NEWS > Commentaries The More The SLPP Explain, the Messier it Gets Posted by on Jun 18, 2008, 20:59

It would have been most difficult to entertain the thought that a misunderstanding between Messers John O. Benjamin and J.B. Dauda would ultimately involve the SLPP encyclopedia, Dr Sama Siama Banya.

Indeed, the Guest Commentary entitled, “Between two SLPP Finance Ministers: where lies the Truth” which was published in the Monday, June 16, 2008 edition of the “New Vision” newspaper by Francis Cooper has opened up a Pandora’s box of intrigue and marginalization strategies a’ la SLPP.

For the purpose of this commentary, portions of the Cooper’s piece will be quoted verbatim.  For example, Mr. Cooper stated that, “there is no record of John Benjamin having plotted against J.B. Dauda to replace the later as Finance Minister; there was no negotiated deal for John Benjamin’s loyalty as suggested by certain mischievous and unimaginative minds either on the media or in political circles doing the rounds with a divisible potential for SLPP cohesion”.  Just as Mr. Cooper is absolutely right in making the above assertion, he, too, is not in any position to either confirm or deny the allegations contained in the proffered John Benjamin plot to replace J.B. Dauda.

As the great William Shakespeare observed, “there is no art to tell the minds construction from the face”.  “The mischievous and unimaginative minds” were neither there for any negotiated deal nor were you Mr. Cooper.  Such deals are usually neither written nor owned up to by the participants and are almost, always, disowned.

However, in light of the expressed and intense desire and desperation of Mr. Solomon Berewa to be the SLPP leader and Presidential flag bearer, it may just be possible that a negotiated deal was struck between John Benjamin and Solo B that cannot be easily dismissed with the wave of the hand.  Desperate people usually do desperate things.

Mr. Cooper would have done very well for the SLPP by “letting sleeping dogs lie”.  The statement, ‘it was at Makeni that Dr. Banya confronted (?) John Benjamin that President Kabbah and Solomon Berewa had made up their minds to reshuffle J.B. Dauda upon return to Freetown and that it was decided that Kailahun should retain (?) that position and Benjamin was asked to nominate someone to fill the vacancy”.  Mr. Cooper’s historic analysis of the perceived role of John Benjamin is extremely interesting.

To obtain the guidelines for district ministerial nominations, the SLPP National headquarters was visited in order to obtain former President Kabbah’s memorandum on the same issue.  The numerous complaints made by party members that some districts (TONKOLILI) had more ministers than the others (KAILAHUN, PUJEHUN) influenced Alhaji Kabbah to recommend the equalization of district ministerial nominations.  Each district would be entitled to two ministerial nominations with the district party (SLPP) executive nominating one person.

Professor Ngevao was the SLPP district chairman and not John Benjamin who was the District Council Chairman.  These are clearly two distinct positions.  The policy mandated the district chairman to be the contact person. So, why did Dr. Banya ‘confront” Benjamin and “asked him to nominate somebody to fill in the vacancy?”  It must, also, be stated that John Benjamin was also the chairman for the Segbwema (Njaluahun) constituency.

When Dr. John Karimu and Alhaji Abdulai Kakay were rejected, John Benjamin recommended Dr. Kadi Sesay of the Tonkolili district when it was clearly stated that the position was to be filled by somebody from Kailahun district.

Were John Benjamin and Dr. Banya (National SLPP chairman) aware of the presence of Mrs. Alice Lansana, Dr. Kormoh, Principal Kawa, Emmanuel Gaima, Sahr Kpulun, Dr. Lansana Nyallay, Peter Kuyembeh, Foday Sawi and others?  Was John Benjamin really pressured into taking the job? Who pressured him? Was it former President Kabbah, Mr. Solomon Berewa or Dr. Banya?

The SLPP is currently in a negative peace situation.  Writing and analyzing misdeeds are old issues that should and must be forgotten should the organization achieve its goal.  The SLPP encyclopedia should learn to ignore issues that will continue to create disunity.