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The bus was now full to capacity with journalists, politicians, civil servants, military guys, and other professionals.
Bilal Turay is still distributing newspapers and cell phones.
Isata Jabbie saw Sylvanus Kargbo and King Hassan Bayoh through the bus window and shouted, “ce moi, ce moi… pompay pompay.” Not satisfied, she then stood up and walked through the bus to inform Gbondima Gbondo to stop the bus and pick up King Hassan Bayoh and Sylvanus Kargbo.
Gbondima Gbondo immediately halted the bus and said, “Can you please come down and let them come and join us?”
Isata Jabbie disembarked the bus and quickly moved to where both Pompay and Ce moi were standing.
As Sylvanus Kargbo saw Isata Jabbie coming towards them, he turned to King Hassan Bayoh and said, “Look, King Hassan, this is Isata Jabbie. Do you remember her?
“King Hassan responded, “Oh yes, now I can recall. She used to visit Sunny Marke at PZ. You know the spot where most journalists met in the evenings after work to share ideas.”
Isata Jabbie instructed her colleagues to follow her as they are going to a press conference at 55 ‘downtown downbelow’ street. She revealed that the main aim of the press conference is to discuss plans to form a female association of journalists to seek and promote their welfare.
Sylvanus Kargbo and King Hassan followed Isata Jabbie, and while they were heading towards the bus, they saw Catherine Kokoya, Patricia Ganda, and Helen Combay, former presenters of the popular women’s program at SLBS.
No sooner they arrived where the bus was parked, Gbondima Gbondo, Philip Assadi Koroma, and Hon. Kposowa started discussing the attempted coup as relayed to them by Josef Lewis. “Do you think EBK was involved in the alleged attempted coup, Orba?” Gbondima Gbondo asked.
“I don’t think so,” Gbondima Gbondo categorically stated.
Later, Isata Jabbie saw Hon. Frank Kposowa, moved towards his direction, and embraced him, saying, “Good seeing you and the other colleagues here.”
All of them entered the bus. When Jon Z. Foray saw Sylvanus Kargbo, he asked, “Pompay, can you offer me a cigarette?”
Pompay ignored him and went about his own business shaking the hands of journalists while the majority others were reading newspapers and browsing their cell phones.
Bilal Turay materialized and gave Sylvanus Kargbo, Isata Jabbie, Hellen Combay, Catherine Kokoya, and Patricia Ganda Galaxy cell phones that they were happy to receive.
Gbondima Gbondo made an announcement when he started the bus engine, informing everyone to take their seats as they have several days more to travel before reaching their final destination.
He also informed them that politicians on board the bus have commended Philip Neville for the warm reception accorded them, as well as the food and drinks served and, above all, the connections from ‘down below to up above’ and current events from ‘up above’, especially with the advent of social media.
“Colleagues, let me inform you all that Pa Shaki and family are really impressed with us. He has asked me to inform you all that they are housed in deck number 303 on the 5th floor of the bus and that they have read many newspapers and are also browsing their WhatsApp.”
According to Philip Neville, Pa Siaka Stevens sent him a text message that he was unhappy and disappointed when he saw his residence on King Harman Road, Brookfields, although he noted some of the improvements that have taken place as most of the roads have been paved.
Siaka Stevens went on, “I was watching TV with my family when I saw the arrest of Foday Sankoh. I remember very well when he was arrested while I was still president.’ This man ‘lek’ coup ooh. Another attempted coup was also reported in the news yesterday. When will Sierra Leone stop staging coups?”
Meanwhile, the Managing Editor of the Vision Newspaper, Siaka Massaquoi, and Franklyn Bunting-Davies, after reading both the New Vision and New Shaft Newspapers, observed that they should meet Pa Shaki to discuss the latest attempted coup d’état.
Sylvanus Kargbo secured his seat in the bus, reading the New Citizen Newspaper. It was unknown to him that he was sitting next to Osman Ben Kargbo, who did not say a word because he did not recognize him.
Later, Osman tapped the shoulder of Sylvanus Kargbo and said, “Pompay pompay pompay, you’re welcome,” to which he smiled and said, “My boss, so it was you. Praise God. I have not read a newspaper for over two decades now. I am really happy seated by you.”
When Osman turned backwards, he saw Moses Yarjoh, Jonathan Vandy, and Gershun V. Porter reading the Daily Mail and the New Vision, respectively.
Sylvanus Kargbo raised his voice loudly and walked through the middle of the bus towards Gbondima Gbondo singing Bob Marley’s war song, “Until the philosophy which holds one race superior to another…”
Members of the fourth estate. Breaking news. Donald Trump has been overwhelmingly elected President of the United States of America. He defeated Kamala Harris in both the popular and Electoral Votes. Can you guys click on your WhatsApp groups for details? I have just read the news.”
