Sierra Leone’s Former President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma has presented the African Leadership Magazine Peace and Security Leader of the Year Award 2020 to Nigeria’s former President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Sierraloaded learnt that the award was presented to during a virtual investiture ceremony titled: ‘Intentional Leadership: Rethinking Development Priorities in Africa’” held earlier in February, 2021.

While sharing a video from the event on social media, Koroma wrote;

“It was a great honor for me to present the #ALM Peace & Security Leader of the Year award to my brother His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan at the African Leadership Virtual Award Ceremony which welcomed many other distinguished leaders.

Anyone who has followed the presidency and the illustrious post presidency of His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan would agree that this was a great choice. Nothing more poignant about his legendary #peace & #security credentials than how he put the interest of his people and that of our Sub-region above his personal interest during the 2010 elections in #Nigeria.

In his inspirational words he said: ‘My ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian’. Those words could only come from a statesman per excellence & one whose commitment to the peace & security of his people undoubtedly supersedes everything else.

No doubt, peace & security are in the heart and veins of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The theme International Leadership “Rethinking Africa’s Priorities” clearly resonates with the vision of the Africa we want moving forward.

The new Africa development model should therefore be one that emphasizes on its own regional & internal markets through the African Continental Free Trade Area. The current global uncertainties have, in fact, reinforced this argument and underpin the great opportunities which exist in the strengthening of regional & internal markets, & how such regional/ continental solutions will shore up governments in addressing their national challenges.

Over & beyond the economic argument is the elephant in the room – democratic governance. Africa will need to reinvent its governance systems with the empowering of its growing youth population. The youths in Africa’s development framework, #Agenda2063, is to let them be a part of its design and implementation.

“Inclusivity means that public polices can be reviewed and governance systems can be questioned. Inclusivity is therefore an absolute and essential component in rethinking development”.

The bedrocks for peace and security are inseparably linked to sustainable development.”