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The year, 2022, will not be forgotten in a hurry by Sierra Leoneans because of a number of notable events.
Some of them were not only memorable but gathered momentum and shaped socio-economic and political consciousness in Sierra Leone. The list does include the controversial release of a convicted criminal LAC, Leone’s stars participation at AFCON, Re-domination of the Leone, APC Crisis, Dominion University and Fake Degree saga, Housemates Salone, August 10 protest, Kush invasion and many more.
In no particular order, Sierraloaded presents 20 major events that watered the ground, whetted Sierra Leoneans’ appetite, aroused political consciousness and dominated the media space in the outgoing year.
LAC’s Controversial Release
Sierra Leoneans woke up to the news on January 1, 2022 that Baimba Moiforay alias LAC, an herbalist, murder convict and alleged killer of popular Sierra Leonean Disc Jockey, DJ Clef had received presidential pardon.
The controversial release of a convicted murderer LAC who is yet to complete one fourth of his sentence at the male Correctional sentence has attracted wide criticism from Sierra Leoneans.
Following wide condemation, President Dr Julius Maada Bio revoked with immediate effect the clemency granted to LAC after finding out that he was not supposed to be on the list of convicts to be pardoned, leading to the dismissal of Attorney- General just hours after a photo of him and convict LAC who was controversially pardoned leaked on social media.
However, LAC was no longer in Sierra Leone as at the time the pardon was revoked. Two immigration officials of the Sierra Leone Immigrations Department, Abubakarr Sesay and Michael Momoh Bassie were eventually arrested for allegedly aiding the escape of LAC.
Leone Stars at AFCON
The Sierra Leone national football team, Leone Stars returned to Africa’s flagship competition, AFCON for the first time since their second participation in South Africa in 1996. The Continental Showpiece was held in Cameroon from January 9th to February 6th 2022.
The Leone Stars, making their first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations had drawn their first two games against defending champions Algeria and two-time winners Ivory Coast to give themselves a chance of going through. However, they failed to secure the needed points against Equatorial Guinea to progress to the next stage of the competition.
The Leone Stars were zoned in Group E with Algeria, Cote d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea. The team was eliminated at the group stage after securing two draws and losing the final match against Equatorial Guinea which would have made them qualify.
Cabinet Reshuffle
As it his usual style since assuming office, President Julius Maada Bio reshuffled his cabinet in the year 2022.
This saw the sacking and replacing of several senior government appointees and employees including the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Presidential Spokesman, Inspector General of Police and several others.
Alie Kabba was sacked while Yusuf Keketoma Sandi was replaced as the presidential spokesperson by Alhaji Alpha Kanu. The President also named Mr. Sahr Hemore as the Deputy Minister 2 at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Food Security, and Rtd. Colonel Binneh Conteh as Commissioner for the Sierra Leone Small Arms Commission. Political Commentator and Social Media Influencer, Michael Berewa was also appointed as the Director of Communications, Office of the President. Lt Gen Peter K. Lavahun was named as the new chief of Defence Staff and William Fayia Sellu as New Inspector General of Police.
Boss La’s Arrest
In June this year, Popularrapper and CEO of Red Flag Muzik (RFM) Alhaji Amadu Bah professionally named Boss La was arrested at Upgun, in the Eastern part of Freetown on allegations of robbing with violence.
The incident took place at the Leonco gas Station, at the West part of Freetown. According to sources Boss La who was in a vehicle with other celebrities heading to Guinea on a match with Leone Stars caused mayhem at the gas station and violently assaulted the pump attendant.
Few hours to Boss La’s arrest, news hit the media of the arrest of friends of Boss La on allegations of riotous misconduct at Benghazi, OSD Headquarters. The likes of Ishmail Rappish Bah, Rahim, Don Creek etc.
It could still be recalled that despite the offence is bailable, Boss La’s has not been granted bail since his arrest on June, 2022. He had appeared Magistrate Court severally until his case was sent to High Court.
However, There seem to be a sign of light at the end of the tunnel as three of the arrested victims of the Boss La saga were granted bail few days ago.
Kush Saga
Among the challenges the country faces in this 2022 was curbing the massive consumption of Kush among Sierra Leonean youths. Kush has been one of the most effective drugs of late amongst youths, making them lose consciousness within the shortest possible time and behave abnormally.
When the Kush Saga hit the blue app, Facebook, it was a huge shock to many Sierra Leoneans when the trend of Kush consumption moves from just ghetto to professional workers. The rate of intake of such drug became a cuase for alarm raised by many factions within society.
Following up to the first video that surfaced the media, two military officials were spotted misbehaving and sleep standing after taking Kush on duty. This video went viral with many reactions for Sierra Leoneans. Other factions of people went into a Kush challenge after the first video, few hours after the first, Police officers, EDSA personnel and disgruntled youths went into the race.
With the rampant consumption of Kush in the country, this raised alarm to the extent of fear in the minds of citizens. To many Sierra Leoneans, the fear was, what if Doctors, Lawyers and other important stakeholders of the country went into the race? The effect will be devastating.
Alpha Khan to SLPP
On January 11, 2022, President Bio appointed opposition politician, Alhaji Alpha Bakarr Sidiq Kanu as Resident Minister North-Western Province.
Before his appointment, the former Honourable served as Minister of Presidential and Public Affairs and also Spokesman for the All People’s Congress political party under the previous government of former President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.
Later in July, Alpha Kanu was appointed as the new President Spokesman replacing Yusuf Keketoma Sandi. Since then, Kanu has dramatically switched tents to the Sierra Leone People’s Party causing discomfort among opposition politicians.
Introduction of PR System.
In October 2022, President Julius Maada Bio directed the Electoral Commision of Sierra Leone to conduct the 2023 parliamentary elections under the Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system.
The pronouncement was quickly rejected by the opposition All People’s Congress. However, the party’s lawmakers failed to block the passing of the bill after it was presented in Parliament in December. The controversial bill had generated a fight in parliament which saw lawmakers exchanging blows in the house. Nonetheless, the Parliament of Sierra Leone on Thursday, 8 December 2022 passed into law the District Block and Proportional Representation (PR) System for the conduct of the June 24, 2023 multi-tier elections.
Detention of opposition Politicians
According to a Police spokesman, Hon. Mohamed Bangura was arrested in relation to an on-going investigation into the violence that took place in Constituency 056 in Sambaia Bendugu at Tonkolili district. Police sources confirmed that he was in their custody at the CID Headquarters in Freetown
The Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr was also reportedly held at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and will charged to court for obstructing the police in performing their duties.
Sierra Leone Police arrested Diana Konomanyi, Femi Claudius-Cole and Karamoh Kabba and detained at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Femi Claudius-Cole arrest came after she accompanied Diana Konomanyi who had been invited to the CID in regards to a video she made encouraging her Kono people not to take part in the census.
Although Femi personally had no invitation, the Police decided to detain her as well at least for a statement. For this, Femi insisted that if they were going to interrogate her about statements she made in the media about the census, they needed to bring the transcript or play the video or audio. After communication between CID and the Attorney General’s office, it was decided that she should be held until they get the transcript, however long it takes.
Karamoh Kabba of APC was also arrested allegedly for riotous conduct. It was confirmed by a Police officer, that Mr. Kabba was not in the procession but a senior officer named Senessie apparently ordered that he should be arrested and added to the group. They were all charged to Court.
Inspector General of Police, Ambrose Sovula Sacked
News reached this media that President Bio sacked erstwhile iInspector General of police Ambrose sovula .It is not clear why he was sacked. However there were wide spread speculation that the former Inspector-General of Police, Ambrose Sovula, was sacked for negligence with regards to the alleged cocaine container which was reportedly switched under his supervision. The fired Inspector General of police Ambrose Sovula was replaced by IG Fayia Sellu
The police took custody of the said container and later opened it in public view only to find in it un-stashed of frozen chicken and frozen sausages, with no arms, or drugs uncovered.
But soon after, Dr Sylvia Blyden and the Awareness Times mounted series of Investigations from which they found out that a Maersk Line shipping container (containing frozen chicken) identical to the suspected Cocaine container was switched with the suspected container behind closed gates of Senior Police Officers Mess at Kingtom
Awareness Times Newspaper’s reports had evidence of a photo showing the process of the switch during which a very senior Police officer violently chased them out of the premises for the crime of “staying behind to kongosah” after other journalists had left.
Fuel Crisis and Increments
Throughout 2022, Hundreds of private cars, commercial buses, poda podas, kekes, okadas, and individuals were found waiting in long queues in filling stations across Freetown and other parts of the country in order to purchase fuel.
It was reported that Increment of fuel in Sierra Leone was due to the incremented of fuel barrels in the world market and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The official prices of petroleum products was risen from Le 18,000 to 21,000 per litre, which was preceded by recent scarcity of petroleum products that was sold at a minimum of Le 25,000 in black markets in Freetown and sold at least Le35,000 to 45,000 per litre in the provinces.
Bo Rangers First League Title
On Sunday, May 29, 2022, Bo Rangers were for the first time in history crowned as champions of the Sierra Leone Premier League at the Bo Mini Stadium after beating Central Parade FC by 4-0.
The Rangers got 78 points after playing 34 games, enabling them to win their first league title since the club was founded in 1954. They won 25 matches, with 6 losses, three draws, and 36 goal differences. Musa Kamara of Bo Rangers was awarded as the Best Striker, Best Player of the Season, and Highest Goal Scorer.
In the previous league, which was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Bo Rangers were topping the league with 23 points after playing 13 matches.
Milton Margai Sex For Grade Scandal
On Saturday 8th October 2022, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal (VCP) of the Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU), Dr. Philip John Kanu disclosed to newsmen at his Goderich campus office in Freetown that six lecturers, including Deans of Campuses and Heads of Departments were dismissed for various professional misconduct including sexually harassing female students, promoting and changing the grades of students, inciting colleagues not to teach while four others were sacked for abandoning the classroom for between six and nine months. He asserted that the primary responsibility of his administration is to protect students, especially female students who are vulnerable.
“Some of the lecturers even impregnated the students, used their offices as bedrooms to sleep with them with some of the girls competing for the lecturers in spite of the fact that some of the wives of the lecturers are themselves students. The lecturers also extorted monies from the students and failed those who refused to cooperate regardless of the fact that we had organized series of professional trainings for lecturers and warned them against professional misconduct,” he disclosed.
Housemates Salone
In June 2022, the “yagba” ended, with Julianna Conteh aka ‘Julie Tombo’ emerged as the winner of the Housemates Salone Season 3 edition. Julie received the highest votes casted among the six finalists, which includes; Almon Sall, George Taylor aka Dancing chef, Lolo Simeon, Paul Mbayo and Alice Kanja.
Julie Tombo, who emerged as the winner of Housemates Season 3 took home two hundred and fifty million Leones (Le250,000,000) and a round trip to Dubai.
Housemates Salone is a reality television show produced by Africell and AYV TV. The show featured 22 young men and women living together in an isolated house for two months, with no connection to the outside world, and was viewed live on broadcast TV and Radio, online social media streaming, YouTube and DsTV for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Redenomination or New Leones
On Friday 1st July His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio launched the redenomination of the Leone at the Central Bank and urged financial institutions in the country to extend loan facilities to citizens with low-interest rates.
“The technical experts made a strong case, that there will be a simplification of accounting records and a significant reduction in cash volumes needed for transactions. The inconveniences and inefficiencies of using the old notes will be a thing of the past.
We have removed three zeroes, but the money yesterday is of the same value as the money today, ”president Bio said
Best WASSCE Result
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, David Moinina Sengeh announced on the 26th of September 2022 the results for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination 2022.
According to him, the pass rate for individual papers has climbed from 64% in 2021 to 77% in 2022 and more female students sitting the WASSCE have been recorded for the second year in a row. He said that the pass rate for mathematics and English for this year is 63% and 90% respectively.
The two best candidates for the 2021/2022 WASSCE are females from Kenema District and the top candidates have 6As, 1B, and 1C, there is a tied for the second position and others have 5As and 4Bs.
Making his announcement at the State Broadcaster, Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), Minister Sengeh expresses delight over the outstanding performances of this year’s WASSCE Candidates.
However, the pass rate in English and Mathematics are 63 and 90 per cent respectively. The individual pass rate has increased from 64 percent in 2021 to 77 percent in 2022.
Musa Tombo Saga
Musa hit the news waves again across the world In 2022, after he abandoned yet another lucrative football contract in Libya and returned home to Freetown. His excuse was, hearing gunshots in the neighbourhood. He even threatened to commit suicide if the club refused to allow him to return to Sierra Leone.
Upon Arrival, Musa Tombo disclosed that the went to Libya to test the atmosphere and seelifetimenvironment could befit his life.
many condemned him for not only throwing away a golden but a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Without the benefits of the facts, you can understand some people’s reasons for pouring scorn on his decision to come home
Since then, discussions about the real reason why Musa abandoned his football contract in Libya raged on. Some suggested that Musa was a victim of African black magic. But others who believed in God and a religion dismissed that claim. Musa meanwhile was suspended by the Sierra Leone FA, and later suffered trauma over a relationship saga which led to him stabbing himself
While some believe that the distance from Europe to heaven is just 3 miles, Musa had momentarily chosen to be a king in hell than be a slave in heaven.
APC Crisis
Throughout the year, Sierra Leone’s main opposition party, All People’s Congress (APC) was faced with a legal battle with threatened to hold back the progress of the party that was in governance between 2007 and 2008.
The party spent almost all year awaiting justice Adrian Fisher ruling on the contempt proceedings.
The ruling developed into whether APC complied with the court order on getting five delegates each in 132 constituencies and properly adopted the party-reviewed constitution
No fixed date was initially announced before the high court judge retired for the ruling.
August 10 Protest
On the 8th and 9th of August 2022, an organized group of civilians operated under social media platforms by unknown Sierra Leoneans in and outside Sierra Leone requested a sit-home action across the Country. On the 10th of August 2022, citizens took over the streets of Freetown, Waterloo, Makeni, and Kamakwei towns to demonstrate against the Government In the poor condition of living and injustice.
Thousands of people have mobilized around the country, blocking roads and main supply routes. A confrontation between security forces and demonstrators across the country led to increalaborasualty rates. A curfew was announced by the Vice President to calm the situation.
Dominion University & Fake Degree Scandal
The complaint by a member of the public was sparked by a wide debate about fake academic certificates and institutions in the country.
On the 26th of March 2022, Dominion Christian University (DCU) located in Waterloo, Sierra Leone was seen in a video conferring fake honorary PhDs to Sierra Leoneans under a mango tree. On 16th March, The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) stated in a press release that the institution is “not accredited to operate in Sierra Leone” and directed them to cancel their planned award ceremony. The DCU ignored the commission, arguing that they are globally recognized and registered.
This shameful incident went viral and was accessed by thousands of social media users across the globe.
Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Ezekiel Bangura was apprehended by the Police in the process of awarding fake PhD degrees to their students and went ahead to close their structure.
The situation attracted public debate surrounding fraud degrees and fake institutions illegally operating in Sierra Leone. Critical questions were also asked such as: When did the TEC realize that the institution is not accredited to work in Sierra Leone? Why was the institution not stopped from operating all this while? What could have been done by TEC and the Ministry of Higher Education? How long has the institution worked in the country?
