Fatima Bio Explains Withdrawal from Global Forum Conference Scheduled to Take Place in Cambridge
Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Maada Bio, has clarified the circumstances surrounding her withdrawal from the upcoming Global Forum Conference scheduled to be held at Wolfson College, Cambridge.
According to the First Lady, her decision followed a series of developments, including disagreements over scheduling and later concerns regarding the structure and participants linked to the event.
She explained that she was initially invited to serve as a keynote speaker at the conference, but the original proposed date was not convenient for her official engagements. She noted that subsequent discussions were held with the organisers, after which a mutually agreed date was settled.
However, the First Lady stated that the situation changed after she received communication referencing an article from The Times newspaper, which reportedly called for her to publicly condemn Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and issued what she described as an ultimatum. This development, she said, prompted her to further review the nature and organisation of the event.
During her inquiries, she reportedly discovered that the conference was not directly organised by Cambridge University, but by a group that had hired Wolfson College as the venue. She said this raised concerns about inconsistencies in the information she had initially received.
The First Lady further disclosed that she was later informed by the organisers that certain anti-FGM campaigners had threatened to protest her participation and had allegedly called for her removal from the programme.
Following these developments, she said she contacted the Sierra Leone Ambassador to the United Kingdom and communicated her decision to withdraw from the conference in order to avoid further controversy and ensure diplomatic clarity.
She also stated that upon further review, she learned that some of the individuals opposing her participation were politically affiliated actors whom she claimed had consistently opposed her initiatives and public programmes.
The First Lady emphasised that her decision was not taken lightly but was necessary in light of the emerging contradictions and tensions surrounding the event. She added that she remains committed to her advocacy work and to engaging in platforms that promote constructive dialogue and mutual respect.
As of press time, organisers of the Global Forum Conference and Wolfson College had not issued an official response regarding her withdrawal.
