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The President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio is in neighbouring Liberia to celebrate the country’s 178th Independence anniversary.
Posting on the social media Facebook, Bio said that he is in Liberia “celebrate with our brother and the wonderful people of Liberia on their 178th Independence anniversary.”
He spoke on his expectation for the celebration to be exciting, while praying for the bond between his country and Liberia to be “stronger”.
State House Sierra Leone said Bio was received by Liberia’s Attorney-General, Oswald Tweh and several other high-ranking officials from the Liberian Foreign Ministry.
They said Bio was among several Heads of State, including Ghana’s John Dramani Mahama and Guinea-Bissau’s Umaro Sissoco Embalo, invited for the celebration.
Sierra Leone and Liberia share deep historical ties with the two being the only countries founded for the repatriation of freed slaves from the US and UK respectively. The two countries share a long border, spanning several kilometres from Sierra Leone’s south and southeast. They also share a deep bond and cultural ties with many similar ethnic groups found in both countries.
Bio’s visit is a reminder of the deep bond between the two countries. However, the Sierra Leone President came under-fire about two months ago for neglecting his country’s Independence Day celebration and attending the late Pope Francis’s funeral in the Vatican City.
The Director of Communications at Bio’s Office, Myk Berewa defended the President at the time stating that the late Pope was Bio’s “moral and religious figure”. He added that the President also used to “call and pray for the Pope”.
He will travel to attend another country’s Independence Day, which by the way is not a milestone one, but FAIL to celebrate or be present for the country’s own of which he is the President. How does one explain this?