By Alusine A. Sesay
At the opening ceremony of the APC building in Masiaka, Port Loko District, Jagaban made quite the entrance. He funded the project himself.
Among Sierra Leoneans, he now carries two unmistakable nicknames: “Mr. Do and Talk” and “Mr. Jagaban.” These are not mere nicknames, but descriptors of a methodology he is increasingly associated with.
Since declaring his interest in the APC flagbearership, his strategy has been characterised by significant financial disbursements across communities. He has spent liberally, gaining visibility and influence up and down the country.
When he first returned from the diaspora, many were sceptical about what he could actually deliver. Yet, as the months have passed, he has captured the attention of Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad, gaining momentum almost daily.
His political style—prioritising tangible action over rhetoric—has introduced a novel, disruptive variable into Sierra Leone’s political arithmetic, leaving many observers astonished.
Jagaban’s professed agenda centres on poverty alleviation through large-scale employment projects—a platform designed to resonate deeply with the electorate. He has promised initiatives to ease the grinding poverty afflicting millions: schemes to employ thousands and raise living standards for families in the coming years.
If the APC truly intends to win the 2028 elections, there are THREE INDIVIDUALS with whom the party must make peace. There is no alternative—unless, of course, the current executive has quietly agreed with the sitting government to remain in opposition indefinitely.
This is not to disrespect other hopefuls for leadership. But the facts on the ground are plain: if the APC is serious about governing again, it must reach a genuine accord with these three figures—without hypocrisy, without hidden strings.
The THREE Pillars are:
- Samura Kamara – It is an observable and measurable political fact that he commands a formidable, loyal constituency across the Northern Province and into the Western Area. To dismiss this bedrock of support is self-delusion.
- Sam-Sumana – The political axiom remains incontrovertible: no electoral victory is possible without the Eastern region of Kono. Sam-Sumana is the acknowledged custodian of this critical district. In politics, where numbers are paramount, his influence is not an optional extra—it is fundamental.
- Ormodu ‘Jagaban’ – The archetypal “new kid on the block.” Whatever one’s personal view, he is demonstrably rewriting the playbook for political aspirants. His “Do and Talk” philosophy has earned him a respectable base in the South-East while making inroads in the North-West. By any objective measure, he is a contender to be watched.
The central question for the APC executive is therefore this: Will they respect the demonstrable currents of public opinion, or will they attempt to force a stooge of their own design upon the electorate?
Time, as they say, will tell.
One principle, however, seems increasingly certain: the era when the electorate’s mandate could be taken for granted is over.
And to those APC “strategists” who might be secretly plotting to politically neutralise these three figures—a word of caution, framed by one of our apt African proverbs: “A snake that swallows another must have its tail projecting through its mouth.”
The act of swallowing is never without consequence. In this case, the consequence would be a restless and alienated electorate. A word to the wise, as ever, is sufficient.
