This was most poignant when he eventually arrived at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Conakry that afternoon, to address thousands of Sierra Leoneans who had gathered to welcome him. President Koroma laced his message all around national unity with his repeated stress on the fact that “politics is now over”.

Whilst thanking the gathering of Sierra Leoneans, many of whom crossed the border to vote in the last elections, the popular Head of State found time to also make witty comments which sent his audience thrilled with laughter and smiles.

One such comment was when he recounted that during the just concluded electioneering campaigns, the country had “nine flagbearers all flying various colour flags”.

President Koroma was witty as he remarked of how during the elections, he used to fly his “red flag” whilst the others flew different coloured flags like blue, green, yellow, purple, gold, etc. etc. He however said that now that elections were over, there is only one flag flying in the country and that is the “green white and blue national flag” for which there can only be one flagbearer at any point in time.

“Right now Sierra Leone only has one flagbearer waving the green, white and blue flag and that flagbearer is President Koroma,” the President said to loud applause.

Earlier, the Sierra Leone Head of State was personally welcomed at the airport by the Guinean Head of State, His Excellency Professor Alpha Conde who had sent a special Guinean flight to pick up President Koroma and his delegation from Freetown.

President Alpha Conde was at the airport alongside his entire Guinean Cabinet, all ambassadors and diplomats accredited to Guinea, the entire top Guinean military hierarchy, the entire top Guinean Police leadership, all the Heads of Guinea’s parastatals and all the Chief Executive Officers of all the international conglomerate companies operating within Guinea. Well over two hundred dignitaries lined up the airport to welcome the distinguished Sierra Leonean head of State.

From the airport, the two Presidents drove together to the presidential lodge set up for the Sierra Leone President and held light discussions which were witnessed by Hon. Alpha Kanu, Ambassador Soulay Daramy and Special Presidential Envoy, Mr. Mohamed Bangura of the United Democratic Movement (UDM).

Yesterday night, the two Presidents shared a private dinner following which they held closed door talks on a variety of bilateral issues such as border issues and sub-regional cooperation.

Today, all the African ambassadors in Guinea have requested to meet and pay homage to the great and highly honoured, popular leader of the Sierra Leone people. President Koroma has agreed to meet with the ambassadors this morning when they will pay him a courtesy call at his presidential lodge residence in Conakry.

After meeting the ambassadors, President Koroma and President Conde will hold a joint press briefing and issue out a Joint Communiqué shortly after lunch today. President Koroma is expected back in Sierra Leone late this afternoon.