Fatima Maada Bio
Fatima Maada Bio is the first lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone. She is also a politician, an actress, a writer and a human rights advocate. She was recently elected President of the Organisation of African First Ladies For Development (OAFLAD).
Quotes
[edit]- By recognizing the family as the foundation of societal well-being, we acknowledge the critical role families play in shaping the next generation.
- Empowering women is crucial in this endeavor, as they often play a pivotal role in child-rearing
- Let us seize this moment to prioritize family strengthening and women’s empowerment, paving the way for a brighter future for Sierra Leone
- Even during our political campaigns, there were people who used to question why was I playing such a leading role. But because of my empowerment, I was focused and determined to support my husband to become our President
- The greatest achievement is not the number of awards you receive but the number of lives of Africans you have changed
- If you have heard anything negative, in the past, about Sierra Leone, I am here to confidently inform you that Sierra Leone is the most beautiful country in the world
- I call on all other African leaders to emulate what my husband has done to introduce free education for children from pre-primary to secondary school
- This evening is about more than fellowship — it is about shaping a new world together. With partnerships like NBPA, World Shoe, and OAFLAD, we are showing that women and children will no longer be afterthoughts in development, but the very heart of it.
- You cannot take away the fact that you have more women in Africa than men, and if you’re going to deprive women in Africa to be [left] behind, then definitely, nothing is going to grow.
- The emotion is not about feeling somebody else’s pain — it’s about feeling my own pain
- I know what it means to be a victim, and it is only by the grace of God that you find yourself in a situation like that and get out of it, and get out and become somebody
- [At that time], the law still gave the power to the family or a guardian to give consent. So where the child says no, an adult could say yes — and they could still go ahead and marry that child off,For that reason, I decided that I’m not going to wait for policies and government.
- When you bring [this topic] up in Africa, it could immediately cost your husband his next election
- If the people want to vote for my husband, they’ll vote for him. If they don’t want to vote for him, don’t vote for him. But what we need to say is … it’s better to be remembered for doing a good thing than to be remembered for protecting a political seat
- I’ve said this and I continue to say it: The reason why we have the situations we have in Africa today is because of the silence,We cover our ears to what is happening to women.
- Until people can show me what FGM is doing in Sierra Leone, I’m not part of the conversation
- The first lady who made child marriage illegal in Sierra Leone 23 October 2025
- As a proud daughter of the soil, I joined my brothers and sisters working at the Koidu Limited Mining Company in Kono Town to peacefully protest
- Our collective action aimed to urge Koidu Limited to enhance working conditions and provide better services for all employees
- This protest is a call to action for the company to improve the working conditions and provide better services. We believe that these demands are reasonable and essential for maintaining the well-being and dignity of workers
- Sierra Leone's First Lady Joins Diamond Protest 17 March, 2025
