No! An Attack on Fatima Bio is Not an Attack on Sierra Leone

by Fatima Babih, EdD

Contrary to what state-sponsored newspapers want you to believe, Fatima Bio is not under attack; she is the one attacking. Her self-made conflict with Koidu Holdings is NOT rooted in justice but in ambition.

This front-page headline in the New Age Newspaper boldly claims:

An Attack on the First Lady is an Attack on Sierra Leone.

The facts we have all witnessed recently prove that this narrative is false and dangerous propaganda.

Fatima Jabbie, the First Lady of Sierra Leone, is not being attacked. She launched the attacks, and she is now facing retaliation, a natural consequence of her public threats and overreach.

Who Threw the First Stone?

In a now widely circulated video, Fatima Bio threatened Koidu Holdings, a diamond mining company, declaring that she had ‘dirt’ on the company and would go on social media every day to expose them. Soon after, the company halted operations, laid off 1,000 Sierra Leonean workers, and wrote a letter to Fatima Bio threatening legal action against her for interfering in the industrial dispute.

Fatima Bio’s behavior is not courageous. It is chaotic. And it is certainly not leadership in the interest of the people.

Personal Fight NOT a National Fight

Sierra Leoneans should know that Fatima Bio is not fighting for the Koidu workers. She is fighting for herself.

• She hijacked the work of appointed ministers, the people that her husband, Julius Bio, put in charge to resolve the Koidu labor crisis.
• She inserted herself into formal negotiations and got angry when the company asked her to step aside.
• And now, she is waging a propaganda campaign, using journalists on her payroll to stir public sentiment, suppress criticism, and deflect blame.

The people of Sierra Leone must ask: Whose fight is this?

Triangulation Tactics

According to Salvador Minuchin (1974) a renowned Argentine American psychiatrist and family therapist best known as the founder of Structural Family Therapy, Triangulation, in the context of psychology and communication, is a manipulation tactic in which one person (usually in a position of influence) creates conflict between two other parties to maintain control, shift blame, or gain sympathy. The manipulator positions herself as the “go-between” or “victim,” often pitting others against each other to distract people from her blameworthy actions and consolidate power.

In her political behavior, Fatima Bio uses triangulation to discredit her opponents, distort narratives, and gain public support by falsely presenting herself as the only trustworthy party amid conflicting sides. In her narrative, not even her husband’s ministers can be trusted with this matter; only she can solve it.

One example of Fatima Bio’s use of triangulation is her recent video, in which she played a short audio clip of an unidentified man saying, “The ministers are useless.” She claimed it was the voice of the head of Octea/Koidu Holdings and used it as a manipulation tool to incite the people of Sierra Leone.

However, the people have not forgotten that at the workers’ protest in Koidu, where Fatima Bio monopolized the bullhorn, she called the same ministers “dogs.” Now she wants the people to be offended by another person calling the same ministers useless.

That’s triangulation, and this time, it failed.

Incitement Through the Press

Fatima Bio has now turned to media manipulation, having failed to maintain credibility with the people. The front-page headline from the New Age Newspaper is just one example. The press, supposed to be a watchdog in the country, has now become her megaphone, echoing the false narrative that ‘criticizing Fatima Bio is equal to attacking the nation.’ This is a dangerous game, a manipulation of truth that should put us all on high alert.

This is a dangerous narrative. It sets a precedent where no public official is held accountable, lest it be branded treason. We, the people, must demand accountability. It’s our right and our responsibility.

Sierra Leoneans Beware

Sierra Leoneans must wake up and stay alert! Fatima Bio’s conflict with Octea/Koidu Holding is a fight she started for selfish, political gain.

And if this fight explodes into national unrest, even though we heard her say she’s ready to put her life down in this fight, she will not be the one to suffer the consequences; you, the people, will suffer.

Not her. Not her family. Remember,

• The State Lodge, where she lives with her family, has a helicopter pad.
• Fatima Bio and her children moved from government housing in the UK in 2018 and have lived in luxury since, and now own ten mansions in The Gambia.
• Her son flashes luxury cars and yachts on social media. At the same time, children in Sierra Leone sleep hungry, deprived of healthcare, education, and electricity.

The Real Threat

So, the next time you see a headline like An Attack on the First Lady is an Attack on Sierra Leone, remember:

• Fatima Bio is not the nation.
• Criticism of Fatima Bio is not treason.
• Telling Fatima Bio the truth is not hatred.

And if you follow Fatima Bio’s narrative unthinkingly into chaos, you will not have a helicopter waiting to rescue you.

Reference

Minuchin, S. (1974). Families and Family Therapy. Harvard University Press.