AT THE SLPP PARTY OFFICE: MAADA BIO AND I.J KABBAH EMBRACE FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION; SAMA BANYA ENDORSES MAADA BIO AND JOB, YUMKELLA, KEILLI AND ALLIE BANGURA SNUB PRES. KABBAH’S LAYING OUT CEREMONY By Josephine Koroma The widow, Mrs Isata J. Kabbah, and the 2012 Presidential Candidate of the SLPP, Julius Maada Bio have both embraced in a spontaneous show of peace and reconciliation at the laying out ceremony of the late Pres. Kabbah at the SLPP headquarters on Saturday, 22nd March 2014. The embrace and shaking of hands came about at the end of a passionate tribute by Mrs. Isata J. Kabbah. At the end of her tribute Mrs. I.J Kabbah appealed to all the SLPP mourners that Pres. Kabbah stood for peace therefore the death of his late husband should bring unity and peace in the party. She continued by saying that if there was anyone within the party that she has offended she was asking for forgiveness and if there was anyone who has offended her she has forgiven that person. Immediately after Mrs. I.J. Kabbah’s passionate appeal for peace and reconciliation, the ever-so-peaceful and forgiven 2012 Presidential Candidate, Julius Maada Bio majestically rose to his feet and embraced Mrs. I.J Kabbah. It was a spectacular moment. The audience admired and loved such demonstration of strong leadership by Julius Maada Bio so they gave it a loud applause. It could be remembered that following the Bo Convention, Mrs I.J. Kabbah went on various radio stations and made many insulting remarks about Julius Maada Bio and she was also recently part of a secret meeting together with JOB, Keillie, Allie Bangura and others to plot against Julius Maada Bio. But on Saturday, the peaceful and forgiven nature of Julius Maada Bio was admired by all. Also, during the laying out ceremony, various tributes were also given by senior SLPP members including former Vice Pres. Solomon Berewa, Dr. Prince Harding, Dr. Sama Banya, Julius Maada Bio and a host of others. For Julius Maada Bio, he read the tribute which he had already sent out after the death of the late President. He was passionate, emotional and statesmanlike that even the US ambassador could not stop clapping. Some of the party mourners were gripped with emotions and could not hold their tears. The mourning audience just admired the way Julius Maada Bio showed respect to his former colleague Head of State and the manner in which he praised the legacy of the late SLPP Leader. Without doubts, the most politically profound tribute came from Dr. Sama Banya, a close friend and former speech writer of the late Pres. Kabbah. In his usual eloquence, he praised the virtues of his great friend but he had one message for the SLPP and the country: that people who believe in the peace and development of the country they have to support Julius Maada Bio. He said the same way the SLPP rallied around the late Pres. Kabbah should be the same way they should rally around Julius Maada Bio for peace and development. The mourners loved the message from the eloquent Dr. Sama Banya, they shouted and clapped with great enthusiasm. In a shameful twist, upon hearing the message from Dr. Sama Banya and utterly confused by the loud applause of the thousands of SLPP mourners, the former Minority Leader, Bernadette Lahai, got up and unceremoniously left the laying out ceremony. What a Shame! But if you think the behaviour of Bernadette Lahai was shameful what about the disrespectful behaviour of John O. Benjamin, Andrew Keillie, Allie Bangura and Kandeh Yumkella. These people who benefitted so much during the presidency of the late Pres. Kabbah; who have been all over the place holding secret SLPP destructive meeting and declaring for SLPP flagbearership disgracefully did not attend the laying out ceremony of the late Pres. Kabbah at the SLPP party office. As one female SLPP mourner, Aminata, wearing her green outfit said “The behaviours by JOB, Keillie, Allie and Yumkella show utter disrespect not only to the party but to the remains of the late President who was once a leader of the SLPP. How can they want to lead the SLPP but cannot respect the remains of a party leader?” For Kandeh Yumkella even though he is not a registered SLPP party member but you would have expected that a man who is rumoured of having a flagbearerhip intention he would have respected the remains of the late Leader at the party office and for the very first time at least visit the SLPP party office. Maybe, he is the ONLY politician on earth who wants to lead a political party but has NEVER visited the party headquarters. What a sick joke! However, according to reliable sources, JOB, Keillie, Allie and Yumkella did not attend the laying out at the SLPP headquarters because they just could not face the embarrassment and humiliation of sitting in a ceremony in which the presence of Julius Maada Bio had overshadowed the programme.Throughout the laying out ceremony, with an audience of mourners including very distinguished people like the US Ambassador to Sierra Leone, at any time the name of the 2012 Presidential Candidate, Julius Maada Bio, was mentioned it was greeted with loud cheering. And since Friday when Julius Maada Bio arrived, party members from across the country have been flooding the party office to have a glimpse of the glowing Julius Maada Bio whilst his handing over picture with the late Pres. Kabbah has become the most popular souvenir in Freetown. Quite honestly, a laying out ceremony which was attended by the US Ambassador, senior members of the diplomatic corps, the APC Secretary General and Political Leadership of Opposition Parties including UDM and RUFP, the absence of JOB, Keillie, Allie Bangura and Yumkella was just like four disgruntle Leone Stars supporters failing to attend an international match at the national stadium just because a very popular supporter was asked to do the kick off in a match in which the stadium was overcrowded. In a separate development, after the laying out ceremony, thousands of grassroot members at the party office requested that the 2012 flagbearer, Julius Maada Bio, should address them at the SLPP Unity Hall. At the event several senior party figures including the very vibrant Dr. Prince Harding endorsed the flagbearership candidacy of Julius Maada Bio for the 2017/18 presidential election. Hundreds of Party members shed tears as they were filled with joy to be addressed by a man many have come to love like an affectionate child, a caring father, a supportive brother, a loving uncle and the ONLY HOPE to emancipate the country from this present Agenda for Poverty. Addressing supporters at the Unity Hall, Julius Maada Bio informed the jubilant gathering that this was not the time to campaign and that they will have to wait for the flagbearership elections. The jubilant crowd shouted that they have made up their minds as their flagbearer is Julius Maada Bio and they don’t need any elections; a man they refer to as the “General”, “Makondor” and the “Tormentor”. At the end of the event about fifty (50) “okada” riders volunteered to escort the 2012 Presidential Candidate to his residence. One SLPP enthusiast Alusine Kamara told me “As SLPP members who have traveled from all over the country, we are here to celebrate the life of an extraordinary leader in the late Pres. Kabbah by showing our love for another extraordinary leader in Julius Maada Bio who laid the foundations for democracy and the next President of Sierra Leone in 2017”
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 08:49:44 +0000
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