Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. I cannot begin without extending my heartfelt congratulations to you, Mr. President, Julius Maada Wonie Bio. Allow me to commend you on your recent appointment as Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority during its 67th Ordinary Session. This is a remarkable milestone, and I sincerely hope it brings meaningful progress, not only to your leadership but also to our nation and the broader West African sub-region.
On a more serious note and to the issues in-depth, there are moments in a nation’s history that force its people to confront hard truths. Today is one such moment for Sierra Leone. The recent revelation that our Government is seeking a paltry 20 megawatts of electricity from neighbouring Guinea, a country whose troops forcibly seized our territory in Yenga without consequence, is nothing short of a national disgrace. It is a sobering reminder that under the Paopa regime, failure is no longer an exception but the rule; institutionalized, normalized and even defended.
Let us be clear: Sierra Leone is not merely enduring a power crisis. We are suffering from a leadership crisis; one that cuts deeper than any blackouts ever could. The current administration, masquerading as a civilian Government, has revealed itself to be as impotent as it is indifferent. For a nation so rich in potential, it is a tragedy of generational proportions that we have sunk to this level of dependency and subjugation.
From seizing Yenga to scout for electricity in Conakry: The Bitter Irony! The events surrounding Yenga, our own sovereign land cannot be separated from this debacle. Guinean troops did not just “move in”; they seized Yenga, expelling Sierra Leoneans from their homes and asserting foreign authority on Sierra Leonean soil. This was not just an incursion; it was a humiliation. And instead of mounting a diplomatic or legal campaign to reclaim our territory, our Government is now begging Guinea for electricity. Think about that: the same country that violated our sovereignty now holds another plug to our national grid.
In any self-respecting nation, such a scenario would spark outrage, emergency sessions of Parliament and sweeping resignations. In Sierra Leone, it’s business as usual. The Commander-in-Chief unless otherwise may still be lounging in Abuja or cozying somewhere around Freetown in a state-of-the-art AC perhaps contemplating his next private jet destination while ordinary citizens sit in darkness, both literal and metaphorical.
Looking at this development between the two sister countries and the political situations on both sides, one may tend to ask: Civilian or Military Rule which brings better brain and progressive reign?
This episode lays bare a disturbing truth: the central problem in Africa today is not whether a regime wears civilian clothes or military fatigues. The issue is the complete presence or absence of visionary, accountable leadership. Democracy, when stripped of integrity and responsibility, is as hollow as any dictatorship. Sierra Leone is not failing because of democracy; it is failing because of what our democracy has become; a shell game run by elites with no loyalty to the people, but to themselves, political parties and the next cycles of elections.
It is so frustrating to ask; what is the moral or strategic calculus that allows our leaders to prioritize jet-setting and political theatre over national sovereignty and basic utilities? What sort of civilian leadership caves to the authority of a foreign military Government simply to secure 20MW of electricity, barely enough to power a district? This is not diplomacy; it is desperation. It is not strategy; it is surrender.
Using some legal lens, I may tend to be squeezed to further ask if this is not another Constitutional Dereliction?
The Sierra Leone Constitution, under Section 5, states that “sovereignty belongs to the people of Sierra Leone from whom Government through this Constitution derives all its powers, authority and legitimacy.” Yet, how does this Government derive its legitimacy when it cannot protect our territory, power our homes or stand with dignity on the international stage when it comes to fighting a just cause to protect Sierra Leoneans from foreign troops? When it fails to act in the interest of its citizens and instead submits to foreign humiliation, the Constitution becomes nothing more than a framed piece of paper.
Furthermore, Section 6(1) of our Constitution mandates that the state shall “take all steps to eradicate all corrupt practices and the abuse of power.” But what are we witnessing now if not a gross abuse of power through negligence? What is more corrupt than trading the dignity of a nation for a flicker of borrowed electricity?
With a voice trembling, yet resolute, not out of fear of becoming the next casualty of a system that devours those who dare to speak truth, but out of the weight of truth itself, I must assert without hesitation: The people deserve more. Not scraps of empty promises, but dignity, accountability and a leadership worthy of their hope.
This is not just about electricity. It’s about the soul of our republic. It’s about whether Sierra Leoneans will continue to be led by individuals who treat governance as a personal enterprise while the nation crumbles. We deserve leaders who will not sell our dignity for energy contracts or abandon our people for diplomatic niceties with those who violate our borders.
To those defending this decision as “pragmatic” or “necessary”: no amount of power is worth the cost of national pride. Sierra Leone must build its own capacity, harness its own resources and reclaim its rightful place, not just on a map, but in the conscience of its leaders. Until we do, we are merely renters in our own house, asking our neighbours, especially the coveted neighbours for candles while they occupy our bedrooms.
To the regime, please note that the embarrassment of Sierra Leone today is not just in your lack of power, but in the lack of your leadership with power. The Paopa regime has failed to prioritize the fundamental needs and dignity of the Sierra Leonean people. It has chosen convenience over courage, optics over action and submission over sovereignty.
It is not just disheartening, it is infuriating. And it is time we say so.
To the Commander-in-Chief, wherever your jet may take you next, know this: no runway abroad will ever be long enough to escape the judgment of a nation betrayed. Three years left and that is sufficient to stay home and do the needful!
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