07/23/2026
The People We Think Are Enemies Are Shaking Hands, So Why Are We Hating Each Other?
These photos carry a message that every Sierra Leonean should take a moment to reflect on.
Former President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma is seen smiling, interacting warmly, and sharing light moments with First Lady Fatima Maada Bio during the recently concluded 69th ECOWAS Summit in Freetown.
Whether you support the APC, the SLPP, or no political party at all, one thing is clear, politics is not always as personal to politicians as it becomes for ordinary citizens.
Yet every day, many Sierra Leoneans insult one another, destroy friendships, divide families, and even allow tribalism, regionalism, and political loyalty to create unnecessary hatred among us.
Some people refuse to greet their neighbors because they support a different political party. Others judge someone simply because of their tribe, region, or political affiliation.
But look closely at these pictures.
The very leaders many citizens believe are constantly at war can still meet, smile, greet each other with respect, and share the same space.
That should teach us something.
Political competition is part of democracy, but hatred should never become part of our national identity.
No political party will ever love Sierra Leone more than Sierra Leoneans themselves.
No politician will suffer the consequences of our division more than the ordinary citizen.
When elections come, politicians campaign against each other. When elections end, many of them continue to meet, talk, and work together where necessary.
Meanwhile, it is the ordinary people who continue carrying bitterness, spreading insults on social media, and treating fellow Sierra Leoneans as enemies.
Imagine what Sierra Leone could become if we redirected the same energy we spend hating one another into building businesses, supporting our youth, creating opportunities, educating our children, and developing our communities.
Our diversity should be our greatest strength, not our greatest weakness.
Let us compete with ideas, not hatred.
Let us disagree without becoming enemies.
Let us remember that before we are APC, SLPP, C4C, or supporters of any political party, we are Sierra Leoneans.
A united Sierra Leone will always be stronger than a divided Sierra Leone.
Bare Facts Question
Do you think tribalism and political hatred are holding Sierra Leone back more than politics itself?
Share your opinion respectfully in the comments.
Let's have a mature national conversation that puts Sierra Leone first.
