By Mohamed Sankoh (One Drop)
Have you ever heard of the Bonthe Island mythical “debul” of old called “Kasila”? I know some of my readers might want to ask how an unadulterated “Freetong Boy”, like me from “Soja Tong”, could know about such things like “Kasila” and the Sherbro delicacy called “Tangajesei”.
Well, my mother is a “Blake” from Bonthe Island. So, I might have been told stories, in my childhood, by either my mother or late grandmother about the myths from that Island. I will come to that in a jiffy.
But second things second. Realities have a humble way of humbling people who think that they are at par with arch-angels simply because they are wielding political power. At times, the reality does its own reality check just to checkmate the arrogant, the knowledgeable fool, the garrulous, and the man of the moment who thinks his moment is not momentary!
So, with that One Dropian premise premised on current happenings in Sierra Leone; I’m humbly asking the pre-2023 President Julius Maada Bio to stand up so that his compatriots might see a man whose title now appears to be hanging “loose about him like a giant’s robe upon a dwarfish thief” (To quote from William Shakespeare’s play: “Macbeth”.).
I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact that the energetic Bio who used to dance like an intoxicated “Sampa” at most of his 2023 campaign rallies; a man who could talk down on members of the main opposition as Zeus would have done to lesser gods; a man who could label his opponents as “terrorists”, and a man who could play the Yoruba god of thunder, Sango, by threatening fire and brimstone on those who are not members of his Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), could now be quiet like a tomb!
But I can understand President Bio’s current seemingly lack of energy; his seemingly lack of garrulity; his seemingly lack of pomposity, and his seemingly lack of “the man of the moment” aura. He might have murdered sleep (Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” again) by having the apparent misfortune of Europe’s most wanted cocaine convict, Jos Leijdekkers or “Bolle Jos” (“Fat Jos” in Dutch), allegedly being seen two pews behind his pew in his Tihun village church and on his rice farm; and also allegedly having a “relationship” with one of his beloved daughters—Agnes (For the juicy parts; you should read the 7 February 2025 online edition of the Africa Confidential, Vol. 66 – No.3)!
And as the allegations, counter-allegations, and counter-counter allegations are still sticking out like sore thumbs; President Bio’s “Squealers” (to borrow from George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”) and hangers-on are still doing a very bad job of what seems to be a cover-up of an issue which the cover has been upped! Their defence has been sounding like the Shakespearean idiot’s tale which is full of sound and fury but signifies nothing! And their nothingness is made more pronounced whenever one asks this question: How could our Commander-in-Chief not take any notice of the only White man in his church and on his rice farm—both places he was present when the Whiteman was also allegedly present?
And what seems to be unconventional about President Bio’s convention, in this whole Jos Leijdekkers’ cocaine affair, is the factual fact that he is yet to address the nation on it. He is known for addressing the nation on mundane issues which are not even issues for kindergartens! Yet, on allegations of grave ramifications for himself and the nation; he is still keeping mum. But majority of Sierra Leoneans are still eagerly waiting for him to either deny the allegations flatly or engage in what the British media will call non-denial denial.
But in my mischievous quiet moments, I normally smile at the alleged appearances and disappearances of Jos Leijdekkers like the Bonthe Island mythical “debul” of old called “Kasila”. My late Limba-Limba grandmother, Cecilia Coomber Blake who grew up on Bonthe Island where she met and got married to my grandfather Philip Blake, used to tell us many stories about “Kasila” who normally appeared and disappeared in the form of a Whiteman.
As children, we were told that “Kasila” was responsible for many fortunes and misfortunes that occurred on Bonthe Island—depending on his moods, likes, and dislikes. If a big boat or dug-out canoe sank and all its occupants perished; it would be attributed to the anger or displeasure of “Kasila”. My late grandmother once told us a story about a Krio man from Freetown, a Civil Servant, who was transferred to Bonthe Island. Whilst he was on duty one night, alone, a Whiteman suddenly appeared in his office. The Whiteman opened a friendly conversation by asking him if he liked the Island and its people. The Krio man said he liked everything about Bonthe Island including the local delicacy called “Tangajesei”.
The Whiteman then asked the Krio man if he had any problem that was eating him up. The Krio man said his only problem was that his wife of ten years, who had accompanied him to the Island, had not had the fruits of the womb. The Whiteman, according to the story as told to us by my late grandmother, just smiled and left as mysteriously as he had appeared.
The next day, when the Krio man narrated to some locals his encounter with a mysterious Whiteman, whom he had never met since he was transferred to Bonthe Island six months ago, they told him that he must have met with “Kasila”. Few days after his encounter with the Whiteman, the Krio man’s wife joyously announced that she had been blessed with the fruit of the womb. And nine months later, she gave birth to a set of twins (a boy and girl)
And as the Jos Leijdekkers cocaine saga continues to continue taking mysterious twists, I am being reminded of Bonthe Island’s “Kasila” of old. For if a Whiteman allegedly appeared in the same church where President Bio was present; allegedly appeared on his rice farm where he was also present, and is said to be having a “relationship” with one of his daughters, and Bio’s “Squealers” and hangers-on are still claiming that the President doesn’t know about the existence and activities of that Whiteman; then Jos Leijdekkers seems to be the reincarnation of “Kasila”!
And, according to my late grandmother, at times when someone encountered “Kasila” and the “debul” doesn’t want that encounter to be narrated to anyone, he would make the person go dumb!
Maybe, just a probable maybe, President Bio might have encountered “Kasila” in his Tihun village church and on his rice farm which might be the reason why he appears to have turned into a “mumu” on the Jos Leijdekkers cocaine saga!
medsankoh@yahoo.com/+232-76-611-986; https://nationalistsl.com
