By Dadson A. Musa

Hon Segepoh Solomon Thomas, Speaker of Parliament

Coming from a humble background and his decision to focus and work hard has been the hall mark of our current speaker of the 6th Parliament of the Republic of Sierra Leone. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, born in the mid-seventies in the south of Sierra Leone, got his primary and secondary education in the provinces. His determination and focus endeared him to his pious uncle, Rev. Father Henry Williams(late) who was a disciplined and no-nonsense man. The late man, being the few educated clergy then in the catholic mission decided to groom a humble and hard-working nephew. After his secondary education, speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas proceeded to Fourah Bay College to obtain his university degree and never rested on his laurels but decided to pursue a law degree after a brief stint as a teacher. His teaching career took him to his native land of Bonthe Island even when remuneration for being a teacher was very bleak especially in remote parts of the country like Bonthe island. This is a man who has never forgotten his home unlike many other educated provincials even before now. Speaker, Segepoh Solomon Thomas having being called to the bar in the early 2000s, pitched tent with a northern colleague in the profession by the name of Turay and they both worked in the “Spancho” chamber as young lawyers. He does not look at issues especially when it comes to national development with regional or tribal lens which was why he was unanimously voted as speaker across party line He had been there until he opened his own private chamber called “the segepoh partnership” (Emmanuel chambers). He has also forayed into business, setting up a financial institution in Freetown, Bo and Makeni

As a young lawyer, he was fortunate to work at the special court for Sierra Leone in its folding up stages. Whatever he got from his law practice he would go back to his native land of Bonthe district and generously help not only people from his family cycle but also those less fortunate Bonthenians. This generosity of his really synced with the suffering people of Bonthe after so many years of marginalization and backwardness faced by the district. Today, you can still tell from vestiges of neglect and the eleven-year war. Speaker Segepoh S. Thomas never let his people down or neglected them in preference for the cozy lifestyle he has crafted for himself by being a lawyer. For this, he has been a darling of his people in the Bonthe district. Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas had been widely and well loved by his people, especially due to his humility and affability.

He has been a very fortunate man to have worked under the respected, highly educated and experienced Dr. Abass Bundu as deputy for over six years. And so has come to the office of speaker as somebody, not only qualified, but well-groomed and suited for the job. The remarkable Dr. Abass Bundu did not hesitate to recommend him when asked by His Excellency Julius Maada Bio who the fittest person was to fill in his big shoes when he resigned.

So, this young speaker in the person of Segepoh Solomon Thomas is still in his prime and remains yet the youngest speaker to date of our parliament since the introduction of democracy in our country. He has been a fearless law maker and loyal to his political party which is the hallmark of a great and shrewd politician. Already, he has got off to a flying start after passing some very important laws like marriage act. And wasted no time in summoning parliament to convene even when they were on recess to debate and pass into the much-needed Millennium Challenge Corporation, $480M given to Sierra Leone by the American government. Recently, Speaker Thomas was elected as head of commonwealth parliamentary speakers in Africa, a position he accepted not out of the perks of the job but of the need to serve the commonwealth community. He still has a little over three years to serve as speaker and if completed, he will go down in history as the youngest person to have held the position in the history of Sierra Leone. The party looks forward to that and the people of Sierra Leone are looking forward to a successful tenure of this young man.