A song that once united members of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) in celebration has become the flashpoint of a political and personal controversy involving the First Lady, SLPP figures and members of Parliament.
A Public Ceremony Gone Awry
On August 7, 2025, during the Official State Opening of Parliament, First Lady Fatima Bio was ushered into the Well of the House of Parliament. She recounts that as she entered, some MPs, allegedly including SLPP members and members of the opposition, began singing “You Cocoa Roast O”, a song she interprets as demeaning and satirical. The song, in local parlance, is seen as a mockery equating women to street girls or prostitutes, and she claimed that the event left her feeling humiliated and disrespected. Reportedly, in protest, she refused to stand at points during the proceedings and had earphones in throughout, including while the President delivered his speech, emphasizing that she didn’t wish to hear the chant.
A Contradictory Prelude
Just one week earlier, at the SLPP delegates’ conference held on July 30 – 31, 2025 (deduced from the one-week interval), the same song, “You Cocoa Roast O,” featured prominently as President Julius Maada Bio enthusiastically led the dance, joined by Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh and the First Lady herself. The celebratory scene, replete with smiles and dancing, creates a striking contrast with the First Lady’s later reaction in Parliament.
Context, Intent, and Political Gravity
The contradictory use of the same song under different circumstances underscores how deeper meanings emerge based on context, intent, and audience. At the SLPP delegates’ conference, the mood was festive and partisan; the song was shared among allies and symbolic of internal unity. In Parliament, however, its timing and audience turned it into a perceived affront.
Political Fallout
For President Bio: The incident creates confusing optics, how can a song celebrated publicly by his wife become one she later found deeply offensive? Political opponents could leverage this to question coherence in his leadership and family dynamics.
For the SLPP: The First Lady has attributed blame to senior party figures, including the immediate past party National Chairman, Dr. Prince Harding. The episode lays bare internal rifts and undermines the perception of SPLP unity, especially concerning decorum in formal state functions.
For the APC: By joining the chant in Parliament, the opposition could both exacerbate tensions and draw criticisms for contributing to rowdy behavior in a solemn legislative setting.
For the public: The State Opening of Parliament, intended to showcase governance and policy, became overshadowed by interpersonal and political drama, diminishing its intended gravity.
- A Song with Two Meanings
Same Song (You Cocoa Roast O), Two Stories:
At the party conference: a rallying anthem of celebration.
In Parliament a week later: a perceived weapon of public mockery.
This stark reversal illustrates how political symbols, even songs, shift meaning depending on timing, intent, and power dynamics. Until these underlying tensions are resolved, such incidents risk eclipsing governance with spectacle and scandal.
Julius A. Gulama, Illinois, USA
