Alpha Amadu Jalloh: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 23 March 2025:
Sierra Leoneans are not happy, and they will never be happy as long as we continue to have the kind of politicians we do as our leaders. We are living in a tripartite nation, one that is divided into three distinct social classes: the elite who bask in absolute opulence, the middle class who serve as enablers of the elite while suppressing the underprivileged, and the vast majority who live in abject poverty, deprived of even the most basic human necessities.
Since the days of colonialism, Sierra Leone has suffered from structural inequality, a situation that has only worsened in the hands of post-independence political leaders.
The colonialists ruled with a firm hand, exploiting resources and oppressing the masses, but our modern-day leaders have perfected their tactics. Instead of working to uplift their people, they have adopted and refined the systems of oppression to keep the majority of the population impoverished and dependent, treating them as second-class citizens in their own country.
The ruling class, comprising no more than 3% of the population, lives as kings and queens, insulated from the daily struggles that plague ordinary Sierra Leoneans. They control state resources, manipulate the judiciary, and exploit the economy for their personal gain. They own vast properties, send their children to the best schools abroad, and enjoy the highest quality healthcare, while the majority of citizens languish in extreme deprivation.
Below them is the middle class, constituting roughly 12% of the population. These individuals hold positions of relative influence, working as senior civil servants, business elites, and professionals who benefit from the scraps thrown to them by the ruling class. They enjoy a moderate level of comfort but remain complicit in the oppression of the masses.
By aligning themselves with the elite, they serve as the bridge between the ruling class and the impoverished, often justifying government excesses and suppressing the grievances of the majority to maintain their own privileges.
The most tragic of all is the bottom 85% of the population, the true victims of Sierra Leone’s social imbalance. These are the men, women, and children who wake up every day with no certainty about where their next meal will come from. They are the market women who toil under the scorching sun, the jobless graduates who have lost hope in the system, the struggling farmers, and the thousands of young people forced into crime, prostitution, or migration due to economic despair.
This is the group that bears the brunt of the country’s broken infrastructure, dysfunctional healthcare system, and deteriorating education sector. These are the Sierra Leoneans who, despite their vast numbers, have the least voice in the governance of their country.
Sierra Leoneans lack everything that is essential for happiness, quality healthcare, access to education, stable electricity, job opportunities, and, most importantly, peace of mind. We live in a state of constant frustration, watching as politicians steal from public coffers with impunity while hospitals lack even the most basic medical supplies.
Our educational system has collapsed, leaving our youth with no viable future. The energy sector is in shambles, with blackouts being a daily occurrence. Our roads are death traps, and our water systems are non-functional. What, then, is there to be happy about?
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report, which was drafted to guide Sierra Leone away from the conditions that led to the civil war, explicitly warned against bad governance, systemic corruption, political exclusion, and the deprivation of basic human rights. Yet, today, our leaders have ignored these warnings, plunging the country into a deeper state of despair.
The very issues that fueled a brutal conflict that left thousands dead and millions displaced are now even more pronounced under the current government. The administration has systematically dismantled every safeguard designed to prevent another war, stripping citizens of their dignity and denying them their fundamental rights.
It is, therefore, no surprise that Sierra Leone was recently ranked as the second most unhappy nation in the world, just after Afghanistan. This global assessment is not a fabrication, it is a painful truth that every Sierra Leonean knows deep in their heart.
We do not need an international report to tell us that we are unhappy; we live it every day. We see it in the eyes of our struggling mothers, in the frustration of our unemployed youth, in the tears of our sick who cannot afford medical care, and in the desperation of our elders who are abandoned by a government that no longer cares.
The central theme of my book, “Monopoly of Happiness: Unveiling Sierra Leone’s Social Imbalance”, is that true happiness in Sierra Leone is monopolized by the privileged few, leaving the majority of the population in perpetual misery. Happiness is not just about momentary joy; it is about security, dignity, and the ability to live without fear of tomorrow.
Our leaders have built a system where happiness is a luxury reserved for the elite, while the rest of the nation drown in despair.
The question we must ask ourselves is this: How long will we allow this system to continue? How long will we tolerate a governance structure that benefits only a small fraction of the population while condemning the rest to perpetual poverty?
The time has come for Sierra Leoneans to wake up, to reject the culture of political deception, and to demand real change. It is not enough to complain about our suffering; we must actively work to dismantle the structures of inequality that keep us in chains.
My book is not just a critique of the system, it is a call to action. We must unite as a people, regardless of tribe, region, or political affiliation, to reclaim our country from the hands of those who have hijacked it for their selfish interests.
We must hold our leaders accountable, demand transparency, and refuse to be used as pawns in their political games. The future of Sierra Leone is in our hands, and we owe it to ourselves and to future generations to build a nation where happiness is not a privilege for a select few but a right for all.
Sierra Leone is at a crossroads. We can either continue on this path of social and economic decay, or we can rise up and demand a better future. The choice is ours.
Get your copy of “Monopoly of Happiness: Unveiling Sierra Leone’s Social Imbalance” and let us start the conversation on how we can make Sierra Leone a better place for all.
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