Sierra Leone Telegraph: 19 September 2020:
President Julius Maada Bio and his wife – Mrs Fatima Bio, have few hours ago landed at the Lungi International Airport in Freetown, after spending twenty-three days in Beirut enjoying their honeymoon amidst much criticism and uproar back home.
The couple were met by a throng of chanting SLPP supporters close to the runway – to a red-carpet arrival which many are now referring to as the “arrival of Romeo and Juliet”.
Reactions to the president’s return home have been mixed. While his supporters are chanting – “the eagle has landed”, his critics – who are accusing the president of jumping ship in the middle of a global and national pandemic – with millions of homes going without proper meal every day amid rising poverty and unemployment, are asking the president – “you left us in hunger – what have you brought back for us?” – captured in this song that is now making the rounds on social media:
But on a more serious note, there are reports of the “tactical” removal this evening – just before the arrival of the president and his lady – of the Commanding Officer responsible for the Lungi Airport Police Station and the Senior Officer heading the Counter Terrorism Unit of Police – also at the Lungi Airport, with immediate effect. It is understood that both Officers are from the north of the country – heartland of the former APC government.
Earlier this week, the General Manager of the Lungi Airport – Ebenezer Macauley, was also sacked by “orders from above” – a euphemism for orders from state House. Mr Macauley – who is of Krio origin and suspected by the SLPP government to be an opposition APC sympathiser, has been swiftly replaced by Jack Massaquoi, a Southerner – an SLPP government supporter.
President Bio was also greeted on his return this evening by news of a sharp increase of 20 new COVID-19 cases reported in the country yesterday, the highest single day increase, since August 9th.
Today, 6 new cases were recorded, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in Sierra Leone to 2,159, with 72 dead, as the country’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Spokesman for the National COVID-19 Emergency Response Centre – Solomon Jamiru, is reported to have been tested COVID-19 positive. He is said to be asymptomatic and in self-isolation at his home.
There are rumours, the president will soon be announcing major ministerial shake-up as economic conditions in the country continues to worsen, despite the massive bail out of almost $500 million by the World Bank, the IMF, the African Development Bank, and other international partners.
President Bio has returned to a country that is desperately seeking good leadership and a change of direction, both in terms of the economic hardship facing millions of Sierra Leoneans and the continuous abuse of power by those in authority.
Welcome back Mr President and Mrs Fatima Bio from your honeymoon:
TRUE. My brother, the ‘awesome’ STARGAZER is one of the most patriotic citizens on this forum. He is also great with his Shakespearean language – especially when one tries to decode his message, then the realization of his ingenuity is unravelled. Though, a lot of sly characters are always brandishing their knives ready to curtail his sparkle. Well, this is typical with Sierra Leoneans – excellence is never encouraged – don’t let them unnerve you!
Certainly, all is not well with our showman from Lebanon. The nation knows there is already a mobility problem with the First Gentleman – let us hope this has not been compounded with an advanced stage of psychiatry. Disembarking from that plane was like watching a disillusioned man, who has lost everything, taking his first stride. Korthor Jalloh, don’t be complacent. It appears you have got a fight on your hands.
Thank you for your kind words my brother from another mother, “The Ilustrious” Mr Alimamy Turay; Sincerely brother, I have to admit your unblinking, honest eyes do not miss a damn thing – I thought I was the only one who saw a totally defeated man descending the steps of that plane, but strangely you saw it clearly also – indeed great minds think and see things alike – Indomitable Lions we are bro, waiting for trophies to win and territories to subdue. There’s a Rising Sun that never sets. You know the deal…(lol)
“Temper, temper!” I know my hands are quite heavy Mr Fallay, and my gloves are made of steel, but it must be so; For I have made quite a few solemn promises to countless people I have met sleeping on the streets of Freetown that I will become the loudest voice for all who are disenfranchised, marginalized and economically oppressed in our beloved Sierra Leone. True, I am loyal to the ideals of the APC, that’s because I was raised in the midst of those courageous Pride of lions. But make no mistakes I am nothing but pure fire and I represent the future of a robust vibrant progressive APC that is totally dedicated and committed to correcting the past mistakes of previous governments – a new breed of leaders we are, embarking on a mission to bring our nation out of the darkness into the glorious majestic light.
I am that Rising Sun that never sets; that eye of promise that refuses to blink, or flinch. Remember there’s a sun that is always blazing hot, that incinerates hypocrisy, greed and callousness without regret and fear. The SLPP is no match against us, the keenest minds that have ever come out of Sierra Leone; They have proven themselves to be dummies, unfit to rule our nation; two years and counting and nothing but losses upon losses to show for it. (lol) Your old washed up, tired soldier cannot complete a simple mission if I gave him one – it will eventually become a complete disaster just knowing that his knees will buckle under intense pressure in enemy territory.(lol)
But give him food in huge amounts and this inept unrepentant tribalist will most certainly know what to do with it – hand him a blank sheet of paper and ask him to chart a course for the progress of our nation he will be totally confounded, not knowing what to do. Scraps of iron and base metal you guys really are, surrounding a giant magnet that doesn’t know its real value or worth.(lol)
Stargazer, It’s very difficult to address a “ Jail Breaker” – who is a person that has been banned from this forum because of his disrespect for writers and forumites after several warnings, but unfortunately just showed up as a FICTIONAL CHARACTER to continue his disrespectful behaviour. I am even tempted to believe that you have been purposely rehired to be the “Adebayor” of this forum against the New Direction government.
I purposely tried to get under the skin of Saidu Conteh who was banned from the forum, because he was always dreaming that “The Rising Sun Will Rise Again”. So now this fictional character has become UNHINGED and launched a competition for “Who will be the best Adebayor on this forum in disrespecting Sierra Leoneans that disagree with their ideology of stealing”. Just read your comments on the link below which contradict your current accusation:
https://www.thesierraleonetelegraph.com/where-is-sierra-leones-president-julius-maada-bio/
It was right here on this glorious forum that I insisted that this corrupt President was not sick and seeking medical attention, but was on one of those idle wild goose-chasing endeavours, or extravagant spending sprees he used to intermittently embark on. And it turned out I was right on the money. The old totally washed up soldier that used to shine boots until they became as clear as mirrors was somewhere frolicking around, leaving the duties of the State unattended to in shambles, gladly wrapped in blankets of delusions trying desperately to rekindle a spark in a relationship that had died eons and millenniums ago.(lol)
Indeed, my perceptions about this inept, shady President have all been infallible – Now you can all call me a Prophet.(lol) Again, it was here that gullible individuals like Brima after being sold an outright lie, kept on chanting his endless, annoying, flimsy bogus prayers for a man that was enjoying himself on a yacht popping champagne, watching a beautiful sunset that was soothing and enchanting to the naked eyes and mesmerizing to the soul in its utter splendour.
Yet being hopelessly wet behind the ears, Brima and Alusine believed Prezo was quietly RECOVERING on a sick bed somewhere in Lebanon. Goodness gracious! These people are as unguarded and impressionable as itsy-bitsy drooling little children with runny noses.(lol) Hey! The baton of power is now in your incompetent hands, stop the blame game and do something productive and useful…I dare you – double dare you and your entire criminal cabal to come up with ideas that will transform the lives of our people in the next two years.(lol)
Some have accused President Bio of nonchalance, I would add callousness and sadism. President Bio, it’s now clear, went to Lebanon for a second honeymoon, taking cover behind the coffins of Sierra Leoneans who are dying of hunger and curable health conditions. Assuming that Maada had a health problem which required surgery, he would have headed for one of the Western capitals, not Beirut, the unstable Lebanese Capital. One can only deduce that one or more of the Lebanese businessmen have wormed their way into the Bios inner circles who arranged the visit to further their aims at the expense of Sierra Leoneans. It seems every President gets hooked and influenced by shady characters, most of them foreign. Do we still remember Siaka Stevens and Jamil Said Mohammed. I have personal experience of Joseph Momoh being wined and dined by another Lebanese businessman.
Ernest Koroma leaned towards the Chinese who were financing all his personal projects as well as those of his family. Had APC won the last elections the country would have been overrun by the Chinese in the same way they have overran Zambia and other countries. What all of this shows is a “I am alright” type of attitude which permeates the presidency. We are a sorrowful people in terms of our inability to see that for as long as we keep alternating SLPP and APC in power we’re headed for the graveyard. Ordinary people suffer every day and they still go out to dance for these two parties. That’s why many Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora, in exasperation, have stopped helping family members because of their display of stupidity.
Bio’s problem is that he has a domineering wife that he has trouble saying no to. It very much reminds me of the Mugabes in Zimbabwe. The late President Robert Mugabe was so much influenced by his young wife that in the end he was chased out of office by his own comrades-in arms. They did not stop there. They expelled his out-of-control wife, Grace Mugabe, or Gucci Grace as she was hatefully known by Zimbabweans from ZANU-PF, the political party that has ruled the country since independence.
At least the old soldier defended that country. What have you done for Sierra Leone STARGAZER?
Sorry Mr Sheik Jah, Mr Stargazer is not a member of this government or any past government. He is a patriotic Sierra Leonean who wants to see good things happen in our country. I do not know him, but according to his postings that is what I concluded to myself. There are many ways you can contribute to developing your country. In this forum he is doing just that. Thank you very much. We Sierra Leoneans don’t like straight talkers. What he is doing is to hold this corrupt Bio government to account.
At the moment there is no effective opposition to speak of. This is the problem we Sierra-Leoneans have. The people who challenged outrageous government policies that have bought untold suffering to millions of your fellow Sierra Leoneans are cast out as villains, that are out to cause trouble for whichever government is in power. It is alright for these corrupt political classes to damage our country’s future and the future generations yet unborn. According to you, is for us to shut up and put up with it.
I am sorry it doesn’t work like that. For crying out loud We have been through a civil war. The same footpath we took by repressive and tribalistic politics, is the same ugly policies that have pursued by this government. I suppose all of us want our country to live in peace and have development. Everyone will be proud of our country, that is self sufficient and can feed its people. And the rule of law and respect of free press takes precedent above everything else.
Mr Stargazer will be the proudest Sierra Leonean to see that day comes. Mr Sheik play the ball not the man. May God bless Sierra Leone.
This President is not dividing the country or the nation, whether you living in the North, East, West and South. The only people that are dividing and segregating themselves from the others are the enemies of Sierra Leone. We will always keep repeating our old message – “APC does not like to be opposition – that’s fact period”. During the 2018 campaign, no foreign national appeared on the national TV campaigning for SLPP, it only happened for APC with Chinese nationals wearing APC T-shirts, dancing and chanting in Chinese language in support of APC. Nobody can dispute that.
If some of these guys’ mouths and tongues were powerful enough to take life, like Bio would have gone since he took office in 2018. Our brothers and sisters were fooled by unpatriotic Sierra Leoneans, who lied to them and made some big profits on them as well with fake and fraudulent so called “agencies” telling them that they were going to make money that they never had in their country. This was happening under APC gov’t watch, and no action was taken. For how long did our sisters cried – sending messages on whatsapp, facebook, from the Middle East, Lebanon, Oman, Kuwait and so on, pleading for the gov’t to rescue them.
Thanks to President Bio, today most of them have joined their family. I am so grateful that my own brother’s wife is among them. This is what we call leadership, though some of the critics were predicting ill will against the president. Bio is a Unifier – not a divider. Go on facebook and see for yourself. I am right here in Kono – thanks to God life is good. May God continue to bless my country Sierra Leone.
I wonder whether the struggling masses in Sierra Leone ever thought for a minute that by electing an Old soldier into the highest office in the land they will eventually be forced into watching a phoney married couple who had thoughtlessly transformed themselves into stars in their own self-created dramatic soap operas.
Mr President all things in life are transient – Is this what governance is about – honouring yourselves at the expense of those who entrusted you with power? The sense of judgment of your entire SLPP criminal cabal stinks; not one of those vultures have been sincere and patriotic enough to give you sensible advice that could salvage your already totally corroded tarnished image; (lol) Now there is a Rising Sun that never sets, look for it assiduously in earnest without regret, and in it find hope, solace and bliss.
STARGAZER: I think you are a Joker without any credibility. Sometimes a fools fantasies makes He/she blinded to reality even when its smacking him on the face. Its a saying “{when the Fox cannot have the grapes, he says the grapes are sour}” Lets face it, APC cannot rule my Country anymore with that Dictatorial Communist Ideology. So relax and enjoy Democracy in style which cannot be found among Ragamuffins.
Irrespective of the political divide, the fact remains, majority of the citizens have always wished and wanted any government of the day to succeed, and in extension, the sitting president to hail healthy and administer his/her given powers fairly and squarely across the breadth and width of our nation. Consequently, majority of the citizens will never be happy with a certain government of the day whose ideas and governance style has brought nothing beneficial but more human suffering and polarization.
Now with the exception of a few sycophants, there is no denial that our nation’s economic woes have only gotten worse since this regime took over. To make matters worst, the first couple appears to have a nonchalant attitude, caring about nothing but an obsession of fulfilling a dream life of flying around the globe, come rain or shine, spending millions of dollars from our nation’s coffers, while many of our citizens starve to death.
Just over a year into his presidency, we all witness the first couple disappearance again for almost another 3 weeks, only for the public to later find out that the president and his family have been flying around the globe vacationing, starting their trip in London, Dubai and later surface at the Safari. This time around, in the midst of a global pandemic, nothing matters. The president and his family took off again, with his wife splashing pictures of their extravagant lifestyle on social media in mockery of our suffering masses. Forgive me but I have no respect for such leadership.
This flashing of ill gotten wealth to fellow citizens that don’t know where their next meal is coming from, is what got the former Malian president into trouble. His son was displaying the same unethical behaviour in a cruise ship while young Malian soldiers are fighting and dying in the North against Al Qaida terrorist. Same with the former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, when his son displayed his lack of judgment by posting pictures of himself pouring wine in an expensive Rolex watch. While fellow Young Zimbabweans escape repression and poverty by crawling under barbed wire electric fence on the border with South Africa to escape his father’s misguided policies.
Why can’t these people learn from others mistakes? Yes if you think its your God given right to steal from the nation spare us the spectacle of seeing how our country’s resources are being wasted. You can steal from the nation and go on holiday, safari or what ever take your liking, but please don’t rob it in our noses. There are families being evicted from their homes in Kroo bay, Low cost housing, young men suffering from drug addiction due to the effects of the RUF WAR, they are what can be called generation X, no hope and no prospect due to Bio’s misguided policies. Hungry children going to bed feeding on their thumb, an anaemic economy, a divided nation, rampant corruption, covid19 running riot and a president scared of his five o’clock shadow.
Welcome home President Maada Bio and your BEAUTIFUL AND CHARISMATIC WIFE and FIRST “IRON” LADY Mrs. Fatima Bio. Our president and his LOVELY wife looks very RESTED, ENERGIZED and of course ready to deliver the second part of the agenda of transforming our nation through the midterm development plan.
Thanks to the Almighty and the proactive leadership of President Bio and his health minister Dr. Alpha Wurie, for the continued success in saving the lives of our citizens, but unfortunately 72 people have perished as compared to more advanced countries where thousands have succumbed to the deadly Covid- 19 disease.
May their Souls Continue to Rest In Peace. I also hope and pray that the Almighty will continue to guide our president and his family from this deadly disease. My only advice for our first family is to continue to “ Work to live your lives rather than live to work”.
Welcome back to Hell Mr President, a place that has been getting hotter by the minute ever since you zipped away on one of your spurious,pompous,imperious escapades. A totally washed up old soldier, and a shoddy,tawdry actress have once again returned to the shores of poverty and suffering, calm and unruffled after wasting duffle bags of dollars on their superficial selves. What a sorry sight!(lol)
Welcome back to Hell,and its about damn time the Truthsayers say to hell with all of those tribalistic dummies falsely professing – all is fine and well. Our beloved nation is now on her knees and in fear and tears, totally being overwhelmed by ceaseless worries and endless cares. But Stargazer why not try and be just a little accommodating and considerate? Listen friend, to those who are ungracious and callous we will return the favor and respond to them in the same way, for who has ever seen a wise merchant exchanging solid gold coins for worthless pieces of copper – iron cuts iron my friend.
Answer – Had these people been thoughtful and considerate of the plight of the handicap, roaming beggars and mentally ill would they have been flushing away our money down overpriced overseas toilet bowls whilst frolicking around in a fancy hotel in Lebanon? Ask me not to be nice and courteous to him who would lead the blind beggar astray,neither will I be kind towards those who in an attitude of self conceitedness would dare to ask that naked homeless beggar where are your clothes instead of covering them up, assisting and providing for them with tender care and empathy…
You cannot defend the indefensible. President Bio through his actions and words has shown to be a divisive figure head. The commander of chaos and fountain of dishonour. His actions and his tribalistic instinct has no boundaries. During his campaign for the presidency, he campaigned on unifying a divided country. A country not long ago was in a grip of civil war. The fate of which was in the hands of psychopaths like Sam Bokari alias “MOSQUITO”, Foday Sankoh and Liberia’s war Lord turned president Charles Taylor.
How long is our country going to engage in this political polarisation, or for better choice of words “REVENGE POLITICS”. Surely, a country in a grip of a deadly COVID19 pandemic and an economic meltdown, the president has enough in his in-tray to ponder about, not replacing someone of Krio decent, or a northern for a southerner is the least of priorities for a struggling nation like ours. Bio and his trbalistic ministers are sowing the seeds of chaos in our country.
Why can’t he take a leaf from the president of Rwanda, and help heal the wounds of mutual suspicion that exist between APC and SLPP SUPPORTERS? And why is this government targeting people of Krio decent? The answer is simple. Covid19, the economy and Bio and his ilk are diverting the attention of a ZOMBIE NATION POINTING A FINGER OF BLAME TO THE KRIO PEOPLE THAT ACCORDING HIM, WANTS TO MAKE OUR COUNTRY UNGOVERNABLE. WHAT A FAILURE AND DERELICTION OF DUTY BY A FAILED PRESIDENT. May God bless Sierra Leone.
Yeah. I am very delighted that the President is back home safe and sound. The criticisms on those bad policies and decisions will begin right here, right now. One good thing this time around was, there were no reports of barbarity against opposition party headquarters and supporters during your absence. I lost this time around on my predictions. Welcome President Bio back home and see you soon. The struggle to make Sierra Leone a place worth living continues.
Who are these international entities partners with, because they surely aren’t partners with the people of SaLone? I implore that we start calling things for what they truly are. The average Sierra Leonean doesn’t get to wear nice suits, take expensive trips, ride on foreign cars or get exclusive access to the best hospitals known to man when those partnership incentives are lavished on us. No.
What the average Sierra Leonean gets is a lifetime consumed in utter misery, and preventable to chronic diseases that could take you out on any giving day. So who are these people really spending their money on, when the people have nothing to show for it?
This house is so quiet today after the arrival of H.E. Dr. J.M. Bio, the First Lady and the entire delegates from abroad. All what we have heard was not true, some of the folks said that he was there mainly for COVID19 treatment, some of them said that, one of the President’s leg been diagnosed with cancer and needs to amputated.
Folks, we have to be very careful of our tongues, it is one of the finest and worst part of human body(TONGUE). If it is pure, you will be the most fortunate human in this world and hereafter, but God forbid, if it is bad, well good luck. I personally watched the video clip on Facebook, where H.E. convened a meeting with our brothers and sisters – Sierra Leoneans that are suffering in Lebanon. I do not need to tell you what was there, you watched it yourself.
These Sierra Leoneans will soon come home, they already been rescued by H.E. Dr. Bio… the president of the Republic of Sierra Leone. Bio was not there for honeymoon as some speculated. He is not that kind of president folks. Mr. President welcome back home, we are grateful to God and the work you are doing for the country. May God bless and protect our country and also it’s leaders.