City Life: Freetown Village Life: Kabala

Written by James Mansaray: Freetown, Sierra Leone

Here in Freetown, the Capital City of Sierra Leone, where life is considered to be “high”; you see more material wants …and more crazy stuffs – all considered to be – part of the city life. I guess, we who are so accustomed to the village life (I am from Kabala), city life is fast-paced and busy.
To us who live here, there are times of fun, although other people who look at us from a distance, it may not seem like joy.They see the overwhelming poverty and sickness. But Sierra Leoneans always have a knack for spying the things to smile about in the midst of the sadness around us.The people of Freetown will dance to any tune provided the music ends well……..

A gigantic fame walk by the President couple of days a go at the Victoria Park shows what the city life is like. Nothing will stop them from running to line up to you even when they have something else to do.

Now compare it with this scene that shows a huge uninvited crowd escorting a corpse to the ascension town cemetery. The deceased was rumoured to attempt to shake in her coffin during her fare well serviceat the St. John’s Maroon Church here in Freetown. The truth behind this tale remains untold…. Oh Freetown!… An intervention with the police shows how it was like at the cemetery where the whole Freetown was waiting to see this woman to rest….or shake.

In Sierra Leone today, especially in the upper provinces like Kabala, there is nothing much happier than having a good meal

…even if it’s once a day, healthy well body and a sound night sleep either in a dry mat or in one of our locally made vono mattresses packed with grass. Sometimes the odd cracklin straw sound (even though sometime annoying) serves as a lure for a quick sleep provided it is not accompanied with greedy but hungry bed bugs………..

Having worked as Nazareth House Apostolate the past 8 years, serving the poor, I see nothing but so much need, yet I see a society packed with lots of love and friendly hearts.

Hardly would I say no to these underprivileged and forgotten people who never see the city activity that is so prevalent in Freetown. Working with NHA has made it possible for me to contribute in my own little way. The decade war did create this fear in us but we are still strong, working hard to respond to the human race with love, joy a laughter always – making sure our misfortunes do not overshadow our great desire to shine out our love.