By Ralph Simeon Sesay
The Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has joined the sons and daughters of Waterloo to celebrate two hundred years of existence on Thursday, 24th April, 2019 at Waterloo.
The ceremony was chaired by veteran journalist, Christo Johnson, who noted that they, as Waterlonians, have a duty to celebrate 200 years, which, according to him, is an opportunity to teach the young generations about the rich culture of Waterloo.
Chairman Organising Committee, Alieu Badara Mansaray, told the gathering that they are happy to celebrate as Waterlonians because of the level of social cohesion they have continued to enjoy as a cosmopolitan community with various sects.
Mr. Alieu Badara Mansaray told the Vice President and other participants that Waterloo, as a community, was impregnated in Belgium, Europe, but was given birth to in Waterloo. He explained that Waterloo was established as a result of the need to locate African soldiers that participated in war between the British and Bonaparte and other West African slaves.
The Chairman of the Bi-centenary Committee continued that the settlement is strategically located in a piece of land between the Peninsular Mountain and the Calmount Creek.
The Community of Waterloo, he disclosed, is made up of Ibos from Nigerian, Yorubas, Congolese and Bassas and that it was predominantly a Christian Community, but with time it had become a cosmopolitan community with different sects and various religions and cultures.
The Chairman, Waterloo Rural District Council, noted that he is very happy that Vice President Juldeh Jalloh is the first Vice President to have visited Waterloo for the past two hundred years. He noted that the Vice President has gone down in the history of Waterloo.
Kasho Joseph Holland Cole appealed to the President to ensure that the Waterloo Township roads are completed, noting that the elderly and the aged are increasingly having fractures as a result of the abandoned gutters and drainage left behind by the project. He commended the Vice President as Chairman of the inter ministerial Committee on Local Government for devolving over twenty functions to the Local Council and disclosed that this is an opportunity for Waterlonians to present all their problems to the Vice President.
Deputy Ministers of Energy and Water Resources also made statements committing the Government’s aspirations to develop every sector of the Waterloo Community.
The Vice President, during his keynote address, praised the people of Waterloo for voting the Sierra Leone People’s Party, bnoting that His Excellency the President has plans to specifically visit Waterloo as part of his Thank You Tour.
Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh promised the people of Waterloo that the NEW Direction Government will not allow the rich culture of Waterloo to die out. He committed his Government’s desire to build a Museum in Waterloo, which will sustain the rich culture of Waterloo for the sons and daughters of the District.
He thanked the Bi-centenary Organising Committee for working very hard to organise the event and officially launched the ceremony.
The ceremony was further climaxed with singing and cultural display. Schools across the district, traditional groups and societies, various traditional authorities, the Muslim and Christianity Communities, the Police and military personnel were hugely represented at the occasion. The 200 year celebration is expected to last till the 1st November, 2019.