Dawn of the Reality of Political Change and the dividend of the peace overtures of the Inter Religious Council

By: Ibrahim Jalloh - (Jallomy) 

+232 768860 - akempi@yahoo.com

Since the dawn of the dramatic political transition on March 2018, the national was gripped by tension and outright denial of the electoral outcome that saw the SLPP Julius Maada Bio occupying the citadel of government in the Republic of Sierra Leone, State House. 

The hard on peace of Sierra Leone and the International Community was threatened and this created alarm and the compelling need for dialogue and national engagement on the urgent drive to national cohesion.

The Bintumani 111 was engineered and built on the heels of Bintumani 11, 23 years ago. The revelations and commitments of Bintumani 111 were assuring and created the platform for building a lasting society of peace. Regrettably, the main opposition party, the APC was conspicuously and unpardonably absent. However, the mirth and intensity of the Bintumani 111 was realized.

The Inter Religious Council built on the foundation of the Bintumani 111 weeks later and largely succeeded in letting denying force face and integrated into the reality of the political change.

The security detail of the former president was restored after the former earlier rejected the rotational practice of security guards the world over on the grounds that he was not informed and consulted with. End of Service benefits were paid to the affected categories.

There was happiness and glee. Symbolically, the sitting Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, paid a courtesy call on former President Koroma. The moment was fulfilling and an atmosphere of relief flows across the divide.

We urge the sitting president to continue to show leadership. We equally urge to former president to embrace the new reality and accept in honor and glory the space of statesmanship.

Sierra Leone has an enviable culture of peace and we must give peace a chance.