By: Mohamed Dauda Kamara
At a traditional ceremony held on Wednesday 22 May 2024 at the Southern Arena in Bo, at least 12 new paramount chiefs were crowned as traditional custodians of customary laws.
Paramount chiefs from different chiefdoms within the country gathered at the Southern Arena, all dressed in their traditional regalias, as they were coronated by President Julius Maada Bio.
One of the key message of President Bio during the coronation, was the responsibility of the paramount chiefs to fight against tribalism, urging them to disregard perpetrators of tribal bigotry in their chiefdoms
“The Paramount Chiefs should be the custodians of the tradition of their chiefdoms. They should always be with their people and also ensure that their chiefdoms are developed,” he said.
He said that the coronation of the paramount chiefs adheres to the “provisional prerequisites” of the Chieftaincy Act, 2009.
Speaking on boundary disputes between chiefdoms, President Bio underscored the significance of maintaining peace and stability, thereby urging paramount chiefs to not take the law into their own hands when confronted with boundary disputes.
He asserted that boundary disputes are challenging to address, since it has become a striking problem among chiefdoms in the country. Yet, he said that those conflicts can be patiently resolved with the law.
The Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, Ambassador Tamba Lamina, who was also present during the coronation, stressed the government’s commitment in “closely working with tribal chiefs and paramount chiefs in a bid to foster national development.
He relayed that recently the government has provided vehicles for paramount chiefs, and other state-required benefits, after describing the ceremony as a historic milestone in the country, in cognizance of the 1991 constitution.
“These chiefs that are officially recognized today, have gone through a process that requires that to become paramount chiefs. We have also conducted trainings for them at the Ministry of Local Government to abreast them with the rules and regulations,” he said.
