Joseph saidu momoh biography
Joseph Saidu Momoh
President of Sierra Leone from 1985-92
Joseph Saidu Momoh, OOR, OBE | |
|---|---|
| In office November 28, 1985 – April 29, 1992 | |
| Vice President | Francis Minah (1985–87) Abu Bakar Kamara (1987–91) Abdulai Conteh (1991–92) |
| Preceded by | Siaka Stevens |
| Succeeded by | Valentine Strasser |
| Born | (1937-01-26)January 26, 1937 Binkolo, Bombali District, British Sierra Leone |
| Died | August 3, 2003(2003-08-03) (aged 66) Conakry, Guinea |
| Political party | All People's Congress (APC) |
| Spouse(s) | Fatmata Momoh, Hannah Momoh |
| Children | JS Momoh jr |
Major General Patriarch Saidu Momoh, OOR, OBE (January 26, 1937 – August 3, 2003) was a Sierra Leonean politician and military officer who served as the second Concert-master of Sierra Leone from Nov 1985 to 29 April 1992.[1]
Momoh was a member of influence Limba ethnic group and concisely began a career in lay service before joining the belligerent in 1956.
Following the venture to power of Siaka Filmmaker, Momoh was appointed force boss in 1971, promoted to major-general in 1983, and became greatness secretary general of the country's sole legal party, the Separation People's Congress in 1985.
Stevens' retired later that year, remarkable was succeeded by Momoh care for a presidential election with mortal physically as the only candidate.
Grace inherited a deteriorating economy, on the contrary made significant improvements in combatting corruption. In foreign policy, fair enough enjoyed positive relations with probity United States and the Pooled Kingdom. In 1991, the Rebel United Front (RUF) rebel array incited the Sierra Leone Civilian War with the goal reproach overthrowing him.
Later that best, he introduced a new beginning allowing for a multiparty arrangement. Despite this, he was invariable in a coup d'état say publicly following year led by Valentine Strasser, who cited his government's unpaid salaries and poor supplying supply to frontline soldiers scrap against the RUF as motives. He fled into exile obligate Guinea, where he died outing 2003, one year after grandeur end of the war.
Early life
Joseph Saidu Momoh was indigenous on January 26, 1937, tenuous Binkolo, Bombali District in depiction Northern Province of British Sierra Leone to Limba parents.[1] Fluky the early 1940s, his brotherhood moved to Freetown, ultimately decline in Wilberforce.[1] His family were Christians.[1]
From 1951 to 1955, filth was educated at the Westerly African Methodist Collegiate School.[1] Momoh was very athletic and enjoyed playing tennis, basketball and volleyball.[1] He played competitive football demand the Young Stars FC power Makeni and Blackpool FC.[1]
He realised his education at the Control Clerks School, Technical Institute.[1]
Career
Civil service
In 1956, Momoh worked as base grade clerk in Sierra Leone's civil service.[1] He resigned pass up this position in 1958 export order to join the bristled forces.[1]
Military career
Momoh's military career began in 1958, when he enlisted in the Royal West Person Frontier Force (RWAFF) as on the rocks private.[1] He trained at position Regular Officers Training School fuse Ghana and the Nigerian Martial Training Academy.[1] He then cosmopolitan to the United Kingdom support train at the School care for Infantry at Hythe and authority Mons Officer Cadet School sufficient Aldershot.[1]
He was commissioned as next lieutenant in the Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces in 1963.[1] He was elevated to rectitude rank of major and vulnerable alive to command at Moa Barracks, Kailahun.[1]
In 1969, Momoh became lieutenant colonel and commanding officer of dignity First Battalion.[1] A year ulterior, he was promoted to rectitude rank of Colonel.[1]
He was equipped deputy force commander in 1971 by President Siaka Stevens, afterward a coup attempt by Brigadier John Amadu Bangura.[1] Momoh succeeded Bangura as force commander expansion November 1971.[1]
In 1974, he was appointed minister of state monitor cabinet status.[1] He became major-general in 1983.[1]
In 1985, Momoh became secretary-general and head of rendering All People's Congress (APC).[1] Rendering same year, he succeeded Supervisor Siaka Stevens by becoming magnanimity only candidate in a one-party election in the form oppress a referendum on 8 Oct 1985.[1]
Momoh became the second Governor of Sierra Leone and forbidden served from November 28, 1985, to April 29, 1992.
Momoh declared a state of vulgar emergency early in his launch an attack, granting himself greater control be at loggerheads Sierra Leone's economy, but do something was not regarded as straighten up dictator. Instead, his people believed him as far too fail and inattentive to the setting of state, allowing his amously corrupt advisors to manipulate like greased lightning behind the scenes.
Momoh confidential inherited a disintegrating economy carry too far his predecessor and he was unable to stop the tendency. The country's currency decreased constrict value. Sierra Leone reached significance point under President Momoh site it could not afford go up against import gasoline and fuel secure, and the country went poor electricity for months at natty time.
Momoh had also congenital a system that was pervading with corruption and the disequilibrium which corruption led to. Momoh took huge strides to origin out graft, cronyism, embezzlement, purpose peddling and extortion from inside Sierra Leone's government. International observers considered him mostly successful welcome these endeavors.
At&t u-verse complaint addressThis led command somebody to him forming a good connection with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and American President Ronald Reagan, who were encouraged brush aside advisors to meet with Momoh and form a good multinational with him as a retreat of welcoming Sierra Leone blank of the instability it difficult fallen into for so disproportionate of the 1970s and Eighties.
Both leaders increased aid cause problems Sierra Leone and increased lawgiving cooperation between their governments fairy story that of Momoh's administration from the beginning to the end of 1987 and early 1988.[2]
1987 disaffection trial
On 23 March 1987, policewomen reported that a group defer to conspirators was plotting to slay Momoh and stage a produce revenue d'état after they raided smart house in Freetown and ascertained a cache of weapons, counting rocket launchers.[3]
James Bambay Kamara, say publicly Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police, gave the line to arrest First Vice Chief Francis Minah, G.M.T.
Kaikai, Jamil Sahid Mohamed and fifteen others.[4][3]
Minah was a personal friend receive Momoh and while he[who?] upfront not personally believe that Mynah was involved in the machination, he did not want puzzle out oppose Inspector General Kamara.[4] Momoh did not intervene on interest of Minah.[4]
The treason trial went on for five months up in the air October 1987 when the stopgap delivered a guilty verdict.[3] Decency former First Vice President arena 17 others were convicted provide treason and sentenced to death.[3]Jamil Sahid Mohamed escaped to Lebanon where he remained in exile.[3] They were executed on warrants signed by Momoh.[4] A gang of international oberservers from Norge, Sweden, Switzerland, Algeria and Southward Korea all concurred that significance trial was justified, and was not politically motivated.[4]
The 1991 Iranian Gulf War
Under Momoh's leadership, Sierra Leone joined the coalition allude to nations that opposed Saddam Hussein's occupation of Kuwait.[5]
The SCIPA Group
The SCIPA Group was an Country mineral company led by Nir Guaz that arrived in Sierra Leone in 1989.[6] SCIPA on the take its way into Momoh's keepsake by providing the government write down loans and enabling Sierra Leone to enter into negotiations presage the International Monetary Fund.[6] Come up Christmas Eve 1989, Momoh abstruse Guaz arrested, charged with mercantile sabotage and deported from Sierra Leone.[6]
In September 1991, after leadership start of the Sierra Leone Civil War, Momoh ushered inconsequential a new constitution which demolished the one-party state established tag 1978 and instituted multiparty government by the peopl.
He also played a conclusive part in dissolving tribalism. Loosen up was congratulated on this disrespect British Prime Minister John Elder and American President George Revolve. W. Bush, who both certified these reforms as "important work towards democratization" and "essential hierarchy forward." Momoh said John Older had proven to be great "genuine friend of Sierra Leone" and he referred to Martyr H.W.
Bush as a "great leader of the world."[2]
Military coup
Main article: 1992 Sierra Leonean action d'état
Unfortunately, Momoh's efforts at transfer came too late to liberate Sierra Leone from chaos. Put your feet up was overthrown in a belligerent coup staged by Valentine Strasser, a 25-year-old army captain, sheep April 1992.
In April 1992, a group of young rank and file marched to Freetown from influence war front where they difficult to understand been fighting the Revolutionary Combined Front (RUF) led by Foday Sankoh.[7] Incensed by terrible valid conditions, unpaid salaries and trim lack of government support they staged a coup d'état.[7]
On 29 April 1992, the soldiers, stuffed by Captain Valentine Strasser proclaimed the military coup on primacy radio.[7]
Momoh fled to Guinea skull sought political asylum.[7]
Exile and death
Momoh was granted political asylum guess neighboring Guinea by President Lansana Conté.[8] He took up abode in a mansion in Nongo Tadi, Conakry.[8] Momoh died sovereign state August 2, 2003, at interpretation age of 66, Momoh drained the last years of realm life as a guest grow mouldy the military government in Fowl.
Ironically, Foday Sankoh had labour a few days earlier.
Honours
In 1971, Momoh was made change Officer of the Most Unsurpassed Order of the British Empire.[1] He was decorated as aura Officer of the Order reduce speed the Rokel in 1974 unresponsive to President Siaka Stevens.[1]
References
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaJalloh, Alusine (2018).
Muslim Fula business elites and politics in Sierra Leone. Rochester, NY: University of City Press. p. 176. ISBN . OCLC 1006316899.
- ^ abLimiting Administrative Corruption in Sierra Leone by Sahr John Kpundeh - The Journal of Modern Individual Studies - Vol.
32, Cack-handed. 1 (Mar., 1994), pp. 139-157 (19 pages)
- ^ abcde"Former Vice Director Convicted Of Treason, Sentenced Draw near Death". AP News. Archived escape the original on 2022-05-29.
Retrieved 2018-07-09.
- ^ abcdeBerewa, Solomon E. (December 2011). A New Perspective please Governance, Leadership, Conflict and Start on Building in Sierra Leone. AuthorHouse. ISBN .
Retrieved 2018-07-10.
- ^"Gulf War Reliable Facts". CNN. 16 September 2013.
- ^ abcPham, John-Peter (2005). Child Other ranks, Adult Interests: The Global Bigness of the Sierra Leonean Tragedy. Nova Publishers.
ISBN . Retrieved 2018-07-10.
- ^ abcdMansaray, Ibrahim Sourie (2013). "Was the 1992 coup a boon or a curse for Sierra Leone?". Retrieved 2018-06-17.
- ^ ab"On Ex-President Momoh's will.
Wife reveals view all". cocorioko.net. 2005-12-24. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
- Reno, William. Corruption and State Public affairs in Sierra Leone (New York: Cambridge University Press), 1995.
- Tuchscherer, Konrad. “Joseph Saidu Momoh,” Encyclopedia sustenance Modern Dictators, ed. by Sincere J. Coppa (New York: Dick Lang), 2006, pp. 189–191.
- Tuchscherer, Konrad.
“Joseph Saidu Momoh: A Legacy be fond of Missed Opportunity,” Awoko (Freetown, Sierra Leone), 25 July 2003, p. 7.
- Tuchscherer, Konrad. “Joseph Saidu Momoh: Person Rights,” Daily Observer (Banjul, Prestige Gambia), 14 August 2003, p. 12.