“Love, Don’t Ridicule Sierra Leone”
The Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Segepoh Solomon Thomas Esq., has called on Sierra Leoneans to demonstrate patriotism and refrain from using social media to tarnish the image of the country.
Speaking on Monday, October 13, 2025, during the First Allotted Day of the presidential debate on the speech delivered by His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio at the State Opening of the Third Session of the Sixth Parliament, Speaker Thomas warned that unpatriotic behaviour among citizens—especially political actors—was undermining national progress.
“We, the politicians, are the ones destroying the image of this country for political reasons,” he said. “Crimes happen everywhere across the globe, even in the United States of America. So why do we portray Sierra Leone as the worst nation on earth? And yet, we expect investors to come and create jobs here. Who has bewitched this nation?”
Speaker Thomas expressed dismay at the growing trend of Sierra Leoneans, including respected public figures, spreading negative narratives about the country—particularly claims that it has become a major hub for drug trafficking. He noted that while similar incidents occur in other countries, their citizens do not publicly discredit their nations.
Drawing comparisons with Ghana, Speaker Thomas shared a personal experience at the Kotoka International Airport, where police officers reportedly smashed a woman’s phone after she recorded a fight and attempted to upload it online.
“When I inquired about the incident,” he explained, “I was told that the Ghanaian authorities will not allow negative videos that could harm the country’s image to circulate. In fact, they have systems to delete social media content deemed reputationally damaging.”
The Speaker said Sierra Leone should emulate such discipline and national consciousness if it hopes to attract investors and tourists.
“We want people to visit, invest, and see Sierra Leone as a promising destination,” he emphasized. “To achieve that, we must control what we say and share about our country. Let us cultivate the habit of protecting Sierra Leone’s image, not ridiculing it.”.
