Exactly fifty (50) years ago on this date, (April 17th 1962) the late Chief Sam-Sumana, a very rich Kono businessman was languishing in an SLPP Government jail-yard in order to please Sierra Leone’s Prime Minister who was SLPP Leader, Sir Milton Margai.

What was late Chief Sam-Sumana’s Crime? Simply because he financially supported a new opposition movement known as All Peoples Congress (APC) and engaged in actively canvassing for support for APC amongst Kono kinsmen.

Thus, late Chief Sam-Sumana was framed and set-up on Murder charges, denied bail and remanded in jail through-out his trumped up charges trial. He was eventually found Not Guilty and set free but not before he spent a very long time in jail as a murder suspect on trumped up charges by SLPP.

At the time of his arrest for "murder", his beautiful young wife was pregnant for him. She gave birth to a bouncing baby boy on April 17th 1962, exactly fifty years ago to this day. Sadly, the late Chief Sam-Sumana was only able to touch and see his young son for the first time when the late man fell seriously sick in jail and was taken for medical treatment, handcuffed to a Government hospital bed.

His new baby boy was smuggled in to him on his hospital bed and with handcuffs on his hands chaining him to his bed, the late man held his baby son and prayed he would grow up to be a man who will make him proud and ensure the Sam-Sumana family never regretted all the sufferings they had endured at hands of SLPP and Sir Milton Margai; simply because Chief Sam-Sumana believed in APC.

That son, whom his late Dad held for the first time from his handcuffed hospital bed chains is today’s Honourable Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Chief Sam-Sumana. We join in wishing him all the best as he reaches this significant milestone in his life.