Written by Alpha Amadu Jalloh ‘The Fox’
Mr. President Julius Maada Bio, as we approach the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), a platform where world leaders come together to address pressing global issues, today I feel compelled to directly appeal to your conscience and sense of humanity. Over the years, I have watched your leadership evolve, and I must admit, it has been nothing short of disheartening. I have seen in you what I never imagined a leader could be, and not in a positive light. How do you feel when a nation looks up to you, expecting direction, only to be met with disappointment at every turn? How do you feel when your leadership, meant to inspire, instead leaves people frustrated, betrayed, and hopeless?
Mr. President, leadership is not just about public appearances, speeches, or photo ops with your children. It is about sacrifice, vision, and commitment to the people. Do you spend quality time with your family beyond these staged moments, or are you so consumed by the trappings of power that even your personal relationships suffer? Sierra Leoneans are left wondering whether you even reflect on your actions or consider the plight of the average citizen, as you globe-trot from one international conference to another.
As I we talk, I reflect on the countless times I’ve addressed you on the dire issues facing our country. The reality is bleak: virtually every sphere of life in Sierra Leone is broken. Nothing is working, and no one is living a normal life anymore. We’ve entered a state where, unconsciously, the entire nation seems to have gone mad. The phrase “Ol Man Don Crase Na Di Kontri” feels apt. Every Sierra Leonean is in survival mode, struggling to make sense of a system that no longer cares for them.
Mr. President, what happened to the promises of a better Sierra Leone? Instead of focusing on rebuilding our nation, you’ve adopted a pattern of excessive travel, parading as the champion of democracy around the world. It’s as if you’ve turned your back on the very people who put you in office. In your absence, we are left to fend for ourselves, while you and the First Lady embark on a never-ending global tour, all at the expense of the public purse.
Do you honestly believe that these foreign trips and grand speeches will improve the lives of Sierra Leoneans? What we need, Mr. President, is food, functioning health facilities, and basic amenities to ensure the survival of our families. Yet, you have become a professor of “Pan-Africanism,” jetting off to deliver lectures at universities in the United States and the United Kingdom, while failing to address the very issues crippling our country.
Have you asked yourself why you haven’t delivered these speeches at any university in Sierra Leone? Is it because you know, deep down, that your words will ring hollow to the people here, who have heard your empty promises for far too long? The truth is, the people you are addressing abroad don’t care. They see through the grandstanding and know you’re simply seeking validation. And while you may gain applause in foreign auditoriums, Sierra Leoneans remain unimpressed. We are not fooled by these attempts to elevate your global profile while ignoring the real crises at home.
It is clear, Mr. President, that your international gallivanting is a thinly veiled attempt to launder your image before your time in office runs out. With three years left in your term, you are busy laying the groundwork to secure your future abroad, trying to carve out a space in the West where you hope to retreat once you’ve exhausted your mandate. But let me tell you this: no matter how many speeches you give or how much money you spend, the West is not blind to your failures. They know who you are and what you have done, or failed to do, for your country. Once you leave the State House, the doors of these nations will close, and you may very well find yourself persona non grata.
Mr. President, I say these things not out of malice but out of a deep concern for our nation. Sierra Leone is crying out for leadership, for accountability, for action. We are in desperate need of a president who is grounded in the reality of the people’s struggles, not one who is off chasing global acclaim while his country burns. We need you here, working to fix the broken systems that have left our citizens in despair.
In three years, your tenure will come to an end, and you will have to answer to the people of Sierra Leone for the choices you’ve made. Will you be remembered as the president who prioritized international recognition over domestic welfare? Or will you take these final years as an opportunity to turn things around, to address the grievances of the people, and to leave a legacy of real, tangible progress?
I urge you to reflect deeply as you prepare for your appearance at UNGA. Think not of the accolades you may receive from foreign dignitaries but of the millions of Sierra Leoneans whose lives hang in the balance, waiting for real change. Your legacy is still being written, Mr. President. It is not too late to rewrite the narrative.
The choice is yours, but remember this: history will judge you not by the applause of the international community, but by the actions you take, or fail to take, for your people.
thank you mr. President, I hope to talk after your UNGA Jamboree, I will join you in our next discussions on the media and how you and your government have monopolised the media. There is a lot to talk about sir
