Last week, the Muslim Ummah raised its voice in anguish over the sale of the Sierra Leone Pilgrimage estate to Hajj Fawaz. Doubt hung heavy. We had grown used to silence from those in power, to cries that faded into nothingness. Many feared this would be yet another chapter of injustice—another wound left open.
But this time was different. The cry was too loud to be ignored. It rose to the President, was carried by the Vice President, and pressed upon the Ministry and Hajj Fawaz himself. And by Allah’s mercy, the outcome surprised even the most sceptical.
The land will not only return to the Sierra Leone Pilgrimage Movement. It will be reborn as a hub of renewal—a sanctuary for the Ummah. The vice president announced this himself at an overflowing mosque on Bai Bureh Road. In a gesture of faith and brotherhood, Hajj Fawaz relinquished his claim and pledged to continue rehabilitating the mosque already under restoration.
For this, our deepest gratitude goes first to the vice president. He never wavered in his stance, never bowed to pressure, and stood firm in ensuring that the land be rightfully returned to the Muslim community. More than that, he pledged to work hand in hand with the Sierra Leone Pilgrimage Movement to transform the estate into a Pilgrims’ Centre worthy of its sacred purpose. His resolve, patience, and leadership turned despair into hope and scepticism into faith.
We also extend thanks to the Minister of Lands, who instructed that the property be restored once the facts were fully laid before him. To Hajj Fawaz, who chose unity instead of division. To Honourable Alpha Kanu, the first to visit the scene and intervene on our behalf. And to the media, who refused to let the story vanish, boldly keeping it on the front pages. Above all, to the Ummah itself—whose voices, raised in dignity and respect, showed that a united people can not be dismissed.
Let this moment also be a lesson. The legacy of our parents as founders of national institutions does not grant us exclusive rights to claim their fruits. Temptation for worldly gain must never outweigh the higher call of faith, sacrifice, and community.
This victory is greater than the return of land. It is the return of trust. It is proof that when the people speak together, power listens. Let it be remembered as a parable: that scepticism can give way to hope, that division can yield to fraternity, and that unity, voiced with respect, can move mountains.
And may this victory endure like a prayer whispered across generations—
that faith will not be sold,
that unity will not be broken,
and that the soul of Sierra Leone will always find its strength in the oneness of its people
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