Sierra Leonean TV Presenter and Producer, Phebean Swill has explained the reason that made Ambassador Kao Denero to dismissed her from the Entertainment Board.

According to the TV Presenter, her dismissal came after making a post on social media about the fuel cost. The screenshot of the post was taken to the official WhatsApp group of the Entertainment Board where Kao Denero instructed her to delete the post. On her refusal to delete the post, the Ambassador used his power and sacked the TV Presenter.

Phebean also shared a moment of joy after being certified as a Mandela Washington Fellow under the Young African Leaders Initiative by the United States Government the same yesterday after her dismissal.

On her Facebook page, she explained;

“Yesterday was a very significant day that partly defines me. I’m glad I refused to be inducted into mediocrity and sycophancy. Rather, I worked hard enough to become an alumna of a prestigious fellowship.
I was appointed a board member by Ambassador #KAODENERO in a release that was issued by the office of the Ambassador of Entertainment and Investment.

Many have asked me why I agreed to work with him. Here’s why:
1) Kao Denero has been and will always be like a brother to me. There’s mutual respect between us.
2) He has very good intentions to grow and develop the entertainment industry. I appreciate and admire his commitment to his work. He takes his responsibilities very seriously. He is diligent!
The only challenge is the “how” he does it.
3) The previous government left the entertainment industry unstructured because we somehow refused to put our differences aside and be “united” in the interest of our industry. I don’t want that same excuse to be used against us by this government. So, I worked with Kao and provided the best of service even without a clear definition by him on the TOR of the board.

Yesterday, the Ambassador posted a screenshot of my Facebook post about the fuel increase (find screenshot of post attached) in the Entertainment Board WhatsApp group.

This was his caption “Good morning board members. I was brought to the notice of this post made by one of our board members. I mean as much as am aware that we are all independent and free to do as we feel or like. But things like this derails our joint effort in getting the support we are all yarning for. Sister swill it will be nice if you can kindly delete such on behalf of the board. Thanks.”

I respectfully told him I won’t. I said to him “Ambassador Kao, with due respect sir, I will not delete that post. I’m entitled to freely express myself (within the ambit of the law) regardless of my status as entertainment board member. That has absolutely nothing to do with the board.
Thank you sir.”

His response was “Ok Swill I respect your opinion my sister. My decision as an ambassador will be to respectfully disassociate ourselves from you. So, from now henceforth I will remove you off the board group. I won’t engage in no social media back and forth on this. Thank you and God bless.”

His response came after some board members (Hawanatu Konneh, Desmond Benya, DJ Prezo, Ing. Kamson) supported the Ambassador that I should delete the post because it doesn’t make the board “look good” 😂.
They probably forgot that I am NOT a political appointee. I’m NOT a loyalist to any party but my country. I love my Sierra Leone much more.

Anyway, I want to kindly appeal to members of the entertainment industry to please support Ambassador Kao and his board in any way possible. Not for their sake, but for the sake of our industry. Just so that government don’t end up ignoring its responsibility with us on an excuse that we can’t work together.

On a more important note, I got certified as a Mandela Washington Fellow under the Young African Leaders Initiative by the United States Government the same yesterday. The coincidence of both happenings on the same makes me feel so good. I could’ve deleted my post upon Ambassador Kao Denero’s instruction. But by doing so I would’ve betrayed my identity as a Mandela Washington Fellow – a Young African Leader. I’ve committed myself to be a part of my country’s solutions and not a part of its problems. I refuse to be a mediocre or a sycophant!
My certificate was signed by the PRESIDENT of THE UNITED STATES of AMERICA #joebiden
This is huge for me!!!! It’s a win!!! I’m soaring!”