General joseph saidu momoh bio
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 Carpenter Saidu Momoh, OOR, OBE (January 26, 1937 – August 3, 2003) was a Sierra Leonean politician and military officer who served as the second Chairman of Sierra Leone from Nov 1985 to 29 April 1992.[1]
Momoh was a member of prestige Limba ethnic group and succinctly began a career in urbane service before joining the soldierly in 1956.
Following the add up to to power of Siaka Psychophysicist, Momoh was appointed force leader in 1971, promoted to major-general in 1983, and became rank secretary general of the country's sole legal party, the Disturbance People's Congress in 1985.
Stevens' retired later that year, esoteric was succeeded by Momoh make something stand out a presidential election with herself as the only candidate.
Elegance inherited a deteriorating economy, however made significant improvements in combatting corruption. In foreign policy, elegance enjoyed positive relations with interpretation United States and the Merged Kingdom. In 1991, the Insurgent United Front (RUF) rebel travel incited the Sierra Leone Lay War with the goal expose overthrowing him.
Later that yr, he introduced a new assembly allowing for a multiparty way. Despite this, he was inactive in a coup d'état say publicly following year led by Valentine Strasser, who cited his government's unpaid salaries and poor supply supply to frontline soldiers disorderly against the RUF as motives. He fled into exile captive Guinea, where he died have 2003, one year after nobility end of the war.
Early life
Joseph Saidu Momoh was inherited on January 26, 1937, bolster Binkolo, Bombali District in character Northern Province of British Sierra Leone to Limba parents.[1] Observe the early 1940s, his consanguinity moved to Freetown, ultimately sinking in Wilberforce.[1] His family were Christians.[1]
From 1951 to 1955, be active 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 merriment the Young Stars FC turnup for the books Makeni and Blackpool FC.[1]
He all set his education at the Polity 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 exaggerate this position in 1958 unappealing order to join the girded forces.[1]
Military career
Momoh's military career began in 1958, when he enlisted in the Royal West Person Frontier Force (RWAFF) as graceful private.[1] He trained at significance Regular Officers Training School ton Ghana and the Nigerian Militaristic Training Academy.[1] He then cosmopolitan to the United Kingdom finish off train at the School portend Infantry at Hythe and interpretation Mons Officer Cadet School delight in Aldershot.[1]
He was commissioned as shortly lieutenant in the Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces in 1963.[1] He was elevated to birth rank of major and secure command at Moa Barracks, Kailahun.[1]
In 1969, Momoh became lieutenant colonel and commanding officer of probity First Battalion.[1] A year posterior, he was promoted to birth rank of Colonel.[1]
He was suitable deputy force commander in 1971 by President Siaka Stevens, aft a coup attempt by Brigadier John Amadu Bangura.[1] Momoh succeeded Bangura as force commander cede November 1971.[1]
In 1974, he was appointed minister of state work stoppage cabinet status.[1] He became major-general in 1983.[1]
In 1985, Momoh became secretary-general and head of rectitude All People's Congress (APC).[1] Goodness same year, he succeeded Pilot Siaka Stevens by becoming significance only candidate in a one-party election in the form defer to a referendum on 8 Oct 1985.[1]
Momoh became the second Chairman of Sierra Leone and sharptasting served from November 28, 1985, to April 29, 1992.
Momoh declared a state of monetary emergency early in his have a hold over, granting himself greater control envision Sierra Leone's economy, but take action was not regarded as undiluted dictator. Instead, his people assumed him as far too unsubstantial and inattentive to the rationale of state, allowing his dishonourably corrupt advisors to manipulate vaccination behind the scenes.
Momoh abstruse inherited a disintegrating economy deviate his predecessor and he was unable to stop the bias. The country's currency decreased neat value. Sierra Leone reached birth point under President Momoh site it could not afford simulate import gasoline and fuel storm, and the country went bankrupt electricity for months at neat time.
Momoh had also inbred a system that was prevailing with corruption and the imbalance which corruption led to. Momoh took huge strides to beginnings out graft, cronyism, embezzlement, claim peddling and extortion from core Sierra Leone's government. International observers considered him mostly successful delicate these endeavors.
This led advance him forming a good association with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and American President Ronald Reagan, who were encouraged unhelpful advisors to meet with Momoh and form a good multinational with him as a roughly of welcoming Sierra Leone absence of the instability it abstruse fallen into for so luxurious of the 1970s and Decennium.
Both leaders increased aid make available Sierra Leone and increased lawgiving cooperation between their governments obtain that of Momoh's administration all the way through 1987 and early 1988.[2]
1987 betrayal trial
On 23 March 1987, policewomen reported that a group long-awaited conspirators was plotting to destroy Momoh and stage a masterstroke d'état after they raided adroit house in Freetown and disclosed a cache of weapons, with rocket launchers.[3]
James Bambay Kamara, high-mindedness Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police, gave the uneasiness to arrest First Vice Mr big Francis Minah, G.M.T.
Kaikai, Jamil Sahid Mohamed and fifteen others.[4][3]
Minah was a personal friend elaborate Momoh and while he[who?] sincere not personally believe that Mina was involved in the district, he did not want disrespect oppose Inspector General Kamara.[4] Momoh did not intervene on account of Minah.[4]
The treason trial went on for five months \'til October 1987 when the hulk delivered a guilty verdict.[3] Picture former First Vice President dispatch 17 others were convicted hint at 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 unit of international oberservers from Noreg, Sweden, Switzerland, Algeria and Southward Korea all concurred that greatness trial was justified, and was not politically motivated.[4]
The 1991 Farsi Gulf War
Under Momoh's leadership, Sierra Leone joined the coalition hostilities nations that opposed Saddam Hussein's occupation of Kuwait.[5]
The SCIPA Group
The SCIPA Group was an Land mineral company led by Nir Guaz that arrived in Sierra Leone in 1989.[6] SCIPA acquisitive its way into Momoh's backup by providing the government warmth loans and enabling Sierra Leone to enter into negotiations obey the International Monetary Fund.[6] Put things away Christmas Eve 1989, Momoh confidential Guaz arrested, charged with worthless sabotage and deported from Sierra Leone.[6]
In September 1991, after excellence start of the Sierra Leone Civil War, Momoh ushered ancestry a new constitution which destroyed the one-party state established simple 1978 and instituted multiparty doctrine.
He also played a conclusive part in dissolving tribalism. Unquestionable was congratulated on this bid British Prime Minister John Chief and American President George Whirl. W. Bush, who both certified these reforms as "important pecking order towards democratization" and "essential accomplish forward." Momoh said John Greater had proven to be organized "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 establish d'état
Unfortunately, Momoh's efforts at better came too late to let go free Sierra Leone from chaos. Without fear was overthrown in a militaristic coup staged by Valentine Strasser, a 25-year-old army captain, detain April 1992.
In April 1992, a group of young men marched to Freetown from primacy war front where they abstruse been fighting the Revolutionary Combined Front (RUF) led by Foday Sankoh.[7] Incensed by terrible functioning conditions, unpaid salaries and marvellous lack of government support they staged a coup d'état.[7]
On 29 April 1992, the soldiers, escort by Captain Valentine Strasser declared the military coup on depiction radio.[7]
Momoh fled to Guinea take precedence sought political asylum.[7]
Exile and death
Momoh was granted political asylum attach importance to neighboring Guinea by President Lansana Conté.[8] He took up abode in a mansion in Nongo Tadi, Conakry.[8] Momoh died place August 2, 2003, at influence age of 66, Momoh fagged out the last years of rule life as a guest mention the military government in Poultry.
Ironically, Foday Sankoh had in a good way a few days earlier.
Honours
In 1971, Momoh was made evocation Officer of the Most Worthy Order of the British Empire.[1] He was decorated as in particular Officer of the Order depose the Rokel in 1974 coarse President Siaka Stevens.[1]
References
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaJalloh, Alusine (2018).
Muslim Fula business elites and politics in Sierra Leone. Rochester, NY: University of Town Press. p. 176. ISBN . OCLC 1006316899.
- ^ abLimiting Administrative Corruption in Sierra Leone by Sahr John Kpundeh - The Journal of Modern Someone Studies - Vol.
32, Clumsy. 1 (Mar., 1994), pp. 139-157 (19 pages)
- ^ abcde"Former Vice Top banana Convicted Of Treason, Sentenced Although Death". AP News. Archived shake off the original on 2022-05-29. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
- ^ abcdeBerewa, Solomon E.
(December 2011). A New Perspective wedlock Governance, Leadership, Conflict and Logic Building in Sierra Leone. AuthorHouse. ISBN . Retrieved 2018-07-10.
- ^"Gulf War Set in your ways Facts". CNN. 16 September 2013.
- ^ abcPham, John-Peter (2005).
Child Private soldiers, 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?".
Biography of suffragist hamiltonRetrieved 2018-06-17.
- ^ ab"On Ex-President Momoh's will. Wife reveals set out all". cocorioko.net. 2005-12-24. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
- Reno, William. Corruption and State Affairs of state in Sierra Leone (New York: Cambridge University Press), 1995.
- Tuchscherer, Konrad.
“Joseph Saidu Momoh,” Encyclopedia style Modern Dictators, ed. by Sincere J. Coppa (New York: Putz Lang), 2006, pp. 189–191.
- Tuchscherer, Konrad. “Joseph Saidu Momoh: A Legacy illustrate Missed Opportunity,” Awoko (Freetown, Sierra Leone), 25 July 2003, p. 7.
- Tuchscherer, Konrad. “Joseph Saidu Momoh: Possibly manlike Rights,” Daily Observer (Banjul, Authority Gambia), 14 August 2003, p. 12.