From previous editions
During the 2018 Presidential elections, Strasser's mother endorsed the candidacy of Dr. Samura Kamara of the then ruling APC against Dr. Julius Maada Bio, then in opposition. Bio would eventually emerge as the winner and President of Sierra Leone following a tightly contested run-off election. Despite the above, President Bio invited Strasser to his inauguration ceremony and his first State Opening of Parliament thereby recognising the latter as former Head of State of Sierra Leone. In spite of this genuine move, critics described it as an attempt by Bio to ridicule Strasser.
When Strasser became seriously ill in January 2019, the New Direction government got him admitted to high end Aspen Hospital in the capital Freetown where President Julius Bio visited him. President Bio assured the former Head of State that his government will do everything it takes to help him regain his health. The Commanding Officer at the Military Joint Medical Unit – Lt. Col. Dr Stephen Sevalie told President Bio that Strasser would need treatment in a foreign because the necessary facilities were not available in country.
As “talk and do President, H.E Bio gave executive clearance for Strasser to be evacuated for medical treatment in Ghana. While he was undergoing treatment and being taken good care of in Accra by the Sierra Leone High Commission in Ghana as directed by His Excellency President Bio, critics were again spreading hate and fake news about Strasser and some even killed him in words. As all this drama was going on, President talk and do Bio was quietly building a new home for his brother at Grafton.
Now that Strasser has recovered from his illness and warmly received at the Presidential lodge with keys to his new bungalow handed over to him by President Bio, the critics are again saying it was built for the former by an unknown businessman and others are saying it is Government’s resources. My question to those with such views is why such goodness is only happening now to a former Head of State that had been used and dumped and referred to as "from grace to grass?" Why is it that it is only now that Strasser's dignity has been restored? The answer is simple, it’s the good work of “talk and do Bio.”
In conclusion, it takes a compassionate leader like His Excellency Brigadier (rtd.), Dr Julius Maada Bio, to rescue our former Head of State and restore his once muddled reputation. He deserves to be thanked and commended for such a generous gesture.
Bravo President Bio and congratulations to Captain (rtd.) Valentine E.M Strasser!
The Author: Abubakarr Bah was a prolific Journalist at Cotton Tree News (CTN), Sierra Leone and is now serving as Information Attaché of the Sierra Leone Embassy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
+966567766322
Email: abubakarrsalieubah@gmail.com
Copyright © Politico Online
