Karefa-Smart’s death : An incalculable loss for Sierra Leone

 By Leeroy Wilfred Kabs-Kanu :

By the death yesterday of veteran politician, Dr. John Karefa-Smart,  Sierra Leone has lost not only a distinguished son of the soil but  a captivating, colorful , influential, historic ,enticing , enigmatic , brilliant , outstanding and legendary politician and public servant who has definitely left indelible footprints on the political  landscape of the country and the academic bastions of the world.

Some men are  born great while others achieve greatness. In Karefa’s case, it was both. Dr. Karefa -Smart snatched  the limelight even before he entered politics  in 1957 when he was elected to Parliament. He was one of the most highly and best educated Sierra Leoneans  and Africans of all times , earning a B.A degree at Fourah Bay College in 1936 ; a  B.S. from Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, United States in 1940. From Otterbein,  his Medical degree  C.M. in 1944  from McGill University in Montreal, a  Diploma in Tropical Medicine in 1945 a  Masters degree in Public Health from Harvard University in Boston in 1948 .

With his fascinating education, Dr. Karefa-Smart passed on his rich learning to students in many universities all over the world, including Ivy League U.S. institutions of higher learning like  Columbia University and  Harvard , in various positions as a  Fellow or Professor. As a high-flying politician, he served as Minister of Lands, Mines and Labour , Minister of  Defence and Foreign Minister , while also acting as Prime Minister on many occasions.

He was tailor-made to be President of Sierra Leone but was cheated off his biggest prize by the gestapo politics of yester years in Sierra Leone. After the death of the first Prime Minister ,Sir Milton Margai in 1964 , he was constitutionally next in the line of succession but the then ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP ) Government manipulated the constitution and had the PM  replaced instead by his younger brother, Sir Albert Margai.

Dr. Karefa-Smart’s problems with gutter politics in Sierra Leone continued in 1970 when with the solid backing of other political icons like Dr. Mohamed Sorie Forna and Ibrahim Bash-Taqi who had resigned from the All People’s Congress (APC) Government headed by Dr.Siaka Stevens , he formed a strongly-supported grassroots party, the United Democratic  Party ( UDP) , which was on the verge of eclipsing Siaka Stevens from the political landscape . Realising the waves of support the UDP and Karefa-Smart had stirred up in the nation in so short a time , Dr.Stevens banned the UDP , accusing it of spreading chaos in the country , arrested its leaders and forced Karefa to flee abroad into exile.

 Though he remained in exile for long, Dr. Karefa-Smart did not give up. He resurfaced in Sierra Leone to contest the war-time 1996 Presidential Elections when he  defeated the eventual winner , the SLPP’s Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah , in the first round of the polls but could not win clearly enough to avoid a runoff. He was a victim of  undisputed cheating and dirty political wrangling and subterfuge with the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP SORBEH ) forming a coalition with the SLPP to add to the problems that thwarted Dr. Karefa’s United National People’s Party (UNPP) from clinching the Presidency , which had come ever so close yet so far. Though born great and though  he achieved greatness, yet greatness could not be thrust  on him because of  the rascals that passed for politicians. Unbelievably, he was the first man the SLPP  had tapped to be their presidential candidate but as if he had a jinx for the presidency , he refused the offer  , which was then made to the oitsider, Tejan Kabbah, who ended up winning . He also contested and lost the 2002 Presidential Elections to President Kabbah.

Dr. Karefa-Smart will be remembered for his fiery contributions in parliament and his tough , principled stand on matters of national interest.  He was noted for being unwavering and unbending when it came to issues  he considered matters of principle. He was not afraid of pursuing any battle which, by his thinking,  hinged on principles.

He was the last surviving member of the  breed of  political warhorses of  the old order who once dominated Sierra Leone politics, including some others like  the late H.C. Bankole-Bright, I.T.A .Wallace-Johnson, Ibrahim Taqi, Mohamed Sorie Forna,  L.A. M .Brewah,  Salia Jusu- Sheriff, Siaka Stevens,  S.I. Koroma , Teacher R.E.S. Lagawo , Mannah Kpaka etc.

Dr. Karefa-Smart will also be remembered for his exciting wit , humour and words of wisdom . He was an engaging speaker and debater and not even  his advanced age made him  lose his sound thinking and sharp observation.

The diamond of Sierra Leone politics did lose its lustre yesterday when Dr. John Karefa-Smart died. Dr.Karefa-Smart has left a vacuum that will never be filled. The irreplacable politician will forever remain in the minds of those he has left behind.

May his soul rest in peace.

WATCH KAREFA-SMART SPEAK : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCIjZxIkgtQ
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By Wilfred Kabs Kanu