Liberia President, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, on Friday led her people and dignitaries from around the world to pay tributes to the former Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of Liberia, late General Suraj Alao Abdurrahman, generally describing him as a rare and august breed professional whose place in the military would be hard to fill.

In a posthumous ceremony in Monrovia, President Johnson-Sirleaf, the UNMIL Force commander, UN/AU peacekeepers, the Coast Guard, members of the diplomatic community, national legislators, members of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), the Nigerian Armed Forces and friends of late General SA Abdurrahman all gave estimation to the general officer’s firm military training and professional soldiering which, according to them, helped in no small measures to reshape the Armed Forces of Liberia.

Paying tributes to Abdurrahman’s discipline and regimentation, President Johnson said, “His exceptional dedication to service endeared him to Liberians, and we honoured him with the Distinguished Service Order which is Liberia’s highest military honour, and then, the national honour of Knight Commander in the Humane Order of African Redemption in 2009 and 2014 respectively. He was an exceedingly exceptional gentlemen officer whose contributions lifted Armed Forces of Liberia to professional greatness and emplace our military amongst UN peacekeepers.”

Nigeria’s Chief of the Defence Staff, General Gabriel Abayomi Olonisakin, who led a delegation of Armed Forces of Nigeria, thanked God for making the honour ceremony a reality describing late General Abdurrahman as ‘the peoples’ general who served meritoriously and without blemish. He specifically noted General Abdulrrahman’s contribution to the upliftment of the Armed Forces of Liberia to include training of over 200 AFL members in 2008 in Jaji, Nigeria on counterterrorism training, training and commissioning of AFL officers at the Nigerian Defence Academy as well as ongoing training of Liberian Pilot Officers who will form the nucleus of Liberia Air Wing in the nearest future.

Late General Abdulrrahman had once served as Chief of Policy and Plans at the Nigerian Army Headquarters before his secondment to Liberia as Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of Liberia in 2007 to 2014.

•Photo shows late General Suraj Alao Abdurrahman.

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