11 October 2004. The National Immunization Days (NIDs) earmarked for the eradication of polio campaign, launched on Friday 8th October 2004 at the Gbolon Health Centre, was a spectacular event as the President, Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, commenced the immunization of the first child for this year's NIDs.

Making a brief statement to start the day, Deputy Minister of Health Ibrahim Sesay said although Sierra Leone joined the campaign late, it has done so well to keep the disease under control. He said even though since 2001 there has been no reported incidence of polio in Sierra Leone, they have to continue with the immunization programme because they would not want to have similar experiences as other countries that had stopped the exercise and have started reporting incidences of the disease again.

The presence of no less a person than the President of Sierra Leone and his Vice President is an indication of the political will behind the immunization exercise. The President also opened on the same day a mosque he had built for the people of Gbolon in the place of an old mosque that had been built by his grandfather some two hundred and fifty years ago.

The inhabitants of Gbolon, a small town in the Bramaia Chiefdom, Kambia District, praised God for their lot as they have been blessed with a modern mosque, built for them by their son, brother and uncle, the Head of State and President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Alhaji Dr.Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

The town was flocked by hundreds of celebrants, including Vice President Solomon Berewa, ministers, parliamentarians, senior government officials and a host of prominent citizens from all over the Kambia district and other areas of the country. While welcoming guests to the opening ceremony, Paramount Chief Kandeh Mumini of Bramaia Chiefdom remarked that although Gbolon was a small town they felt very proud for the honour bestowed on them with the presence of eminent personalities from every part of the country.

Giving a brief background to the construction of the Mosque, the Commissioner of the National Commission for Social Action, Mr. Kanja Sesay, explained that nine months ago President Kabbah called him up and asked him to supervise the demolition of the old mosque and in its place the construction of a new mosque. He disclosed that he was then requested to present the plan and budget for the construction, the funding for which was paid purely out of the President's private resources.. Mr. Sesay made it clear that the President strictly warned him not to use a single cent of government funds on the project since it had always been his dream, following his retirement from the United Nations, to accomplish that objective in his ancestral village.

Narrating the genealogy of the Kabbah family and the founding of Gbolon, Alhaji Wuroh Kabbah, the President's elder brother, explained that when their forefathers arrived in Gbolon they were put in charge of leading islamic prayers and training of muslim scholars. He said he was gratified that the Kabbah family of Gbolon still valued that tradition and praised President Kabbah for his contribution towards the practice of Islam and islamic education. He gave thanks to Allah, the God Almighty and praised HIM for giving them a son who has attained the highest office in the land through His grace. That that son and brother has now decided to honour them by constructing a beautiful mosque for them. He said that words were not enough to express how he and the rest of the people of Gbolon felt, and that Allah will richly reward President Kabbah and his family.

The President, Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, in his address said that thanks should be given to God Almighty to continue to help Sierra Leone have leaders who fear God. He said that his Vice President, Solomon Berewa, who is a Christian has not only built a church for his people but that he also went ahead to build a mosque in his village.

He advised the people of Gbolon to properly upkeep the mosque in the best way possible. The Town chief, Pa Adekali Morlai Sesay, also thanked President Kabbah and all those who contributed in diverse ways to make the project a reality. Sheik Abu Bakarr Conteh of the National Council of Imams led the first prayer in the mosque which happened to be the Friday Jumaat prayer.

President Kabbah also took time off to settle a century old dispute between the people of Bramaia and Khonimakha Chiefdoms, over ascension to the Paramount Chieftaincy since the amalgamation of the two chiefdoms into one. The two Chiefdoms were almagamated about a hundred years ago with an understanding that the Paramount Chieftaincy will be rotational. But since then, only the Bramaia people have had the opportunity of becoming Paramount Chiefs. The matter was resolved amicably with President Kabbah's intervention and both parties have now agreed to once more co-exist peacefully.