NEWS > Commentaries Is Wheeler Dealer Jamal Shallop A Sacred Cow In Sierra Leone? Posted by on Nov 26, 2009, 14:08

An orphan nicknamed “Jumbo’ by the late Dr. Siaka Steven is one of the errand boys of Jamal Shallop and pushing out his thoracic cavity to inform people around “Wilberforce Bottom Mango” that his boss is one of the untouchables and sacred cows in the country and that the exposé of the standard times press has nothing to do with him. For Jumbo to make scathing comments as he parades the street is no surprise to many people as his allegiance and loyalty has since been tied to individuals who are exploiting Sierra Leone under the guise of businessmen and women.

He was brought up by the late Siaka P.Stevens who provided him with everything from feeding to accommodation, and when the late President passed away, his next port of humanitarian assistance was the late ex-President Joseph Saidu Momoh, but when the NPRC of retired Captain Valentine Strasser toppled the Momoh APC government he was among the group of people who celebrated the demise of the APC government and the escape of the late Joseph Saidu Momoh to the Republic of Guinea. He refused to attend the funeral ceremony of the individual who contributed to his existence and comfortable life on planet earth.

He joined the political military bandwagon of the NPRC and became one of their pimp masters, providing young under-age girls for them to quench their sexual desire anytime they needed these brittle bones. He was compensated with a second hand car, which he used to cruise around town portraying himself falsely to the unsuspected and innocent minds. Again, he paid retired Captain Strasser the same coin he showed gratitude with to the late Momoh when Julius Maada Bio in what could be described as a palace coup sent the army Captain almost naked to Guinea.

Jumbo, whose real name has been replaced with the legacy the late Siaka Stevens left with him switched over to Maada Bio and continue providing the same service for him and those dressed in military fatigue that were parading the streets of Freetown in military vehicles driving in terrific or what could be referred to as neck- break speed. He made sure that he was always with them to prove his critics wrong that he is not part of the young and inexperienced military governors of Sierra Leone. The change of baton from military to civilian rule already met Jumbo well prepared for the transition, which made it easy for him to transform himself into a member of the Green Party and always present at the residence of Solomon Berewa at Spur Loop and some times would traveled with him to the provinces to campaign for the 2007 elections.

Little did Mr. Solomon Berewa realize that he was with him for the purpose of awarding contracts to Jamal Shallop. Mr. Jumbo was seen many times shuttling between the Country Lodge Complex and Spur Loop, both the residence and office of Mr. Solomon Berewa. Immediately Dr. Christiana Thorpe announced the 2007 election results and declared Ernest Bai Koroma winner, this dwarfish structure of natural creation became a perpetual visitor to Goderich, the residence of the newly declared winner of the 2007 election. Sometime, he would claim that he went there to inform him about a pending squash game which both of them including Mahmoud Bahsoon used to play in a building at the Wilberforce barracks. He, together with Mahmoud Bahsoon used the squash game to bring onboard Jamal Shallop who now loves squash more than the inventor with his focus on how to grab all government contracts at the various ministries, departments and non-governmental organizations.The squash game at the Presidential Lodge has earned the Shallops Millions of Dollars and Leones at the detriment of the state and a good number of suffering Sierra Leoneans.

Few days back, the same Jumbo visited some press houses with beautiful write-ups on Jamal Shallop. The contents of the publication done by some media houses for Four Hundred Thousand Leones, per full page carried the same monotonous message about how the Shallops had built schools in Blama, cared for the handicapped, and bury the dead, forgetting that what he has squeezed the nation of is far incompatible to the cost of the school building and the Le2.5 Million he is dishing out monthly to the disabled in Freetown. The number of contracts bagged since the days of the late Siaka Stevens to the current administration of Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma cannot in anyway be measured to the token he is giving out in the name of generosity or what his public relation team called patriotism. Perhaps, patriotism to them means inflating bills and remitting the profits to Beirut, leaving Sierra Leone dry.

If Jumba can utter statement publicly about the immunity of his boss, such should not be treated with a pinch of salt or the wave of the hand. This is to tell Sierra Leoneans the proximity of the Anti Corruption Boss, Mr. Abdul Tejan Cole to Jamal Shallop and that whatever crime his boss may commit, the ACC would not have the moral obligation to investigate and charge him to court, because both of them are close and may have taken an oath to live and not be prosecuted. One begins to see the bias, partial and selective arm of the Anti Corruption Commission.

It is like Animal Farm, which says All Animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. Jumbo has made it known that those Mr. Abdul Tejan Cole and his Commission are investigating are sub-human beings who are fit for the gallows, leaving the humans to continue reaping this nation and drying the coffer of Sierra Leone, whose economic activities are deplorable and laughable. Mr. Tejan Cole, if what Jumbo said yesterday is anything to go by, should know that the $1.4 Million is part of the donor fund provided by humanitarian organizations to improve the health sector in Sierra Leone, and not meant for one individual to beautify his home and Lebanon-Beirut.