By Deji Elumoye
Sierra Leone last Tuesday honoured Nigeria and four other West African countries for standing solidly behind it during the 11-year civil war that ravaged the country between 1999 and 2012.
The other countries appreciated are Ghana, Guinea, Liberia and Gambia.
The spokesman of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, in a statement issued yesterday said apart from Osinbajo, who was decorated by Sierra Leonean President, Julius Maada Bio, with insignia of honour and dressy tokens, Presidents of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo; Guinea, Alpha Conde; Liberia, George Weah, and Gambia, Adama Barrow, were also similarly decorated.
President Bio, at a ceremony to mark the 60th Independence anniversary of Sierra Leone in Freetown, the capital of the country, mentioned how Nigeria and other countries in the sub-region have been helpful in the course of the peace and development of his country.
Sierra Leone grateful to Nigeria, others at 60th independence Presidency The Punch
Published 29 April 2021
The President of Sierra Leone, Julius Bio, has lauded Nigeria’s immense contributions to the country’s peace and development.
According to a statement on Wednesday by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, Bio said this on Tuesday as Sierra Leone marked its 60th Independence at a series of events in Freetown, the capital city.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who represented Nigeria’s President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), joined other African leaders at the celebrations. They include Presidents of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo; Liberia, George Weah; The Gambia, Adama Barrow; and Guinea, Alpha Conde. Also in attendance was the Prime Minister of Guinea Bissau, Nuno Nabiam, and a Special Envoy of the President of Ivory Coast.
60th independence anniversary: President Bio addresses the nation
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His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has commemorated Sierra Leoneâs 60th Independence Anniversary with eight foreign dignitaries and reminded the occasion of the countriesâ common interests as well as threats they face in the sub-region.
Present at the dayâs ceremony were His Excellencies President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana, who is also Chairman of ECOWAS; Professor Alpha Conde of Guinea; President George Manneh Weah of Liberia; President Adama Barrow of The Gambia; Nuno Gomes Nabiam, the Prime Minister of Guinea Bissau; Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other representatives of Heads of State.