THE JOYOUS HOMECOMING….

THE JOYOUS HOMECOMING….

It was an emotional journey yesterday 6th Sept. 2026, and also a historic moment.

After two and half years of exile in Nigeria, former Sierra Leone President Ernest Koroma was finally returning to his home country.
His dear friend, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was at the Airport to bid him farewell.

I was honoured, with former President of Nigeria, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo to accompany and ensure the safe and dignified return of former President Ernest Koroma to his country.
The atmosphere was electric and charged with jubilation as our plane touched down in Sierra Leone.

The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria facilitated the safe return of former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma to his country, following sustained engagements in conjunction with ECOWAS.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, noted that this return marked the successful conclusion of a regional, diplomatic and confidence-building process.

Former President Koroma relocated to Nigeria in January 2024 following mediation efforts aimed at promoting peace, stability and political understanding in Sierra Leone, undertaken by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government.

This process helped create conditions for greater understanding between current Sierra Leone President , H.E Julius Maada Bio and the former president.

Former President Koroma’s conduct throughout this period of relocation to Nigeria reflected restraint, statesmanship, and commitment to a peaceful outcome and Nigeria wishes to thank ECOWAS and other stakeholders who also contributed to resolving the issues that had necessitated his relocation.

The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria expresses it’s profound appreciation to President of Sierra Leone, President Julius Maada Bio, to former President Ernest Bai Koroma and the people of Sierra Leone for their cooperation and commitment to peace.

Nigeria remains committed to regional harmony, constitutional order and democratic stability, and is confident that former President Koroma’s return will further strengthen national reconciliation and peace in Sierra Leone.