The former Mayor of the City of Bo, Betty Toma Elias has been laid to rest in Bo on Sunday 30th August, 2009. She died in Freetown after falling ill.She became Mayor of Bo during the NPRC era and went on to contest for a Parliamentary seat under the Peoples Liberation Party, the party of Johnny Paul Koroma which she lost. She also contested the local Council Elections in 2004 and she won but she was not nominated to become Mayor, which some say led her to resign.
Toma Elias has seen both the political highs and lows in Bo. An incidence occurred during the 2004 local council elections where she polled the highest vote – the SLPP made use of her on the pretext that should she win her seat, she could be made Mayor.The system at the time was that, the elected councilors shall appoint among themselves somebody that would serve as a Mayor.
After the late Paramount Chief Rashid Kamanda Bongay had nominated Mayor Wusu Sannoh, the hall went silent for two minutes when it was announced for any other nomination. Toma Elias held her hand bag tight, swinging her feet and when nominations were closed; she left the hall and never returned to council. Again in 2008, she contested the Mayoral post under the All Peoples Congress which she lost.Betty Toma Elias could be well remembered by market women in Bo who consider her as always being part of their plight. She constructed a market for them named after her.
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