By Theresa Kef Sesay
A Remembrance and Thanksgiving Service, which was convened by President Julius Maada Bio, was held at State House on the 9th November 2021 to mark the end of a 3-day national mourning after the November 5 Wellington fire disaster that killed over 100 people and left many seriously injured.
Sheik Alie Kallay and Rev. Fr. Vincent Davies both gave sermons on behalf of the Christian and Muslim communities in the country. They told the gathering that everyman would face the bitterness of death and prayed to God for forgiveness of the sins of the departed souls.
As the chief mourner, His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio said it was a solemn moment for the country, a sad moment that the nation should come out of together and prevent its future occurrence.
“We are here as a nation to mourn the passing of so many of our compatriots who lost their lives in the tragic disaster. As we mourn the deaths of our brothers and sisters, it is also an opportunity for us to think about the many who are still in the different hospitals experiencing and enduring excruciating pain,” he stated.
The President further stated that the country had had so many moments of suffering that could be prevented to reduce the pains Sierra Leoneans had gone through. He, therefore, called on everyone to embrace each other, devoid of political belonging, to reason together for the betterment of the country.
“As the chief mourner, I want to take this opportunity, on behalf of the nation, to thank our foreign partners for your timely intervention. You have proven that you are partners in need and partners indeed. May their souls receive merciful judgment,” he concluded.
