His Excellency President Brig. (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio, accompanied by the First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, on 20th October 2022 unveiled the special edition of the African Leadership Magazine covering the Republic of Sierra Leone. The auspicious occasion was held amidst a galaxy of distinguished guests at the Freetown International Conference Centre, Bintumani Hotel Complex, Aberdeen, Freetown.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony as she proposed a toast to the health of her husband as the first gentleman of the Republic, the First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio opined that she is pleased to participate in the unveiling of the magazine since it covers the ambitions and successes of her beloved husband and his Government’s National Development Agenda.
First Lady Maada Bio noted that the various contents inside the special edition of the African Leadership Magazine, show how Sierra Leoneans have been inspired by the unique and progressive leadership of her husband’s Government over the past four years; especially in guiding citizens on how they can transform the society permanently.
First Lady Maada Bio thanked the African Leadership Magazine for projecting to the World that her husband has shown that a lot is possible where there is the willingness of an elected President to serve his people.
“You have inspired us with your unique and progressive leadership,” First Lady Maada Bio stated to her husband, adding that President Bio had been able to move “from vision to action” in just 4 short years.
Speaking on her flagship HANDS OFF OUR GIRLS campaign and other Gender Equality efforts that she said her husband inspired her to undertake, the First Lady proudly said that as a result of the First Couple’s strong advocacy and sensitisation efforts, now even little school girls know they cannot be subjected to cultural and traditional vices that slow them from reaching their full potentials.
The First Lady further went on to state that now, under President Bio, more than any other time before, girls in Sierra Leone now know that “Education is their Right and Marriage is by choice and not by force”. She said girls are also no longer held back by the stigmatisation of menstruation which is now openly discussed as a normal part of their lives and nothing to be ashamed of.
The First Lady pointed out how Women and Girls have been given the self-confidence to fight against Rape whilst sexual predators are now swiftly locked up. She said victimized women now know they can get access to justice when they do seek for it under the criminal justice system.
First Lady Fatima Maada Bio continued that youths now believe that they can set goals for their personal development as well as work with others to transform lives, transform their local communities and by extension, transform the country as a whole.
All of these outcomes, she said, are indicators of the good leadership style of President Bio. She therefore reiterated her appreciation to the African Leadership Magazine for projecting to the World that her husband has shown that a lot is possible where there is the political willingness.
At the event, a brief history of the African Leadership Magazine (ALM) was given. The magazine is published by African Leadership (UK) Limited and focuses on bringing the best of Africa to a global audience. ALM tells the African story from an African perspective whilst offering solutions to peculiar challenges being faced by the African continent today.
Since its maiden edition in August 2008, African Leadership Magazine has grown to become a leading Pan-African flagship on matters of Leadership in Africa. It is a leadership focused publication regularly read by over 580,000 targeted international investors, business executives, government policy makers and multilateral agencies across Africa, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia.
The Magazine is distributed at major International and African Leadership events around the world as it already has cut a niche for itself as the unbiased, authentic African voice. It was borne out of a desire to ameliorate the lot of Africans by focusing on individuals and corporate bodies that are known for their legacy-based approach to leadership.
It is against that backdrop that the special edition coverage on the Republic of Sierra Leone has now been published with the high quality Leadership of President Maada Bio in Sierra Leone given frontispiece importance to a global audience.
The event ended on a very high note with cutting of a celebration cake after statements from other dignitaries including the President himself.
Strategic Communications Division
Office of the First Lady.
[email protected]
Strategic Communications Division
Office of the First Lady.
[email protected]
