Sierra Leone Telegraph: 11 January 2023:
Last Thursday, 5th January 2023, Mayor of Freetown – Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr received a Certificate of Commendation from Italy’s Florence City Council. The award was presented by Ms Antonella Bundu.
Speaking about the award, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr said: “I was deeply touched by the words of the citation ‘To Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr Mayor of Freetown. For her ideal and concrete commitment to improve the social and environmental conditions at both global and local level, for the benefit of her community as well as the whole world’.
“The presentation was even more special because Antonella is of mixed Italian and Sierra Leonean parentage, and we went to St Joseph’s Secondary School together but hadn’t seen each other since 1986.
“Antonella lives in Florence and contested to be the Mayor of Florence in 2018! Although she was not successful in her bid, she remains active in Italian politics, being a councillor, and was asked to make this presentation to me when the President of Florence City Council learnt that she was traveling to Freetown.
“I am grateful that the work we are doing in Freetown is impacting lives right here on the ground but is also raising the profile of Freetown on the global stage, thus opening up more opportunities for support and collaboration.
“On the anniversary of 6th January 1999, may we today remember those who lost their lives whilst we continue to work together to build a brighter future for our city.”
A good person can never be kept down. So it is with Mayor Aki-Sawyer. With all the combination of punches which Bio and his team have thrown at her continuously she is still standing, and still receiving awards both at home and abroad. Between Bio and The Mayor one wonders who is now fighting for their political life with their back to the wall. It most certainly isn’t Her Worship The Mayor Aki-Sawyer.
The fundamental difference between Bio and The Mayor is that the former is ensnared by politics of deception while the latter ensures that she epitomises integrity, candour and forthrightness; she doesn’t treat her people with any semblance of megalomania. Her embrace by her people will arrive in a few months. She doesn’t have to campaign too hard. Politically I love The Mayor to death, an extremely rare gift of mine to any politician in Sierra Leone. Allah/God knows that on the whole I cannot stomach both SLPP and APC. Congratulations Mayor Aki-Sawyer. How I wish I could drop the presidency in your lap
A big congratulations to a hard working mayor