Sierra Leone Telegraph: 9 September 2020:
President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone is now out of the country for over two weeks without any update from State House about his health, welfare or whereabouts. People of Sierra Leone are quite right to be concerned.
The last report about the president’s condition was a statement published by the Consul of Sierra Leone in Lebanon – Mr Hashem Hashem, writing on the Lebanese News Agency website, saying that:
“The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, will be discharged from the American University Hospital in Beirut this evening, after he underwent the necessary examinations under the supervision of former Minister, Professor. Dr. Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh, and he is in a good health condition. President Bio will stay at Beirut’s Eden Bay Hotel for a short recovery period and will pursue his personal visit to Lebanon before returning to Sierra Leone.”
But that statement was made last week, and did not come from State House in Freetown who had informed the people of Sierra Leone that the president and his wife were leaving the country on a private trip to Lebanon. (Photo: The loving couple, president Bio and his wife at their wedding early this year).
Many understood that to mean, that the president was going on vacation – “a much needed rest” – some State House officials said flippantly last weekend.
Since then, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive as speculation continues about the president’s health and welfare.
Two days ago, September 7, 2020, the 57th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of States and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was held in Niamey, Republic of Niger, without president Bio taking part – not even remotely via Zoom.
As speculation continues, a retired foreign military officer who had served in Sierra Leone called the Sierra Leone Telegraph last week to say he heard that the president has been kidnapped in Beirut by bounty hunters.
As funny and ridiculous as that rumour may sound, the information vacuum unnecessarily created by State House, is without doubt being filled with stories ranging from – the president’s leg having been amputated in Lebanon, to receiving surgery to remove excess fat from his stomach to reveal his muscular six pack!
At the best of times, Sierra Leone is a country full of ironies – not least a president missing in action at a time leaders around the world are busy, struggling to manage a deadly COVID-19 pandemic that has taken the lives of almost 900,000 people globally.
In Sierra Leone, 72 people have officially been declared dead of COVID-19, although many suspect the true figure may be far higher.
Infectious disease specialists think that Sierra Leone may be on borrowed time before the transmission rate begins to rise exponentially after the rainy season.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Sierra Leone currently stands at 2,064, with 1,613 people having made a recovery.
So, where is president Bio?
Thats the question many are now asking, as he was expected to have returned to Sierra Leone last weekend.
This is what one concerned Sierra Leonean said to president Bio’s spokesman – Yusuf keketoma Sandi, on social media yesterday:
As if his ineptitude in managing the affairs of our beloved nation was not bad enough,the man has added insult to injury by gravely overfeeding himself thereby allowing his overgrown potbelly to cause him to become terribly sick. People are starving and he kept on gormandizing,and now he is laying around in one of the most expensive hotels in the world,fleecing the system,flushing away money that belongs to the vulnerable and poorest of the poor among us down the crooked drains of needless mindless extravagance.Heartless and inconsiderate to the bone and marrow!
The fishmongers wages for over 5 years,and duffle bags full of money that an ordinary tailor will never earn in a lifetime is what this President is spending in just one night. Truckloads of Leones that market women laboring endlessly in the burning sun will never set their solemn eyes on, keeps on wasting away like water being poured in a bucket full of holes under the guise of this Presidents being sick. This struggling fragile nation is already overwhelmed by daunting challenges,and neither a leader with a’lazy bone’ a ‘crazy or sick bone’,or ‘corrupt bone’ in his body will be able to govern and steer it out of troubled economic and financial waters it already finds itself sinking in.
Nursing mothers,and their suckling infants cannot afford to wait until this obese President trims down and gets well before they can enjoy three nutritious square meal a day – this sick man being cared for with money that belongs to the deaf and the dumb,to the disabled and homeless beggar,now needs to do the patriotic and honorable thing and resign. There is a Rising Sun that never ever sets,look for it with diligence,and in it find Hope,Security and Bliss.
Sickness is our worst enemy, that’s the reason why the whole world is on edge at the moment. Regardless your status in life, everyone is susceptible to illness. The bottom line is, a statement has been released from the Sierra Leone representative in Lebanon that President Bio has been released from hospital and is recovering in a hotel. Although every citizen should be concerned about our president, but based on Ethical reason, Confidentiality for every patient should be respected.
There is a provision in the constitution that clearly states that just in case the president is out of the country, the Vice President will act on his behalf. Thanks to the Almighty, President Bio made the right decision to choose his friend and confidant Vice President Juldeh Jalloh who is currently doing a fantastic job. President Bio, please take your time to rest, and may the Almighty continue to guide and protect you.
It is a fact that though not all of us voted him in as some people claiming today they are, I don’t think we have ever elected a president, that’s so hared by the other party like Bio. Even when NPRC took power in 1992,they were not hared like this. Your enemy will ever remain enemy no matter what. Hey brother sometimes we have to take some minutes or hours to educate ourselves, reading story books to let you know, how this universe was created and how mighty God Himself advises us about how to prevent self from enemies. When His messenger Muhammad (PBH) was migrating from Mecca to Medina, he left in the mid of night so his enemies do not know his whereabouts. But guess what, they still went after him.
H.E.RTD.BRIG.DR.J.M.Bio, has all the right not to declare his whereabouts to his enemies. Do you know how many times they wishing him dead? Do you know how many hiden properties the former president EBK own in this country today, without disclosing it to the public? Bio has the right to let his good friends know about his whereabouts. I personally live here in Kono but, sometimes when I get ready to travel out, I only disclose it to my good friends, is anything wrong with that?
Yes of course, Bio is the leader and president for the whole of Sierra Leone, whether you voted for him or not, but that does not require him to come to the national TV and say “hey folks I am traveling tomorrow” what a heck!. May God continue to bless and protect Sierra Leone as well as it’s people.
it is worrisome for us as a citizens not knowing the whereabout of our president (Bio) but wherever he is, if well or sick I pray for speedy recovery. But to be honest, the spokesman for statehouse is a disgrace to the nation, because he cannot simply tell the nation the health status of their president.
It is simply disappointing that a whole Press Secretary does not have the guts to tell the nation the truth. I believe Keketoma Sandy should have the guts to resign if he cannot tell the truth because he is being coerced to tell lies. Free poh better pas tight gentry.
Well it is really disheartening for us all as Sierra Leoneans not knowing the exact location of our beloved president Bio. What ever his condition might be, whether protective or not, we are deeply concerned at what would have been the reason for staying so long outside the country till now. However our support goes to president Bio wherever he might be, for God to protect him from his enemies and return safely home.
On behalf of the people of Sierra Leone and the United States,we wish President Bio a speedy and FULL recovery if he has any health problems or challenges he might be going through.
The sudden disappearance of our Fountain of Honour is worrying. I pray he comes up stronger than he left and be the Retired Brigadier General he has always been. Rise up His Excellency our President, rise up and face the Bull by the Horn and wrestle to conquer. A soldier runs away from the battle as a tactical retreat only to come back another day to defend, defeat and triumph.
SIERRA LEONEANS ,the heath status of our president must be our concern for the good of our DEMOCRACY. I pray that GOD will GARMENT him with good health.Amen.
You are not honest to the people of Sierra Leone. You are one of the bad elements that embrace bad actions that is going on in the country (SL). The president of the “republic” of Sierra Leone is not only for one tribe, he is the president for the entire tribes in the country. The president (BIO) don’t have enemies unless his bad governance leads him to. We need to say the truth about what is going on in the country because the president should not become a secret to his own people.
We elected him openly and not in secret, so we demand to hear any activities that the president is doing. By so doing, the president himself creates tension and unrest to the people of Sierra Leone and this totally shows lack of leadership for sure….Thanks.
He is obligated to the people of Sierra Leone. Please inform the people about the whereabouts of their President.
Again and again, Mr. President all your loved ones asking the mighty divine Allah kindly, to return you home safely with your delegates and family as well. Where ever you are, and whatever you’re doing, just continue the good job. We love you forever. Even the Holy Prophet said (PBH) every disease or sickness has medication except one, that’s death. We are all waiting for our time, when that comes, nothing can delay it. It happened some couple of months ago when H.E. disappeared, some predicted that HE was paralyzed. In fact in State House, nobody wanted to come out and tells the truth. Too many stories, at the end H.E appeared on Kenya national TV, shocking moments for the enemies.
Right now some of them even wishing him death. We all know that this president is being monitored on all his foot steps. All around the globe leaders are traveling for medical check-up folks!. The president will appear soon, he’s in a good health. May God protect this president and the entire Sierra Leone.
Well, we can only trust that he is recuperating after successful surgery. Africans in general do not like to disclose their health status. People may be dying of cancer and yet even their best friend will be kept in the dark.
A few years ago I remember the nation was confronted with this same disappearance problem of President Bio. Then it emerged he was in Kenya on a family holiday. Well this time, whatever is the problem, may God protect him from bounty hunters. I wish him well and speedy recovery if he has a health issue.
On a human level, as a parent and a family man, I hope everything is fine with president Bio. Our country is full of drama and suspense. Even Hollywood, or Nolly wood or LEONE WOOD script writers will find it hard to keep up with some of the events that we as a country have to endure. One of the virtues of being a Sierra Leonean is to suspend your beliefs and pin down your hopes on the after life, and constantly reassure ourselves that our real life experiences is not happening.
Talk of burying your head in the sand and ignoring everything around you. More like we are zombies living in a zombie world run by political zombie elites. Since president Bio came to power he’d showed himself to be a jack of all trade, but master of none. That in sort will explain his disappearance. Only in Sierra leone. You can’t make this stuff up. The President who can pass as clinically obese has disappeared into thin air.
Who could blame president Bio from all the dramas created because of his weak leadership. More like the lunatics have taken over the asylum. These are signs the president has given up the fight, and is now waving a white flag as the tribalistic elements within his government highjack his presidency. He came with high hopes for the country, only to be shoved aside by his so called special political advisers that have a different agenda. I hope he recovers and get rid of these people around him that don’t have the interest of Sierra leone at heart. May God Grant him a speedy recovery.
This president is an under-performer,so it makes no difference to me whether he is missing in action or not. His absence highlights my point that he doesn’t take his job,the country and its people seriously at all. True. I have always maintained that this Dictator has never been in good health,and that he should be wary of heart,lung and bowel diseases that come with being overweight. Maada Bio has been totally let down by his tribesmen. Unknowingly, he fell into a pit full of scorpions, and since then, has been fed with nothing but the deadliest kinds of poison.
And it is a fact that,unless one is a hedgehog that is immuned to the toxins and poisons it ingests, eventually you are bound to end up getting sick. Here’s the deal – Tribalism was brewed and fed to Bio, boiling hot in a bowl full of hatred, which was carefully stirred by the maleficent hands of revenge,then sifted through with anger and arrogance – Imagine for a minute struggling, yet gulping down such a distasteful sickening broth that was brewed in the gigantic cryptic and mystifying cooking vessels of the notorious SLPP.
No doubt, this President is mentally bankrupt. Strangely, the SLPP allowed him to become married to gluttony and greed. And it was those two imposters that ushered him directly into the perplexing realms of morbid obesity.(lol)
When the lion is asleep plesse dont wake him up. The lion is quietly watching his trap for the proposed coup plotters. So they should be careful.
Despite the President’s absence is shrouded in secrecy it is clear that the President is seeking medical attention in a country where access to details and information would remain hard to come by and for obvious reasons. We pray that the President returns in good health as his continued absence will raise further speculation.
The president spokesman need to talk to us. If there is anything they are hiding from us, they are doing it out of the law. We want to know the status of the president. Say something, say something, say something.
“ As speculation continues, a retired foreign military officer who had served in Sierra Leone called the Sierra Leone Telegraph last week to say he heard that the president has been kidnapped in Beirut by bounty hunters.”
Hahahaha, this is the funniest and most ridiculous statement I have ever come across. Whatever the case might be, the citizens of Sierra Leone deserve to know about the whereabouts of their president. If the president is undergoing a serious medical ailment, we wish him a speedy recovery.
It is bad news about the disappearance of a Sierra Leonean president without a trace. Good luck to the citizens, I wish them the best in their pursuit of happiness. I will see them soon.
So sad to know that up to this date, out President hasn’t returned yet. This is kind of getting serious. If things were good, the opposite of this silence from the spokesman would have happened. I just hope and pray he comes back well and healthy.