Politics today in Sierra Leone is all about making money.  It is not about making a change on the lives of ordinary people.

Old and seasoned politicians came into politics for realistic reasons.

One of the main reasons was to effect a change in the body politic. Their aim was not to make fast money unlike young politicians. Most veteran politicians in Sierra Leone had fought hard to make things work better for poor Sierra Leoneans.

Those who played politics in the 90s had key reasons why they entered Sierra Leone’s politics.

Julius Maada Bio and Valentine Strasser, Johnny Paul Koroma and Ernest Bai Koroma  had suffered a lot as they stood up for the masses.

Late President Ahmed Tejan  Kabba entered Sierra Leone’s politics as an experienced old man.

All these fine statesmen might have got a different approach and ambition when climbing the hill to get power.

But they never used the easy way to become famous politicians. Neither their first aim was to enrich themselves.

Top-notch leaders of Revolutionary United Front (RUF), Armed Forces Revolutionary Front (AFRC), and National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) under de facto fcddsregimes had trodden on through turbulent times as they toppled civilian governments.

The All People’s Congress party (APC ) and Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP), the country’s oldest political parties, had suffered countless coup d’états.

Revolutionary leaders claimed they fought a just cause as they wanted a change in governance.

After years of plundering of state resources by APC’s Siaka Probyn Stevens, some disgruntled youths and young politicians at university became more disillusioned.

The desire by the angered students and youths was to see a dramatic change of events in Sierra Leone.

Ernest Bai Koroma, former president of Sierra Leone, was among the few students who entered politics to challenge the status quo.

Young soldiers then, Julius Maada Bio and Valentine Strasser, were among those who swept APC away and promised a better change in governance.

Series of coup d’états undertaken by young military personnel occurred in Sierra Leone at the time.

The fearless military Heads of State, Captain Strasser and Brigadier Maada Bio, claimed they toppled past governments to bring a lasting change and development for Sierra Leoneans and to eventually allow a peaceful transition to yet a civilian government.

Brigadier Bio however, held down the torch of coup d’états as he handed over power to SLPP headed by late President Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabba.

But today’s politics has totally changed. Politics of opportunism has taken a grip hold on Sierra Leone’s politics.

Politicians nowadays can’t stand the heat of the kitchen. They don’t stand up for the truth.

When the steam is hotter in one party, they cross over to another party to pick up the roses.

The latest event of NGC party (National Grand Coalition) in which some senior politicians abandoned the party is not strange.

It tells Sierra Leoneans who our politicians are today.

They don’t stand up for the truth or being patience even when the country is not in a civil war. Unlike the bravery showed by former heads of state and vocal students.

As a dark cloud sets in, other political renegades like in 2012 elections will surface to throw support for either SLPP or APC in not too long from now.

It is clear that our not-trusted politicians may have seen a defeat for APC since its house is still in jeopardy.

But it is a clear indication of sycophancy for one to betray his party followers.

Some political analysts’ think that SLPP now has a strong force to wrestle down APC in June 2023 polls as other senior politicians have joined in. But the renegades would not add anything bigger to SLPP chances.

President Bio has already made a solid achievement and an easy path to victory.

The north is as divided as APC party itself.

Most Northerners, APC’s hopefuls, will vote in President Julius Maada Bio because of free education they are being offered and other ongoing projects like the Freetown Airport and price hikes on farm produce for northern farmers.

Northerners may not need a politician from the north to convince them to vote in President Julius Maada Bio to enable him run a second time.