by Fatima Babih, EdD
Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Bio, has crossed every line of decorum, dignity, and discipline. Her actions, in the context of Sierra Leonean politics, are not just a matter of personal behavior, but a reflection of the power dynamics within the ruling party and the country as a whole. Her husband’s silence in the face of her actions is not just complicity; it’s cowardice.
Power & Public Shame
After hearing the motor-mouth First Lady of Sierra Leone, Fatima Bio, tell the world that her husband, President Julius Maada Bio, washes her menstrual-soiled bedsheets, that he holds a PhD in staging coups d’état, and that his cabinet ministers are mere dogs, it is safe to say we’ve reached a new low in political absurdity in Sierra Leone that is beyond belief.
The most tragic part? Not a single rebuttal from her moo-moo husband, Julius Maada Bio.
This isn’t just about a loudmouth, First Lady. It’s about unchecked, intoxicated power that should raise serious concerns. And it’s about a weak man serving as President who has surrendered both his voice and his spine to his wife, a situation that should worry every citizen.
She Wears the Pants
In a recent video that made the rounds on social media, Fatima Bio, clutching the mic as always, made another jaw-dropping declaration against her husband. She claimed that her husband would never cheat on her because he knows that he has a crazy wife.
In her speech, Fatima Bio started with a phony advice for girls on how to get an education. But it quickly and unrelatedly digressed to her power as First Lady. She said to her audience,
Every President who has come to this country, all the presidents, if they didn’t have a lot of wives, they must have had a lot of girlfriends. But Maada Bio looks at the one he has at home and thinks, ‘If I am crazy, this one is crazier than me.
While many interpreted this as a bold warning to Maada Bio and his alleged mistresses, the statement runs deeper and darker.
Fatima Bio wasn’t joking. She was issuing a veiled threat to her husband, a threat that should not be taken lightly. What she meant was: I am capable of madness, violence, or worse, should you cheat on me.
That threat to her husband explains why Fatima Bio is allowed to freely bully, belittle, and bulldoze anyone in her path, from government ministers to SLPP loyalists to international investors like Koidu Holdings.
Julius Bio, known for his iron-fisted rule in Sierra Leone, has been reduced to a puppet controlled by his power-drunk, first lady syndrome infected wife.
A Legacy of Rebellion
But should we be surprised at Fatima Bio’s uncivilized behavior? For those who know her background or have read the book The UNBECOMING Mrs. Maada Bio of Sierra Leone: A Case of First Lady Syndrome, this behavior was foretold.
Raised in rebellion and thriving on defiance, Fatima Bio built her adulthood on the template of her troubled adolescence. A defiant daughter becomes a wayward wife. And now, a wayward First Lady drunk on power.
What we see today is not evolution; it is escalation.
The Cost for Sierra Leonean Women
But beyond Fatima Bio’s poorly scripted drama lies a darker national tragedy, especially for women in Sierra Leone.
In a chronically patriarchal society like Sierra Leone, women have spent decades fighting for space in politics and leadership. Every step forward has been hard-won, and every milestone has been historic.
And now, Fatima Bio’s abuse of power has become the biggest argument against women in leadership. Many are now saying that she is proof that women can’t be trusted with power. They get drunk on it. They become worse than men.
This mindset, now fueled by the antics of an unhinged First Lady, is a dangerous regression for women in Sierra Leone. It threatens to undo the progress of generations. Her behavior is not just damaging her and her husband’s credibility but eroding the public trust in all women who dare to seek leadership in that country.
What happens when the only visible woman in power is abusive, loud, reckless, and unaccountable? She becomes the poster child for misogynists who want to keep women out of politics and leadership permanently.
Julius Bio and his ministers’ silence in the face of this spectacle of shame proves that they are all puppets of Fatima Bio.
A Nation Held Hostage
The question every Sierra Leonean should now ask is this: What gives Fatima Bio the power to do as she wishes without restraint or consequence? Her power is, of course, not legitimate. Legitimate power is built on law, institutional structure, and public interest. Her power is based on fear, manipulation, and intimidation.
It is understandable that ministers may be afraid to speak up, afraid to lose their jobs, their positions, or their safety. But what power does Fatima Bio hold over Julius Maada Bio, the so-called President himself?
What leash keeps Julius Bio from reining Fatima Bio in?
- Is it fear?
- What is he afraid of?
- Is it guilt?
- What has he done?
- Or is it simply a weakness?
The latter might be the logical truth. But whatever it is, the damage is done and continues to be done. Fatima Bio has become the face of a failing government, loud, lawless, and poisonous to national progress.
Fatima Bio’s name comes up whenever you hear of corruption in Sierra Leone. Wherever there is mob justice violence in the country, especially during elections Fatima Bio’s name is mentioned.
If she is allowed to continue running wild like an untrained puppy while her husband plays moo-moo (mute), the joke is on Sierra Leone and its people. And with the upcoming elections, the impact of this joke on the political landscape of Sierra Leone cannot be overstated.
History Is Watching
We all know that no nation rises under the rule of fear, mockery, and manipulation. Sierra Leone deserves better than a silent president and an uncouth First Lady drunk on theatrics and intimidation. This is not just a political crisis; it’s a betrayal of the people, of the women who dream of leading with dignity, and of the country’s democratic promise.
MAMA SALONE ~ Lioness of the West Coast 