Controversy Erupts as Dr. Sylvia Blyden Claims SLPP Ministers Influenced Removal of Her Image from Canada-Based Conference Flier
Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden has alleged that two government ministers pressured organizers of an upcoming Canada-based conference to remove her image from the event flyer, despite her prior confirmation as a speaker.
According to Blyden, she had earlier agreed with the organizers to participate in the conference via videoconference from Freetown due to academic workload. She stated that the original flyer featured her face, but a revised version circulated yesterday excluded her image.
Blyden claims the organizers told her they acted following requests from two Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) ministers. She challenged the public to guess which two of the following five were responsible:
Chief Minister David Sengeh
Foreign Minister Timothy Kabba
Trade Minister Alpha Tex Sesay
Agriculture Minister Henry Kpaka
Tourism Minister Nabeela Tunis
Expressing disappointment, she questioned both the government’s commitment to national unity and the decision of the event organizers.
“Na this kind Government kin day talk about unifying Sierra Leone?” Blyden asked, adding that her removal “to please SLPP ministers” undermines the non-partisan purpose of the conference.