The final chapter of the battle royal between Siaka Probyn Stevens and John Amadu Bangura that saw Joseph Saidu Momoh as the ultimate benefactor. ------------------------------------------ The final saga in the battle of wills between two powerful titans Siaka Probyn Stevens and John Amadu Bangura ended on a macabre fate of an ironic twist that saw one of the combatants paid the supreme sacrifice while the other left power on his own terms and installed as leader a man who rose to the military and political leadership of the nation not on account of intellectual accomplishments but through betrayal and treachery. The drama also had the earmarks of what transpired between two equally powerful military friends in Nigeria Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and his closet friend Mammam Jaia Vatsa with the latter also paying the ultimate price. Joseph Saidu Momoh brought Stevens to speed on his friends treason against him. Well,Stevens the apostle Creed of Machiavellian politics always one step of the game took the lead in outfoxing his friend. With the cooperation of Momoh,and Ahmed Thoronka,they set up their own sting which caught John Amadu Bangura in the act.They infiltrated his security detail by planting spies on him such as Foday Sankoh and others who carefully monitored his activities and reported to the team. Mainwhile,John Amadu Bangura on his side was able to recruit top military figures like Noah,Jawara,Kolugbonda, Sesay,Kosia,and others in the conspiracy to dislodge his friend from power. Having supposedly put everything into focus and perspective and the D day on hand,Bangura decided to test whether his friend had any knowledge of what was in the offing against him. This is where the similarities between what transpired between Babangida and Vatsa of Nigeria,and Stevens versus Bangura in Sierra Leone came into play as what the coup leaders in both countries did. Stevens having got wind of what Bangura and co were up put into place counter offensive measures against them that they were totally oblivious of much to their eternal regrets. On the evening of the D day,Bangura decided to visit his friend Stevens at home. Whilst there,he was entertained and when he was about to leave Stevens ironically gave him a bottle of whiskey which was meant as the last toast of their friendship and Banguras life as well. Noah and others were anxiously in the interim were waiting for the final green light from John Amadu Bangura to put their plans into operations but he was no where to be found at that material time. Jawara however led his troops on the assault of Stevenss residence .However,when they got there,the place was well fortified,and Stevens was safely out of harms way in a secure location monitoring the unfolding events.While Momoh was able to marshal loyal troops on the side of Stevens with the help of Sam King,and Tom Caulker,contacts were also initiated with Toure of Guinea to help send additional troops to back the loyal forces. With lightening speed,Banguras coup was nipped in the bud,as they were quickly rounded up and safely deposited at the maximum prison why the flush out any the last ruminants. The irony of this saga cannot be lost here when John Amadu Bangura appeared before Jusu Sannoh Gottor a Major junior to him in rank as president of the court martial empaneled by Joseph Saidu Momoh to try him for treason offenses. It will be recalled that Jusu Sannoh belongs to the very ethnic group Bangura had openly boasted to wipe out from the map of Sierra Leone and there he was standing before one of those people who belongs to the ethnic group he sought to dismember. In any case,he was tried,and found liable as charged and accordingly sentenced to death. At his sentencing,he was forced to stand up erect before his junior officer begging him for mercy to spear his life. The convening officer Joseph Saidu Momoh confirmed the tribunals decision and passed the recommendations over to Stevens in his capacity as commander in chief of the armed forces who ordered the executions of Bangura and others. Danilu Abu Bakar Sidique Noah appeared at a separate trial before his friend and colleague James R.Macarthy who also found him liable as charged and sentenced him to fifteen years jail time. Joseph Saidu Momoh and Sam King were rewarded for the help they rendered Stevens to hold on to his job,while Tom Calker on the contrary was not fortunate as he was eventually cashiered out of the army and spent most times in the UK information center reading room in Freetown pondering why he was thrown under the bus? Joseph Saidu Momoh went on to become a two star General and head of the army,and when Stevens finally stepped down,he was legislated into the presidency over the objections of Dr.Abdulai Conteh which nonetheless fell on deaf ears. Momoh eventually was able to win over Dr.Conteh first by making him Attorney General and subsequently Vice President when Francis Minah met similar fate that befell John Amadu Bangura. The extraordinary saga between two very powerful titans locked in mutual distrusts of one another ending in the elimination of one.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Feb 2014 19:06:54 +0000
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