The recent Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) TV/Radio programme which was expected to have opportune Maada Bio to auction his political agenda, changed into something shocking. Maada Bio spent two-thirds of the programme’s allotted time defending himself rather than promoting his agenda.
He also spent time to speak about how President Ernest Koroma, the man the SLPP wants to remove from office, is his “good friend”. Logically, he also made it clear that his supporters slogans of “No Maada: No SLPP” was sanctioned by him as he subtly threatened repercussions if he loses SLPP flagbearer contest.
It was bizarre to many but not to me as I have experienced the negative phenomenon known as Maada Bio. My initial comment to his output on SLBC was: “Maada has done it again!”
Instead of concentrating on the topic under review, “Motivation to lead the SLPP’, the maverick Bio exposed his nefarious character and also libeled the Awareness Times Publisher, Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden, and my humble self (Abdul Karim Kabia Fonti, Editor Awareness Times) as accepting bribes to write.
He strongly insisted that this newspaper only writes out of “financial considerations”. He impugned his fellow SLPP member Usman Boie Kamara as being the one who hired us.
Since, Sylvia Blyden has a ‘pen’, more powerful than mine, I will concentrate this piece on the verbal attacks directed at me and leave Dr. Blyden to handle Maada Bio if she so desires.
I consider his libelous assertions on TV and Radio as not only a deliberate attempt to incite public distaste against me, but also an impious move aimed at dragging my hard earned reputation in the media world and family name into disrepute. It is clear Maada Bio is jealous of my achievements at this tender age of mine, (25 years), which cannot be compared to his stained records over the years.
Unlike Maada Bio, I am not known for saying and writing things I cannot substantiate. I have allowed my Boss, Dr. Sylvia Blyden to take the lead to champion my cause after Maada Bio picked up the phone to threaten my life on December 17th 2010 but it does not mean I do not know how to defend myself against Maada Bio.
It was preposterous for somebody that is aspiring to become a President to publicly make an allegation he cannot substantiate. Bio insinuates Usman Boie Kamara hired me to write against him. Let us look at the facts.
Firstly, I met Usman Boie Kamara for the first time in my life during the emergency SLPP conference that was held in Bo on the 29th January 2011. Prior to this, I had only spoken to Usman Boie Kamara once on the phone in my entire life and that was to crosscheck something with him with regards an article.
There has never been any monetary transaction between me and Usman Boie-Kamara. I understand from our newspaper’s Accounts Department that the only monetary transaction between the Boie-Kamara camp and Awareness Times has been a half-page advert announcing his SLBC Documentary and valued at Le300,000 ($70) and payment for this is yet to be collected.
So, for Maada Bio to say I, or anyone at Awareness Times, was hired by Boie Kamara to write against him on the 17th December 2010 is absurd and puerile. I met Boie-Kamara for the first time on January 29th 2011.
Maada Bio says SLPP aspirants pay journalists to write against themselves but I am surely not one of those ‘brown envelope journalists’. I graduated from the London School of Journalism (LSJ) with a Distinction in Journalism and News-Writing.
Irrespective of my controversial stances on national issues, I have never been found wanting for unprofessional journalism by Law Courts or Independent Media Commission (IMC) which latter has just this past weekend acknowledged my professionalism by awarding me as the BEST NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST IN SIERRA LEONE. I have never visited a politician to seek favour of any form. This young journalist is content with what he is being paid for doing a professional job. I can even stand up confidently and boast of being a model in the journalism profession.
With the aforementioned, Maada Bio has proved himself as a dishonest politician that must not be trusted and treated seriously.
Let me now hasten to highlight the reasons why I am convinced that Maada Bio is jealous of me. I have never led gun-toting boys to overthrow my boss. Abdul Fonti has never rebelled against any of his bosses, while Maada Bio has not only placed a gun on the head of his boss, Valentine Strasser, but also reportedly went to an extent of handcuffing, kicking and ordering that Strasser be dumped in the Atlantic Ocean. This young editor has never been found wanting for stealing even a pin, but Bio stands accused of stealing two containers of soft drinks from America and for comprehensively looting the State coffers during the period he was in governance.
I am not having sleepless nights for fear of being dragged to court at any time for killing somebody, but it is an open secret that Maada Bio has a case of mass extra-judicial killing of Bambay Kamara and others hanging around his neck.
As a young editor, I am ably in command of staff at Awareness Times and able to instate disciplinary measures against any errant staff under my leadership, while Maada Bio has proved himself as not only incapable of controlling his followers, but also condoning violence.
I have never picked up a telephone to threaten somebody’s life, but this maverick politician has telephoned a young journalist to intimidate him with his ‘large following’.
Maada Bio is even bitter that, like H.E. President Koroma, I am far taller than he is and thus I possess a more formidable physical stature than his short, pudgy self with his bloated abdomen.
With the aforementioned differences, one cannot be blamed for concluding that what Maada Bio did on television on Thursday night was a deliberate attempt to incite hate against me because he is jealous of my positive accomplishments.
This piece serves as a warning to Maada Bio. Please desist from lying against a journalist in public. Don’t misunderstand my cool for being a fool. You, Maada Bio, know very well that you phoned me up to make life-threatening remarks against my person that left me feeling vulnerable and afraid for my life. Prior to your phone-call on that occasion, I had never in my entire life authored a single sentence, phrase or word against you for publication. The article that offended you, for which you threatened me as Editor, was not authored by me.
Simply because I had stayed back and watch my Boss (Sylvia Blyden) fight for me should not be misrepresented that I am a coward. I had done so with the hope that common sense could have prevailed on the part of Maada Bio and he would have done the honourable thing.
If SLPP goes on to choose Bio as flagbearer, they better prepare themselves to be defending from now until 2012! In the same way Maada Bio spent 40 minutes out of a 60 minutes programme defending himself against Running a Ghana business, Unlawful Killing of Bambay Kamara and other innocent souls, Gross Indiscipline, Treachery to his Bosses, Poor interpersonal skills, Inability to Run successful Sierra Leonean business, Marital status, Intimidation of fellow SLPP, etc. etc. etc.
My attention has also been drawn to a recent article authored by one Patrick K. Muana, who attempted to cast aspersions on investigations conducted and published by my humble self. Muana only succeeded in exposing his limited understanding on the very issue he is defending. Some say this Muana fellow is supposed to be an English lecturer but I wonder considering his limited understanding of simple English sentences about the Texas Immigration Trial of NPRC strongman where witnesses testified about how Bambay Kamara was killed. With all due respect to the ‘intelligence’ of Muana, he is advised to go over my piece once again. The only person who is virulently feathering and tarring Mr. Maada Bio is none other than Mr. Maada Bio himself. Anytime Bio opens his mouth, he tars and feathers himself. Anywhere he goes, his entourage, by their violent actions and their words, feather and tar the ambitions of Maada Bio. By encouraging youths to chant ‘No Maada Bio; No SLPP!’ Maada Bio is feathering and tarring himself. By walking around with well-known killers like the AFRC Westside Boys he is tarring and feathering himself. Maada Bio by refusing to condemn the violence of his key supporters towards fellow SLPP members and towards Journalists is busy tarring and feathering himself. All what Awareness Times is doing is reporting on his tar & feather exercises.
He also spent time to speak about how President Ernest Koroma, the man the SLPP wants to remove from office, is his “good friend”. Logically, he also made it clear that his supporters slogans of “No Maada: No SLPP” was sanctioned by him as he subtly threatened repercussions if he loses SLPP flagbearer contest.
It was bizarre to many but not to me as I have experienced the negative phenomenon known as Maada Bio. My initial comment to his output on SLBC was: “Maada has done it again!”
Instead of concentrating on the topic under review, “Motivation to lead the SLPP’, the maverick Bio exposed his nefarious character and also libeled the Awareness Times Publisher, Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden, and my humble self (Abdul Karim Kabia Fonti, Editor Awareness Times) as accepting bribes to write.
He strongly insisted that this newspaper only writes out of “financial considerations”. He impugned his fellow SLPP member Usman Boie Kamara as being the one who hired us.
Since, Sylvia Blyden has a ‘pen’, more powerful than mine, I will concentrate this piece on the verbal attacks directed at me and leave Dr. Blyden to handle Maada Bio if she so desires.
I consider his libelous assertions on TV and Radio as not only a deliberate attempt to incite public distaste against me, but also an impious move aimed at dragging my hard earned reputation in the media world and family name into disrepute. It is clear Maada Bio is jealous of my achievements at this tender age of mine, (25 years), which cannot be compared to his stained records over the years.
Unlike Maada Bio, I am not known for saying and writing things I cannot substantiate. I have allowed my Boss, Dr. Sylvia Blyden to take the lead to champion my cause after Maada Bio picked up the phone to threaten my life on December 17th 2010 but it does not mean I do not know how to defend myself against Maada Bio.
Scapegoatizing Usman Boie Kamara
It was preposterous for somebody that is aspiring to become a President to publicly make an allegation he cannot substantiate. Bio insinuates Usman Boie Kamara hired me to write against him. Let us look at the facts.
Firstly, I met Usman Boie Kamara for the first time in my life during the emergency SLPP conference that was held in Bo on the 29th January 2011. Prior to this, I had only spoken to Usman Boie Kamara once on the phone in my entire life and that was to crosscheck something with him with regards an article.
There has never been any monetary transaction between me and Usman Boie-Kamara. I understand from our newspaper’s Accounts Department that the only monetary transaction between the Boie-Kamara camp and Awareness Times has been a half-page advert announcing his SLBC Documentary and valued at Le300,000 ($70) and payment for this is yet to be collected.
So, for Maada Bio to say I, or anyone at Awareness Times, was hired by Boie Kamara to write against him on the 17th December 2010 is absurd and puerile. I met Boie-Kamara for the first time on January 29th 2011.
Brown Envelope Journalism
Maada Bio says SLPP aspirants pay journalists to write against themselves but I am surely not one of those ‘brown envelope journalists’. I graduated from the London School of Journalism (LSJ) with a Distinction in Journalism and News-Writing.
Irrespective of my controversial stances on national issues, I have never been found wanting for unprofessional journalism by Law Courts or Independent Media Commission (IMC) which latter has just this past weekend acknowledged my professionalism by awarding me as the BEST NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST IN SIERRA LEONE. I have never visited a politician to seek favour of any form. This young journalist is content with what he is being paid for doing a professional job. I can even stand up confidently and boast of being a model in the journalism profession.
With the aforementioned, Maada Bio has proved himself as a dishonest politician that must not be trusted and treated seriously.
Differences Between Bio and Fonti
Let me now hasten to highlight the reasons why I am convinced that Maada Bio is jealous of me. I have never led gun-toting boys to overthrow my boss. Abdul Fonti has never rebelled against any of his bosses, while Maada Bio has not only placed a gun on the head of his boss, Valentine Strasser, but also reportedly went to an extent of handcuffing, kicking and ordering that Strasser be dumped in the Atlantic Ocean. This young editor has never been found wanting for stealing even a pin, but Bio stands accused of stealing two containers of soft drinks from America and for comprehensively looting the State coffers during the period he was in governance.
I am not having sleepless nights for fear of being dragged to court at any time for killing somebody, but it is an open secret that Maada Bio has a case of mass extra-judicial killing of Bambay Kamara and others hanging around his neck.
As a young editor, I am ably in command of staff at Awareness Times and able to instate disciplinary measures against any errant staff under my leadership, while Maada Bio has proved himself as not only incapable of controlling his followers, but also condoning violence.
I have never picked up a telephone to threaten somebody’s life, but this maverick politician has telephoned a young journalist to intimidate him with his ‘large following’.
Maada Bio is even bitter that, like H.E. President Koroma, I am far taller than he is and thus I possess a more formidable physical stature than his short, pudgy self with his bloated abdomen.
With the aforementioned differences, one cannot be blamed for concluding that what Maada Bio did on television on Thursday night was a deliberate attempt to incite hate against me because he is jealous of my positive accomplishments.
Warning for Maada Bio!
This piece serves as a warning to Maada Bio. Please desist from lying against a journalist in public. Don’t misunderstand my cool for being a fool. You, Maada Bio, know very well that you phoned me up to make life-threatening remarks against my person that left me feeling vulnerable and afraid for my life. Prior to your phone-call on that occasion, I had never in my entire life authored a single sentence, phrase or word against you for publication. The article that offended you, for which you threatened me as Editor, was not authored by me.
Simply because I had stayed back and watch my Boss (Sylvia Blyden) fight for me should not be misrepresented that I am a coward. I had done so with the hope that common sense could have prevailed on the part of Maada Bio and he would have done the honourable thing.
If SLPP goes on to choose Bio as flagbearer, they better prepare themselves to be defending from now until 2012! In the same way Maada Bio spent 40 minutes out of a 60 minutes programme defending himself against Running a Ghana business, Unlawful Killing of Bambay Kamara and other innocent souls, Gross Indiscipline, Treachery to his Bosses, Poor interpersonal skills, Inability to Run successful Sierra Leonean business, Marital status, Intimidation of fellow SLPP, etc. etc. etc.
Patrick Muana’s Virulent Tar & Feathers
My attention has also been drawn to a recent article authored by one Patrick K. Muana, who attempted to cast aspersions on investigations conducted and published by my humble self. Muana only succeeded in exposing his limited understanding on the very issue he is defending. Some say this Muana fellow is supposed to be an English lecturer but I wonder considering his limited understanding of simple English sentences about the Texas Immigration Trial of NPRC strongman where witnesses testified about how Bambay Kamara was killed. With all due respect to the ‘intelligence’ of Muana, he is advised to go over my piece once again. The only person who is virulently feathering and tarring Mr. Maada Bio is none other than Mr. Maada Bio himself. Anytime Bio opens his mouth, he tars and feathers himself. Anywhere he goes, his entourage, by their violent actions and their words, feather and tar the ambitions of Maada Bio. By encouraging youths to chant ‘No Maada Bio; No SLPP!’ Maada Bio is feathering and tarring himself. By walking around with well-known killers like the AFRC Westside Boys he is tarring and feathering himself. Maada Bio by refusing to condemn the violence of his key supporters towards fellow SLPP members and towards Journalists is busy tarring and feathering himself. All what Awareness Times is doing is reporting on his tar & feather exercises.
By Abdul Fonti
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