His National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) regime enjoys the support of locals and the international community. Under his administration, he instituted a general cleaning exercise every last Saturday of the month, the national football team made it to the Nation’s cup for the first and perhaps the only time, Sierra Leone regained its position among nations again.

“Valentine Strasser is probably the second best ruler Sierra Leone has been privileged to have…” Ada Wright shares his opinion on an online forum. He added: ‘’every true Sierra Leonean danced through-out the country for Strasser’s coming.”

His nearly four year’s rule came to an end in January 1996 after he was ousted in a bloodless coup by his second in command Brig. General Maada Bio. He was handcuffed and forced into exile in neighbouring Guinea before proceeding to the UK to study law at Warwick.

After a year in College, he left UK for Gambia but was denied entry. This was just the beginning of the untold suffering and neglect he later faced.

AfricaNews reporter caught up with the former Head of State at Grafton, a small village in the outskirt of Freetown. Hardly, anyone could remember him, few years ago as that young Head of State who was well known for his dark glasses on TV. He no longer looks like a former Head of State; the suffering is visible in him. As it is accustomed for former Head of State to leave in porch flats, own cars, Strasser’s situation is quite the opposite. Much explanation has been advance for his predicament.

Whiles some say his wife had to dump him and do away with everything he had others suggested that friends betrayed him. He could not be given pension like former President’s because he never came to power through election. He was recently given less than $ 2,000 retirement benefit from the Army after series of advocacy.

Resource Centre

‘’I’ve decided to used this money to set up a resource and training center in this community for the youths and war victims. It’s no longer about me. I want to continue to make that change in the lives of others,” Stressed Stresser.

He said he has already acquired a computer and books for a start and is looking forward to individuals and organizations to make his dream of setting up the institution comes through. “It is not a university, our aim is to provide a center for young people where they will learn skills training, Information Technology and also socialize.

He is no longer the Head of State but he is still a ‘strong-man’ and is passionate about setting up the centre.