Ann Marie De Maere enjoying her Birthday today, is wise among equals. Sierra Leoneans inside and outside the country wish the Iron Lady a Happy Birthday. Ann Marie, popularly known as the Iron Lady of Spain, got her name from the former British Prime Minister Margret Thatcher. Mrs Thatcher’s iconic statement is likened to Ann Marie who is not for turning. “Gentlemen, you can turn if you want to, but the ladies are not for turning,” the Iron Lady of Britain famously said. As for Sierra Leone’s main Iron Lady of Spain who celebrates her 59th birthday today, we urge all patriotic Sierra Leoneans to wish Ann Marie a Happy Birthday, and Long Life, Good Health and Prosperity for Her and Family, thanks to her darling husband Eddy De Maere, the rock. (Photo: Gorgeous Ann Marie is the Birthday Girl).

Madam Ann Marie, the Birthday Girl, is now enjoying her retirement but is still studious and because of the patriotic blood still following in her veins, the undemocratic atmosphere in Sierra Leone under the despotic SLPP misrule of Maada Bio has spurred her to come out of retirement temporally to contribute her own quota to the restoration of democracy to her beloved motherland. Most Sierra Leoneans in the Diaspora are aware of the versatility of our Iron Lady of Spain whose writing skills, attention to details, sharp knowledge and common sense have earned her admiration. It is therefore no surprise that all the best social media forums in the Diaspora want the Sierra Leone Iron Lady to be their Secretary General.

Ann Marie is second to none for taking minutes during meetings and putting together appropriate words in readiness for the next meetings. Bravo to the real Iron Lady of Sierra Leone as she enjoys her Natal Day today. God bless. The Iron Lady of Spain Ann Marie is the epitome of hard work, progress, equality, justice and patriotism. Ann Maria is without a shadow of doubt the embodiment of a Sierra Leone female champion who believes in human rights, freedom of movement and association and gender equality and so on. Enjoy your day Ann Marie. A brief CV from the Birthday Girl herself is as follows –

Ann Marie Bintu Turay’s Brief CV

I went to school at the Services Primary School in Freetown and did my high school studies at the Methodist Girls High School MGHS, the YWCA and later Pitmans College of English. I moved to the UK in the late 80’s where l stayed for 9 years. Attended computing college and later got my NVQ level 2 working with the elderly. Moved back briefly to Freetown for about a year and during the war, moved to Belgium in the late 90’s, where l resided for another 23 years during which l got married to my darling husband Eddy De Maere.

Going through school, first as a Carer and further studies got my diploma as an Assistant Nurse. Through my husband’s early retirement, we both moved to beautiful Spain, where we are residing for the past three years. Being the daughter of a former high profile APC politician in the days of President Siaka P Stevens, l was never interested in politics, till l saw in real time, the Pademba Road Prisons Massacre in 2020 and learned of all the atrocities done to the innocent citizens by Maada Bio and his violent SLPP government. l decided to go head on into politics, promising myself to do my own bits in speaking out louder for the voiceless and making a difference in the status quo for my country and fellow Sierra Leoneans.

I am a member and an adviser to the APC Belgium Chapter, and the Secretary of the Council of Elders 6^th Region. Because l always admired the former Prime Minister, Lady Thatcher with her zeal and zest in politics, oozing so much confidence and stance, l decided to rebrand myself with the pseudo name, the IRON-LADY, the nickname of Thatcher. Being an APCIAN does not omit the fact that l am a Sierra Leonean first. I am a patriotic citizen and my flag and country will always come first before my political party. l think that every Sierra Leonean should have the same thinking, instead of their political parties and their selfish interests. I am a proud grandmother with three beautiful grandchildren.