Sierra Leone former minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 2016 present
President
Ernest Bai Koroma
Special Executive Assistant to Sierra Leone president Ernest Bai Koroma
In office 2013–2015
Personal details
Born
Sylvia Olayinka Walmina Oreshola Blyden
(1971-10-01) 1 October 1971 (age 52) Freetown, Sierra Leone
Political party
All People's Congress (APC)
Residence(s)
Freetown, Sierra Leone,
Alma mater
Fourah Bay College
Profession
Journalist
Sylvia Olayinka Walmina Oreshola Blyden (born 1 October 1971 in Freetown, Sierra Leone) is a Sierra Leonean journalist, political commentator, newspaper publisher, and former Sierra Leone minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children Affairs under erstwhile President Ernest Bai-Koroma from 2016 to 2017. She served as Special Executive Assistant to Sierra Leone's former president Ernest Bai Koroma from 2013 to 2015.[1][2]
Blyden is the founder, CEO, and publisher of Sierra Leonean newspaper Awerness Times. She is the only female news publisher in Sierra Leone, and "one of the most recognisable names in the country."[3][4][5] She has spoken of her interest to eventually run for the presidency of Sierra Leone.[6]
Born and raised in the capital Freetown, into a prominent political family, Blyden is widely considered one of the most powerful and highly influential female political figures in Sierra Leone. She was a close ally of Sierra Leone's former president Ernest Bai Koroma, and a prominent supporter and public defender of Koroma's presidency.
Blyden is a Christian and a member of the Creole ethnic group. Blyden is the great-great-granddaughter of Edward Wilmot Blyden, the "father of Pan-Africanism". Her maternal grandfather is a Sierra Leonean politician Solomon A. J. Pratt, and her paternal grandfather is the late Sierra Leonean diplomat Edward Wilmot Blyden III.
^"As former President Koroma was prepared to name his full cabinet, Dr. Sylvia Blyden was appointed Special Executive Assistant at State House | Newstime Africa". 6 January 2013. Archived from the original on 6 January 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^"Wayback Machine has not archived that URL". Archived from the original on 29 August 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
^"Sylvia Blyden Is Not Running for President..." Exclusive Press. 8 October 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
^"Children's Agenda International". Bamine Charlie Boye. May 2009. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
^"Sierra Leone: Big boost for Mass Communication Students". Osman Benk Sankoh. June 2000. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
^"Sylvia Blyden Is Not Running for President..." Exclusive Press. 8 October 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
Sylvia Olayinka Walmina Oreshola Blyden (born 1 October 1971 in Freetown, Sierra Leone) is a Sierra Leonean journalist, political commentator, newspaper...
Larry Blyden (1925–1975), American actor, stage producer and director, and game show host Marvin A. Blyden, American Virgin Islander politician Sylvia Blyden...
Creole population. Among these descendants is SylviaBlyden, publisher of the Awareness Times. Blyden died on 7 February 1912 in Freetown, Sierra Leone...
The then Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children's affairs, SylviaBlyden, who is a Christian, joined Muslims in prayers at the mosque in celebrating...
Sawyerr and Robert Wellesley-Cole. Well-known Creole Methodists include SylviaBlyden, a newspaper proprietor and Creoles such as Macormack Easmon, Edna Elliott-Horton...
Archived from the original on 19 March 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2014. SylviaBlyden. "Sierra Leone Health Ministry Answers Citizens Ebola Questions: Sierra...
Blyden, Sylvia Olayinka (11 January 2013). "Time to take Sierra Leone back from Lying Hate Mongers". Awareness Times. Retrieved 21 March 2015. Blyden...
Southern Sierra Leone and a member of the All People's Congress (APC). Blyden, Sylvia Olayinka (7 January 2013). "APC's Source of Pride: Koroma & T.R.C.'s...
Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 4, 2020. Cary Grant, Ray Walston and Larry Blyden portray three navy war heroes who've been booked on a morale-building "vacation"...
High Court Judge and Appeals Court Judge and as a Supreme Court Judge. Blyden, Sylvia O. (23 January 2009). "In Sierra Leone, Justice Hamilton Sworn Into...
Tanya Faulkner 1974– American actress, producer, model and director Larry Blyden Ivan Lawrence Blieden 1925–1975 American actor Betty Blythe Elizabeth Blythe...
Blyden, American foreign policy advisor who serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs in the Biden administration. Sylvia Olayinka...
Stephen Sondheim musical The Frogs while at Yale in 1974, alongside Larry Blyden and fellow students Meryl Streep and Durang. She was briefly an understudy...
Party Guest 351 19 "Wally the Beard" James H. Brown Arthur A. Ross Larry Blyden, Kathie Browne March 1, 1965 (1965-03-01) A man gets more than he bargained...
Stirling Silliphant January 17, 1964 (1964-01-17) Linc ruins a coward (Larry Blyden)'s attempts at burying his past. Location: Savannah, GA 109 16 "Kiss the...
the time of his inauguration was the youngest Mayor in West Africa. Blyden, Sylvia. "In Sierra Leone, Kono Produces West Africa's Youngest Mayor: Sierra...
Cyprian Ekwensi (1921–2007) E. Nolue Emenanjo (born 1943) Edward Wilmot Blyden (1832–1912), Liberian educator, clergyman and Pan-Africanist Elizabeth Isichei...
Prentiss Technicolor The Movie Game (Episode: February 7) Herself Larry Blyden color 1973 Ironside (TV Episode: "All About Andrea") Andrea Wollcott Raymond...
Cicely Tyson Shubert Theatre 20.0 29th April 20, 1975 The Wiz Equus Larry Blyden, George S. Irving, Larry Kert, Carol Lawrence, Michele Lee, Bernadette Peters...
(1816-1817) (died in office) [56][57] Robert Thorpe (1808-1815) [58][59][60] Blyden, Sylvia O. (6 December 2011). "In Sierra Leone, As President Ernest Koroma appoints...
Monifah. Interviews with Monifah, Free Marie (as Marie 'Free' Wright), Damian Blyden, Ulysses Carter, Duvonne Robinson, Anthony Giles, Tony Dofat, and Syleena...
2006. Retrieved January 10, 2007. Malcom, Shawna (October 30, 1998). "Sylvia Sidney refuses to retire". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original...
performances by female impersonators Chris Peterson ("Julie Andrews") and Carl Blyden ("Katheryn Hepburn") for Casey House Hospice fundraiser for victims of AIDS;...
Global Information