A vision for the future of Sierra Leone | Julius Maada Bio

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4.1 • 11.9K Ratings

🗓️ 3 July 2019

⏱️ 16 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When Julius Maada Bio first seized political power in Sierra Leone in 1996, he did so to improve the lives of its citizens. But he soon realized that for democracy to flourish, its foundation needs to be built on the will of the people. After arranging an election, he voluntarily gave up power and left Africa. Twenty years later, after being democratically elected president of Sierra Leone, he reflects on the slow path to democracy, the importance of education for all and his focus on helping young Sierra Leoneans thrive.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This TED Talk features President of Sierra Leone, Julius Mada Beo, recorded live at TED 2019.
0:10.0	On Tuesday, January 16, 1996, I walked into the office of the president as head of state of the Republic of Surrealion.
0:23.6	I had not been elected.
0:26.6	Four years earlier, I was one of 30 heavily armed military officers,
0:32.6	all in our 20s, who had driven from the war front into the capital city freedom.
0:40.8	We had only one objective to overthrow a corrupt, repressive and single-party dictatorship
0:49.9	that had kept itself in power for over 25 years.
0:55.8	But in the end, it wasn't a violent coup.
1:00.7	After we fired a few shots and seized the radio station,
1:05.6	hundreds of thousands of citizens jumped onto the street
1:10.8	to welcome us as liberators.
1:15.6	If you are thinking, this seems like a movie script, I'm with you.
1:21.6	I was part of the ruling military government, and I served in several rules.
1:26.6	Our goal was always to return the country to democratic civilian rule.
1:33.4	But after four years, those multi-party democratic elections have still not happened.
1:41.1	Citizens, we are beginning to lose faith in our promise.
1:45.0	You know what? I like to keep my promises.
1:49.0	Some of my comrades and I stage another military coup,
1:54.0	at this time against our own head of state and commander.
1:58.0	Again, it was a bloodless school. That is how I became the new military head of state
2:04.6	in January 16, 1996. I was still only 31 years old. Of course, power was sweet. I felt invulnerable.
2:23.5	I had thousands of heavily armed men and aircraft at my command. I was heavily protected and I lived in luxury. But my obligations to my nation
	...

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