By Mahmud Tim Kargbo
A foreign television drama may seem an unlikely mirror through which to reflect on Sierra Leone’s conscience. Yet the American series ‘Mad Men’, which explores a society built on performance and illusion, echoes the challenges Sierra Leone continues to face in its moral and civic life. In the aftermath of war, decades of misrule, and cycles of reform that often lack substance, the question remains: what kind of nation are we trying to become?
Since independence in 1961, Sierra Leone has spoken often of unity, freedom and justice. These were not only national ideals, but constitutional principles. Section 5(2)(b) of the 1991 Constitution affirms that “sovereignty belongs to the people of Sierra Leone from whom Government derives all its powers, authority and legitimacy.” Yet for many Sierra Leoneans, these promises have felt distant. This disconnection is not only political, but moral.
As the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) concluded in its final report, the causes of the civil war were deeply rooted in a loss of national direction. Corruption, exclusion of youths and women, abuse of power, and the collapse of public accountability, created conditions that allowed violence to flourish. The Commission wrote, “The absence of integrity in public life, more than the absence of resources, was responsible for the destruction of state institutions.” (TRC Final Report, 2004 http://www.sierraleonetrc.org)
This moral collapse is not a thing of the past. While progress has been made in some areas such as free education, decentralisation and anti-corruption, the deeper cultural issues remain. Our politics is often dominated by personality rather than policy. Public service is still seen as a route to private enrichment. Civic spaces are frequently manipulated for partisan gain.
In Mad Men, Don Draper is a man who sells illusions. He reinvents himself, hides his past, and profits from emotional manipulation. In post-war Sierra Leone, our rulership often played a similar role. Donors and international partners were given a polished narrative of reform and modernisation. Meanwhile, back home, young people continued to suffer from unemployment, schools were underfunded, and women were frequently left out of public decision-making. This performance, though sometimes effective in gaining foreign support, has not always led to deep reform.
Our people, especially the youths, have paid the price. As Draper becomes estranged from his children, our systems have become estranged from our future generations. Sierra Leone is one of the youngest countries in the world by demographic. Yet youth unemployment and disillusionment remain dangerously high. According to the National Youth Commission’s 2023 Annual Report, more than 60 percent of employable youths are either underemployed or without stable work. (http://www.nyc.gov.sl)
Women too remain on the margins, despite legal reforms such as the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act of 2019 and the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act of 2022. Sexual violence, economic dependence, and lack of representation in decision-making structures continue to weaken our development. Although Sierra Leone is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), its full implementation remains a work in progress. (http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw)
Like Betty Draper, Don’s wife in the series, the ordinary Sierra Leonean citizen is often resilient, dignified and hopeful. But she is also bruised by repeated betrayal. The TRC noted that for post-war peace to be sustained, the government must actively restore public trust. That requires justice, transparency and the courage to confront past wrongs. Truth, the Commission wrote, is the foundation of reconciliation. That truth must include how public funds are used, how laws are enforced, and how power is exercised.
We are often told that a new dawn is near, during each election cycle, after each Commission of Inquiry, or at the launch of every new reform. But the cycle of hope and disillusionment continues. Many of these efforts, while important on paper, have struggled to uproot the entrenched systems of patronage, tribalism and bureaucratic inefficiency. The Anti-Corruption Commission continues to highlight serious abuses, and the Office of the Auditor General has regularly found significant gaps in the use of public funds. (http://www.anticorruption.gov.sl and http://www.auditservice.gov.sl)
Yet it would be dishonest not to recognise that progress has been made in key national efforts:
- Free Education:
Launched in 2018, the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) programme now benefits over 2.5 million pupils across the country. According to the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, school enrolment increased by 37 percent between 2018 and 2023. The government allocated 22 percent of the national budget to education in 2022, one of the highest in West Africa. More girls are returning to school and there has been a measurable drop in school drop-out rates. (http://www.education.gov.sl)
- Decentralisation:
The Local Government Act of 2004 was a turning point in restoring governance to the people. By 2023, over 20 local councils across Sierra Leone were operating with increased fiscal autonomy. Local councils now manage their own development plans, and several, including Bo City and Kenema District Councils, have received recognition for transparency and service delivery. Still, challenges remain with funding and political interference, but there is growing public demand for local accountability. (http://www.mofed.gov.sl and http://www.dec.gov.sl)
- Anti-Corruption:
Under the current ACC leadership, high-profile convictions have been secured, and over Le 45 billion in stolen public funds were recovered between 2020 and 2023. The Commission received international recognition in the MCC scorecard and Transparency International indices. Its 2022 National Corruption Perception Survey noted that 62 percent of respondents felt that corruption was being actively fought, though many still feared reprisals for reporting. (http://www.anticorruption.gov.sl)
Unlike the secular society depicted in Mad Men, Sierra Leone remains deeply religious. Both Islam and Christianity, the two dominant religions call for justice, sacrifice and truth. These are not abstract values. If lived genuinely by our rulers and institutions, they can begin to renew the moral and civic strength of the nation. But faith without action, like governance without integrity, becomes empty.
The Cybersecurity and Crime Act of 2021, while aimed at addressing digital threats, also reminds us that our public discourse must be both free and responsible. Section 35 of the Act protects against cyberbullying, defamation and incitement. But this law must not be used to silence criticism or intimidate whistle-blowers. Responsible journalism and civic advocacy are essential to democracy. (http://www.mic.gov.sl)
In Mad Men, Don Draper pitches a nostalgic advertising campaign built around a carousel, a spinning memory of a time when things felt whole. Sierra Leone too remembers a time when community meant solidarity, when rulership meant service, and when independence meant pride. But nostalgia cannot build a future. We must take the memory of those values and plant them anew in our institutions, our education system, our laws and our rulership.
The TRC made clear that reconciliation requires more than apologies. It demands systemic reform, inclusion and civic education. Our future must be honest, inclusive and just. It must break the cycle of performance without substance, of reform without follow-through, of slogans without soul.
We cannot afford to be a nation of actors, fluent in the language of development, but unwilling to live its truth. The time for reckoning is not tomorrow. It is now.
References:
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Final Report http://www.sierraleonetrc.org
Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 http://www.parliament.gov.sl
Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education http://www.education.gov.sl
Ministry of Finance and Economic Development http://www.mofed.gov.sl
Ministry of Decentralisation and Local Government http://www.dec.gov.sl
National Youth Commission http://www.nyc.gov.sl
Anti-Corruption Commission http://www.anticorruption.gov.sl
Audit Service Sierra Leone http://www.auditservice.gov.sl
Cybersecurity and Crime Act http://www.mic.gov.sl
United Nations CEDAW http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw