By Alusine Sesay
Madam Fatima Bio and Madam Fatimata Nipe Momoh
First Lady Fatima Maada Bio has welcomed and given clearance to meet with a team of Former Presidents Wives Coalition on November 28 in Freetown for a fruitful discussion on the intent and progress of the coalition.
A team member of the coalition, Madam Fatimata Nipe Momoh,wife of late President Joseph Saidu Momoh held a preliminary meeting with First Lady Fatima Bio on Tuesday, in which issues affecting families of former presidents across Africa were discussed.
The formation of the coalition was initiated by the wife of late President Ahmed Sékou Touré of the Republic of Guinea, Madam Andrée Touré, who is now above ninety years of age.
She decided to form the coalition after experiencing humiliation and neglect following the death of her husband, with the state preventing her from accessing her husband’s property.
Madam Fatima Nipe Momoh is among the founder members, who is currently doing the leg walking of the coalition, travelling across Africa to create awareness and garner support for the coalition.
After traversing nine countries including Senegal,The Gambia,Bokina Faso, Mali,Benin,Cote D;vior, she arrived in Sierra Leone where she met with Madam Fatima Bio and extended the message of the initiator of the Coalition, Madam Andrée Touré .
According to her, the meeting was excellent and that they discussed issues including the welfare and dignity of the wives of former presidents across Africa, where many are being humiliated and neglected by the state, with others left to languish in exile.
Fatima Bio, she said, was elated to receiving her in Freetown, albeit she expressed shock after hearing the horrible stories of wives of former presidents across Africa, thus promising to working closely with the coalition to ensure that the dignity of members is restored by the state.
Madam Momoh told the media that a five-member delegation of the coalition will arrive in Freetown on November 27 and hopefully meet with Fatima Bio on the 28 the same month, with a promise to also meet with President Bio.
Meanwhile, within a few months after it formation, the Coalition has gained prominence across Africa and beyond and its essence is being felt by many across the continent. It was formed to advocate the welfare and dignity of former presidents’ wives across Africa.
