President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has officially recognized and handed over the staff of office to Paramount Chiefs from the Southern and Eastern regions of Sierra Leone, calling on them to join his government’s national drive toward achieving food sovereignty under the Feed Salone initiative.
The event, held in Koidu Ciy, in the Kono District, was attended by senior government officials, traditional leaders, and local stakeholders.
The four Paramount Chiefs are Paramount Chief Amy Mitta Myers Benya VI of the Benya Ruling House, Small Bo Chiefdom, Kenema District; Paramount Chief Larry Bojohn Fangawa IV of the Fangawa Ruling House, Wandor Chiefdom, Kenema District; Paramount Chief Mohamed Kpakra Massally of the Kpakra Massally Ruling House, Perri Chiefdom, Pujehun District; and Paramount Chief Usman Ansumana Wai II of the Wai Ruling House, Barri Chiefdom, Pujehun District.
In his opening remarks, the Provincial Secretary of the Eastern Region, Mr. Ishaka Murana Turay, described the occasion as both symbolic and constitutional, noting that it fulfills provisions of the 1991 Constitution and the Chieftaincy Act, which empower the President to formally recognize and coronate Paramount Chiefs following a successful election process.
He emphasized that the ceremony underscored the chiefs’ sacred responsibility to uphold law and order, safeguard their people, and promote peace and development within their chiefdoms.
The Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Tamba John Sylvanus Lamina, thanked President Bio for his consistent respect and commitment to strengthening traditional governance.
“Your Excellency, thank you for always finding time, despite your busy schedule, to add value to the institution of chieftaincy. Today’s event reaffirms your dedication to preserving our traditions and empowering local leadership,” he stated as he presented the chiefs for official recognition.
In his address, President Bio congratulated the newly coronated Paramount Chiefs and expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Local Government and the Eastern Regional Secretariat for ensuring a credible and transparent election process.
“Today is a proud moment for you and for your people. The trust and confidence they have placed in you is both an honour and a duty. As a son of a Chief myself, I understand the significance of your roles in maintaining peace, unity, and progress within your communities,” the President said.
Reiterating his government’s vision under the Five Big Game Changers, President Bio urged the new chiefs to be at the forefront of national transformation, particularly through the Feed Salone program.
“I am calling on all Paramount Chiefs to rally your people and make available vast hectares of land for farming. Sierra Leone has no reason to import rice with the fertile land we have. Together, we can achieve food sovereignty. Let us also invest in our children’s future through education and innovation,” he emphasized.
President Bio assured the chiefs of his continued respect and support for the institution of chieftaincy, describing it as an integral part of Sierra Leone’s governance and development structure.
The ceremony climaxed with the symbolic handover of the traditional staff of office to each of the four Paramount Chiefs, marking their official recognition and assumption of traditional authority.
