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President Julius Maada Bio has appointed Ahmad Umar Bah as the new Hajj and Umrah Attache to the Sierra Leone Embassy in Saudi Arabia. His appointment was announced last week through a letter issued by the Secretary to the President, Barba Fortune on October 7, 2025.
According to the letter, Bah will be responsible for several tasks, including promoting Hajj and Umrah linkages through outreach programmes and cultural events, serve as a liaison between the Ministry of Social Welfare and other stakeholders to advance religious linkages with the Saudi government, and provide timely information about Hajj and Umrah for interested parties.
With over 75 percent of Sierra Leone’s population being Muslims and with thousands of Sierra Leoneans performing the pilgrimage to Mecca every year, Bah’s role is considered to be critical in providing important information as well as the necessary support needed for Sierra Leonean pilgrims.
The Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam in which Muslims, who are financially capable, make pilgrimage to Mecca. The Hajj is normally performed in Dhul Hijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar. The next Hajj is expected to fall in the final week of May, 2026.
The Umrah, on the other hand, is a mini pilgrimage or lesser Hajj performed throughout the year. However, most Muslims perform the Umrah in the month of Ramadan due to a popular belief that performing the Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to the Hajj.
