CHARACTER SKETCH 5: MARY EDWARDS

I haven't posted in a short while as I was 'flu-ed' up. Or was it man-cold? Anyway, I'm much better now and I take pleasure in introducing you to another character for my first yet-unwritten book 'Redemption - Ideal Life'. As always, if you have any ideas to improve the characters 1-5, I'd be delighted to hear from you.

Honourable Mary Edwards is an astute, ambitious and successful woman who had to contend with fighting for the leadership of her party and resolving the break-up of her favourite son’s marriage.

Her political party had just lost power and were in disarray with a lot of infighting. She had worked very hard to build her party. She had been one of the most vociferous opponents of the rebels that had subjected Sierra Leone to over a decade of civil war. Her dissent paid off as the rebels were forced to lay down their arms. She was rewarded for her bravery and dedication by being elected the Deputy Speaker of Parliament by her colleagues in both the ruling and opposition parties.

Softly spoken, elegant and charismatic, Hon Edwards was an exceptional public speaker and was held in great esteem in her country and on the political scene in Africa. Her easy-going demeanour belied her determination to succeed and her ambition to hold the highest office in the land. She was aware she needed to remain practical about her ambitions, especially as her party had just lost power. Nevertheless, she remained calm and confident that her chance would come and she would be ready to take it. A beautiful woman, she looked much younger than her 60 years and watched what she ate and took great pride in her appearance.

She was a modern thinking African woman, who had fought for years with like-minded women to instill into the psyche of Sierra Leone men that the woman’s role should not just be confined to the kitchen and running the home. She was regarded as the unofficial women’s leader in the country, an accolade she was extremely proud about.

Her son, Larry, unexpectedly announced that he was walking out on his wife, causing her to intervene in an attempt to broker a reconciliation. She was sad at this development. She liked Vanessa, who she believed brought out the best in her son but she also knew Frank was a patient and intelligent man. Therefore, she knew she needed all her skills and open-mindedness to understand the source of conflict with a view of influencing a reconciliation. She also trusted her son's judgement and would respect his decision whatever it turned out to be.

Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, her favourite niece Janet, died suddenly from a suspected heart attack – she was in her early thirties. Her niece had told her on several occasions she had dreamt that Hon Edwards had become president. She always believed that Janet had a gift although the rest of her large family believed she suffered from mental illness.

Things started to look up for her when she got elected to the West African parliament, won her party leadership and was in a position to fulfil her ultimate dream.