By Sekou Dauda Bangura, New Jersey.
When Honorable Isata Kabia (photo) left Freetown at the end of December to visit family and friends in the United States after winning that much-coveted parliamentary seat with an unprecedented wide margin, little did she know that she was going to receive a VIP treatment in the world’s greatest and most powerful country. At the Kennedy International Airport where her plane landed after a long flight, a limo driver was on hand to receive her. She was taken completely aback when she noticed from the huge crowd a man in a business suit conspicuously displaying a big placard with the name Honorable Isata Kabia boldly written on it.
With much humility and equanimity, she presented herself as Honorable Isata Kabia to the limo driver who quickly responded: “I’m at your service.” The young Member of Parliament for Lunsar, constituency 50, Port Loko district, in the northern region of Sierra Leone, was then given the most important ride of her life from New York to the Somerset New Jersey residence of her Aunt Haja Aisha Rahman, who actually arranged for the special VIP treatment. “She deserves the honor,” says an overjoyed aunt, who is extremely proud of Isata’s recent outstanding and remarkable achievement.
On Saturday, January 5, from about 5 pm, people started streaming in at 17 Flower Road, Somerset, New Jersey, residence of Dr. Abdul Rahman Kamara, a nuclear pharmacist with Cardinal Health of New Jersey, who graciously consented to host a special meeting with Honorable Isata Kabia under the auspices of the All People’s Congress, New Jersey Chapter. Members of the New Jersey Chapter - including Chapter president Alhaji Badara Kamara, former chapter president - currently chairman of the Rapid Response Team, APC NA, Alpha Aziz Nabe, secretary general Sekou Dauda Bangura, the indefatigable assistant secretary general Alimamy Turay, women’s leader Kadijatu Jalloh and chapter adviser Haja Kadijatu Sillah - were present at the special meeting.
Aside from APC party members, there was quite an impressive turnout from the New Jersey Community as a whole. The legendry Abou Whyte of Orchest Muyei fame, Mr. Busari Savage, a renowned Sierra Leonean artist who has collaborated with Honorable Isata Kabia in the past on several projects, Haja Jarieu Bona, leader of the Women’s Movement for Peace, and Mrs. Martha Bah, a leading figure in the North America branch of the SLPP - were also present for the special meeting. They were all there to show their love, solidarity and to demonstrate how extremely proud and happy they are for Isata Kabia. Also present were Chief Tony, a Nigerian Businessman in Sierra Leone, and Mr. Taylor, a lifelong supporter of the APC and a very close friend of His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.
The meeting with the Honorable Member of Parliament for Lunsar commenced at exactly 7 pm, immediately after the arrival of the young, elegant, and graceful parliamentary representative. Dressed in dazzling gold and red, Honorable Isata Kabia was given a standing ovation as she entered the jam-packed room, where family and friends waited for almost two hours. “We are here this evening to welcome our sister, friend and party comrade Honorable Isata Kabia,” Mr. Dauda Bangura enthusiastically declared to herald the beginning of the meeting. After the official opening with a Muslim prayer and a Christian prayer conducted by Mr. Sulaiman Kargbo and Dr. John Samaba, respectively, Chapter president Alhaji Badara Kamara then went on to formally welcome Honorable Isata Kabia to New Jersey on behalf of all the APC members - those present as well as those that were unavoidably absent. He also introduced to the Member of Parliament all the APC members present at the meeting.
Alpha Aziz Nabe, in mapping the way forward, recounted how in trying to galvanize support for the party invited Isata Kabia to an APC meeting in 2007. “I saw in her all the potential of a leader. I told her that in our noble party’s forward march, women of her caliber are needed to stand side by side with the men. “Today, I feel extremely proud and vindicated that my assessment of her has come to pass,” Alpha Aziz Nabe said, amid a big round of applause. After a very moving introduction by Mr. Alimamy Turay, assistant secretary general of APC New Jersey, Honorable Isata Kabia then went on to deliver her address. She started by expressing her profound thanks and deep appreciation for the wonderful and warm reception she was given. “Words cannot express how happy I’m. I feel honored and very much humbled by your presence here this evening,” she said.
Among other things, she singled out Mr. Aziz Nabe, Haja Jarie Bona and Haja Aisha Rahman for the positive impact they had on her life. While Mr. Nabe introduced her to the APC, Haja Jariue Bona inspired her in forming African Women of Substance, an organization geared toward bringing young women together. She recalled how Haja Aisha Rahman influenced her to return home, knowing fully that she stands to make it better in Sierra Leone. “I listened to these people and today I must say that I owe it all to them,” she said amid another round of applause. She urged all the women to take a more active role in politics. “There’s today the need for more women to take a leadership role in our country.” She even made mention of the 50/50 – a way to encourage women to become active participants in the running of the country. “We presently have 8 APC women and 7 SLPP women in Parliament. Though our number reduced, it is heartening to note that, what was lost in quantity, we make up for in quality, she furthered. She concluded by appealing to all Sierra Leoneans: ‘‘Sierra Leone needs all hands on deck. If we all work together we can achieve a whole lot.”
Dr. Abdul Rahman Kamara, host of the event last Saturday, thanked everyone for coming. He thanked the women for their tremendous show of support by providing an array of delicious and sumptuous dishes. He briefly recounted his most experience in Sierra Leone, describing the just-concluded elections as the most free, fair and transparent elections we’ve had. “Security was extra-tight to make sure that voters exercised their right to vote without fear of molestation, victimization and intimidation,” Dr. Rahman proudly stated, driving home the point that our country is going through a real turnaround.
The meeting with Honorable Isata Kabia is not just a matter of welcoming her to New Jersey. This is a clarion call for all women to wake up from their deep political slumber, Dr Rahman underscored in his vote of thanks.
Representing Constituency 50, a very large area straddling Marampa Masimra and Maforoki in the Port Loko district, Honorable Isata Kabba was born in Freetown. She spent her childhood days in her parents’ hometown, Lunsar, where she attended elementary school, and she grew up in North London where she attended Horsney High School for Girls. After graduating with a Bachelor’s in Chemistry, she landed a job in New Jersey as Research and Development Manager – a position she held for seven years before finally calling it quits. While in New Jersey, she founded African Women of Substance, putting on ‘edutainment’ events to raise funds in support of a couple of orphanages in Sierra Leone. A successful entrepreneur, Honorable Isata Kabia was founding member and chair of the Sierra Leone Network.
Isata and some of her supporters in New Jersey.
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