President of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr Julius Maada Bio, has conferred the prestigious Grand Commander of the Order of the Rokel on Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, in recognition of his role in restoring peace and stability to Sierra Leone.
The decoration took place during a colourful parade marking the 17th Armed Forces Day of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces.
According to a statement by the Director Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Sumaila Uba noted that General Oluyede was honoured for his service in Sierra Leone under the banner of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), as well as for the sacrifices made by Nigerian officers and soldiers who contributed significantly to ending the country’s civil conflict.
While reading the citation, Sierra Leonean authorities highlighted General Oluyede’s deployment as a Platoon Commander at the residence of Sierra Leone’s then Head of State between 1992 and 1994. His exemplary leadership, professionalism and steadfast commitment to peace and government stability were particularly acknowledged.
The ceremony also recognised several other distinguished military leaders from Nigeria, Guinea, Kenya, the United Kingdom and the United States for their contributions to peace operations in Sierra Leone.
Among those honoured were former Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff, Martin Luther Agwai (Rtd); Daniel Opande (Rtd) of Kenya; Ibrahima Sory Bangoura of Guinea; Paul Rogers of the United States; and Edward Butler (Rtd) of the United Kingdom.
During the event, special tribute was paid to the courage, sacrifice and solidarity of the Nigerian Armed Forces. Sierra Leonean authorities commended Nigeria’s leadership role under ECOMOG, describing its forces as being at the forefront of regional peace enforcement during Sierra Leone’s civil war.
The Nigerian contingent was praised for its bravery, resilience and commitment to the protection of civilians during one of the country’s most challenging periods.
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