President Bio Pays Tribute to Late SLPP Stalwart Dr. Bu-Buakei Jabbie
President Julius Maada Bio on Thursday paid glowing tribute to the late Hon. Dr. Bu-Buakei Jabbie, describing him as a principled legal luminary and a steadfast defender of constitutional democracy, as the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) held a solemn laying-out ceremony at its headquarters in Freetown.
The ceremony drew party leaders, elders, family members, and supporters who gathered to honour the former Member of Parliament for Kailahun District and Distinguished Grand Chief Patron of the SLPP, whose public service spanned decades.
Born on 7 May 1945 in Bunumbu Moama Village, Kailahun District, Dr. Jabbie was one of Sierra Leone’s most accomplished legal minds. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Language from Fourah Bay College, a Master’s degree from a university in southern England, and later obtained both a PhD and a Law degree concurrently from the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Jabbie served as SLPP-elected Member of Parliament for Constituency 008, Kailahun District, from 2012 to 2017, and was the party’s longest-serving Legal Adviser. In recognition of his contribution to national development and party politics, President Bio conferred on him the country’s highest civilian honour, Commander of the Order of the Rokel (COR), on 27 April 2021.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Bio said the late Dr. Jabbie was a man of discipline and firm convictions who consistently insisted that political struggles be pursued within the bounds of the law. He noted that Dr. Jabbie’s counsel helped shape the SLPP’s respect for justice and constitutional governance, even during periods of intense political pressure.
“This is a huge loss not only to his family, but to the SLPP and the nation,” the President said, adding that the late statesman’s courage and commitment to the rule of law would remain a guiding example for the party.
Chairman of the SLPP Council of Elders, Rev. Hindolo Butcher, recalled Dr. Jabbie’s sacrifices during the one-party era, including imprisonment alongside party colleagues under the late President Siaka Stevens. He described him as a loyal party “warrior” who never compromised his principles.
Former SLPP Chairman Dr. Prince Harding also paid tribute, describing Dr. Jabbie as a symbol of resilience whose steadfastness helped sustain the party through its most difficult years.
On behalf of the family, the late man’s daughter, Madam Tuma Jabbie Esq, thanked President Bio and the SLPP for what she described as a dignified farewell, noting that her father remained loyal to the party and to President Bio even during years in opposition.
President Bio concluded by reaffirming that the SLPP remained united as a family and that the legacy of the late Hon. Dr. Bu-Buakei Jabbie would continue to guide both the party and the nation.
