Newly Elected President of Makeni Artist Union calls for unity

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson

Members of the Makeni Artist Union last Sunday, August 29, 2021 unanimously voted in Multi-Award winning Hip-Hop Artist Samuel Yusuf Tarawalie popularly known by his stage name as Governor Blaq as the Union’s new President until 2023. Tarawalie secured a total number of 87 votes from the pool, the highest of all to edge the Union’s former President Milton Franklyn Koroma alias Stuntman, his former vice president Mohamed Lamin Fofanah-(Wanko) and Francis Sisto Kabia-(FSK) who scored 52, 27 and 10 votes respectively. Upon his vast winning from the pools to clinch the MAU top seat Samuel was duly announced as the Union’s boss by female Activist Emilia Jengo-one of the three members of this year’s Elections normalization committee in the presence of members of the public and MAU members had called on his membership to but all differences aside and work towards one motive. Following his election, Governor Blaq stated in his congratulatory message strong works of unity. His Sunday evening statement reads: “First of all, I want to thank God Almighty God for this great feat. Special gratitude to all aspirants. It was a hard fought battle to the last. The many bashings from colleagues to us should be in the past. I want us to embrace ourselves as a family and unite in building our enviable union. The time for work starts now!!! “To our respective supporters, the time for elections is over. I am calling on all to embrace as a team for the progress of our darling. Once again, I thank you all for the unflinching support. Despite our different hearts, we shall work towards one motive.” This year’s MAU election has been recorded into the history books as the most popular and peaceful election the union has ever had, attracting six nominations for the top seat with two among the six nominees stoop down two from the race two weeks to the pooling day. According to some entertainment enthusiasts based in Makeni, the August 29, 2021 win is a dream comes true for the former President of Northern All Stars (Governor Blaq) after he was defeated in 2018 by Stuntman, his immediate predecessor of the Union’s top position. Governor’s win is also the biggest so far that attracted a record turnout of 176 voters despite the elections agreed and adopted a very stiff voter eligibility policy that disqualified a number of registered among other members of the Makeni Artist Union without a hit song as was agreed by all aspirants of this year’s race. However, the normalization committee which comprises of three members namely Ibrahim Teddy Sesay, Abubakarr Sesay alias Grandpa and Emilia Jengo last Sunday proved doubters wrong after they successfully ensured the delayed MAU election due to Corona virus as was earlier argued by the union’s former President Stuntman came to pass in the watchful eyes of members of the general public at the pavilion of the Makeni Wusum Stadium.