President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has conferred the prestigious Grand Commander of the Order of the Rokel on Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede.
The honour was bestowed in recognition of his outstanding contributions to peace and stability in Sierra Leone, particularly his role during the country’s civil conflict.
The decoration took place during a colourful parade marking the 17th Armed Forces Day of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces in Freetown.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Bio said the award recognised Oluyede’s service under the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group, as well as the sacrifices of Nigerian officers and soldiers who played key roles in ending Sierra Leone’s civil war.
In his citation, Sierra Leonean authorities noted that Oluyede served as a Platoon Commander at the residence of the then Head of State between 1992 and 1994, where he demonstrated exemplary leadership, professionalism and commitment to the protection of government institutions.
According to Uba, the ceremony also honoured other distinguished military figures, including former Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff, retired Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, alongside senior officers from Kenya, Guinea, the United States and the United Kingdom.
“During the event, special tribute was paid to the Nigerian Armed Forces for their courage and solidarity under ECOMOG, with Sierra Leone commending Nigeria’s decisive role in restoring peace and safeguarding civilians during the conflict,” Uba said.
He added that the honour underscores the enduring military and diplomatic ties between Nigeria and Sierra Leone, as well as Nigeria’s leadership in regional peace support operations.
