By Joe Hindovei Pemagbi

Born to Salone parents she knew not
Yet she was fondled, caressed and nurtured to blossom
Groomed to suit every foe or friend in ages past; or futures unknown

Even sunset surrenders in admiration of nature’s pristine beauty
Along the long stretch of Aberdeen’s lustful white sand
As Lumley adores natures irresistible glamour

Yet we abuse her with disdainful impunity
With accustomed ease
We pulled Lumley beach’s head in several directions
Her limbs pulled apart like a tug of war, and left scarred and tattooed by human sharks in fierce pursuit of wealth
The fierce and furious tides rebels at the tap of every hammer morphing oblong structures

In solitude the beach weeps at this endless rape
Jealously praying for protection of her siblings stretching from Lakka to Waterloo with despair

Lumley beach, we are guilty of your assault
We watch, we endure, we ignore and partake of your defilement
The fitness walks and jogs rendered painful by the stench and filth we expose you to effortlessly, constantly
Your beauty and serenity we embraced now bemoans noise pollution as the market stalls struggle to outdo each other

Stop, can we?
Not with our desperation to abuse
Not with our desire to plunder our paradise
Once a rendezvous for bliss in the midst of pain and rancor now lies in ruins

Rest in peace, isn’t guaranteed with once curvy contour bruised and jagged as they scramble for every piece of you continues unfettered
But alas! Amidst despair, our beaches shall rise and smile again
Together, we can, and must restore the lost glory of our beaches

Author

Joe Hindoveh Pemagbi has been a fighter for social justice since 2001. As Sierra Leone Country Officer for the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) he’s courageously taken up public interest campaigns, insisting on access to information, justice, and respect for human rights. These rights are enshrined in Sierra Leone’s 1991 Constitution, but demanding that they are upheld is not something that many corrupt leaders appreciate.