The hall was packed to capacity such that I had to squeezed to go around the hall taking photos and talking to people. An outstanding 400 plus people came out to vote in an election that will lay the building blocks of the wonderful Sierra Leonean community in Edmonton. On October 30, 2018, I witnessed the community speak out through the election of the new leadership of the wonderful Sierra Leone community in Edmonton. This kind of commitment is only possible because members of the community believed that their votes can make a difference. As a matter of fact, their votes do not only make a difference but has more power than the people they elected. This is so true because through their votes, they can bring anyone to power and take down anyone.

…you can only kill the messenger but not the message…

To have a better understanding of the world today, I had to go back in history. I realized that, good always win over evil, truth always win over lies. This is why the Holy Gospels based on good, with different good and bad actors over time, but still waxing strong today with no signs of disappearance, while the Roman Empire that ruled the world at that time has long been history. It is for the same reason why slavery died, colonialism lost, Nazism was extinguished, communism got extinct, and one day racism too will follow the same fate.

I also realized that even in totalitarian regimes such as the former communist East Germany, USSR, and Hitler’s Germany, the people always win despite the might, weapons, and brain-washing ability and economic progress made by the authorities in power; they always grind to a fall. For sure there is a price to pay in totalitarian regimes as people get killed, imprisoned, and punished for criticism of the wrongs of the government, but that is only temporal as in the long run the people always come out on top as good triumph over evil.

…truth punctures the soul of any evil…

One of the most powerful weapons used to fight totalitarian regimes is the human voice; the most powerful weapon ever existed. I cannot stress this enough, just asked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia what the words of journalist Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi mean to the kingdom. It has been witnessed in countries around the world the power of words. So you know that when you speak out it puncture directly into the soul of evil. You might not know the impact that it creates but if you look at history, you will see the role it has played in bringing down the most powerful regimes having the most powerful weapon. If critical voices do not affect powerful totalitarian regimes, then ask yourself, why do they always try to shut down, kill, or imprisoned their critics? For sure many lost their lives in the process of speaking out in totalitarian regimes but eventually, good win over bad.

The good news is that in a democratic country like the beautiful one you called home, Canada, critics may not be killed, but there might be consequences if you speak out as human beings are the same all over the world when they have power. You might pay with loss of job, loss of a contract, loss some business opportunity, an unsuccessful proposal, or labeling, blackmailing, and many more. Fortunately, this is only temporal as if you stand for the truth, it will set you free. You will win, any day, any time as millions of people like you seeking the truth will flock to your side when the truth comes out. It just takes time. Your voice is more powerful than the power of any politician, organization, institution, or government because you can make or break it with your voice and or your vote.

…you can choose which Albertan party get their hands on power in 2019 by speaking out with your vote…

In the province of Alberta, where voters’ turnout is low, with the exception of 2015, mostly below 50%, getting out 400 members of one community to go out and vote will guarantee you a direct influence in who gets elected and who doesn’t. According to statistics Canada, one in every five Edmontonian was born out of Canada. In Edmonton, I think the ratio is closer. Also worthy of note is the fact that Canadian born population is aging, while multicultural communities have a higher growth rate. So you can not be ignored any more based on your numbers, but you can be ignored if you do not use your power by voting in the upcoming 2019 election. You have to know how much power you have and how to use it.

You certainly know who you want and what you want for your community, your family, your life, and your new country, fortunately, a beautiful one. Use the most powerful tool you have to get what you want or what you need as no one will do it for you. Also, no one will do it for your children, your family, your community, or your new found home.

…the CAE forum to discuss its future was another example of speaking out…

Speaking out was exemplified when you supported us to call out the people creating problems at the Africa Centre. As good always triumph over bad, on October 30, 2018, the City found out after an audit that “The Africa Centre is using City grants in accordance with the grant requirements,” and there is room for improvement, the City audit report read. I must give credit to the City for how they have handled the situation. Once again good will triumph over bad.

I just have to end by saying a good number of community leaders came out on November 1, 2018, to a forum to discuss the future of the Francophone Newcomer Welcome Centre, known in French as Centre d’accueil et d’établissement, or simply CAE.

In partnership with other organizations, and to give you more opportunities to keep speaking out, we shall be holding different forums on different topics that matter to the community such as the upcoming elections. Let’s just stay connected.

Happy Diwali from Frankline Agbor