By Alpha Amadu Jalloh
Mr. President, can we talk?
Once again, the image of our beloved Sierra Leone is being dragged through the mud, not by foreign detractors or opposition mischief-makers, but by the reckless and arrogant conduct of those closest to your office. Mr. President, what we are witnessing is not only a national disgrace; it is a direct assault on the dignity of your presidency.
Mr. President, let me be clear: this is no longer just about your wife, Fatima Bio. This is about the moral credibility of the seat you occupy. The scandal exposed by the Office of the Coordinator of Corruption and Public Policy (OCCCP), backed by video evidence, has laid bare a truth many feared but hoped was not real. Mr. President, the people have seen enough. The evidence is tangible. The abuse of power is undeniable.
And yet, Mr. President, from the State House, there is only silence. A silence so loud it has become deafening. In a functioning democracy, you, Mr. President, would have swiftly ordered an investigation, addressed the nation, and reaffirmed your commitment to integrity. But instead, we are met with Instagram videos, staged laughter, and the curious case of Sylvia Blyden suddenly moonlighting as your wife’s PR manager. Mr. President, is this the leadership Sierra Leone deserves?
The people are ashamed, Mr. President. Ashamed not because of what outsiders are saying, but because of what is being tolerated from within. You, Mr. President, were elected to uphold the Constitution, not to shield your inner circle from accountability. The presidency is not a family business, sir. Loyalty to country must come before loyalty to spouse.
Mr. President, even your most loyal allies have gone mute. Not a single minister has defended the administration. The SLPP, once loud in its defense of every controversy, now whispers in corners. Why? Because, Mr. President, the evidence is too strong, the silence too suspicious, and the arrogance too offensive. The silence of your government is not just an absence of words; it is the loud sound of collapse.
Mr. President, we have seen this rot for years. The expensive escapades to Dubai and Qatar, the designer handbags paraded on social media, the entourage of unaccountable “handbag friends” living like royalty on the backs of the poor—this lifestyle was never going to last. And now, sir, the chickens have come home to roost.
While ordinary Sierra Leoneans live in overcrowded slums and wait endlessly for government housing, your wife still retains a government flat she no longer needs. Mr. President, how do you justify that? That’s not just a question of policy; it’s a question of ethics. And your silence is beginning to look like complicity.
Mr. President, this is bigger than image. This is about justice. Sierra Leoneans are not fools. They are not asking you to perform miracles; they are asking you to lead with principle. They are asking you to show that no one is above the law, not even the First Lady.
If Fatima Bio is innocent, Mr. President, let her prove it before a court of law, not in an edited video posted online. If she is not, then the law must take its course. But either way, you must act. You must rise above the whispers of loyalty and stand firm for justice.
Mr. President, the longer you delay, the more this scandal infects your legacy. And let me be clear, sir: you cannot detach yourself from this anymore. The First Lady’s scandal is your scandal now. And the international community is watching. Every hour of inaction chips away at the last ounce of credibility you hold.
You must call for an immediate, independent investigation. You must ensure that public property still held by the First Lady is returned without delay. And, Mr. President, you must speak to your people, not with vague statements, not through intermediaries, but directly and firmly.
Mr. President, this is not a time for damage control. It is time for damage correction. A press release won’t fix this. A social media video won’t heal this wound. Only leadership, real, fearless leadership, will.
Mr. President, Sierra Leone deserves better. No First Lady should be made to feel untouchable. And no president should ever risk the honour of his office to protect one. If you continue on this path of silence and denial, history will not remember you kindly. It will not remember you as a leader but as an enabler of disgrace.
We are not calling for the end of your marriage, Mr. President. We are calling for the redemption of your presidency.
Let Fatima Bio face justice. Let the truth come out. And let Sierra Leone begin the long road back to dignity.
Mr. President, can we talk? Or must we shout louder?
