BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY :AFRO-SIERRA LEONEAN " MAJOR GENERAL ROBERT YIRA KOROMA " WAS THE FORMER CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF OF THE SLERRA LEONE ARMED FORCES : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

  BLACK       SOCIAL     HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 CDS Robert Koroma takes over mantle

Former Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Alfred Nelson-Williams past Friday handed over the leadership mantle of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces to his successor, Major-General Robert Yira Koroma in a rather emotional scene.
The ceremony at the Myohaung Mess was brief and colourful, as the former CDS in his farewell address to the Officers exalted them to continue to project the image of the institution, and to the new CDS he said, “I know you will do extremely well.”
He took the opportunity to express his sincere thanks and appreciation to God for granting him the strength and energy to fulfill his task, as well as to the president for the opportunity he gave him to serve as Chief of Defence Staff.
Responding to the farewell speech, CDS Major General Robert Yira Koroma also expressed his thanks to God for his elevation, and told his audience that “I have learnt a lot from the outgoing CDS and I will follow his footsteps”.
Amidst applause, he went on, “I will try my level best to meet the numerous challenges.”
Earlier in his speech on behalf of the Defence Minister, Major (Rtd) A.P. Conteh, the Deputy Secretary in the Ministry, Tamba Raymond Gbetuci lauded the outgoing CDS for his developmental strides in uplifting the image of the force, while lauding him for the cooperation they enjoyed working with him.
He maintained further, “we will always remember him for his good work,” while to the incoming CDS he assured him of similar cooperation.
Before he finally left the scene the outgoing CDS went round to have a hand shake with almost all the guests, and even other ranks that were outside the main venue, before he headed for the dais to inspect a quart guard parade, which turns out to be his last in the force.
After that he moved over accompanied by his wife to mount a landrover that was decorated for the tear moving pull-out from the Mess.
That ceremony was led by Major General Robert Koroma, who led a battery of Brigadiers and Colonels to pull the landrover out of the mess as he waved to his colleagues, where some especially some female officers could be seen shedding tears.
The pull-out event ended at the junction opposite 34 hospital in which the outgoing CDS was given some smart salutes by his former colleagues before he boarded his vehicle.
By Samuel John