By Ibraheem Daramy
In remembering what befell the municipality of Makeni on 17, 18 and 19 July 2020, as a direct consequence to a disagreement that emanated from the temporal relocation of the only thermal generator to the airport town of Lungi, I’ve tried in vain to move on, because the scars are just too much. I am dedicating this year’s commemoration to someone I didn’t meet in person, but whose bravery and selflessness i admired a lot. I was in the office of the Mayor, Sunkarie Kabba Kamara, when a delegation from the Ministry of Energy led by the Permanent Secretary arrived to explain why they were moving the engine.
As mischief makers started spreading falsehood on social media, what seemed like an administrative routine suddenly turned political, with visible threats to security. May the souls of those who lost their lives in those protests rest in peace.
I remember I used to marvel at a certain young man who goes by the name of Abdul Rahim Sankoh, residing in constituency 38, in the Northeast regional capital of Makeni. I became so worried for his safety when protests against the relocation of the engine started gathering steam. In earlier radio talkshows, Abdul was quite clear on his stance with regards the subject matter – he would have none of it. Following him on his social media handles, he has been a vocal critic of the government. According to him, the authorities have negated on their core responsibility of bailing the people out of poverty – he accused them of perpetuating corruption. I heard he had had several run-ins with his political opponents in the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). It was rumoured they are using law enforcement to go after those standing up to them.
I wasn’t therefore surprised when I heard he was arrested and detained on unknown location during the heat of the moment. I tried to know where exactly he was locked up and how long it took, but no luck. Till date, it has remained one of the most closely guarded secret. I wonder whether he even knew where he was locked up. As an advocate, I was itching to know the fate of those in the riots. Abdul’s release sparked wild celebrations in his community, I rushed there to get a glimpse of him and guage why he was so popular, I couldn’t find him. I missed the opportunity for us to meet for the first time and have a chat. I’m not sure, but I noticed his folks were not taking any chances. Probably they might just have been overprotective. I saw a lot of notices declaring some people, mostly young men, wanted, just about that time, for incitement. I don’t know if Abdul made the cut.
The tour of duty of the then head of operations for the Sierra Leone Police in the region was cut short – I understood his recall to headquarters was not unconnected to the release of Abdul from custody. Word is, his superiors were reprimanded by some faceless political heavy weights from the other side of the divide. Abdul was such a firebrand, he wasn’t taking prisoners on political issues. I reckon the only time he would not be looking over his shoulders in this country is when his political party takes over State House through the ballot.
Since those forgettable events, I’ve been very busy working on healing the community, exactly why I would not want to recount those gory details. But as for Abdul, I just pray he’s alive so I’ll see him transmit his energy in the well of Parliament one day – that was what members of his community craved. Whether it is safe for him to emerge from his hideout or not, given the current circumstances, I would rather he makes that call.
