By Dadson A. Musa
The drama book title “Dilemma of A Ghost,” written by a Ghanaian playwright, Christiana Ama Atta Ado was an ‘O’-level- prescribed literature book back in the late 80s and early 90s. A young man in the book, Atto Yawson was strenuously educated by his poor parents. After he had completed his studies in college he returned to his village to settle with his people and started working. He brought with him a western-style wife. The wife, Eulalie Rosh, lived an extravagant life style to the embarrassment of her husband.
As a young man, he needed to settle down quickly with his parents together with his wife, but his wife proved to be a serious headache for him. His earnings was supposed to be carefully spread between the parents and his loving wife. It was a miscalculation as he realized later because his wife was insensitive and aloof to his husband’s tradition, indifferent to the family and at the same time wanted to live a life that could not allow her husband to save and help his people who struggled to educate him. This scenario was all in Ghana.
Let me come to our current day Sierra Leone. Our soldier who has become president of this loving Republic of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio came back to be President after handing over as a military ruler in 1996. He was democratically elected in 2018, to the highest office in the land amid national and international acclaim. He was credited as a peace maker during Sierra Leone’s 10 years civil war and as a democrat because he over saw a multi-party democratic election and willingly handed power over.
His political party, the SLPP, stood firmly behind him to be elected twice to office as president. As the looming succession battle surfaces, the SLPP is currently facing factional differences which has reared its ugly head in Sierra Leone’s political landscape. Many people in Sierra Leone have decided to be silent on the issue not because they don’t want to but because it involves the first couple. Nevertheless, some light needs to be shed on this thorny issue.
Honestly, the SLPP has embarrassed President Julius Maada Bio and the country. From the recent statements of our First Lady in Kono, it is evident that there is a rift and fallout between Madam Fatima Bio and one of President Bio’s trusted henchmen, David Moinina Sengeh. President Bio does not want to miss out a young man, who won the award of “best minister” in the world and who has been very instrumental in the party coming to power and winning a second term. At the same time, he does want to step on the toes his legally wedded wife who has also been there for him.
In a situation like this he is at a crossroad. And taking a cue from the book ‘’Dilemma of A Ghost’’ where it is quoted “Shall I go to Elmina or ‘’Shall I go to Gold Coast?” It is clear that he cannot live without the two of them together. It is getting bitter and our president is on a tight rope and needs to strike a fine balance or else.
The book ended with us the readers not knowing who the beleaguered protagonist, Ato Yawson not choosing either the wife or his parents. Back to our situation, President Bio has not publicly condemned either his wife or his Chief Minister. He has been quiet and respectful. But this wrangling within the government and the SLPP must stop somewhere.
It is the duty of senior party elders must rein in to save the situation otherwise winning the 2028 elections will be difficult race for the SLPP.
We all know that “a house divided cannot stand.”
