Very soon, President Koroma will face the reality. He being the prime suspect, we will know if he is part of the Old School. Is he really for change? By broad consent, he has presided over the nation, putting his prestige on line.

In Sierra Leone, the mantra of change is interpreted more as a label as opposed to a substantive policy. President Koroma's campaigners were excited but else where, the reactions were mixed as he announced the lighting of Bumbuna power as a step in his drive for nation building.

Amidst the tidal wave that brought President Koroma to power, President Koroma has given a raft of promises to Sierra Leoneans, one of which was to turn on the lights in the country. As it rained in Moyamba on Monday night, I asked myself: Will President Koroma Turn On The Lights? He had told Sierra Leoneans that he is waiting for the rain- fall before he would turn on the Bumbuna light. As he made his speech, I was glued in my sit in amazement and limbo, whether the President's speech was not another political gimmick. At this time, I happened to be in Kono, the darkest provincial town in the country.

It was correct for President Koroma to have said that the lighting of the Bumbuna lights depends on the water level. But skeptics believe that rain-fall is not the only obstacle that has deterred progress but that, corruption and lack of political willingness to move the nation from its current situation.

The other day, President Koroma admitted that Bumbuna was 98% complete, and that was twenty months ago. It is appalling that the President did not forecast well, and this flip flop character of his has made people worried over his pegging of the Bumbuna project to rain-fall. The people are tired of political promises.

The other day, the President rushed into a deal costing over US$32Million for the supply of rental generators to Freetown, when most people believe that the said money would have been used to complete the Bumbuna power. Instead, at the usual I.B Karbgo's Thursday false propaganda summit, the energy and power representative told the press that there was a bill in parliament where the country was to indebt itself for another US$9Million for the completion of the Bumbuna power supply. With such characters, there is every likely hood that President may be lying to the nation for the Bumbuna project, only to turn out again with another flimsy excuse for his failure to turn on the lights.

Power supply is what the nation need if the country is to attract development. But Hafsatu Kabbah and her President fictitiously cheated the people of Sierra Leone, conniving with a Nigerian Power supplier, Income Electrix on the pretext of quick fixing the electricity problem in the city. Is President Koroma serious to light the nation? Even when the Anti- Corruption Commission accused Hafsatu Kabbah of criminality in her discharge of her duty, President Koroma just waved it off as unimportant. Weeks from now, the President will be bashed, shamed and termed as unpatriotic and lack of know -how in turning round the nation after all what he promised. Except that the President would prove viable and reliable by putting his skeptics on permanent hold, which is really too doubtful because the President's words has never been his evidence since he became President.

By the time it is August, President Koroma would find another reason to tell us why he could not turn on the lights. I wish it happens. But why is it that my people in Tonkolili district will not be benefitting from their natural gift, only for it to be speedily transferred to the people of the city. After all, Bumbuna is for the people of Tonkolili district as designed by nature but politicians have always shelved them from this development, targeting Freetown, thereby promoting oligarchy.

Rural development should be encouraged and stationing power supply to the rural areas would promote development. Why target Freetown when we expect diamond industries to be stationed in Kono and Kenema districts? There is Magbass Sugar industry in Tonkolili district and there are potentials for expansion because there are still vast lands uninhabited in Tonkolili district. It is expected that the fish industry should be located in Bonthe, Pujehun and Moyamba districts and along the peninsular of Freetown. What about the ore that is situated in Port Loko district? Is power supply not needed there?

Koinadugu needs high power supply to preserve their vegetables and other fruits that have the potentials of harnessing millions of Leones. Kailahun district has huge potentials of industrialization as the raw materials are fetched within the terrains. Therefore, it is a mistake to jump over Tonkolili, Bombali, Port Loko and the other provincial towns, to rush up with the supply of power to Freetown because we want to provide light for diplomats, unproductive intellectuals in the city, crime runners that control big monies, pot belly politicians, funny Lebanese and many more. Over 80% of the nation's population live in the provinces, which means greater number of taxes are paid by the provincial people. Even the sea ports in Freetown targets the provincial people that have large markets for their goods. So what is the point concentrating all what the nation has in the city? Bumbuna should first serve the people in the provinces, and if this is ignored,

President Koroma will pay dearly for it.

Our people should not be neglected for stock- up Freetown. Decentralization should be encouraged. My colleague said to me yesterday after spending just four days in Moyamba that: 'PEL, I wish the roads in Moyamba were tarred, the town electrified and communication systems intact, I would love to spend my life in Moyamba. Moyamba is a quiet place, nature been very kind to them'.

President Koroma should have a policy that would encourage people in the rural areas. The survival of the nation depends on the development of rural areas that have huge natural deposits that would be utilized to develop the nation. People should stop looting the provincial people for the benefit of those living in the city.

President Koroma will soon come over the radio to tell us that he has failed us and that we should give him another term. This is so because the President is currently busy as to how he would cling on to the 2012 power sit, rather than focus on the lofty promises he has made to the people for which he was voted.

Many people in the rural areas are worried over the low gravity of rain-fall. Is it that President Koroma too is worried because the rains have refused to come? Bad omen for President Koroma. For the people, the refusal of the rain-fall means doom as there would be no food for them, being that there crops would have to suffer. So too would Bumbuna suffer if there is not plenty rain to turn on the lights. But is rain-fall the only reason for the delay in turning on the lights? President Koroma being the prime suspect has the answer.