1. Even though young by Sierra Leonean standards (he is in his early 40s), Mohamed carries on his shoulders the head of a wise man, an expert on Sierra Leonean politics. Mohamed is a nephew of one of Sierra Leone’s most charismatic politicians, the late Thaimu Bangura, leader of the PDP-Sorbeh political party most of whose leaders and activists are now part of the ruling APC party. Mohamed learnt about politics at the feet of his late uncle, who always had him by his side everywhere he went. It was through his uncle that Mohamed got to know most of the country’s leading politicians.
2. Apart from his uncle’s influence, Mohamed was a political journalist with a very profound interest in politics. Everything about him, everything he does, has a link with politics.
3. Mohamed has a natural talent to achieve success through a humble and respectful character. He can be fiercely loyal too. He has been very loyal to President Koroma and he was one of the people that brought together President Koroma and PMDC leader Charles Margai that led to the APC victory of 2007, a very crucial victory that brought the ruling party from the political wilderness. It lost power in 1992 through a coup d’etat.
4. Mohamed has incredible self-esteem and self-confidence. He singlehandedly founded a political party called the United Democratic Movement (UDM) which quickly became a force to reckon with with offices all over the country. This is no mean feat for an up and coming young politician in a country like Sierra Leone.
5. If you want to draw up a list of Sierra Leonean politicians with a huge network of young supporters (most of the country’s voters are young people), Mohamed Bangura should be at the top of your list. Since his return home from Toronto, Canada, where he had been living at the height of the civil war, Mohamed has rapidly become a household name all over the country not just from the northern region from where he hails but also the south and east (helped in this by his chairmanship of the PMDC which had strong support in those two regions).
6. Like the late Thaimu Bangura, Mohamed is also a philanthropist and humanitarian that has helped countless people in and out of Sierra Leone. He is also a very skillful fundraiser that had been able to finance and run a whole political party through his varied and diverse connections with the local business community and influential friends.
7. Mohamed is a born orator that has honed his skills as a public speaker by learning from others. If you want know how the late Thaimu Bangura used to speak, you only need to go and listen to Mohamed Bangura speak at a public forum.
8. Black, as Mohamed is popularly known especially Toronto, is fearless and very bold but not rude. He is always ready to take on new challenges and he always comes out of life’s battles with laurels and encomiums. He has faced many difficulties and attacks from political opponents and detractors but he always bounces back like a rubber ball, jumping over obstacles like a kangaroo.
9. Mohamed always has a smile on his face, never sad or angry. He will brush off insults with a smile and a laugh, to the consternation of many people. He has never lost his temper publicly or privately. Many people can testify to this.
10. Finally, Mohamed is a grassroots politician with a candid love for the common man and woman. The reason for this is simple, his roots are from the common people. He was not born with a silver spoon sticking from his mouth. He is a man of the people.
