These were the words of President Julius Maada Bio speaking at the opening ceremony of the just-concluded Bintumani III Conference aimed at consolidating peace and national cohesion in the country.
He went on to state that the Bintumani III Conference is about the voices of women, men, the old, the aged pensioners, youth, children, persons living with disabilities, chiefs, community leaders, imams, pastors, journalists, civil society, members of the security forces, nurses, doctors, civil servants, private business men and women, Sierra Leoneans in the Diaspora, and ordinary citizens to make their voices heard.
He warned however that the Bintumani III Conference is not about politics or politicians, adding that the conference is about the people and the future of our democracy and our beloved country. He also warned that the problem with Sierra Leone is that bad politicians are at the heart of the acrimony that continues to mar the social peace in this country. “They make everything political – the ethnicity of people, the region they come from, what they believe in, what they say, even people’s last names and the color of clothes people wear,” President Bio noted.
He added that those (Sierra Leoneans) who claim to promote national cohesion and yet refuse to participate in such an important gathering must be asked the simple question: “where will your attitude take Sierra Leone”? He used the opportunity to admonish his audience that one cannot refuse to participate in an event that draws its force from all corners of this country and walks of life and that one cannot claim to love Sierra Leone more, when all one’s actions and statements are contrary to the spirit of promoting diversity in democracy.
He further admonished his audience and participants to put forward legitimate arguments that represent common interests and needs and called on participants to help build an institution that will add value to our democratic credentials. “Let us build an institution that will support our efforts to work together and live together in one nation state. Let us make our governance institutions robust so that people do not easily undermine their legitimacy and effectiveness. Let us talk about how we can make it impossible for any one person or any one group of persons to keep tearing our nation apart,” President Bio said.
He further called on all and sundry to be totally honest and translate that honesty into real action for the good of the nation. He maintained that Sierra Leone is not divided by religion or ethnicity as Sierra Leoneans live together, worship together, celebrate together, watch football games together, use the same markets, and live in the same communities very peacefully.
