By Mahmud Tim Kargbo
When the Union Jack was lowered and Sierra Leone’s green, white and blue rose in its place on 27 April 1961, the air brimmed with promise. The dream was not merely political independence, but a rebirth of unity and dignity after centuries of subjugation. Hope pulsed like a drumbeat through Freetown as Sir Milton Margai, the nation’s first Prime Minister, spoke of fairness, peace, and a shared destiny.
Yet history has not been kind to those expectations. What began as a noble pursuit of fraternity has too often soured into self-interest, partisanship, and hollow slogans. Instead of binding citizens together, ideology was twisted into a weapon, sometimes elegant, often brutal, always corrosive to trust.
The story of Sierra Leone after independence is, at its heart, the story of promises made and promises betrayed. Leaders rose with stirring words, “Unity, Freedom, Justice”, “One Country, One People”, “Agenda for Prosperity”, “New Direction”, only for the chorus of hope to falter beneath the weight of corruption, repression, and failed institutions. Each era became less about transformation and more about survival.
1. Sir Milton Margai: A Vision of Unity Tempered with Realism
At independence in 1961, Sir Milton Margai delivered a stirring appeal to national solidarity:
“I ask you to deal fairly and honestly with your fellow men, to discourage lawlessness, and to strive actively for peace, friendship and unity in our country.”
“My Government is determined that general progress shall be made as fast as possible.”
Sir Milton Margai’s speech on Independence Day, April 27, 1961
Margai anchored the motto “Unity, Freedom, Justice”, instilling hopes that Sierra Leone’s democracy would rest on inclusive governance and civic trust. Yet the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) later warned that a failure to build resilient institutions during his era would leave a dangerous vacuum for authoritarianism and corruption.
http://www.sierraleonetrc.org
2. Sir Albert Margai: Ideology in Decline
Sir Albert Margai, his successor, shifted the ideological balance. The TRC found that he pursued ethnic favouritism and sought one-party rule, actions that eroded democratic norms and stoked division.
http://www.sierraleonetrc.org
3. Siaka Stevens: Slogans That Masked Centralisation
Under Siaka Stevens, slogans like “One Country, One People” were used to justify one-party control under the APC. The TRC characterised his era as one of extreme greed, repression, and ideological manipulation, effectively turning governance into patronage-driven authoritarianism.
http://www.sierraleonetrc.org
Primary reference:
Jimmy D. Kandeh, Politicisation of Ethnic Identities in Sierra Leone in African Studies Review (1992) notes Stevens’ use of “One Country, One People” to consolidate the APC’s hegemony.
URL (JSTOR abstract, requires access):
http://www.jstor.org/stable/524793
Secondary references online:
Sierra Leone Web (biographical page on Siaka Stevens) records APC slogans, including “One Country, One People.”
http://www.sierra-leone.org/siakastevens.html
Sierra Leone Heritage archives also highlight Stevens’ rhetorical use of national unity slogans.
http://www.sierraleoneheritage.org
Even decades later, Afrobarometer shows the enduring legacy: in 2023, 70% of Sierra Leoneans believed corruption had increased, reflecting deep scepticism.
http://www.afrobarometer.org
4. J. S. Momoh: The Collapse of Ideological Promise
President Momoh’s “New Order” narrative promised revival, but the TRC concluded that it ushered in further chaos and repression. By 1991, the civil war began amid a democratic façade that masked dysfunction.
http://www.sierraleonetrc.org
5. The NPRC Junta: Nationalism Without Structures
The NPRC military coup in 1992 promised patriotic restoration. Yet according to the TRC, the junta’s idealism devolved into factionalism and autocracy, another chapter of ideology unanchored by institutions.
http://www.sierraleonetrc.org
6. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah: Peace Without Structural Reform
President Kabbah brokered peace with the Lomé Accord (1999), yet the TRC noted that his administration failed to confront the root causes of the conflict. Decades after war, inequality and corruption remained entrenched.
http://www.sierraleonetrc.org
7. Ernest Bai Koroma: Agenda for Prosperity vs Institutional Decay
Koroma’s Agenda for Prosperity promised inclusive growth. He stated:
“Our ambition … is to ensure that all people, every Sierra Leonean … benefit from the endowments that God gave us.”
http://www.parliament.gov.sl/uploads/state_opening_speech/STATE%20OPENING%20SPEECH%202012.pdf
He further urged:
“We all need to do more to better manage our natural resources for the good of all Sierra Leoneans.”
Yet Audit Service Sierra Leone reports exposed persistent financial irregularities, while Afrobarometer (2015) found that 63% believed the country was going in the wrong direction.
http://www.auditservice.gov.sl
http://www.afrobarometer.org
8. Julius Maada Bio: New Direction, Big Five, and Reality
President Bio entered office with bold declarations:
“This is the new Sierra Leone we are building … a Sierra Leone whose reputation is hard to destroy.”
http://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty-research/policy-topics/public-leadership-management/my-sierra-leone-president-maada-bio
In his 2023 Independence Day speech, he reaffirmed:
“Let us remember our democratic values of unity, freedom, and justice for all. Let us renew our commitment … Together, we can climb any hill … as One People, One Nation.”
http://www.sierra-leone.org/Speeches/bio-042718.html
However, Afrobarometer (2023) reveals public disillusionment: only 22% approve of job creation, 24% of poverty reduction, and just 14% of efforts on inequality.
http://www.afrobarometer.org
Audit audits also point to persistent misuse of resources, while the IMF has warned that delayed tribunal processes threaten institutional credibility.
The August 2022 protests, triggered by the cost-of-living crisis, led to the deaths of 27 civilians and 6 police officers, a stark reminder that slogans alone cannot sustain peace.
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Sierra_Leone_protests
From Slogans to Substance
From Sir Milton to President Bio, Sierra Leone’s history has been charted through slogans like “Unity, Freedom, Justice”, “One Country, One People”, “Agenda for Prosperity”, and “New Direction.” Yet fraternity and institutional trust have corroded as slogans failed to translate into accountability, equity, and social cohesion.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission warned that without integrity and civic responsibility, the republic will remain trapped in cycles of decay.
http://www.sierraleonetrc.org
Sierra Leone’s future hinges on whether ideals become lived values, not just political rhetoric. Only when institutions function, audits are enforced, corruption punished, and fraternity practised, can the nation move beyond ideological decadence to a democracy rooted in justice and solidarity.
