Unmasking the façade

Was it prearranged or was it as I would prefer to phrase it, a God-incidence? Whichever way the anonymous article in the Standard Times newspaper and that by Sorie Fofana of the Global Times newspaper, both in their last Tuesday editions respectively have set the tone for the unmasking of what I have always believed to be a falsehood. It has to do with the scheming and craftiness of President Koroma’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Zainab Bangura. Both authors have written with insight and candour that are uncommon in Salone journalism. It may be that the President’s over-high profiled attitudinal change campaign is beginning to take root in the print media. Or is it too early to be so optimistic? Here I must advise both Sorie Fofana and the Standard Times author to be ready to do battle with Olu Ritchie Awoonor-Gordon of the Peep newspaper and with his long time ally Paul Kamara of the For-di-People newspaper.  Many years ago, when he was working for Paul, Olu had come out with a strange opinion that the affairs of this country would only be right if Zainab Bangura and Paul Kamara were to head the government. I wouldn’t be surprised if Olu who has been silent and irregular for some time were to come out heading the charge of the light brigade in defense of their heroine and idol.

I saw through that façade as far back as 2002. As Sorie Fofana pointed out the lady had through the recommendation of highly placed international servants here, accessed funds and facilities which enabled her to set up the “Campaign for Good Governance” with, not unexpectedly herself as the Executive Director. Through that she used the United Nations facilities to fly all over the place under the pretext that she was monitoring the preparatory process for the forthcoming general elections then. Oh yes, she was ever so loud on UN radio about her observations. Then in the last weeks to the campaign she formed a political party with herself as the Presidential candidate. I called it deception especially on the part of someone who had just been heading an organization for good governance. Mercifully, the electorate taught her the lesson of her life as both she and her party secured less than one percent of the votes cast. The party was not even considered for a single parliamentary seat under the Proportional Representation system. But she had made her connections and was travelling all over the world at international public expense. Although she didn’t think much of today’s President then, as soon as EBK was declared winner, she was on the BBC’s network Africa programme singing the virtues of President Ernest Bai Koroma.

As pointed out she is this country’s most foreign travelled Foreign Minister at a time of severe economic downturn. Ask the staff of our missions abroad about her condescending attitude to them, not to mention the number of perceived SLPP appointees who have since been booted out on her directive. But, she is President Koroma’s trusted lieutenant and may remain so until poor Mr. President finds out when it may be too late. I had previously referred to her brief sourjorn at Lotto where her hands were clean but the money that she handled was dirty. Mr. President will never say that he had not been warned and that not by Puawui either.

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