Fullah Tribal Head In Freetown Implicated In Kono Power Struggle

By Aruna Momoh Kargbo

Following the death of Alhaji Almamy Barrie, the former Fullah Tribal Head of Kono District, there have been mixed reactions from various factions within the Fullah Community in the District of Kono with regards leadership succession.
However, what is now clear in this struggle for power is that his then deputy, Alhaji Mamma Jalloh has been installed to serve as Acting Tribal Head until a new leader is appointed by the President.
Expressing their dissatisfaction, those who are at the opposing end stated that Alhaji Mamma Jalloh was appointed by the Fullah Tribal Head in the Western Area, Alhaji Momahed Sajor Jalloh without consultation with the relevant stakeholders and that similar decision was made by Alhaji Mamma Jalloh by appointing Alhaji Basiru Jalloh as his Deputy Tribal Head for Kono District.
They expressed that their norms and traditions demand that at the passing of their Tribal Head, the period of 4 months and 10 days should be observed as mourning period as a way of paying respect to the bereaved family, adding that not even a week was observed.
And they also questioned the involvement of the Fullah Tribal Head in Western Area who stands accused of calling the LUC on the instructions of the Vice President.
Responding to the concerns, the appointed Deputy Tribal Head who also doubles as the Deputy Coordinator of the Eastern Province Alhaji Basiru Jalloh maintained that the appointment of Chief Alhaji Mamma Jalloh as the Fullah Tribal Head of Kono District was a unanimous decision by heads from Freetown, Kono and other parts of the country.
He stated that upon the appointment of Alhaji Mamma Jalloh as Tribal Head, they agreed that the decision rest upon him (Alhaji Mamma Jalloh) to appoint someone to serve as his deputy.
He said that before his appointment as Deputy Tribal Head by Alhaji Mamma Jalloh, he invited the various factions to a meeting informing them that since no one has expressed interest for the position he will appoint someone who is younger than him and also agile.
He said that it is their tradition that at the passing of the Tribal Head before his burial, his deputy should be appointed to serve in his place who then should appoint a deputy.
Public Relations Officer to the Fullah Chieftaincy Kono District Alhaji Ibrahim Bah maintained that after the death and burial of Chief Alhaji Almamy Barrie few people took decisions without their knowledge.
“I was called by elders of our community who explained to me exactly what they wanted and I being the PRO made a voice recording and circulated the message across our membership,” he said.
He stated that two days after the circulation of the message, he received a call from the police at Tankoro Division.
“I went there on Thursday 24th April 2024 and they obtained statement from me. That I was invited for audio message I circulated. After obtaining statement from me, I took more than 2 hours at the station before my release,” he said.
He furthered that on Friday morning again, he was called to the police station and that upon his arrival, he was told that people came who said that the Vice President is not happy that he was released and that he should be detained.
“I was detained for over 4 hours before my release,” he said.
He stated that they later discovered that even though it was alleged that it was the Vice President who instructed for him to be detained, it was all lies.
Responding to the issues, the Fullah Tribal Head in the Western Area, Alhaji Mohamed Sajor Jalloh denied allegations that he was the one who called the police in Kono asking that Alhaji Ibrahim Bah be arrested and detained.
He added that he was detained because of the audio he circulated denouncing the Acting Tribal Head and his Deputy.
According to the police officer who obtained statement from Alhaji Ibrahim Bah when he went to the police station on Thursday, Bah, was invited to the station after a complaint was made by the Fullah Committee in Kono for an audio he circulated but that statement was obtained from him and was later released.
He stated that Alhaji Ibrahim Bah was invited to the police station by the LUC who called him on his phone, but he was doubtful that Alhaji Ibrahim Bah was called to the station on Friday again noting that he cannot comment on that.
He disclosed that his boss received a call from someone who works with the Vice President noting that the Vice President is not happy about the issue.
However, the Local Unit Commander (LUC), Augustine Kamara said that he has no knowledge about the issue even though his junior colleague said that he (Kamara) was the one who made a phone call inviting Alhaji Ibrahim Bah to the station.
As this ugly situation is unfolding within the Fullah Community in Kono District the questions on the lips of many people is who is calling the shots as accusations and counter accusations have been made, especially with the “orders from above” involvement in the issue.