Bockarie Idriss Kai-Samba and the NRC

Miatta Kaisamba-Turay Wow where did you get the photo Abdul? Send me a copy pls

Sorie M. Sankoh N.R.C. Was an illegitimate Govt. they were part of the instability of our young Independence, which later gave rise to Shaki’s “semi-tyranny” . Soldiers belonged to the Barracks.

Yankuba Kai-samba Thanks for this archive, I guess you got this from the School of Oriental and African Studies library. He was among the last of Sandust military academy trained in UK. He is incoruptable and principled. He fought in the Congo war and was highly commended my brigadier Genda who led the Sierra Leone battalion to Congo. Sadly for him Sierra Leone is not a normal society and because he refused to steal he is virtually peneless in his old age with a pension less than 40 dollars a month.God be with him.

Idrissa Conteh Many thanks for the update, Yankuba Kai-samba. I had read incredible stories about his impeccable rectitude and resplendent political ideals. It’s really good to know that he’s still alive.

Sierra Leone not a normal country my brother. The last time I was shown Kama Dumbuya, the country high profile football, I felt so bad.

We have a very bad culture of haling rogues and marginalising honest and well meaning people.

Yankuba Kai-samba He is probably the last two of the NRC one year old coup led by Juxon Smith that is still alive today. He is also the eldest surviving son of Paramount Chief Kai-samba 1. After the coup, he led a group of army officers that arrested Sir Albert. After Sir Albert was detained at Pademba road, he returned to the house and asked Sif Albert’ s wife and told her that he was safe and his arrest was for his own protection. He asked the detainee family to prepare food and provide clean clothing which he took for him to Pademba road. The NRC which stands for National Reformation Council was overthrown by junior officers who invited Stevens to form a government after the 1967 crisis that followed the election results. The NRC did not have time to cleanse and reform the country, which was their stated aim. Idrissa had a couple of jobs including director of SOS in Freetown. He also worked for the bank of Sierra Leone with the help of his friend Turay as the governor of bank of Sierra Leone. Turay is also a surviving member of the NRC coup. Brother is so incorruptible that he did not only refused to steal but reported his colleagues when they steal. They would gang up on him to get him out. He once revealed to me that when the AFRC took over, they wanted to bring him in as one of the senior experienced former soldier. But some objected because they said he was very strict and principled. He has no money and never built a house of his own. I used to help. At one time, I advised him to go and see president kabba for help with appointment. He told me bluntly that he wouldn’t ask kabba for anything. It was at this point that he told me how they set up a commission of enquiries against Kabba and other corrupt officials. The social media has given us the opportunity to write on issues which people don’t know about or have a misconceptions about.

Abdul Kai-Samba Thank you big brother Yankuba for your updates. I spoke to him few times and I noticed he was a very strict man from our conversation we held and I respected that. He was at my mum’s funeral in freetown and held long conversation and have not seen him since. He is a very pleasant man. God bless him.

Yankuba Kai-samba Abdul Kai-Samba, our family has a unique political history in Sierra Leone. We were a catalyst that changed the political trajectory in Sierra Leone , we remain unchanged. From 1967 no member of this family has either joined or served in any position in the successive APC administration. We are hated by some but love and respected my many . We are many and probably the most diverse Chieftaincy household in Sierra Leone. One day this house will produce leadership for Sierra Leone . Some of us may not be around. So let’s don’t give up hope and I am very pleased to know you are showing more interest in the family and our history .

Almamy Razk Seray-Wurie Tun Kai-Samba family remains of SL map (the Modernization PC, the Upstander Lawyer , the Military Officer, among others)

Yankuba Kai-samba Alimamy, Buakei Idrissa was the third son of a Mandingo woman.Mama Fanta was the head wife. She was very fond of me. Solomon was her first son and hair apparent. He also initially went to the army but left because of mental health problem. The chief openly wept when he had the news according to my mother. However he was the hair apparent and succeeded the Chief upon his death. There was no contest really because the chief had done a great job for in his chiefdom. In his declaration statement, he told the chiefdom people that he was standing in the shoes of his father to do more than what his father had achieved. It was not to be as his illness could not allow him.. But even in illness he was conscious of his position and acted like one.He was greatly loved by his subjects. The second of Mama Fanta,s children was Kutubu Ibrahim named after chief Kutubu of Pendembu , the father of late Justice Kutubu. Kutubu Ibrahim was the britest and according to his contemporaries he was one of the best legal brain Sierra Leone had at the time. According to a discussion with a Sierra Leonean lawyer I met in London when he appeared in court to represent his client without his law reference book which he did at times, his opposite lawyer would ask for an adjournment because he was at his best even without his reference books. He was a senior prefect at Bo School. At his time in school the colonial secretariat used to dispatched the times news papers to him in his dormentry . He was called Dorney in mende meaning Prince of the land. He then attended Fourah bay college after Bo School and from there he came to UK and studied law at King’s college London. By then our father was on the scholarship board in Sierra Leone but he opted to finance his sons studies from his own funds. Buakei Idrissa, in the picture there is the third son of three Mama Fanta’so children. He became a major in the SL Army. Fought in the Congo war and was commended by late brigadier Genda for bravery. It was the late brigadier who told me this when I met him in a party in London . He was trained in Sandhurst the military academy in UK. Alongside Juxon Smith ,Major Jumu, Major Blake , Turay and others intervened when Sierra Leone was on a brink of ethnic war following the dispute over the 1967 election results. I wouldn’t go in to why Sir Albert felled out of favour and his leadership of SLPP because I don’t want to open old wounds and hurt other people for now. But the things I write on Facebook are printed and will form the synopsis of a book I plan to write starting by next year. This will be sensitive and some feelings will be hurt with the bare truths and revelations. The proceeds from the sale of the books will go to the people of kenema inshala/by God’s grace. The chief had a penchant for Mandingo women. Mama Mariama was another one. She had five children with the chief, late Maki, mother of Sama and Patricia Forna. Late Bona, named after the Bonas in Kono, late Normo, Wurie in the USA named after Amadu Wurie and Musu who is the last of the chiefs children also in the USA. There are other Musus in the USA older than us. I am third to last, so I am just trying to pick up the pieces and I cannot do it alone without the inputs from other family members. But I am determined to write a book. Today the Kai Samba family are not rich and since politics is the passage to accumulate wealth we have not being part of it from the executive position since 1967 even though the Kai sambas are one of the oldest political family in Sierra Leone.