DE PA’S BIG DAY AT THE NATIONAL STADIUM – INAUGURATION
De Pa’s second inauguration has come and gone. He is known to always bring big crowds to the stadium each time he visits – be it for a campaign rally or a football match. So on inauguration, we took our seat at the stadium early enough ‘to witness history being made.’
We say history because TejanKabbah cut out a second inauguration when he was re-elected in 2002 with his crushing defeat of De Pa of today. At the time, his American-accented spokesman (In fact, where is that guy now?) told the nation a second inauguration would be a waste of people’s money. We refuse to judge De Pa by Kabbah’s standards.
But we side with those Sierra Leoneans who complained about the huge budget for the program… Keifala Commonwealth, like Uganda’s bank manager under Idi Amin, approved without question. Well done thou good and faithful servant!
Like many of our compatriots we think De Pa could have put all the cash in the water supply sector. Or even use it to fix fatally wounded Bumbuna. Inauguration number two went ahead anyway.
We had to wait for about two hours before De Pa entered the stadium and if we cut out the school children who had a good day out, the stadium was half full. By the time De Pa stood up to address the nation, many people were at the very end of their patience and were either leaving or pretending to be listening.
Can somebody please tell us why all those presidents invited to the occasion failed to show up? We spent a lot of money preparing to receive them but they turned down our invitation. Why? De Pa should never attend any such program in those countries that made a no show. Next time let’s please cut out all those sycophantic ORSAI ORWAI groups that joined the parade in what ought to have been a truly national event.
We don’t know how much time De Pa has left to clearly distinguish between national and ORSAI ORWAI events. He has lost every opportunity since 2007.
DIANA, MINISTER FOR PARAMOUNT CHIEFS PUTS ON HER SHOW
On the other side of town later that day – Diana, Princess of Kono Land called all paramount chiefs to Freetown for a party. We sneaked in pretending to be one of the many PERSONAL ASSISTANTS hanging around public officials these days. It was a fantastic party - lots of food and booze. Paramount Chiefs had a rollicking time. At some point during the evening we suggested to some of the very greedy chiefs that it was possible for Diana, Princess of Kono Land, to prepare thousands of take-away packets for them to take to their chiefdoms so that abused people would share in the largesse from the Princess. They simply ignored our “rubbish”.
The Princess is not known to be a friend of chiefs. Her new responsibility dictates they must work together. What a way to start. We left the place in the small hour of the next day and we will not forget this experience for a long time to come. Well done, Princess of Kono Land. By the way, who handled the catering services? Same Rawdon Street restaurant?
AND CHRISTIANA THROWS BIG PARTY FOR HER LOYAL SERVANTS
On our way home we met a group of people who told us they were staff of the National Electoral Commission and that they were coming from a party organised by the boss in appreciation of their good work during the last elections. “We love De Mammy. The party was very timely” he shouted. We almost dismissed his overzealous nonsense because he was very drunk but we quickly realised this was inauguration day and it was those people who made inauguration number two possible. Was it coincidental that both events were planned for the same day?
May be we are reading too much into this but as ordinary citizens we must be allowed to ask whether Christiana planned the party so she could celebrate with De Pa. When one of the NEC staff described the party as “timely”, we decided to risk raising these concerns despite the fact that he was drunk. This is our last word on this issue so no need to ask us to “Go Police”.
OLUNIYI BLACKOUT BLUNDERS AGAIN AND DARKNESS CONTINUES
Since Oluniyi made the transition from being a backroom advisor to De Pa to become a minister of one of the most difficult ministries in Sierra Leone, it has been one false move to the other. It took several questions from the whole country for him to admit that something was seriously wrong with Bumbuna even before the parliamentary Appointment Committee.
Next was Blyden Jenkins-Johnston’s open letter which laid fingers on the pulse of the nation as far as electricity was concerned. The minister’s next move was to engage the reverse gear – he refused to address the issues raised by the outspoken lawyer thinking that the discussions the letter generated would fade out within a few days. No sir, we are still here because there’s darkness in the land.
Now Oluniyi Blackout has announced the setting up of another of those many government committees to find the reason for the blackout in Mama Salone. Come on, dear Minister, are you telling us you don’t know why the country is dark? Kicking the blackout problem into the long grass will only increase the stress on the long-suffering people of Sierra Leone.
The minister knows that Bumbuna is completely down; he knows NPA’s transmission system is rotten so that what little electricity is generated is lost in distribution and the little that gets through is reserved for people like them. Criminals are also having a field day with idle NPA cables and transformers and ZubairuKaloko has a big problem with Bumbuna management. Finally, the minister is completely out of his depth in this area of work.
Dear minister, we have done the work of the committee in five minutes so disband that committee now and ask De Pa to create another ministry for you and find a suitable Sierra Leonean to deal with his flagship project.
MEANWHILE THE PARTY OF BOYCOTTS MADE THEIR LAST STAND
While people were enjoying themselves in big budget parties here and there, the Great Boycott Party were busy consoling themselves with one of their normal pranks. They organised a program at their office to “mourn the death of democracy in Sierra Leone”. They put on black clothes and created quite a spectacle.
Come on guys, your party is a bundle of contradictions: What did your leader tell the nation after his meeting with De Pa under the auspices of that Christian religious group called the body of Christ? We have the records, you know. What are you doing debating De Pa’s speech in parliament when you don’t recognise his victory? We are no fools guys.
In fact, we saw Pa Kabbah and King Solomon at the stadium. They are significant figures in your party.
The Green people are using this boycott strategy in a very self-serving manner.
To continue “providing political leadership”, Osuofia files a case in the courts of Sierra Leone of all places and in his Alice in Wonderland moment, tells his party he could still overturn De Pa’s November 2012 mandate. For the elected Osuofia MPs not to rebel against any boycott talk because they want their big salaries, the party allows them to subscribe to the oath and take part in parliamentary proceedings. Come inauguration, Osuofia tells his people to pull out. Here’s what we think: Continue like this and you will be in opposition for a long time. Consistency, please!
ANGLICANS ELECT A NEW BISHOP: BUT WHY DID OUR MAN BOYCOTT AGAIN?
We closely followed the exploits of our friend the Anglican clergyman on inauguration day and on the day the Anglican Communion elected its new Bishop. Our man turned up at the stadium in his usual style with red traditional attire and took his seat beside his Muslim counterpart ready to lead Christian prayers. But something went drastically wrong – it was Rev. Joseph Mans who was called up. He was ignored. Could it be that his failure to push the Annie Walsh project through is now catching up with him? We suggested last week that the appointment to Zion was looking increasingly unlikely. We can now say it’s off.
At Cathedral Hall too our man was nowhere to be seen at the crucial moment. The Anglican Communion in Sierra Leone was taking perhaps the most important decision in its history and one of those who should have been there praying for the unity of the church and voting, was absent. We searched the whole place in vain.
Anyway, we have a new and young Bishop whose reign over God’s people will be long and hopefully fruitful. We don’t know too much about the new man for now. We are asking questions. The earlier our Annie Walsh project Clergyman retired, the better, otherwise we will wake up one morning and hear news about another Anglican Church property under his radar.
