THE VINDICATION OF ERNEST KOROMA

Africa will gain immensely from the recent acquittal of a former Sierra Leonean leader, writes MONDAY PHILIPS EKPE

Year 2023 did not end exactly the way former Sierra Leonean President, His Excellency, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, had anticipated. Out of the blues, allegation of a coup plot to violently unseat the government of President Julius Maada Bio was weaved around his neck. The investigations that followed didn’t unravel any concrete evidence against him. Yet, in the manner of what obtains in countries without strong, unbiased justice systems, it was clear that the legal processes could go wrong rapidly. That apprehension went outside the borders of the idyllic but beleaguered West African country. However, a timely relief, a “deus ex machina”, came his way in the form of a bail to seek medical attention in Nigeria.

And last week, well over two years after that intervention, Dr Koroma received another good news. The Office of Sierra Leone’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice announced the termination of all the criminal charges raised against him. It derived its powers from the country’s Section 45 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 2024. The Information Minister of Sierra Leone, Chernor Bah, was reported to have told the BBC that the sudden u-turn occurred on health grounds. Whatever the rationale, the significance of the moment mustn’t be confined to narrow motivations and interpretations. An action capable of redefining and realigning an entire nation is now in motion. Sierra Leone is due for general elections in two years’ time. So, bringing the symbolic head of the main opposition party, All People’s Congress (APC), back to the country would indeed be a smart move by the government in power if it’s keen on demonstrating a commitment to cohesion, equity and electoral decency.

Yes, many analysts and observers continue to view the initial accusations against Koroma as phoney. But then, mistreatments and injuries inflicted for whatever reasons do happen and they won’t stop now. The latest government’s gesture, at least on the surface, shows that President Bio is magnanimous. Posterity may even give him flowers. Who knows? Koroma himself, in a statement on the discontinuation of his trial, has expressed his gratitude first to God, then to President Bio, and thereafter to other critical actors like the leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

Koroma’s reaction reveals his acclaimed essence: a man at peace with himself, whose vision is propelled by an assurance of a brighter tomorrow. His words: “My faith has remained anchored in His (God) providence and in the enduring conviction that peace, justice and reconciliation must always triumph over adversity… Our country has overcome far greater trials because we have always found the wisdom to place nation above self, to build bridges of understanding, strengthen the bonds that unite us and work together in pursuit of a stable and prosperous Sierra Leone for present and future generations…. I remain committed to every sincere effort that advances peace, strengthens our democracy and promotes the welfare of our people.”

That characteristic, manicured response isn’t surprising to persons who have followed the public life of the man who presided over Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018. His personality was a huge factor in nurturing the country back to normalcy after its internecine 11-year Civil War that was officially proclaimed ended in January 2002 by the late President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. In March 2014, the then Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, described Sierra Leone as one of the world’s sterling examples of post-war recovery and peaceful coexistence. To prove that the accolade wasn’t a fluke, at the end of Koroma’s tenure, the Global Peace Index declared the country as West Africa’s most tranquil nation and Africa’s third. 

How many people remember that Sierra Leone was the continent’s fastest-growing economy in 2014? That feat succumbed to the morbid weight of Ebola pandemic which arrived at its shores in May that year, unfortunately. By the time it was pronounced over by the government in March 2016, the mass death harbinger had done its worst. Not to also mention the unprecedented and devastating mudslides that hit the capital in August 2017. The responsibility of steering the ship of state at those excruciating periods statutorily rested on Koroma. That he shouldered it creditably and went on to conduct the elections which removed his own party from office shouldn’t ever be dismissed as inconsequential. That’s the signature of a true statesman.  

Watching him in the dock in Freetown in January 2024 was, therefore, painful for many. In my column first published in THISDAY on January 18, 2024 titled, “The Travails of Ernest Bai Koroma”, I voiced out the concerns of many others. It reads in part: “It’s quite ironic that Koroma may indeed have become a victim of his own magnanimity and sense of fairness. Much of Africa is still not a continent where standard democratic practices thrive, where the fidelity of the ballot is a given. Incumbent presidents do manipulate elections and their outcomes, many times brazenly, to their advantage…. Koroma’s current tribulation could appear to be a fight for his own image and future but the ramifications extend beyond that. He has earned a respectable spot as a national, regional and continental icon, a status his rivals may have to live with for a long time….

“Time is running out. So much noise has been made about the effort of ECOWAS to get Koroma relocated to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, away from the dangerous moves going on in the country fondly called ‘Salone’ by its citizens. Call it safe-landing. Call it rescue from sharks and leviathans. Or a sincere step towards avoiding a very present possibility of Sierra Leone’s descent into anarchy. The regional body shouldn’t add this case to the embarrassing illustrations of its waning stature. Bio must be helped to act responsibly and presidentially.”

Thankfully, happy ending is in sight. Bio has listened to the voice of reason – belatedly or otherwise – and acted accordingly. Happily, Koroma’s story is progressing nicely once again. He’ll continue with his role as African Union (AU) and ECOWAS’ distinguished representative to various nations for electoral and other purposes, a position obtained through his excellent democratic pedigree. Now, as Sierra Leone’s only living ex-president who has demonstrated unimpeachable devotion to his country’s lasting growth, Koroma should be positioned to contribute more even on the global stage. For this respected moral compass and a member of Africa’s limited club of genuine elite democrats, the best could still be ahead.

Dr Ekpe is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board

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