Why Do We Hate Him? – The Chericoco Fever

Farook Abdul-karim Sesay, Global Public Relations ambassador @ Large

Fareed Zakaria’s cover piece in Newsweek, in 2001, three days after the 09/11 bombings -“Why Do They Hate Us?” – springs eerily to mind. The first thing I hear when people know that I am rooting for lawyer Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah – is the brusque reaction and thick sarcasm. “Chericoco is a fullah! No fullah will or should be allowed to be president of this country!” A rapid spate of inexcusable expletives would be follow hurriedly with: “Let Chericoco go to Guinea and fight to be a president there! He would not stand a chance!” Do I sense misguided anger here? Stench of ethnic bigotry and insecurity? Xenophobic sentiments hitting the air? 

Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah Esq ( CHERICOCO) – is the present poster boy of APC party politics! And, currently, he is the man trending effortlessly! But why do some people hate him? For no other obvious motive – but for his ethnicity – being a fullah! His only obvious crime is because of his ethnicity. Lawyer Chericoco is a fullah by tribe. That is the heinous crime, some people say, he has committed. For no other reason – only because of a choice he was not a party to when he was born! To be conceived and born a fullah. Yet, despite his conscious choice and unapologetic loyalty to the only country he was born in – and served diligently and patriotically! If that is a crime – is lawyer Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah guilty? If we are not wallowing in ethnic bigotry, then we should acquit him. For such sentiments have zero tolerance in our nation!

The world is watching.

Liberals are watching! Other minority ethnic groups that see Sierra Leone as their only country, but have closer ties, historically and culturally, to sierra Leone’s neighbouring country – are keenly watching! The Fullahs are watching! From across the globe. Particularly so, in Sierra Leone! The fullahs are numerically, a small percentile group. Yet, like the Jews – both their influence and power, stretch far and wide! Not to mention the Fullah tribe as a very powerful economic powerhouse in Sierra Leone! Politics is swathed in realism and expediency. These two values, when grasped with clarity, and properly harnessed by any political party – hardly lose the plot.

Our world is shrinking exponentially. In every sense of the expression. Our small polity needs to play safe and act smart in the years to come. And, nothing is as pertinently apt and pragmatic as the sagely chosen slogan of the APC standard bearer aspirant, lawyer Chericoco: “ONE VISION. ONE DESTINY. ONE NATION!”

This slogan does not only presage unwarranted sentiments – but prescient to the clear and present ethnic bigotry among a posse of intra political partisans, who have nothing to demonstrate why their preferred choices should be the electable candidate. Only sluicing the puerile and inane sentiment that Lawyer Chericoco, is a fullah by tribe! That is his heinous crime! And, these ethnic bigots find that very egregious and a political perfidy!Through their prism of myopia – that is a political sacrilege! One not to brook. Regardless this very fullah has served the nation as a remarkable three term member of our sacrosanct Parliament. A deputy speaker of that very Parliament. A member of ECOWAS Parliament! And, consecutively, chosen as a two time presidential running mate to Dr Samura Wilson Kamara! Who could be more qualified to complete the unfinished political business that was mired in a quagmire of incontrovertible controversy? If it is not this same fullah, who has shown grit and mettle in battle! Yes, the APC Party’s presidential ticket hopefully, is proud to be a fullah! Yes! Patriotic Sierra Leonean fullah!

A man’s true worth is not known by the colour of his creed or skin. Nor the hue of his ethnicity. But by the colour of his credibility! Lawyer Chericoco, a locally proud fullah and patriotic Sierra Leonean, has shown – and, proven his valour. And, like a patriot and politician of meritorious distinction, who loves and his committed to his APC party – wears that commitment and loyalty, like a badge of honour on his chest and sleeve!

I was movingly touched by Lawyer Chericoco’s call a few days ago to set the records straight on a spurious and specious claim making the rounds in certain quarters. The allegation was about his now deceased mother ( Allah bless her soul)! Haters are telling anyone who would listen that to justify that Chericoco is an unadulterated Guniean – when his mother fell ill and passed away in Sierra Leone – she was taken to Guinea to be buried! That shows, his loyalty and gratitude, are fettered to Guinea. Not Sierra Leone! Such puerile and inane sentimental summation to demonstrate the betrayal of loyalty and allegiance of a son of the soil.

Lawyer Chericoco’s mother fell real ill and unfortunately, passed away in Guinea. For the records! She was buried in Guinea because of a cultural and Islamic imperative. “DO not keep the dead among the living”! A quick Islamic burial ceremony – is both a last show of respect for the dead and a customary rite! If anyone can claim and substantiate within the next thirty days – the flimsy and limp allegation that Lawyer Chericoco’s mother died in Sierra Leone – yet was spirited away deliberately to Guinea ( her ancestral home) – to be laid to rest, I assured Chericoco that I will resign from his campaign team. The APC party presidential hopeful and front-runner – gave me his word that the allegation is an utter smear campaign tactic!

Lawyer Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah is here to stay. To continue his mission. Which is calcified in his modest – yet strong slogan: “ONE VISION. ONE DESTINY. ONE NATION”. Until we stop seeing beyond the colour of lawyer Chericoco’s ethnicity – and, start believing with wholesome alacrity and sincerity, the colour of his political creed and cred – our beleaguered country will never find salvation. Neither will our people see the light!

WHY DO WE HATE HIM?

THE CHERICOCO FEVER!

Farook Abdul-karim Sesay.

Global public Relations ambassador @ Large

THE CHERICOCO CRUSADE