Personal Musings on our Salone @ 50 Anniversary–by John Simbo

Recently, I wrote to Yeniva at the Sierra Leone @ 50 - Independence Anniversary Planning Committee, taking a mild exception to our chosen theme of ‘50 years Forward’.

Firstly, I must say that I commend the work the committee are doing to commemorate this occasion of our 50th Independence Anniversary, however my issue is that I feel that the lead ‘theme’ is slightly confusing and that we are perhaps missing an opportunity to ‘move’ the Nation, and to have Sierra Leoneans renew their personal pledges to our motherland.

It’s my thinking that if the theme is intended to be a statement which reflects our past - '50 years Forward', then I’d suggest that it contains a liberal amount of conjecture, as some might argue that there is scant evidence of us moving massively forward over those years. This therefore makes the ‘theme’ a debatable issue [with many discordant views and opinions] which I’m sure is not a direction we wish to go.

However, if it is that we are looking in the other direction - '50 years Forward – Celebrating a New Sierra Leone’, then I do hope that we will take the time to pause and to reflect on our last 50 years both good and bad. We are after all commemorating the past fifty years of our independence, therefore it would be remiss for us to focus on our future without looking at our past. In order to know where we’re going, we need to understand where we’re coming from.

Furthermore, I believe that if we are to lead with a banner of ‘50 Years Forward’, some observers amongst us would reasonably expect some sort of blue-print, plan, design etc in accompaniment. I therefore humbly suggest that we come up with something to fill the design/ blue-print vacuum; To design and to plan for success - hopefully within some our lifetimes, and to do what we can to guard against the theme going down as just another sound-off and the usual hyperbole.

I will also add that I do hope that the occasion is not excessively party-political, as this might serve to alienate whole swaths of our society. Sierra Leone after all embodies all of our shared history, and therefore it is important that we all buy into the message and not get distracted by debate or by partisan issues.

The central point I would like to make however is that whatever the theme might be, the planning committee must do their utmost to weave a broad range of elements into the commemorations, other than the revellous celebrations which I’m quite sure we will do well. It is in fact a testament to the spirit of our people that in spite of our recent deeply dark history, we can still take pleasure in and celebrate the joys of living. We know how to party, that’s for sure, and I look forward to that, however we must also take this opportunity to inspire our nation to a higher set of ideals and our people to a change for the betterment of Sierra Leone.

Personally I believe that one of the things that is holding us back as a nation is that we do not always set and reach for a better version of ourselves. We often do not ‘Dare to Dream’ and be the best that we can be, but instead suffer a complex - aptly described in Oswald Hancilles article: ‘Curing over 50 Years Inferiority Complex’. Please see article: http://www.cocorioko.net/?p=3146

However, if we look across all the fields at Sierra Leoneans in ‘All Walks of Life’, in all corners of the globe, our people do have a long and rich history of achieving, often against adversity, becoming leaders of their professions, breaking down barriers, setting new records and paving new paths etc.

This is a part of our story as a people, and as such it’s a story that deserves to be told. It is a story that needs to be celebrated. We need to call on Sierra Leoneans all over the world to tell their stories of how they have achieved, how they have overcome adversity, and how they have soared.

We’ve got eminent scientists, doctors, lawyers, engineers, authors, teachers, researchers, humanitarians, sporting icons, actors, musicians and many of them are leading lights in their respective professions. We’ve also still got a few of the folks who fought for our independence and many others who emerged from the grass roots and who have amazing stories to tell.

Many of their stories deserve to be told firstly to remind the world of what Sierra Leoneans have achieved as a people in our time, but also and perhaps most importantly - to inspire all generations of Sierra Leoneans – and even those yet unborn. A lot of folks – even amongst ourselves, do not know how good we have been or can be as a people because the stories of our successes haven’t been told often enough. Instead we often look in awe at what other peoples and nations are achieving.

As part of the theme for our anniversary, I humbly submit that we should celebrate Sierra Leoneans who have ‘Dared to Dream’, Who Have Achieved and Who have Soared. Let them be an inspiration to us all.

During the months of our independence celebrations, we ought to capture and to retell some of these stories through the various mediums of radio, TV, online video recordings, printed articles, staged platforms, road shows etc. These stories need to reach the broadest audience of Sierra Leoneans wherever they may be found; [NB: Some of the items produced here will have obvious marketable / merchandise potential] and once we have been reminded of just some of what we as a people have achieved in our time, a high authority [possibly the President] needs to come out and to challenge the nation to rise to these standards. Many of the circumstances our compatriots had to face still persist, but we can ‘Dare to Dream’ and to reach for a better version of ourselves as they did. As a people, we need to embody the ideals that have served some of our citizens so well i.e the things that make the seemingly impossible possible – e.g. hard work, discipline, dedication, sacrifice, and a higher set of values etc.

I’m sure that there are versions of this story closer to home, but I’m reminded here of a speech made by John F Kennedy on the 25th May, 1961. In his speech, Kennedy announced before a special joint session of Congress, the dramatic and ambitious goal of sending an American safely to the Moon and safely back to earth before the end of the decade. This speech came at a time when Kennedy was feeling great pressure to have the United States catch up to and to overtake the Soviet Union in the ‘space race’. This was four years after Russian Yuri Gagarin had become the first human in space on April 12 1961, greatly embarrassing the U.S. Although Alan Shepard had been the first American in space on May 5, he had only flown a short sub-orbital flight instead as orbiting the earth as Gagarin had done. In addition, the Bay of Pigs [Cuba] fiasco in April 1961 had also been a source of great embarrassment to JFK’s administration.

Against the backdrop of these events, JFK wanted to announce a program in which the U.S. could take on and surpass the Soviet Union, so after consulting with his Vice President, NASA Administrators, and other officials, he announced America’s pursuit to land a man on the Moon and to return him safely back to earth. This at the time was the most ambitious of pursuits, with no other project comparable in scope and in ambition.

This created a new subtext for the cold war. America was involved in a war which was not just a war of military might, but also of ideas and of ambition including venturing into new frontiers, overcoming challenges, reclaiming lost ground, and becoming a dominant power once again.

The President took the leadership in this ambition, setting out their nation’s mission which was not just hugely technological challenging, it also required tremendous human endeavour, with all Americans pulling in the same direction. He challenged “...... every scientist, every engineer, every serviceman, every technician, contractor, and civil servant” to make a personal pledge to move the nation forward in fulfilling their Nation’s ambition. This period turned out to be one of America’s most productive periods and the rest as they say is history.
See JFK’s speech: http://www.homeofheroes.com/presidents/speeches/kennedy_space.html

Sierra Leone as a nation fifty years after our independence still has many of our own battles to fight and much to overcome. We can however draw inspiration from the many individuals amongst us, who have ‘Dared to Dream’, Who have ‘Achieved’ and who have ‘Soared’.

At this opportune time, as we celebrate [an age of maturity] 50 years of our independence, it is my humble opinion that we as a nation need to renew our ‘Mission’ set all those years ago. The higher authorities amongst us need to outline our Nation’s new ambitions and to send out the clarion call to re-engage the patriots within us.

Personally I would even argue that we need to embark on a new national project which calls on Sierra Leoneans to be the purveyors, standard bearers and custodians of our fate. We need a project that re-defines the standards we set and against which we judge ourselves. We need to strive for a better version of ourselves and of our Nation.

We need to “Reach for the Moon, and even if we don’t get there, we might end amongst the stars”

[John Simbo Jnr]

The Returnee Files – Q&A with Brian Conton

I’m often told that moving back is a courageous thing to do. It’s true but it's harder for some than others. For me once I made up my mind, it really wasn’t a difficult. This right here though is some serious shizzle. This edition of Returnee Files focuses on someone I call my "poster child" for returnees. I always talk about him in an effort to convince others that they can make the move. I’m like “you know Brian Conton? Well he just moved back with his wife and four kids. Yes, four kids!”. How much more hardcore can it get? On a serious note, I have a lot of admiration for him (and his wife) on putting together this move.
I have met very few people like Brian. It is obvious he is a highly organized individual, very focused and highly driven. Actually, he’s also slightly eccentric, in an out of the box kind of way- a trait I think is really cool. I mean, how many licensed physiotherapists do you know that are also qualified engineers with and MBA. If that is not enough, he moulds marble like counter tops and sinks for kitchens and bathrooms; designs and implements  solutions for solar energy and constant water supply all working 24/7 in his house. He points out that one of the pillars of a successful family move is to be independent of erratic water and power supply which plagues so many households.  In addition to that, he is building  a clinic for his physiotherapy practice (I mean doing everything from the drawings to supervising concrete mixes) AND running the Leone Prep school? Not only does he do all this but he does it all in pursuit of excellence. I always have time to listen to what he has to say and I suggest you take the time to read his interview. Ladies and gentlemen… “Returnee” – Brian Conton….
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1. When did you move back to Sierra Leone? How long where you out of the country?
We moved back permanently as a family in April 2010 and I have been out since 1992.
2. Are you permanently or just working here on a long term contract?
Not going anywhere here to stay.
3. Why did you decide to relocate to Sierra Leone?
I believe that with what I have learnt, it is possible to have a quality of life better than most other places when one takes into account the time and effort required to generate the finances to support whatever lifestyle. You can have a greater influence over your environment and have more time to build a better family life in Sierra Leone and contribute to national development.
4. Did family and friends try to discourage you from returning home? If yes, can you share some of their concerns?
It was rumoured that I had lost my marbles. The family and friends that tried to discourage me fall roughly into two categories The first group consists of those that were worried that I might not be able to provide an equitable life style for my family and get frustrated with the system. The other group was more concerned about their own displacement or the possibility that someone coming back might make them look bad for not having grown as much as they might/should have. From the former, once the realization that we were actually going to relocate sunk in, we got real help. I received solutions on how to overcome problems, food, loan of vehicles facilities and even resources. From the later group there was rarely anything but a litany of problems and reasons why I should not and often could not do the things that seemed perfectly achievable with a bit of extra effort. This was always preceded by the categorization that “we that are on the ground and know the limitations of this environment…..” Most of what they said was true and from their own experiences. However you have to filter the personal slants from the objective facts and use the information to prepare yourself. When you listen carefully, the bulk of what they say is about why they did not and could not, which can be extremely valuable in determining how you can and will. You just beware as soon as people start telling you that they are the people “on the ground” that phrase sometimes carries with it an undertone of resentment that transforms valuable experiences of even the most well meaning individuals to something else.
Admittedly, this is one of those delayed syndromes of the war. Those that endured the bullets and explosions to hold the fort do not want to give up the ground for which they have suffered. Especially so to those that they might see as deserters. Returnees are sometimes viewed as not asking permission from those that stayed behind to come home. They just bulldoze their way through. It is just amazing how even those that arrived the month before you adopt this cloth and wrap themselves in it. The bossy know it all attitude of some of the returnees/diasporans has done nothing to heal this divide. It is something that is very deep seated, divisive and damaging to the fabric of our society. We must at all costs find a way to air it and heal it.
5. How and what steps did you take to prepare your move/relocation to Sierra Leone?
We prepared this move as a family for close to three years. We brought in our god parents to hear each others needs and wants more clearly and articulate them objectively to myself and my wife. In something as life changing as a relocation, you can want it so badly that you hear what you want to hear and demote the importance of other concerns. This is either through just not hearing what is said or a belief that you can make the negatives go away. When we were guided through this process by some wise heads our (my) timeline grew from one year to three. During this time I came back at least twice annually and in the last 18 month four times of increasing duration each time.
6. If you are in full time employment, did you find a job before moving?
I have been very lucky in the sense that I have stepped into my mothers shoes and am helping her run the Leone Preparatory School which is my morning job. In the afternoons and evenings, I have a Physical Therapy practice inside of the Davidson Nicol Medical center so I guess I qualify as one of those that had a job before moving.
What is your profession? Have you been get the most out of your educational qualifications achieved abroad?
As a physiotherapist, the scope of care that I offer here is wider than anything that I did in the States. You tend to get very specialized in the US. Even though I owned a practice that saw a wide spectrum of patients, it is nothing compared to what I see here. I have a Doctorate in Physical Therapy specializing in workforce development. That means I look at the state of a profession, examine the socio-cultural outlook and how it fits into the whole development/political agenda of a nation. I then examine whether all the building blocks (policies, curricula, examinations, culture, general education ect) are consistent with the fulfillment of the professional goals. In this I am extremely fulfilled in running a school. I get to see first hand what is or is not done to prepare our workforce. As an MBA holder I run my own business and a family business. As an engineer (my first degree) I am doing some building and solar installations. I could not be more fulfilled professionally
7. How did you go about setting up the business and how did you find the experience?
I transferred my physical Therapy business from the states over here. As of now I practice inside a hospital as an individual so I have not had to go through the difficulties of business registration yet.
8. What type of business do you have? How can folks get in contact?
I have the Physical Therapy business. I also run the family business which is a primary school. There is however this budding market as a relocation consultant that people just seem to contact me a lot about. Maybe I should have a website. The easiest way to reach me is at the school on kingharman road in the mornings or Davidson Nicol Medical Center in the afternoons. Email works just fine too, bconton@gmail.com
9. What culture changes did you experience after your move? What surprised you the most about life here?
The total disregard for other people’s property/laws on the one hand and the acceptance of mediocrity/status quo on the other. It is amazing how people grumble about the “system” and how so a greedy few are making millions off the backs of the already disenfranchised, but try and change things and you find out that it is those same people waiting for their turn at the top of the pole
10. Have you adjusted to the Sierra Leonean lifestyle or are you still living like you did abroad?
I don’t know that I want to accept this premise of the “Sierra Leonean Lifestyle”. It is too slippery a slope for me to start thinking that way. What should it not incorporate? Are Sierra Leoneans capable of defying physics and physiology? Is it possible for them to live on unclean water or commute efficiently without proper roads? Or survive on qualitatively and quantitatively insufficient food? Should we be content to have our children sit in a classroom with no teacher? Should we suffer in silence with no electricity or water and have these utilities extort money for their non existent services? I think not, and the sooner we stop accepting these things as a “Sierra Leonean” lifestyle and view them as unacceptable the better. Eventually, it these acceptances that kill you and place you at the bottom of the development index. I would just say I am living a lifestyle that makes sense given my experience and background. One that will give me “cold heart and well body”
11. How have you handled the infrastructure limitations, including electricity, water, sanitation, etc.?
I started from scratch redid everything with new technology. My house is completely solar powered, dug a water well and have enough back up pumps and generators to live off the grid completely. I am not connected to NPA or Guma. The upfront cost is high, but I know that I will have electricity tonight, and cold water and a fan if it gets too hot. Above all my appliances will not suffer from voltage fluctuations. I wont have the high maintenance and running costs of a generator either.
12. What’s the best thing about returning home?
Just the feeling of being among my own people and contributing to much needed development.
13. The worst thing about returning?
The utter disregard by even officials for law order and other peoples property. Everyone just does what they want without regard for the impact on others. It is to all intents and purposes the wild west.
14. Do you think living abroad--education, work experience, culture-- have enabled you to contribute to the development of Sierra Leone
Forget about education and work experience. The most important thing is we have experienced the productivity of discipline, respect for law and order and ethics. If the only thing that we bring back is work ethic: doing what we are paid for in our jobs with a sense of service and timeliness, this country will move forward light years. You really do not have to have a highly specialized field of service.
15. What challenges do you face in Sierra Leone? For example: at work, with friends and families, lifestyle?
Getting simple things done takes so much more time and organization. There is no simple straight forward way of doing something as simple as getting your driving license or registering your vehicle. You have to have “your man” on the inside that will facilitate processes for you otherwise you may have to take a tent and spend a couple of days trying to get the right form. I say that in Sierra Leone getting a day’s worth of food takes two and a half days of foraging. So you are always playing catch up.
16. If you are in Salone with your family, why did you decide to bring your children?  How have your children adjusted to the new lifestyle and culture?
The children have adjusted just fine. Invariably children especially if they are young are very resilient and just want to get on with life. They tend to find the concept of Space and freedom in Sierra Leone most captivating.
17. Will you return to the country where you relocated from?
No, we are happy here
18. What is your long-term vision or hope for Sierra Leone?
Discipline with respect for law and order. Taxis that pull over to the side of the road to pick up passengers. Officials that respect their customers and people that stand up for their rights.
19. If you were asked to encourage others to return home, what would you do/advice? Any regrets?
No amount of advance preparation is too much No regrets this is home where visiting soldiers resign their commission to resettle because it is so nice. Why the heck should we not be able to see our own country through those same eyes. Enjoy our birth place in the same way. There are beaches, breathtaking mountains, scenic lakes, historical places. We need to visit Sierra Leone and enjoy it as we do other countries and as other Nationals enjoy it.