Liberia President Decorates His Sierra Leonean Counterpart

Order of the Pioneers

By Sylvester Samba

President of Liberia, His Excellency President George M. Weah, Sr. has conferred on His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone the honor of Knight Grand Cordon, Most Venerable Order of the Pioneers (KGC – MVOP). Amidst standing ovation from the people of Liberia at the Sports Complex, President George M. Weah decorated his colleague and brother, President Maada Bio with the insignia Knight Grand Cordon. Witnessing the occasion is the First Lady Madam Fatima Bio.

The event which took place on Friday 26th July 2019 at its Monrovia capital, Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, Monterrado County, marks Liberia 172nd Independence Anniversary commemoration. The program was graced by several Heads of State, among them; His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, His Excellency President Alpha Conde of Guinea and His Excellency President Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast.

President Bio was invited as a Special Guest by his colleague and brother, His Excellency President George M. Weah, Sr. to join the people of Liberia at the celebration marking the 172nd Independence Anniversary.

In his letter of invitation to His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, His Excellency President George M. Weah, Sr. stated;

“Your positive disposition towards Liberia has won you a special place in the hearts of Liberians and your attendance at these ceremonies will serve to further cement relations between our two countries and peoples.”

The President departed from Sierra Leone on Thursday 25th July 2019 for Monrovia, Liberia. This year’s Independence Anniversary celebration was the second since the ascendancy of His Excellency President George M. Weah, Sr. to the Presidency of the Republic of Liberia. Activities for the Independence celebration started on 19th July and concluded on 26th July 2019.

Reading the citation for the conferment of the honor, the Chief of Protocol of the Republic of Liberia, Jervis A. Witherspoon paid tribute to His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio for his democratic credential as the former military Head of State who laid the foundation for peace and the return of multi-party democracy in Sierra Leone in the late nineties.

“His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio presided over the conduct of the first democratic elections in Sierra Leone in nearly three decades. He voluntarily handed over power to the democratically elected Government of the late President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and initiated the Sierra Leone Civil War Peace Settlement. He is also the first former military Head of State to be democratically elected as President of the Republic of Sierra Leone.”

— The citation stated

The Chief of Protocol also spoke about President Dr. Julius Maada Bio's efforts in peacekeeping in Liberia as part of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG). His peacekeeping mission in the early nineties in Liberia through ECOMOG demonstrated the love and commitment he has for the country and people of Liberia.

Mr. Witherspoon cataloged Bio's humanitarian efforts in Sierra Leone through the Maada and Fatima Bio Foundation– The work of the Foundation during the outbreak of the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone in supporting victims, and, families affected by the floods and mudslide disasters in August 2017.

During the citation, His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio was also praised for his tremendous achievements over the year in championing human capital development, demonstrating political will in the fight against corruption, restoring fiscal credibility to Sierra Leone among others. He has also shown great leadership at the African Union as Chairman of the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government for the reform of the United Nations.

President Bio, the First Lady and other members of his entourage returned home after the official commemoration of 172nd Independence Anniversary.

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