Sierra Leone: President Julius Maada Bio, has honoured four visiting Presidents, 85 people of which, 29.4 percent were women, 70.6 percent were men, three farmers associations, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Council of Paramount Chiefs, and Emergency Hospital, during Sierra Leone’s 60th Jubilee anniversary. The event was staged at the Upper Lawn of State house Tuesday 27th April 2021.
The procedure for the investiture ceremony started with the State Protocol officers receiving and escorting invited guests to their seats on the upper lawn, for commencement of the event. Recipients were positioned under the first canopy in order of Presentation of the category under which their names fell, while invited guests were positioned under the remaining canopy with the Members of Parliament, government ministers and other diplomats and foreign workers occupying the canopy on the far left of the president.
Upon arrival, President Julius Maada Bio, was received by the Chancellor, and was taken to his seat by his Chief of Protocol, and the ceremony started.
There were 10 categories under which people and institutions were awarded including, Grand Commander of the Order of the Republic of Sierra Leone (GCORSL), Commander of the Order of the Republic of Sierra Leone (CORSL), Grand Officers of the Order of the Republic of Sierra Leone (GOORSL), Grand Commanders of the Order of the Rokel (GCOR), Commanders of the Order of the Rokel (COR), Grand Officers of the Order of the Rokel (GOOR), Officers of the Order of the Rokel (OOR), Members of the Order of the Rokel (MOR), Presidential Medal Award (GOLD), and Presidential Medal Award (SILVER).
In the category for Grand Commander of the Order of the Republic of Sierra Leone (GCORSL), only one person, Dr. Kadie Sesay, credited with developing the National Pledge while a Commissioner at the National Commission for Democracy, was awarded for her outstanding role on women and girls’ empowerment and education. Four people, Finda Koroma, (Vice President of ECOWAS), Dr. Bu-Buakei Jabbie (Lawyer), Eke Ahmed Halloway (Lawyer) credited with establishing the Sierra Leone Law School, George Banda Thomas (Lawyer), and Sidie Mohamed Tunis (Speaker ECOWAS Parliament), were awarded as Commanders of the Order of the Republic of Sierra Leone (CORSL), for their outstanding services to the nation.
Brigadier (Rtd.) Sam King and Desmond Edgar Fashole-Luke (Posthumously), former Chief Justice, were awarded for their services to the nation as Grand Officers of the Order of the Republic of Sierra Leone (GOORSL), while six persons, Lieutenant General Sullay Ibrahim Sesay (CDS), Ambrose Michael Sovula (IGP), Raymond De’Souza George (Papa Ray), Professor Durodami Radcliffe Lisk – medic and notable epilepsy researcher, Hon. Veronica Kadie Sesay – MP, and Professor Joseph Aruna Lawrence Kamara, were awarded as Grand Commanders of the Order of the Rokel (GCOR), for their outstanding services to the country.
A total of nineteen people (one posthumously), Emergency Hospital (for reviving the health sector), Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Sierra Leone (100 years in the country, constructed over 1,400 mosques, and 200 schools), Council of Paramount Chiefs, Officers of Sierra Leone Police, Correctional service officers, innovative bankers, engineers, and a Wild Life activist, Balasingham Amarasekaran – founder of Tacugama Chimp Sanctuary, were awarded Commanders of the Order of the Rokel (COR).
In the category of Grand Officers of the Order of the Rokel (GOOR), nine persons were awarded including Justice Alusine Sani Sesay for his role oin the justice sector reform, Murtada Sesay for his contribution in the pharmaceutical sector, Dr. Gibrilla Fadlu Deen for his outstanding services in the medical field, Ambassador Florence Nyawa Bangalie for her services to the diplomatic community, Madam Rhoda Kono Kargobai for her leadership in civil service, Horatio Modupeh Nelson-Willaims, for his 49 years services to educational reform, and Brig. Gen. Rtd. John O. Jah Tucker, for his services to the security sector.
More people (28 including 3 posthumously) were awarded as Officers of the Order of the Rokel (OOR) drawn from all works of life including, in the field of journalism and Media reform, Correctional service and mechanised farming, the Navy, RSLAF, Music and Creative Art, Public Service, Civil Society activism, Politics, Culture and Heritage, Local and Public management, Public Examiners, Educationists, and Civil Servants.
Ten people including three farmers associations were awarded as Members of the Order of the Rokel, eight received Presidential Medal Award – Gold, while three received Presidential Medal Award Silver. Among the recipients were, 25 women, 60 men (5 posthumously), and 6 institutions (Council of Paramount Chiefs, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Sierra Leone, Emergency Hospital, and three farmers Associations) were awarded, making a total of 91 recipients of the 60th Independence Anniversary awards.
MK/29/04/2021