Maada Bio’s National Service goes back to when he joined the army. This was at a time when many of his friends were abandoning sierra leone for greener pastures in the west. Maada Bio was preparing to make the ultimate sacrifice. Often times people underestimate exactly what that sacrifice involves. To be prepared to lay down your life for your country is the ultimate sacrifice. In 1992, many of us will remember exactly where we were. The perilous state of our country when young men including Maada Bio were prepared to change the course of history. Let us not be flippant about this. It was not an easy choice. Considering the status quo in Sieera Leone in 1992. If Maada Bio and his cohorts got it wrong, they would be dead. In 1996, once again he was called to make another big decision. He put country first. It was not an easy choice. Our country was falling apart driven by civil factions and civil war, unrest everywhere. Young soldiers typically, in situations like that hanged on to power. Maada Bio took the honourable decision. I am sure there are many who will not thank him for that but I am here to reaffirm my confidence in him and to say to him, my ngor, thank you for that courageous step. The journey did not end there, Maada Bio could have swarmed up into a permanent retirement. They actually have a group called ex-heads of states. They are allowed to tour the world and visit countries and observe elections and enjoy all the benefits. Maada Bio could have joined that group. He chose to return back home. In 2005, he once again put himself forward. He was not successful. But at this point, I hope everybody listens carefully. He did not decide that he was going to leave the party simply because he did not get his way. He stayed, took on the insults, the humiliation because he put his country first. Again and again we have seen make tough decisions when easier ones were available. The easy decision at that point was to join others who left the party and parade himself as the wounded soldier. He chose not to do that. After 2012 elections, there were lots of rumours. Some folks thought that he would lead an insurrection after all we were told. But again he did not take what would have been a disastrous decision. He put his country first and sadly many people will not thank him for that because we have the APC political mafia that has ruined our country. In all of this it is often lost on people why Maada Bio retains such huge popularity, support and goodwill. But there is an easy answer. But I will not make it so easy for you. Look around you. There are many people who aspire to leadership but not all of us can be leaders. The talk is easy but to deliver on that is so difficult. To stay the course, to maintain your dignity, to stay true to your values in our ever changing world, our materialistic world, is tough. Maada Bio could have gone elsewhere. There are many institutions, institutes who would happily take him on. And we all know that the talk on African leader on CNN and sky tv, you could make a living on that. But he has never given up on what he believes in. And I urge all of you to remember this, Maada Bio will only be as strong as his supporters. If you are not strong with him, he will fail. But if you empower yourselves, take his lead and start to work for what we all believe in. I know he is ready. He is more than ready to lead that charge. Because that is what he is above everything else. He is a leader. Leaders do not necessarily have to shout and scream. And those of us who went to school with him know only too well that that has never been his style. But leaders are people through their vision, their motivational skills, their dignity and their values make a statement for all of us to bear witness to. Blamas Finest, The Man Who Conjures Something Out Of Nothing!!!
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 15:32:50 +0000
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