Civil War: Sierra Leone Hails Contributions of Nigeria, Four Others

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.

In a show of appreciation, President Bio honoured Nigeria and the other countries that he said have stood with Sierra Leone, a nation that survived an 11-year civil conflict from 1991 to 2002.

Bio decorated a number of West African leaders through their leaders that attended the celebration, while Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabiam of Guinea Bissau, and a Special Envoy of the President of Ivory Coast also in attended the event.

Speaking with journalists in Freetown after the event, Osinbajo described the celebration as worthwhile, “especially considering all what Sierra Leone has been through in the 11 years of civil war and emerged from that terrible experience much stronger, a united country and developing economically, socially and rapidly.”

According to him, “We are all extremely proud of what the Sierra Leoneans have been able to do.

“We were very warmly hosted by President Bio and all the members of his cabinet as well as the good people of Sierra Leone. It has been a very exciting, warm, and joyful event.”

Historically, both Nigeria and Sierra Leone have shared cherished and cordial relations right from colonial times. The relationship has continued and evidenced in the socio-economic, technical, and security cooperation over the years, including the deployment of Nigerian troops in Sierra Leone to uphold the peace and preserve democracy.