By Foday Moriba Conteh
In a bid to clear the air on the issue of whether there is a substantive Fullah Chief (Tribal Headman) for the Western Area, members of the Fullah community in Freetown and the country as a whole has on Saturday 15th February, 2020 disclosed that there is no Fullah Chief (Tribal Headman) for the Western Area. This disclosure was made during a meeting at Wilberforce Village in Freetown convened by members of the Fullah Community geared towards updating its members over the issue of the Western Area Fullah Tribal Head.
Speaking during the meeting, a member of the Fullah Community, Alhaji Abdul Razak Bah, stated that there is no Fullah Chief /Tribal Headman in the Western Area and the position remains vacant until an official appointment by His Excellency, The President Dr. Julius Maada Bio.
He furthered that after the death of Chief Justice Abdulai Bapateh Timbo the issue regarding the leadership of the Fullah Community arose and to address the thorny issue Vice President Juldeh Jalloh called Alhaji Umaru Monoma Bah and eight Fullah personalities delegation out of which Chief Alhaji Mohamed Sajor Jalloh was appointed to act for a period of six months as stipulated in the letter that was issued to him by the Vice President.
He noted that this six month period has long overdue since the 6th November, 2019 and since then Chief Alhaji Mohamed Sajor Jalloh has been occupying the position which they consider to be illegal, noting that according to the agreement after the six months period he was supposed to act he should not show any interest but rather act as a referee to mediate until finally a substantive Tribal Head is appointed meaning that he should be independent.
He, however, lamented that after the end of his six months period he went ahead and declared his intension to contest for the position saying such is a breach of the contract that they signed.
Against this background, he called on the President of Sierra Leone to know that there is an issue among the Fullah community so that he can intervene, adding that the Fullah people are peaceful and law abiding but underscored that this issue has the tendency to destabilize the Fullah Community in the country stating how already there are divisions within them alleging that the current Acting Fullah Chief for the Western Area is discriminating against certain portions of the Fullah community.
He also called on the members of the Fullah community to be united like never before reiterating that there is no Fullah Chief (Tribal Headman)for the Western Area until His Excellency President Maada Bio appoints somebody to be the able Chief in that capacity.
National Chairlady, Duwajabi Cooperation-Sierra Leone, Suwadu Bah, also called on the Fullah community to be united saying unity is strength. She called on her fellow compatriots to maintain the peace within the Fullah community.
She maintained that Duwajabi Cooperation- Sierra Leone was formed to serve as an auxiliary body to the Tribal Head which, she said, they have been doing during the tenure of past Western Area Tribal Headman.
Suwadu disclosed that Alhaji Abdul Razak Bah has been very supportive towards not only the Duwajabi Cooperation- Sierra Leone but the entire Fullah Community stating that he is more than qualified to be the next Fullah Tribal Head for the Western Area. She also called on the requisite stakeholders to find an amicable settlement to the dispute within the Fullah Community in Sierra Leone.
Dr. Bailah Leigh, a member of the Fullah Community, expressed appreciation to the Fullah community for maintaining the peace even in the midst of difficult times and further urged them to continue to do so admonishing that with unity the sky will be their limit
He said the Fullah people all over the world are known to be law abiding and encouraged them to uphold the good image.
The meeting was graced by the Chairman and Leader of the National Fullah Youth Liberation Movement, Silvin Bah, Principal Assistant to Late Chief Justice Alimamy Abdulai Bapateh Timbo, Chief Alimamy Njai Alie, members of Fullah Progressive Union, Chiefs and Imams, who also delivered statements on the said issue.
In a related development, when this medium contacted Chief Alhaji Mohamed Sajor Jalloh, the current Acting Fullah Head, to comment on the said allegation and issue he responded that indeed a letter was issued to him to act in that capacity but wants a proof that he was only given six months to act. “Publish the said letter displaying the area stating the six months period,” he stressed.
