Great Citizens In Our Time: The Life And Times Of PC Martin Ndapi Torto II (O.R.,M.O.R)
A mans life is expected to run the length of three scores and ten years. In the case of the late PC.Martin Ndapi Torto, he completed the seventy years and even added more to it. However, notwithstanding the span of life achieved, his death still caught not only his family, or his chiefdom, but the entire people of Kono as a shock.
Of course no one lives forever, but in the case of PC Torto II, he had, through his works symbolized to the whole people of Kono, that he is indeed the father of the people, and was therefore seen as a leader who cuts across generations, political administrations and points of views. Chief Torto represented the hard working, patriotic citizenry, people loving and community conscious leaders of the past. His passing closes a big chapter in the history of traditional leaders in Sierra Leone whose concern is for the people, rather than the acquisition of personal wealth at the detriment of the land.
When the chief passed away, the people of Kono wept for his passing. Their tears were not only for the passing of their chief, but for the uncertain present, and the unknown future. A period now marked by leaders whose interest is for their immediate family and not for the general good.
‘When shall we have such leaders in our time?’ has always been the cry since the passing of Paramount Chief Martin Ndapi Torto.
Paramount Chief Martin Ndapi Torto was born on the 25th of May 1910 in Jaiama Sewafe to Paramount Chief Bockarie Torto (who was the then Paramount chief of Sewafe Chiefdom in Kono District) and to Madam Mahotta Torto (deceased).
PC Martin Ndapi Torto II attended the Bo School in 1928 where he started from the Elementary Stage (primary school on to the secondary school level). His admission number was 435. He also served as a senior prefect, winning the respect and admiration of both his British teachers as well as his fellow pupils. After successfully completing schooling at the Bo school, he was employed as a clerk at G. Harthing in 1935, a British run establishment in Freetown. After serving at G. Harthing with no blemish, he decided to go back home to Kono to be nearer his people. In Kono, he took up employment as a police officer in the Criminal Investigations Department. After going through the training, he was attached to the Diamond Protection Force (DPF) of the then Sierra Leone Selection Trust (SLST) later renamed the National Diamond Mining Company (NDMC). He served there for fourteen years with dedication and with no blemish.
After retiring from the Diamond Protection Force, he went into private business in Tefeya in Kono District. Due to his hard work and no-nonsense approach to duty, PC Bockarie Torto, the father of PC Ndapi Torto, recalled him and appealed to him to supervise the construction of a road from Futingaya to Sewafe as a way of opening up the chiefdom to other parts of the country, a service which he successfully completed.
Due to his commendable service, PC Ndapi Torto was recognized by the then Colonial Administration and was appointed as a Court President (now known as Court Chairman) in Nimiyama Chiefdoms Native Administrations judicial system.
On the death of PC Bockarie Torto in 1966, Martin Ndapi Torto was successfully elected as Paramount Chief in Nimiyama Chiefdom on the 16th of May 1967.
In 1973, PC Ndapi Torto was elected by his colleague Paramount Chiefs in Kono to serve as a Representative in the House of Parliament. That same year, due to his contribution in Parliament, he was appointed Minister of State without Portfolio by the then president of Sierra Leone Dr. Siaka Probyn Stevens.
Twelve years later, in 1985, Siaka Stevens during the annual Independence Day celebrations awarded him with the Member of the Rokel (MOR). That was not to be the end of the late PC Martin Ndapi Torto’s national honours as another president of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ahmad Tejan-Kabbah, presented him with the Order of the Rokel (OR).
PC Ndapi Torto worked for Sierra Leone valiantly and tirelessly. During the rebel war from 1992 to 2001, he made history as the last Paramount Chief to evacuate Kono whenever there was an attack on the District. He first ensured that all Paramount Chiefs had been evacuated out of the danger zone, after which he personally supervised his local hunters before taking off for safety. Sometimes he had to be physically taken away as he sometimes vowed to take his gun and confront the rebel attackers.
PC Ndapi Torto was also the first traditional authority in Kono to return to his Chiefdom as soon as the rebels had been pushed out of the district. His love for his land and his people cannot be compared.
On the 12th of April, 2008, early in the morning, PC Martin Ndapi II bade farewell to his people, and the country and passed away peacefully in his sleep while in bed.
PC Martin Ndapi Torto is survived by many sons and daughters, nephews and nieces, brothers and sisters and several relatives. He died at the ripe age of 98 years.
A great son of the soil indeed.
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