By David Tam Baryoh
I have had time to view the Sierra Leonean political life for some 25 years now. Since the earlier years of Thaimu Bangura through to Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, to Earnest Bai Koroma and now Julius Maada Bio.
In all of these, I have personally known these persons. In most of these people and their performances, I have had time also to analyze and express views about them. Some times in newspapers, on radio and televisions. Very often, from 1992 through to 2017, I have been very close to the political class of this country. It’s been very interesting!
Earnest Bai Koroma; I mean the former president of the republic of Sierra Leone, (2007 through to 2018); now the democratic representative of the African Union on several political issues on the continent. This man is ever lucky and blessed. He is an astute and clever politician but he is ever hated by his best of friends. I have however, done a lot of studies through his former friends and it makes me understand what exactly a Sierra Leonean politician really is. I have had studies from certain people he hitherto had (appointed) as government ministers and ambassadors. People he even ate with as best of friends. Now they see him as worst enemy!
Why? Many believe that Earnest should have replaced himself with them. While he was leaving power, he should have made them president. For many of Earnest Koroma’s friends, Julius Maada Bio was not to be president. No other member of another party was to be president but an APC northerner was to be president. The last political sin for Earnest Bai Koroma before he dies, should be a support for any of God’s choice of political leadership for someone away from the north of the country.
The sincere reality is the fact that there has been no leader yet equal to the hard work and gentility of Earnest’s political choice and practice in Sierra Leone. But his sin has been not choosing a northerner but allowing a type of Julius Maada Bio from the south, to be president. Unfortunately, Julius had earlier miscalculated the whole issue before re-thinking the reality.
Sierra Leoneans are “very Godly”. To the effect of telling you that it is God other than men, that choose leaders. But, they will do all available to choose who they believe should be leader. So, in allowing leadership, as you may ask: when do they know that it is God that chooses other than men?
I have listened to many audios from socialists criticizing Earnest Bai Koroma on issues of leadership within the All Peoples Congress party. But one often fails to understand any rational behind such arguments. The Sierra Leone Peoples Party has done well to have chosen Ahmad Tejan Kabbah from North and East, while they have chosen a Southerner as one of theirs, as the APC are hating their former leader (now) because of his position not to have replaced himself with one of them, (northerner).
Such people have hired young northerners to abuse and disrespect Earnest Bai Kororma so as to help change their expectancies. Is this the last sin, that Earnest Bai Koroma will commit before he finally leaves power politics?