Dr. Idris Lahai has stirred public debate after posting a message on his Facebook page in which he apologized to former President Ernest Bai Koroma and openly praised his leadership over that of the current President, Julius Maada Bio.
In the post, Dr. Lahai said that with hindsight, he now believes Ernest Koroma governed Sierra Leone better than President Bio. He based his argument on a simple and symbolic comparison: the boats commissioned by both administrations during their time in office.
According to Dr. Lahai, the fishing boats commissioned under Ernest Koroma were modern, well-finished, and visually impressive. He described them as clearly fit for purpose and easy to identify by their green color. In contrast, he criticized a recently unveiled boat commissioned under President Bio, describing it as old-looking and unseaworthy. He noted that the boat’s appearance does not reflect a serious investment in national assets and compared its color to what he mockingly described as the color of the president’s shirt.
“I am compelled to offer my apologies to former President EBK,” Dr. Lahai wrote. “In retrospect, his leadership surpasses that of Julius Maada Bio. A comparison of the boats commissioned by EBK and Maada Bio would be enlightening.”
He further called for the full fleet of boats commissioned under both administrations to be displayed side by side so that the public can judge for themselves.
Dr. Lahai’s comments have drawn mixed reactions online. Supporters of Ernest Koroma see the post as validation of long-standing claims that infrastructure and security investments were better handled during the All People’s Congress (APC) era. President Bio’s supporters, on the other hand, argue that leadership cannot be based on appearance alone and that Dr. Lahai is reducing governance issues to insults. Dr. Idris Lahai is a popular figure in the discourse on issues in the country and is recognized for his personal opinions on issues of leadership and governance. His posts frequently spark debate, especially when they involve comparisons between past and present governments.
While the government has not officially responded to Dr. Lahai’s remarks, the post has once again revived a familiar national argument: how to fairly assess leadership performance, and whether visible state assets such as vehicles, boats, or buildings are a true measure of good governance.
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As calls grow for transparency around public spending and national security equipment, Dr. Lahai’s demand for a full public comparison of the fleets may keep the conversation alive in the days ahead.
