The Betrayal: Or Was It?

The controversy has intensified debate on political decorum and internal dynamics within Sierra Leone’s ruling party. Critics described her actions as a breach of protocol and disrespectful.

The recent video, which has gone viral and out of control online, depicting SLPP members of parliament singing and jeering at the first lady as she walked into the Chamber of Parliament during the state opening ceremony, has evoked a plethora of critical questions and humorous views from Sierra Leoneans. Why did she receive such embarrassment from her party members?

First Lady Fatima Jabbie Bio

During the State Opening of Sierra Leone's Parliament in August 2025, a noteworthy incident occurred involving First Lady Fatima Maada Bio. As she entered the Parliament chamber, some Members of Parliament mockingly chanted phrases such as "You coco roast oh" and "D Mami e coco burn." Observers interpreted these remarks as sarcastic jabs directed at the First Lady, particularly in light of her perceived political setbacks following the recent internal elections of the Sierra Leone People's Party.

"Cocoa Roast!" Krio adage meaning yours is better off. But when used mockingly, it implies “you’re burnt!". In any case, “hint know en master kaba slot know en missus"(The hint knows its master) As the chaos in the SLPP camp rages on, na watch en listen we get. Let the music play

— Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara (JFK) (@JFKSalone) August 9, 2025

In a notable deviation from established protocols, Fatima Bio decided to remain seated as President Julius Maada Bio and Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh entered the chamber. Her choice to stay seated, despite instructions for attendees to stand, raises questions about the symbolism and implications of her actions during this significant political event.

The First Lady was also seen wearing earphones during the President’s keynote speech, which sparked speculation about her disengagement or possible tensions within the First Family.

Fatima Bio shares her side of the story in her own words.

As a politician, she recently faced a significant setback when nearly all the members of her camp who were competing for national positions with the support of the first lady lost. Her camp was unable to establish authority and presence within the party's national executive.

The Betrayal: Or Was It?

The First Lady downplayed the theatrics of SLPP MPs in parliament and attributed the behavior to a few older men who envy her. She stated that it is not the SLPP party itself that is against her. While there may be some truth to her assertion, she should be concerned that members of her own party would resort to jeering at her during such a significant state function.

Overconfident or delusional? Was it betrayal, or was it not? If there's anything she can learn from this latest setback, it is that 'politics na dorti game.'

She deserves an Oscar for this 'Salvation.'

YAME Digital

---

Historical Evolution of Political Manifestation at the Convention.

How it all started.

“I was treated like a street woman in the Well of Parliament.”

— Source: The First Lady, Fatima Maada Bio, vented out displeasure.

However, there are questions over her conduct to the point where citizens are demanding that parliament summon her for contempt.

Twitter users are not having it with some notable responses. Her craziness exposed.

‘Fatima Maada Bio: A First Lady or a Political Provocateur?’ ~ Albert David @ADkamara1

In the annals of Sierra Leone's democratic journey, few figures have stirred as much controversy, division, and unease as the current First Lady, Fatima Maada Bio. Once celebrated for her advocacy on gender issues, she now finds herself at the center of a storm of political aggression, ethical breaches, and troubling authoritarian tendencies.

Fatima Bio's recent declaration of herself as a politician on social media was not merely symbolic; it marked a shift from ceremonial influence to direct political maneuvering. Her rhetoric, including the chilling invocation of "mob justice" against critics of the SLPP Government, is not only undemocratic but dangerously incendiary. In a country still healing from the wounds of civil unrest, such language is not just irresponsible, it is reckless.

Her directive to block the opposition APC from establishing a party office in Kailahun District is a blatant affront to political pluralism. Democracy thrives on dissent, not on the silencing of opposition. Yet under her influence, several prominent female voices, Femi Claudius-Cole, Zainab Sheriff, Hawa Hunt, and so on, have faced arrest, intimidation, and unlawful incarcerations. These are women who dared to speak, to protest, to challenge. Their treatment is a stain on the nation's conscience.

Perhaps most disturbing is the First Lady's silence in the face of state-sponsored violence against women. A female protester was beaten and molested inside the State House and later taken into custody. Another woman was shot dead by state security at the APC headquarters during a press conference. These are not mere political incidents; they are human tragedies. And yet, Fatima Bio, who once championed women's rights, has not issued a single condemnation. Her silence is not neutrality; it is complicity.

Her orchestration of SLPP lower-level elections excludes female representation, while ensuring her male loyalists were elected, speaks volumes about her political ambition. The suggestion that she is positioning herself for a presidential bid in 2028 is not inherently problematic, but the methods she employs are. Undermining democratic norms, attacking party stalwarts like Prince Harding and David Sengeh, and sowing division within her own party are not the marks of visionary leadership. They are the tactics of a political opportunist.

Her conduct during the State Opening of Parliament, refusing to stand for the Vice President, Speaker, and even her husband, the President, while wearing earphones during his speech, was not just a breach of protocol. It was a symbolic rejection of institutional respect. Even SLPP MPs, her supposed allies, responded with chants of disapproval. So, Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio, here is the question that every Sierra Leonean, especially every woman, deserves to ask you: How do you reconcile your ambition to lead a nation with your repeated failure to uphold the ethical, inclusive, and respectful standards that leadership demands?

Leadership is not about dominance. It is about dignity. It is not about silencing critics. It is about listening. And it is certainly not about political bullying. It is about building bridges.

---

“Lamentation of Fatima Madaa Bio: The SLPP Puts the Final Nail on the Coffin of Feminism in SaLone.”

— Source: Prof. Dr. Prince Hycy Bull

The Systematic Marginalization of Women Under the SLPP Must End.

Since 2018, the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) has systematically marginalized women from various sectors of the country, often under the guise of politics and the law. Instead of fostering gender equality and empowerment, the party has overseen the steady deconstruction of female leadership and influence in public life.

From respected journalist and politician Sylvia Olayinka Blyden to the former Auditor General Lara Taylor-Pearce, from former Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr to health expert and administrator Femi Claudius-Cole, the pattern is unmistakable. These women have faced intimidation, legal targeting, and public vilification — not because they failed in service, but seemingly because they dared to serve with distinction.

The most recent example, Hawa Tombo, faced intense scrutiny and ridicule, and once again, much of the public remained silent — complicit in apathy. Emboldened by this silence, the SLPP has now turned inward, targeting Fatima Maada Bio, the First Lady herself — once seen as the symbolic face of feminism within the current administration.

This descent into political cannibalism, where even the party’s most visible female figure is not spared, reveals the depth of the problem. It’s no longer just about opposition politics — it’s about erasing female agency, voice, and visibility from national leadership.

This cannot go unchallenged.

All Sierra Leoneans, especially women, must recognize what is at stake. The issue is no longer partisan. It is a national crisis of representation, equity, and justice. The time for silence has passed. The time for action — real, unified, and fearless — is now.

A Call to Action for the Women of the SLPP — and All Women of Sierra Leone

To every woman within the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP): the time has come to reflect on what your continued allegiance means. The party has shown, time and again, that it has no sustainable vision for women in leadership — no commitment to genuine gender equality. From the silencing of outspoken women to the recent targeting of First Lady Fatima Maada Bio, it is now painfully clear: the SLPP does not protect or uplift its women — it marginalizes them.

This is no longer about political loyalty. It is about survival, dignity, and purpose.

I call upon all women in the SLPP to resign and join a new, united front — with Femi Claudius Cole, a woman of principle, courage, and vision — to build a strong, independent feminist movement in Sierra Leone.

We cannot continue to normalize silence. We cannot watch our sisters be humiliated, dismissed, or erased.

Women of Sierra Leone, this is the moment to rise. To speak. To organize. To lead. HOHAJOME! (Your time is now.)