By Abrahim Alimu Jalloh. Maryland,USA.
alimjay@yahoo.com
I have been reading Dr. Banya’s articles asking Dr.
Christiana Thorpe to explain to Sierra Leoneans the
final results for the 2007 general elections which saw
Ernest Koroma as the winner against Solo B,the
Bomber.
It seems Dr. Banya has forgotten so quickly about the
APC’S 99 styles of winning elections. When Mr. Victor
Bockarie Foh told Dr. Sylvia Blyden,during a
privileged chat,that if given the chance he will
restructure the SLPP and teach them how to win
elections,Dr. Banya became furious and replied in his
article titled TONGUE IN CHEEK.
Dr. Banya should know that what is good for the goose
is also good for the gander.He entered into active
politics in 1977 when he was a renowned practicing
medical doctor at the Nongowa clinic also known as the
Banya hospital in Kenema. Since then Dr. Banya never
won a free and fair election!
In 1977 the SLPP strongly needed men like Dr. Banya.
He canvassed for the APC symbol for the Kailahun
central constituency,but deputy Minister Braima
N.Combey (RIP) retained the symbol. It was Hon. Lamin
J.Ngobeh (RIP)son of Hon. Takplima Ngobeh (RIP) who
braved it to contest as SLPP against Braima
Combey.When Dr. Banya did not get the APC symbol for
the Kailahun central constituency, he should have
easily got the SLPP symbol.He chose to go to Pendembu
( Upper Bambara)his motherland with an APC symbol
against the SLPP man Dauda Sandy (RIP).
Dr. Banya lost that election woefully and refused to concede defeat.
He ran helter skelter to Pa Shaki (RIP) in Fretown
wailing and gnashing his teeth that his two brothers
were killed during the campaign.
It is thirty years now since Mr. Victor B. Foh, one of
the 2007 APC election strategists,came to Dr.Banya’s
rescue. Pa Shaki browsed through the list of APC
master dribblers and discovered V.B.Foh who,as
District Officer in Bonthe,an SLPP stronghold, had
returned un-opposed all APC candidates to Parliament.
V.B.Foh was hastily transfered to Kailahun and Alhaji
Jambai (RIP)a native of Kailahun and District Officer
was transfered to Kono.Dauda Sandy who had won the
election against Dr. Banya was bundled to the Pademba
road prison.
V.B.Foh conducted fresh nominations,not in Kailahun
town,but in Pendembu to teach all those who voted for
Sandy’s SLPP a lesson. Dr.Banya was returned
un-opposed to Parliament. During the unwanted
celebratons in Pendembu, Foday Sankoh (RIP) as a
freelance photographer from Segbwema came to Pendembu
and took Dr. Banya’s photo which he did not pay for.
Foday Sankoh reminded Dr. Banya in 1996 when Dr. Banya
was the only SLPP civilian among the NPRC Supreme
Council of State military men,with the likes of Maada Bio
and Tom Nyuma,in Abidjan,that Dr. Banya is a political
harlot jumping from SLPP to APC and back to SLPP! He
asked to be paid for the services he rendered Dr. Banya in 1977 in that august assembly. This was shown on TV worldwide
which cost Dr. Banya Pa Kabba’s initial consideration
of making him Foreign Minister in the 1996 SLPP
cabinet.
In 1977 when Dr. Banya was returned un-opposed to
Parliament, he was made Resident Minister East for a
brief period. He then started to enjoy APC power as
Minister of Development and Economic Planning,
Minister of the Interior, Minister of Finance,and
acting Second Vice President to 1985.
In 1978,as a cabinet minister,he was one of those who
advocated and concurred in Parliament for the APC one
party system of government.
In 1982,when the APC was trying to justify its all out
"un-opposed" tactics, Maada Salia Jusu-Sheriff never
fell for that bait.He travelled overnight from
Freetown to his Kenema constituency,got Javombo,paid
his election expenses to contest against him.
Dr.Banya was then busy suppressing his sole opponent Hon.
Teacher Idrissa S.Songa ( RIP)from Jojoima (Malema
chiefdom) which was amalgamated with the Pendembu
Upper Bambara chiefdom as one constituency. Dr. Banya
again went un-opposed and stretched his political
tentacles into the Kailahun central constituency
(Luawa chiefdom)encouraging and supporting Dr. Lansana
Wenneh against Hon.Lamin J. Ngobeh. Dr. Lansana Wenneh
lost miserably on account of Dr. Banya.
Dr. Banya became Pa Shaki’s trusted lieutenant.
Unfortinately,Dr.Banya tried to bite the finger that
was feeding him.When Pa Shaki,the political
pragmatist,was trying to hand over power to J.S.Momoh
(RIP)Dr. Banya was one of the staunchest advocates
against Pa Shaki’s plan to ditch S.I.Koroma (RIP)the
then Vice President who was to succeed Pa Shaki. If Pa
Shaki was able to canvass the Temnes through Musa
Kabia(RIP) that S.I.Koroma was not a Temne but a
Madingo,who was Dr. Banya to stand in APC’s way? The APC
Governing Council bid its time against Dr. Banya.
In 1985 J.S.Momoh became sole candidate and was
elected President. In 1986,he called for general
elections.
Jojoima(Malema Chiefdom) was separated from Pendembu
(Upper Bambara) and amalgamated with Daru(Jawi
chiefdom) which finally saw Teacher Songa in
Parliament.Upper Bambara became a single constituency.
A popular son of the soil,Hon. Kakpindi Jamiru(RIP)
was anointed by the APC Governing Council to face Dr.
Banya. Again Dr. Banya lost woefully.
Notwithstanding the Herculean task Dr. Banya was
facing with Kakpindi Jamiru in Pendembu,his political
tentacles were still at work in Kailahun central. He
invited his son-in-law Patrick Foyah from the USA to
contest against Hon. Jusu Jaka Ngobeh(RIP) brother of
Hon.Lamin J.Ngobeh.Like he did this year when he
invited his niece Mamie Banya-Foyah from the USA to vie
for the SLPP symbol against Hon. Sallieu Ndolleh and
Nnavo Vandi-Kaikai.
Although all the results for the 1986 elections in the
district and most in the country were annulled for
irregularities and fresh elections slated,the result
for Upper Bambara-Kailahun South constituency stood
against Dr. Banya to teach him APC power.
Since then Dr. Banya has lost the path to his
profession as a practicing medical doctor in his
hospital in Kenema which has becaome a center for
refugees and displaced people.
He took up journalism as
a columnist for the New Vision newspaper to vent his
anger and frustrations against the APC.
J.S.Momoh attempted to reintroduce multiparty
democracy which brought many political parties
breaking away from the APC.Dr. Banya wasted no time
and pitched in with Maada Salia Jusu-Sheriff for the
SLPP in the 1991-1992 political fray.
The APC had its sleeves ready for the battle. Hon.
Thaimu Bangura(RIP)formed the PDP(Sorbeh) party to
dislodge the APC especially from the north.When Thaimu
Bangura was on a tour in Bombali,the APC big
wigs,Eddie Turay,E.T.Kamara, S.A.T.Koroma,Serry Kamal
and Bambay Kamara(RIP)mounted a warm up show against
Thaimu Bangura in Makeni. The township was painted red
and the youths were ’bloody’ for the head of Thaimu
Bangura.
Thaimu Bangura missed the Lunsar road to Freetown. He
fled to Magburaka,Matotoka,and Masingbi.He did not
feel safe in these places. They are APC Temne zones.
He ran to Kono. In Kono,he realized that Kono has a
long list of former APC ministers such as Gandi
Kapio,Fillie Faboe,S.E.Gbormor,Alhaji
S.H.O.Gborie,D.T.Musa,Faniya,S.S.Allieu,Dr. Fasuluku
Suku-Tamba,Aiah Abu Koroma,Eya Mbayo,Chief Briwa,Chief
Ndapi Torto to name but just a few. He escaped through
the Nimikoro-Tongo Field-Kenema-Bo road to Freetown.
The New Breed newspaper(now defunct) helped to propagate and disseminate the attempt on the life of Thaimu Banura by the APC in Makeni.
In 1992, Strasser’s NPRC (Scorpion batallion) took
over power when the APC for the first time were caught
sleeping after carousing during the Independence
celebrations.
Dr.Banya became jubilant for the junta government for
taking the APC out of his way and sight.He never wrote
or raised a single voice against the illegal NPRC
regime.
Maada Bio,after he torpedoed Strasser,was forced to
conduct elections. Dr. Banya, sensing that Tejan Kabba
was to contest for the SLPP leadership,since Maada
Salia Jusu-Sheriff was banned from politics,circulated
the news of the long forgotten SLPMB deal of Pa Kabbah.
During the 1996 Bintumani SLPP convention,he(Banya) was
beaten hands down by Pa Kabbah and Charles Margai
respectively.
The SLPP demise started from the outcome of this
Bintumani convention with Pa Kabbah being leader,and his
refusal to accept Charles Margai who came second as
his running mate.
We saw thirteen political parties that went to the
1996 polls. The NUP, like the PMDC today, was headed by
Dr. John Karimu and John Benjamin squeezing the Mende
votes from the SLPP.
Votes were counted and James Jonah as INEC chairman
had to chop off about seventy thousand
Southern(Bo)votes from the SLPP! Did Dr.
Banya,claiming today to be a mathematician for
Christiana Thorpe,raise a voice against Jonah? No!
Because the end result was for SLPP.
The UNPP of Dr. John Karefa-Smart had to accept the
result in good faith in the interest of peace for the
nation.The APC got five seats in Parliament to the
utmost surprise and displeasure of Dr. Banya.
Dr. Banya would have been the Foreign Minister in the
1996 SLPP cabinet,but his face to face meeting and
humiliation by Foday Sankoh in Abidjan caused Pa Kabbah
to have a change of mind.He was then made adviser to
the President.
In his gospel of peace and reconciliation,Pa Kabbah
started to appoint SLPP opponents in his cabinet and
head of parastatals with the advice of Dr. Banya.He
made enemies of those who would vote for the SLPP,and
made friends with those who would NEVER vote for SLPP.
I was a frequent visitor to the SLPP office of Pa
Dunbar (RIP)when he was party chairman. Many SLPP
die-hards started to grumble and complain against Pa
Kabbah.It was then that they started to hatch the plan
of bringing in Charles Margai for the 2002 elections
as SLPP leader.Pa Kabbah got news of this plan from his
advisers and the enmity betweem him and Charles Margai
deepened.
Watch out for part two.
Photo: Dr. Sama Banya, alias Puawui.
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