KL,

EBK did not do anything. The program was aired live on SLBC TV. Sylvia Blyden is just a pathological liar. EBK missed an oppurtunity to put Coachie in his place. No one did anything to correct Mansaray's assertion.

"Instead of referring to each other as Mendes or Temnes, we should learn to refer to each other as Sierra Leoneans" (wonderful words from Segbwema Moi)

We should like to hear more of this kind of talk and look forward to a time when some Mende tribalist or rap artist can call the Limbas, Temnes, Mandinka, Fullah, Creoles and others ethnic groups, " my niggas" without intending or causing any offence.

I grew up with Ibrahim Mansaray, popularlyknown as Brima Zulu, now Coachie. We played soccer when and everywhere aroundthe Hagan Street - Mabayla- Guard Street corridor in the east-end of Freetown.Growing up in this neighborhood was a blast for me and all the other kids Igrew up with. There was no tribal, regional divide to worry about as thediversity around us was a strength rather than a weakness.

Ibrahim Mansaray was a very innocent laidback guy who hardly said much not to talk about offending someone. He was asoccer maestro, especially being a natural left winger and loved the gamepassionately. He was not the most brilliant guy in the room, but quietly went aboutdoing the things he loved, with the encouragement and support of his greatfamily; mum, dad and beautiful sisters.

Brima Zulu and family were very strongmembers of the APC party in those days, especially when it came to voting fortheir favorite candidate for the East 11 parliamentary seat Mr. Bun Mansaray vs.Mr. Manso Dumbuya who were arch rivals for the seat. Off course, Hon. BunMansaray will always get the nomination to run under the APC one party systemas he had the blessing of then vice president S.I. Koroma.

It was therefore a surprise for me when Ilater learned that Brima Zulu was a strong member of the SLPP, to the point ofbeing their Young Generation Leader. He was very strategic in this position anddid a marvelous job promoting the message of the SLPP in a neighborhood that is90% APC.

He must have been really elated at theopportunity that presented itself in the candidacy of Usu Boie Kamara for theflag bearer ship nomination of the SLPP for the 2012 general elections. UsuBoie Kamara was a role model to all of us teenagers as well as kids that grewup in this neighborhood. He was the kind of guy one would have loved to grow upto be, as he was not only just the most accomplished academic from theneighborhood, but hailed from a family that personified success and prestige,laced with humility and conservatism. To therefore work for someone who wasyour childhood hero for the potential position of the highest office of theland, especially from a poor, deprived and needy neighborhood like the one wegrew up in was an opportunity every potential politician and ambitiousindividual will eagerly embrace.

To have then worked your butt off for yourcandidate to win such a contest, but fell short by a very small margin is tosay the least frustrating. I can understand why someone like Brima Zulu willexpress his frustration at the SLPP delegates that denied his favoritecandidate the golden opportunity to head the SLPP ticked to the finaldestination of the presidency of the country. The anger though should have beenaddressed internally within the SLPP family, as the party had put mechanisms inplace to take care of the fallout of this long drawn out competition. It wastherefore disappointing that candidate Boie Kamara have not just refused toaccept the result of the democratic process, but have even turned the wholeprocess on its head by leaving the SLPP, to pitch tent with the APC andpresident Koroma for that matter; the man whose job he was running for. Thistype of behavior by a politician is not only distasteful, but ugly, incendiaryand corrupt.

 There is no excuse however for Brima Zulu’s alias“Coachie’s characterization of “mendes as stupid”. It  is a bone headed mistake, even if he did it inthe heat of a tough debate about the reason for his candidates joining of theAPC party. I therefore wholeheartedly accept his apology to the mende people asit is a sincere apology and will appeal to my mende folks to do likewise andput this episode behind us. I know Brima Zulu, and will unambiguously say thathe has no anti-mende animosity in his bones.

The sentiment that mendes voted for JuliusMaada Bio and denied Usu Boie Kamara the nomination on tribal grounds ispervasive in the Boie Kamara camp. It is the “bogie man” that they are using tojustify their candidates decision to switch to the APC. What a cap out! Thisthinking is baseless, unfounded and inconveniently loose. It is because theSLPP as a political construct is strategic and forward thinking in theirdeliberations on the political decision making of national matters. They votedfor Lansana Fadika as the western area chairman basically on strategic grounds.Lansana Fadika was younger than his most competitive contestant Mr. MansoDumbuya. He also had international experience, having lived in Atlanta, in the UnitedStates before relocating back to Sierra Leone, not to talk about being a dualUS and Sierra Leonean citizen.

They voted for Ibrahim Mansaray aliasCoachie as their young generation leader in the western area because he was ayoung entrepreneur who had a very strong grass root understanding of theday-to-day struggle of young people in particularly the eastern parts ofFreetown. He is hardworking and enjoyed working with young people. These twofine Sierra Leoneans are not Mendes, they are Sierra Leoneans.

It was this same sense of offeringopportunity to people with responsibility that they brought to bear on the flagbearer ship elections. Usu Boie without equivocation was academically the bestcandidate in the race. He was however with the history of former presidentKabbah’s stewardship of the SLPP, the weakest candidate to run against aMachiavellian, rogue, manipulating incumbent APC party and candidate in ErnestBai Koroma. It was no accident therefore that the APC and its apologists werelicking their chops when they learnt that Usu Boie Kamara was going to win thenomination, because it was very easy to make a strong viable case against anUsu Boie Kamara candidacy to the mende people in particular and the SierraLeonean people at large.

The case the APC had prepared for thedefeat of Usu Boie was simply: that the SLPP leadership has developed the habitof working against the patriotic interest of the mende people, and by inferencethe Sierra Leonean people. That they denied full blood mendes the leadershipposition- namely: Julius Maada Bio, late Dr. Kagbindi Soyie, Major SenguKoroma, and off course Jam Bodie J. B. Dauda, and instead gave the leadershipto president Kabbah’s nephew Mr. Usu Boie Kamara. Usu Boie Kamara according totheir doctrine like former president Kabbah is not a real Sierra Leonean and avote against president Koroma whose running mate would have been J.B. Daudawould have been an anti-mende vote and by inference an anti-Sierra Leonean vote.

This narrative, as wicked, unprofessionaland un-Sierra Leonean as it would have been, would have sold like hot cake andpotato in the Southeast, and thus split the Southeastern vote for an easyre-election of incumbent president Koroma.

The candidacy of the indefatigable JuliusMaada Bio threw a spanner in the cork of such a message, and thus the anger,vile and toxic opposition of the Maada Bio candidacy within the APC.

So to my friend Ibrahim Mansaray aliasBrima Zulu or Coachie, no! the mende people who voted for Maada Bio to thedefeat of your favorite candidate Mr. Usu Boie are not stupid, nor are theentire mende people stupid for voting and supporting Brigadier Julius Maada Bioto be the next president of Sierra Leone. They are instead very strategic, theyhave the feel and temperament of the national interest.

Ibrahim my friend take it from me. You arealways going to be welcomed in the SLPP whenever you deem it fit to return, asit is the only party in the history of Sierra Leone that will promote theinterest of the entire country without fear or favor.  

It is refreshing to read from someone that Tejan Kaba is a Southeasterner and not a Northerner. For our Mende brothers who thinks otherwise, you should not be surprised at the unfortunate remarks made by Coachie, a man whom so much has been said about by TOOM.

John,

Usu is definitely educated, but he was not the most educated of the 19 FBs. Usu only has a masters degree in Mining Engineering. Andrew Keili is a mining Engineer as well, and he has a double masters degree. Keili is more successful than Usu, and he has spent his entire life in the private sector.

Usu has spent almost his entire life as a public servant. The man served as deputy director of mines for more than 15 years and became director of mines for more than 10 years. Usu became filthy rich during this period, and your claim that he is/was not as corrupt as other corrupt politicians is laughable. Usu was definitely not a flamboyant civil servant, and he carried out elaborate schemes in the mines ministtry. I met him in California when he came to address SLPPNA. The man can barely speak English despite his admirable credentials.

Aftreall, Maada Bio too is a masers degree holder. There were PHD degree holders, and people with tremendous experience. My Kono brother, Dr. Komba Morie Manyeh is a respectable PHD holder , and he was one of the 19. Usu is/was definitely not the most educated, and the man lacks credibilty.

He is not trustworthy at all, and if Usu was victoriuos, that would have been disatrous for your party. Usu told us here that the APC and Koroma are bad for salone, and that the APC have a lot of spies in the SLPP. This was after he lost the FB contest to Bio. Well, look at where he is today.

The man is bereft of simple honesty, and I am glad that he will never be president of salone. As useless as EBK is, I will choose him any day over Usu.