Sierra Leone`s youth and political promises

This article was first published on the print edition of www.salonejamboree.com as editorial.

A Freetown slum in the west of the capital

“Most of Sierra Leone youth on their own volition have charted the way to progress,” the words of President Ernest Bai Koroma, during his speech on the State Opening of Parliament recently.

As has been the trend lately, that statement was intersperse with references to the youth and their spirited passion for self actualization.

Nowhere could the above statement on the enterprising disposition of the youth of this country more demonstrable than in the arts and entertainment industry.

You see it in the countless movies that find their way to the streets every day; the endless entertainment coming from the tireless musicians, who are hardly seen to be making anything, in terms of solid reward, out of their resourcefulness; the painters; the sculptors, etc.

Admittedly, the youth have been consistently put at the center of this country`s development endeavour for so long, yet very little is there to show as reward for their immeasurable contribution.

From the onset of the recently concluded political process to this day, the same emphasis has been made unambiguously. This is no surprise given the role of the youth in national development.

But crucially, for the case of particularly Sierra Leone, the sheer level of youth unemployment makes for a genuine concern. And it does make those of us concerned about it feel optimistic that the government sees things in almost the same light. Or at least President Koroma does…

By pledging the “greatest amount of attention” of his second term to the youth folks, the president did not only commit to the significance of this very important sector of the society, but he also is seen as conveying a message to the relevant authorities in his government that they should prioritise youth development.

Rather than maintaining that line of bare rhetoric, the tune should be changed to action, action and action.

“Youth stood by me, campaigned with me and voted for me because they think I am the best person to deliver on their aspirations. I dedicate the Agenda for Prosperity to honouring the faith that youths have placed in me. My main job now is to provide jobs for the youths,” the president told parliament.

And as part of his effort to fulfil these promises in the speech and all previous commitments is long term training.

That is welcome!

However, short term measures are also needed to take care of a critical segment of the youth core in order to save a whole future generation.

Strides have noticeably been done in some areas.

An area of utmost concern to us is individual creativity.

In this trade [arts and entertainment] we have learned how much untapped talent abound here in this country. All the government has to do is go beyond merely talking about it and do something.

We can learn a lesson from the story of Michaela Da Prince, the young Sierra Leonean girt who narrowly escapes nothingness, thanks to neglect by this pitiless society of ours to became a world sensation in ballet dancing.

Could she have made it so far if someone hadn`t recued her and provided her the opportunity of a life time?

How many like her can be as lucky?