. Let’s put all that to one side for now and congratulate all those that have moved to new ranks. We wish you the very best in the service of Sierra Leone.
We just want to raise a few issues:
1. Why was all that unprecedented drive-by celebration on some streets of Freetown by police officers necessary? Sierra Leoneans absolutely congratulate those promoted but behaving like people going on a political rally on the streets didn’t go down well with many people. We want to be assured that behavior will not be repeated.
2. In fact, why did so many officers have to be assembled in one place for promotions to be announced? Why was the announcement not made in all the different units in the same way normal police instructions are given daily?
3. Those senior officers who mobilized their juniors to police headquarters and back should be ashamed of themselves. Why didn’t they go home and celebrate with their families and friends instead of making a nuisance of themselves on our streets?
4. By the way, what’s the latest on AIG Brima-Jah? Has he now formally testified at the police inquiry into his conduct in the events leading to this whole promotion thing? Please publish the outcome.
HOW TO DEAL WITH A SUSPECTED SIDE CHIC?
This nation has been gripped by a social media video of a young woman in some distress being driven at high speed in a Kekeh in Freetown while being insulted and threatened. It’s almost as if we’ve been watching a scene from a Nollywood movie in which a beautiful college student was being kidnapped for ransom. We have subsequently gathered that a woman who works in one of our powerful governmental agencies actually organized the kidnapping of this college student from her home using a Kekeh to take her to God knows where.
In the days following that kidnap people have been having their say. The main character in this drama is alleging that the beautiful college student is having an affair with her husband so she must take the bull by the horn and teach the young girl a lesson, not a Political Science lesson but a lesson on how to say NO. Many people just can’t imagine why our jealous and insecure suspected kidnapper must undertake such extreme measures for something like that and in the process embarrass everybody over something she could have dealt with in her bedroom.
When we supported the Cybercrime bill the other day, it was not so much about how people went about holding politicians to account. It was about how ordinary people now use social media to damage the reputation of others without consequences. We don’t want to say much about this affair for now because we want Sovula and his people to investigate and bring this matter to court. There should be no settlement in the home. We want examples to deter others from taking the law into their hands. Please don’t forget that Kekeh man. He cannot tell us he didn’t know he was part of what looks like a kidnap effort. We will be back.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (13/09/21)
