TUNDE COLE AND HIS PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF SIERRA LEONE
In many ways the name TUNDE COLE can be ranked alongside that of Kasho Makray when we come to write the history of this land that we love. Makray, a man who made his money in the transport business, spent a fortune in philanthropy mainly in the east of the city and he paid particular attention to the maternity hospital that serves mostly ordinary people. His death devastated many. Most Sierra Leoneans outside that community got to know about him after his death.
So let’s talk a bit now about TUNDE COLE. He has pushed hard in the education sector. The result is an ultra-modern facility at Fourah Bay College which can stand alongside those in the industrialized west. It’s simply out of this world in the context of Sierra Leone. We understand he also ended the two-shift system at St. Edwards Secondary School by building extra classrooms there. This is a great man.
We are told that he spent TWO MILLION US dollars to change FBC forever. We believe that there are many Sierra Leoneans who have more money than TUNDE COLE and they made their money by STEALING from the public purse but have never thought about giving back some of their loot as a way of repenting for their sins against the people. They would build mansions at home and buy luxury apartments abroad and even prepare a comfortable grave space with a GOLD CASKET at the ready so they can take their money to the grave. If that's not GREED, then what is it?
TUNDE COLE made his money in the oil industry. He is a quiet guy, very unassuming. He is not on television daily telling the country to worship him.
We join other Sierra Leoneans to pray for his family. We wish him well in his business and may this guy live long enough to see education change at FBC in particular as a result of his effort.
ORSAMU DISAPPOINTS AGAIN ON THE ISSUE OF TRIBES
If Orsamu was looking for a way to energize Tolongbo’s political base in Makeni then he may well have scored an incredible own goal that may well cost him his pole position in the leadership race inside his party and of course drive away the kind of people he needs to win an election in this country. What was Orsamu thinking when he went to Makeni and played the tribal card all over the place?
For legal reasons we will not push into the LAJ debacle at that petrol station recently. We can however say that one of the occupants of his vehicle viciously and needlessly attacked Mende people and for almost a month after that event the temperature in this country rose to frightening levels. Just as the country is trying to heal again, somewhat, comes this from no less a person than Orsamu.
We believe Tolongbo should stand up now and CONDEMN in no uncertain terms this apparent commitment by a man like Orsamu and their numerous social media voices to play the tribal card and divide the country in the belief that the election in 2023 can be won with their own committed supporters only. It’s false.
Orsamu himself should apologize to the people of Sierra Leone for pushing this dangerous line. The time is NOW.
What was he thinking?
1. Orsamu was on home ground in Makeni. He absolutely didn’t need to be so wicked and brutal to win votes with the election almost a year away.
2. We are told he was talking to first time voters. Orsamu may have succeeded in damaging the minds of those young people – putting them up against their friends from Bo, Kenema, Kailahun, Moyamba, Bonthe and Pujehun with whom they interact on social media daily. This was a bad pitch for Mr. Flag bearer candidate.
3. Those young people probably wanted to hear hopeful messages about their school environment, access to the internet and the cost of data and so on. The tribal hatred was too heavy a message for first time voters.
4. Orsamu realized he had blundered badly towards the end of the audio clip and was heard saying WE ALL NAR WAN (We are all one) as he tried to occupy the center ground. That was too late in the day sir.
5. Here’s his own goal: Orsamu has given RED MEAT to his opponents in the south and east of the country. All they need to do is share this audio widely and identify the speaker as Orsamu of Tolongbo. His own supporters who are from that part of the country are now beginning to look over their shoulders worried for the safety of their family members back home in the districts named by Orsamu.
RETAKING BELLAIR PARK IS LONG OVERDUE
We are happy that the process of returning Bellair Park to its original state or bringing it to a better shape has begun. We’ve seen social media photos of minister Turad, the police and the big man in the judiciary taking a walk in the area and talking to obvious squatters. The quarters housing our judges are in poor shape and the squatters have crept up on them over the last FIFTEEN years. Today, Bellair Park is not fit to be the home of our judges. They are not even safe in such a place.
Minister Turad is a thoughtful, incorruptible guy and he means what he says. We believe he didn’t go to that place for a photo-op. He means business. We however want him to proceed slowly with this and make sure his own ground at Youyi building is clean. Here’s why:
1. He has to determine the authenticity of the documents that the squatters are definitely going to present to him to prove they acquired those properties legally. Some of those documents are signed by some of his officials. We don’t care whether they might have retired or not.
2. It is important not to hurriedly displace so many people at the height of what is clearly a vicious rainy season. There are other ways of getting people to quit government property.
3. Those mighty buildings that are clearly within the boundary of Bellair Park should be allowed to remain standing only if they pay annual lease fees to the judiciary at commercial rates.
4. Bellair Park should immediately cease to be a thoroughfare for the huge informal community in the neighborhood. That would send a clear message about the seriousness of the government on this issue.
5. Let’s start with major repairs right now on the quarters still standing in that place.
NO MORE SYMPATHY FOR MUSA TOMBO
In the name of discipline and respect we are going to the CHAN tournament without our nation’s highest goal scorer and we have NO REGRETS about that. Musa Tombo pushed his luck with us too far and now we the good people of Sierra Leone have decided to tell him that no citizen is above the country.
Musa Tombo has thoroughly embarrassed many Sierra Leoneans who always thought he was a victim of heavy-handed coaches and that there was an undercover plot to destroy his career. In this same column we have had cause to hit John Keister hard because we thought he was out to destroy Tombo. Now we know the guy was the architect of his own destruction.
Tombo’s sins are many and we have no interest in going all over them here but all we want to let the world know is that we are part of those who believe he should NEVER return to the national team. We cannot keep giving chance after chance to the same man only for him to do crazy things. He totally disrespects football authorities, including the man who changed his life at Bo Rangers. We doubt he still has a place in that team. It’s all good for Babadi Kamara to be going out of his way to rescue Tombo but at which point will that affect the morale of the other players who are behaving like normal human beings by working hard and respecting the authorities?
A national player who insists on ditching the national team to play in nondescript community leagues should be allowed to go his way while the rest of us play according to the rules. Good Bye Tombo!
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (22/07/22)
