BY DANIEL IDONOR

ABUJA – Liberian government yesterday conferred the country’s highest national honour of the Grand Cordon in Most Venerable Order of Pioneers on President Goodluck Jonathan.

The President, who was in Moronvia to attend the conferment, was honoured in recognition of Nigeria’s contributions to keeping the peace in Liberia over the years.

The award was bestowed on him by Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, as part of activities marking the country’s independence anniversary on July 26.

Nigeria’s strong involvement in the affairs of Liberia dates back to about two decades when the military regime of Ibrahim Babangida spearheaded a West African peacekeeping force, ECOMOG, to stave- off advancement of rebels, led by Charles Taylor, to oust the government of Samuel Doe.

Since then, Nigeria has maintained close bilateral ties and substantial military presence in Liberia, where tens of thousands of Nigerians reside, although only a little over ten thousand of them are officially registered with the Nigerian embassy in Monrovia.