THE RISING ICON OF THE SOUTH By ELONGIMA JUSU Politicians are like dancers who come and go as their music fades to end their own timing on the stage. Some will leave with a foot print behind as a legacy to emulate, others disappear in a thin air leaving behind despair and retrogression. For the Minister of Lands and Country Planning, the Honourable Musa Tarawally, politics is an equation that must result into a legacy that gives hope, generates confidence and stimulates ambition to others who might follow the footsteps in the sand of times. “My ambition is to see our country become an enviable place, like the coast of Singapore and the shining star of Africa” Says Hon Musa Tarawally. This was how he catalogued his dreams for his country when i first met the most promising politician from the southern province, and he was more unassuming as we spoke. Born in the town of Moyamba, along the creeks of the Kayamba Rivers in the Moyamba district of Southern province of Sierra Leone, Musa Tarawally’s ambition to succeed has always transcended above just going to school to achieve academic education, but to combine education with the stark realities of life that will leave an indelible mark in society. Having gone through his secondary and tertiary education at the Eastern polytechnic, this young dynamic political guru decided to join politics and do business simultaneously. To be realistic, great men who have succeeded in life practiced the same combination of business and politics as Musa did. From the NPRC days, Hon. Tarawally played a pivotal role in the successes of the regime, but soon fell apart with the powers, when they combat guys were running deep into corruption and losing their grounds and grip on power. As a way to survive, he continued his business with expertise and strategy that made him an enviable young man of his own generation. Sooner the ‘kaki’ boys gave way to democracy in 1996; Musa Tarawally quickly identified himself with the party of his father and became instrumental to promote the aspiration of the young generation country wide. Historically Musa’s father was a regular tennis player with the first Prime Minister of Sierra Leone and the first leader of the Sierra Leone People’s Party, so he was actually at home in the SLPP. After the death of Musa Tarawally’s uncle, the late Taraseed Tarawally. Hon Musa Tarawally as the second choice in the district proportional representation pattern was sworn in as the next Member of Parliament for Moyamba central. As a Member of Parliament under the SLPP, this young man was quick to identify Dr Ernest Bai Koroma as potential leader and strategically befriended the then potential president who was the minority leader in parliament for the All People’s Congress party. This was the beginning of rise in stardom of a man whose ambition was to succeed in life, come what may through his hard work and his belief in God Almighty. When the SLPP under the leadership of erstwhile Vice President Solomon Berewa became unreliable and lost the finesse in identifying key strategies for them to win the 2007 presidential elections, Musa Tarawally decided to throw his support to the opposition then, the present president now Ernest Koroma. He was victimised, abused and molested even when he was the district chairman of Moyamba district for the SLPP. Initially, he was the key figure who had identified Solomon Berewa as the next leader of the SLPP, but when he realised that this man was not up to the task, he quitted bravely and with confidence, supported EBK. The events climaxing the presidential and parliamentary elections gave Hon Tarawally to exhibit his talent and critical mind to play a pivotal role especially in the Moyamba district and the south as a whole, giving the APC and Ernest Koroma substantial amount of votes that brought the APC to power. President Koroma been very grateful gave Musa the opportunity to excel himself by appointing him the Resident Minister, Southern Province. Since then, he has pleased his master by executing what was good for the APC government to stay in power. Strong as a lion, brave as a hero, Hon Tarawally was able to withstand the pressure of the SLPP in the south and used his skills as a tranquiliser for the southerners to believe a great man is born from amongst them. Feared by his critics and political opponents, he was able to instil discipline in many who thought he was a joker. Having stabilised the south , the minister was appointed into an enviable position as the Internal Affairs Minister, the minister in charge of internal security and discipline. This position he managed till after the 2012 elections when he was again appointed the Minister of Lands and Country Planning. In the MIA, many thought the appointment of him as the man in charge of internal security; the elections will be marred with violence and other ill devices. The rest is now history as the 2012 is recorded as one of the most peaceful elections in independent Sierra Leone. Now as the Minister in charge of Lands, he has the responsibility to change the coastal areas into standard international commercial settlements, taking into consideration the Singapore experience and model. Above that, he intend to transform this ministry a computer base ministry so that all registered lands in the country will be put into computerised data, which is a better of keeping records for a developed country. His ambition to transform the ministry can be identified by simply visiting the ministry now. What is admirable about this young man, is the added value of dedication to work he has imbibed into his colleagues and subordinates at work and at Party level, giving him the overwhelming support to be selected or nominated as the national organising secretary of the ruling APC party. A challenging role, but more critically, a pivotal role to organise the party into winning subsequent elections is now his responsibility. After the days of prominent past politicians of the south, Musa Tarawally can be considered as the most popular politician now from the south. He is a philanthropist and generous man helping his own brothers both politically and financially. He has slowly convinced most southerners to believe in the APC, especially the Ernest Koroma government. His intention is to stabilise major areas in the south that is use to be referred to as the SLPP stronghold to the APC, no doubt he is a strategist of his kind compared to a few. ‘We will restore what is long lost for us in the south; this can only be achieved if we continue to push the agenda for prosperity’.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:35:19 +0000
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