Commentary
Politics, according to political pundits, is a game of numbers. And if numbers determine the success of a political event, then the inauguration of Yabom Thaslim Sesay-Koroma on Saturday, December 4, 2010 as the first female president of the Washington Metropolitan Chapter of the All People’s Congress, was a huge Success. It was phenomenal! “Of all the APC fundraising events that I’ve attended in the Washington Metro area, this is the best; it’s well-organized, and the atmosphere is just too delightful,” says Dr. Abdul Rahman Kamara, a nuclear pharmacist with Cardinal Health of New Jersey, who was among the Sierra Leonean dignitaries that graced the momentous occasion.
Aside from the mammoth crowd of supporters in the Washington Metropolitan area, the unprecedented event attracted party faithful from all across the United States of America. Some even came from Canada and the United Kingdom to be part of what one observer described as “a historic moment.”Chapter presidents of the All People’s Congress in North America, representatives from the Sierra Leone People’s Party and the People’s Movement for Democratic Change, eminent Sierra Leoneans in the nation’s capital Washington DC, resplendent Hajas and Alhajis, pastors and reverends – all came to witness the making of history.
All the ‘movers and shakers’ of the All People’s Congress in North America were on hand for the spectacular event. The chairman of the All People’s Congress in North America Mr. Al Aziz Turay of Arizona was present to administer the oath of office to the president-elect and her executive. Mr. Osman T. Conteh, a former president of the Washington Metropolitan Chapter and also former chairman of the All People’s Congress, North America Branch, was accorded the honor of introducing the new executive of the Washington Chapter. Mr. Mohamed Aziz Nabe, former president of the New Jersey Chapter, who is also chairman of the Rapid Response Team in North America; a man who has earned the reputation of being an arch-defender of the All People’s Congress, offered the Muslim prayers.
Mr. Foday Mansaray, businessman, real estate and mortgage banker in New Jersey and New York; a man with boundless energy and indomitable resource when it comes to serving the party, was one of those who graced the event as grand chief patron.
Yabom Thaslim Sesay-Koroma
Sierra Leonean legal luminary and lifelong member of the All People’s Congress Sorie Tarawallie, came all the way from Mississippi, to be part of the historic event that attracted a dazzling array of Sierra Leoneans from all walks of life: educators, lawyers, and business people. Also present at the event was Hon. Khadi Sesay, former deputy minister of labor, who is currently political coordinator of the All People’s Congress, northern region. Because of her pivotal role in resolving the differences among members of the APC in North America, and because of her selfless and unwavering commitment to strengthen and solidify the party in North America, she was given special recognition by the vice chairman of the All People’s Congress in North America, Mr. Salieu Conteh. In recognition of all that she had done to bring about unity in the North America branch, she was given a standing ovation. Virtually all Sierra Leonean organizations/associations in the Washington Metropolitan area were represented at the event that took place three weeks ago at the majestic Hampton Conference Center, Capital Heights, Maryland.
Mr. Sekou Dauda Bangura well-known for playing the role of chairman/master of ceremonies at many APC events in North America served as master of ceremonies together with Mrs. Teresa Ofong, a leading figure of the PMDC in the Washington Metropolitan area. In her welcoming remarks, Mrs. Ofong, among other things, said: “I’m exceedingly proud and happy to be here to celebrate the victory of Mrs. Yabom Thaslim Sesay” – a victory, she said, all women should be proud of. “The victory of Yabom should inspire all of us to come forward and be more active participants in politics,” she urged.
The program proper started with a solo rendition of both the Sierra Leone national anthem and the United States national anthem by Janet Langabona, a ten-year old beauty queen whose voice has captured the hearts of Sierra Leonenans as well as Americans in the Washington Metropolitan area. Her beautiful solo rendition generated a long and sustained round of applause. This was immediately followed by a special cultural performance by Haja Amie Kanu who sang a song in Temne extolling the virtues of the new president, Mrs.Yabom Thaslim Sesay-Koroma. The hall reverberated with “APC I ba mu ku ram o, ka re mu kaku ma” - reminiscent of the 1967 election victory of the APC – after the singing of the APC victory song by the new executive. Rev. David Mado Bangura, who is also assistant social secretary of the Washington Chapter, led party members in singing the victory song. As the noise died down, the main business of the night commenced – the inauguration of the president and executive of the Washington Chapter.
The Secretary General of the All People’s Congress, North America Branch, Mr.Hassan Kamara, officially introduced the chairman of the APC in North America, Mr. Aziz Turay. In his capacity as chairman of the All People’s Congress in North America, and by the powers vested in him, Al Aziz Turay administered the oath of office, exhorting the president and her executive to uphold the principles of the party at all times. “You must live up to what our party stands for – Action, Progress, and Commitment.” Secretary General of the Washington Chapter, Prof. Michael D. Sesay expressed his profound thanks to the chairman before proceeding to officially hand over power to Mrs. Yabom Sesay.
Standing behind a lectern, against the backdrop of red and white, the new president delivered her acceptance speech. With the grace and dignity of the Queen of Sheba, and the intelligence of Margaret Thatcher of England, she delivered a very powerful message to all party faithful gathered. She appealed for peace, unity and commitment in order to actualize President Koroma’s “Agenda for Change.” And she promised to do whatever it takes to defend the party and to work toward the progress and development of our beloved Sierra Leone. “As your leader, I would like to assure you that, I shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any one, and oppose any enemy, to ensure the survival and the success of not only our Chapter but our beloved party,” she assured members, amid a thunderous round of applause.
Mrs. Yabom Thaslim Sesay-Koroma is not the first female president in the North America branch of the All People’s Congress, but she is, arguably, the most vibrant and dynamic female president that has emerged in the history of the All People’s Congress in North America. She was able to put together a very powerful campaign team, made up mainly of men that had studied in East European Countries, including what used to be known as the Soviet Union. What is noteworthy about these men is the fact that they do not only hold a master’s degree in their different fields of study from universities in Eastern Europe, but they decided to embark on further studies when they came over to the US. In the Washington Metropolitan area, they seem to have formed a monolithic bloc. Little wonder all those who supported Mrs. Yabom Sesay-Koroma were dubbed “members the Kremlin Bloc” during the days of the campaign by supporters of Abdul Bero Kamara.
As a candidate running for president of the Washington Metropolitan Chapter, Yabom demonstrated her political ingenuity by putting together a team of meticulous planners and political strategists. By putting together the right mix of people, she was able to galvanize a whole lot of support. She registered an unprecedented number of people. This did not only swell the coffers of the chapter but ensured a landslide victory. Her opponent, Abdul Bero Kamara, despite having served as Secretary General of the All People’s Congress in North America, was seriously clobbered. Bero was gracious enough to concede defeat amid cries of foul-play by his supporters. But he later had a change of mind when urged by his supporters to mount a petition in an effort to thwart the inauguration of Yabom as president.
In her first meeting as president of the Washington Chapter with members of her executive and the APCNA executive, Mrs. Yabom disclosed that she extended an olive branch to her opponent, Abdul Bero Kamara prior to her inauguration. “In an attempt to placate the supporters of Abdul Bero; in an effort to ensure the unity of members of the Washington Chapter, I offered the position of VP to Bero and a third of the executive positions to his supporters.” According to Mrs.Yabom Thaslim Sesay-Koroma, Bero did not only turn down the offer but ordered that the inauguration be stopped. Realizing that Bero was in no position to negotiate in good faith, and fully aware of the fact she is in a position of strength to negotiate – being the victor – Yabom made it clear to Bero: “Only two things will prevent my inauguration; God with his infinite power, or President Koroma.”
There was no divine intervention to stop the inauguration nor was there an order from His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma. And so the inauguration went on as planned. If there was any attempt, on the part of the Bero camp to derail the inauguration (as it was rumored) or to discourage people from attending, such an attempt must have seriously backfired considering the huge turnout on the night of the inauguration. Such an attempt must have ended in a total fiasco. “It’s like throwing a pebble against a granite mountain,” says an ardent supporter of Yabom Thaslim Sesay-Koroma on the eve of the inauguration, who asked not to be identified. Amid pomp and pageantry, Mrs.Yabom Thaslim Sesay-Koroma was officially proclaimed President of the Washington Metropolitan Chapter – a chapter she described as “irrefutably the most vibrant and respected chapter in North America.”
Born in Bumbuna, Tonkolili District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone, Yabom Thaslim Sesay-Koroma attended the Roman Catholic Primary School, Bumbuna and the Government Secondary School for Girls, Magburaka. After completion of her High School education, she proceeded to The Magburaka Government Secondary School for Boys where she did her sixth form studies. The only female student in the class, she proved to be a very gifted student. After passing the GCE Advanced Level Examination, she proceeded to Freetown. From 1979 – 1980 she taught at the Services Secondary School in Freetown. In 1980, Mrs. Sesay-Koroma was awarded a scholarship through the APC Women’s Organization to study at the Odessa Institute of National Economy in the former Soviet Union. She graduated with a Master of Science degree (Mac.) in Finance and Credit in 1986.
Answering to the call for national duty, Mrs. Sesay-Koroma returned home in 1988 and was gainfully employed as an Assistant Manager in the Management Account Office at the Sierra Leone Produce Marketing Board (SLPMB) from 1988-1992. Mrs. Yabom Thaslim Sesay-Koroma immigrated to the United States of America in 1993 and immediately entered the nursing field. Her career change was very humbling; she started from the grassroots level as a Nursing Assistant, and gradually worked her way up. With dogged determination, she graduated with a Master of Science degree (MSc.), specializing as an Advanced Nurse Clinician. She works at the Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington, Virginia as Assistant Patient Care Director, Intermediate Cardiac Coronary Unit. A registered nurse, supervisor and mentor for nurses, she is held in high esteem by her peers and many of those she has associated with over the years.
A woman of substance, she combines both the secular and the religious. Mrs. Yabom Thaslim Sesay-Koroma served as chairlady Christ is Lord Ministries, Springfield, Virginia, from 2006-2008. Presently, she is chairlady of the Finance and Budget Committee, Christ is Lord Ministries. She is also financial secretary for the Magburaka Old Girls Association, 2005 – present. A pioneer of the Microcredit for Bumbuna, CEO and Instructor, Alma School of Nursing and Allied Health from 2007 to June 30, 2010, she is married with four children.
Prof Michael Dillo Sesay, who has known Mrs. Yabom Thaslim Sesay-Koroma since their student days in the former Soviet Union described her as “a woman of virtue, a true vessel of peace, unity, commitment and love; a woman of integrity and credibility with an impeccable character and remarkable disposition to serve as the first female President of the APC Washington DC Metropolitan Chapter.” Mr. Mohamed Lamin Fofana who was chairman of the inauguration committee and who also studied in the former Soviet Union with Mrs. Yabom Taslim Koroma described her as “a very hard working woman; a woman of good character; a woman who is very fair but firm.”
The keynote address at the inauguration was delivered by Mr. Aziz Turay, chairman, All People’s Congress, North America. Mr. Turay on behalf of the party leadership in Freetown congratulated the new president and her executive, and he appealed for continued cooperation in order to ensure the victory of the party in 2012. Alhaji Alhaj Dumbuya, vice president of the Washington Metropolitan Chapter expressed his profound thanks and deep appreciation for the wonderful outpouring of support. “Words cannot express how happy we’re for this tremendous show of support. We’re thankful and grateful.
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