By Sall Tee Jay
Assessing the country’s current political landscape under the leadership of President Julius Maada Bio, some school of thoughts still hold the view that the former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, is still popular than the current President Julius Maada Bio. When you visit political party offices, bars and restaurants, ataya bases, night clubs, public transports and many areas where people go to socialize, there are discussion on going that between the two (EBK and Bio) that Ernest Bai Koroma is still popular than the current President.
Even though EBK has been out of Sierra Leone for more than two years, his popularity back home, many believe, keeps increasing, to the extent that people still believe in his leadership. Ernest Bai Koroma was never a saint, but his pattern and system of governance and leadership has earned him the credibility of being industrious, loyal, accommodating and open minded.
EBK came into politics with open mind. When he assumed office in 2007 under the ticket of the All People’s Congress, Ernest Bai Koroma created so many opportunities to empower his close associates and childhood friends in the APC. He made sure opportunities were created for his close friends in the APC. Some of his contemporaries were empowered and others appointed to eminent positions. EBK’s relationship to none APC supporters was so tight that some of his friends in the opposition saw him as a unifier. He was so accommodating, generous and believed in relationships. EBK, during his tenure, used money to solicit support both in the APC and SLPP. He ensured the APC became his baby. Because of his leadership style, APC Members worshipped EBK, even after he had exited office. As Chairman and Leader of the APC, Ernest Bai Koroma supported so many people to become billionaires. His focus was to empower young people, and he did just that, though he was unable to please and satisfy the entire nation. He made sure the political space remains open and also supported friends in the opposition with the award of government contracts. Moseray Fadika, Mohamed Gento Kamara ,Hon. Sidi Mohamed Tunis and a few of others were known to be staunch SLPP but Ernest Bai Koroma, as President, saw them as Sierra Leoneans. He created so many opportunities for them and paved the way for them to enjoy government protection in the award of government contracts. The likes of Sahr Ngeghba, Alimu Barrie, Aminata etc are a testament to the good work of EBK.
Because of his political ideology, EBK was able to enter the SLPP both in and outside Parliament. He was so accommodating that he does not believe in vindictive leadership. He protected majority of those who suffered with him when he became President, and appointed them as ministers, deputy ministers, directors and other senior eminent positions in governance, just to maintain and keep his relationship. The likes of Hon. Alhaji Alpha Kanu, Victor Bockarie Foh, Hon. Minkailu Mansaray, Captain Allieu Momodu Patsoe , Ali D. Kamara, Hon. Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo, Alhaji Osman Foday Yansaneh among others, were very close to the former President. They were seen as the most influential people under EBK. Because of his grip to maintain relationship, EBK was able to enjoy a stable and perfect leadership in the APC. His good and personal relationship with the opposition (SLPP) earned him the accolade of uniting the country during his reign.
In 2018, President Bio came to power with a good intention to unite the nation. He had good plans to make Sierra Leone become an enviable country, but because he leaned and depended on the advice of his first Chief Minister in the person of Professor David Francis, President Bio began having stumbling blocks. Before 2018, there were people like the Dr. Abass Bundu, Jacob Jusu Saffa, Kanja Sesay, Ali Kabbah, to name but a few, who were there for President Bio when he had no stake in the SLPP. I could vividly recall the likes of Dr. Ali Kabbah , J.J.Saffa, Kanja Sesay engaging the media to support President Bio’s vision to become President of the nation. Those were the days when you hardly hear about the David Francis and others, who later became the President’s blue-eyed boys. Because of the system and pattern of leadership provided, the SLPP division started there. President Bio’s bitter lesson will be learned after exiting office. There are folks in the SLPP who believe that it is a different SLPP that is in governance and that the real SLPP has been hijacked. For those who believed their party had been hijacked, they have plans to redeem their party ahead of the 2028 election.
In Politics, President Bio’s undoing is the marginalization of the elderly folks in the party who are considered to be the reservoir of political knowledge. Distancing them will know way make headway for the SLPP. Whatever the case may be, President Bio needs the likes of J. J. Saffa, Dr. Ali Kabbah, Kanja Sesay, Dr. Abass Bundu, and others, who are considered as senior members of the party. These are people who the President can’t do without, so he needs to get them onboard to be able to get control and command over the SLPP. Another problem of President Bio is his policy against local contents. He is seen protecting foreigners as against Sierra Leoneans, which is a very bad precedent. The likes of Ambassador Anthony Junior Navo, who sacrificed a lot for the SLPP, has tasted bitter experience at the hands of Bio’s government, when his company (ARISE IPP) was abandoned for a Chinese Company.
Today, another staunch SLPP businessman in the person of Mohamed Gento Kamara, has also encountered the same experience. The Gento we all know, sacrificed for the SLPP and even contested for the Mayoral office within the municipality of Freetown. If President Bio can abandon the likes of Abass Bundu, Kanja Sesay, J.J. Saffa, Ali Kabbah, Ambassador Navo, Mohamed Gento Kamara to name but a few, who else will President Bio not abandon? Presdent Bio’s style of leadership has offended a good number of senior SLPP members, who are of the view that the SLPP is heading for doom in 2028. President Bio should realize that there is life after politics. He still has time to make amends and settle whatever dispute or grievances that he has with some of the elder folks in the party. If he wants to get command and control of the SLPP after exiting power, then he must learn from the good political theories of EBK.