By Alusine A. Sesay
Maada Bio is NOT the first Sierra Leonean Head of State to serve as Chairman of ECOWAS. That title, definitively, belongs to Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who chaired the Authority of Heads of State and Government in 1998–1999.
One would have hoped that someone—anyone—in the current administration might have had the presence of mind to consult a historian, a foreign policy expert, or at the very least, an SS3 Student.–
But alas, what we got instead was a premature post wrapped in historical amnesia—posted with a straight face for the consumption of a gullible public.
So, let’s revisit the facts, shall we?
Siaka Stevens, President from 1967 to 1985, was indeed a FOUNDING MEMBER OF ECOWAS, playing an important role in the organisation’s creation in 1975.
His statesmanship was instrumental in shaping early regional cooperation.
However—(and this is crucial), he was NEVER appointed as CHAIRMAN of ECOWAS. Infact, at the time, the position of Chairman of the Authority WAS NOT even formalised in the way we know it today. The rotating chairmanship model, complete with defined responsibilities, evolved later.
So while President Stevens’ contributions to ECOWAS are historic and undeniable, he NEVER chaired the organisation.
To repeat (because some things deserve emphasis): the first Sierra Leonean President to serve as ECOWAS Chairman was Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. Not Stevens. Not Bio.
History, dear friends, is not a party favour handed out for political convenience. It is a matter of record—sometimes inconvenient, often humbling, but always worth getting right.
