Christopher Elnathan Okoro Cole,

CMG CMG may refer to: Companies * Capitol Music Group, a music label * China Media Group, the predominant state radio and television broadcaster in the PRC * China Media Group Co., Ltd., publicly listed Chinese holding company in the media sector * ...

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(April 17, 1921 – 1990) was a Sierra Leonean politician. He served as

Governor-general Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

and

President of Sierra Leone The president of the Republic of Sierra Leone is the head of state and the head of government of Sierra Leone, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. As the head of the executive branch of the Sierra Leone government, the presi ...

for 1 day in 1971. Cole was appointed officer of the

Most Excellent Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(OBE) in 1965 for "Public services as minister without portfolio" and inducted as a companion of the

Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III. It is named in hono ...

in 1973.

Early life

Cole was born to Creole parents at Waterloo, Sierra Leone, then a

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. He studied at Seventh Day Adventist School Waterloo, Buxton Memorial School, Freetown, C.M. S.G.S. He attended

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and

London University The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...

. He graduated LLB. In 1946 Cole entered the Bar at The

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. From 1946–1951 he worked in private practice in Sierra Leone. From 1947–1951 he served as part-time lecturer in law. Department of Economic Studies, F.B.C.

Career

He worked as the City Solicitor.; Police Supreme Courts 1952. Commissioner of Oaths. Crown Counsel until 1956 when he was promoted to Solicitor General. In 1957-1968 he served as Chancellor, Diocese of Sierra Leone. In 1960-1961 he served as chair of the Cole Commission to inquire into Sierra Leone's national accounts. He represented Sierra Leone at "The Future of Law in Africa" Conference. In 1960 he was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone. In 1962 he served as Justice of Appeal, Court of Appeal of the

Gambia The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...

. Acted as Chief Justice of the Gambia. In 1963 he represented Sierra Leone at the "World Peace through Law Conference". In 1965 he represented Sierra Leone at the Commonwealth and Empire Law Conference. In 1963 he repeatedly acted as C.J. of Sierra Leone. In 1965 he was awarded the

O.B.E. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

In 1967 he was appointed Ambassador to the US and as Permanent Representative at the United Nations. In 1968 he headed Sierra Leone's Delegation to Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Law of Treaties held in

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In 1969 he served as Chairman, Judicial Service Commission, Chairman, Rules of Court Committee, Vice Chairman for Africa of the World Association of Judges. In 1970 he became Chief Justice of Sierra Leone. In June 1970 he was awarded the C.M.G. At this time there was a complicated process of constitutional change after the Sierra Leonean monarchy was abandoned in early 1971. It was determined that

Siaka Stevens Siaka Probyn Stevens (24 August 1905 – 29 May 1988) was the leader of Sierra Leone from 1967 to 1985, serving as Prime Minister of Sierra Leone, Prime Minister from 1967 to 1971 and as President from 1971 to 1985. Stevens' leadership was oft ...

, Prime Minister at that time, would become the President. Cole, who had been appointed interim Governor-General on March 31, served for two days as the acting president. Thereafter, he reverted to his earlier post of Chief Justice of Sierra Leone until 1978. He was Sierra Leone's first United Nations Permanent Representative in New York and a member of the Lancaster delegation that signed the independence document from Great Britain on 21 December 1979.

Personal life

He retired from Public Service in 1978. He was married with four children.Mallyveen Roy-Johnson, Who's who in Sierra Leone, Lyns Publicity, 1980, Sierra Leone - 56p
p. 6
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, Christopher Okoro 1921 births 1990 deaths Sierra Leonean politicians Governors-General of Sierra Leone Chief justices of Sierra Leone Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Officers of the Order of the British Empire Presidents of Sierra Leone Sierra Leone Creole people Ambassadors of Sierra Leone to the United States Attorneys-General of the Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate Sierra Leonean judges on the courts of the Gambia People from Waterloo, Sierra Leone Sierra Leonean expatriates in the United Kingdom