By Paul Lamin in Kenema
The Paramount Chief of Small –Bo Chiefdom, PC Mohamed Dhafie Benya, in an exclusive interview with this medium, stated that he has never declared for any political party in Sierra Leone since he came back from the United States of America over a decade and some years ago unlike some other colleagues who had done so.
PC Benya made this clarification over the weekend in Blama in a bid to dispel rumors surrounding his allegiance to the opposition All People’s Congress. He said, as a peaceful citizen, he has the right to make acquaintances and stay committed to his conscience in serving his people and the nation at large.
PC Benya emphasized that he is not a card carrier of any political party in Sierra Leone as at now, but some ill- motivated individuals have kept on aligning him with the APC Party, a situation he described as unfortunate and therefore warned detractors to stop forthwith.
The Paramount Chief of Small-Bo Chiefdom revealed that during his twenty seven years stay in the United States of America he had liked the way Americans play their politics, which is devoid of malice and grudge. He felt it was the same here.
“I decided to go into politics, initially, to change the mindset of Sierra Leoneans, but I realized that it was pretty difficult and that this is the more reason why I have decided to remain quiet until the appointed time”, Chief Benya noted
The no nonsense chief stated that, even though he was not a member of the Sierra Leone People’s Party, he has admired some major steps taken by the Bio-led government in correcting some of the archaic ways of politicking in this country. He urged Sierra Leoneans to learn to accept one another irrespective of political or regional backgrounds.
He calls on the New Direction Transition Team to focus on uniting the country and not to emulate the bad politics of previous regimes.
The Paramount Chief concluded by stressing that the role of Paramount Chiefs is traditional, and the laws are customary as enshrined in Sections 72(1) of the 1991 Constitution.