And what a way to end the day!

They were anything between five and ten thousand; that is, those who gad the singular honour of being invited to State House for a reception to end the day's activities.

The guest list included heads of the principal State organs such as the Senate, National Assembly, the ECOSOC or the Supreme Court just as there were members of government, heads of government agencies and para-statals, senior civil servants as well as men and women of the business world. Guests started coming into the grounds of State House as early as 3pm for reception expected to begin at 6PM; for good reason.

Security considerations are to be held responsible for the long queues because all guests had to go through thorough checks before finding a place in one of the two venues for the reception: one in the banquet hall and the other in the external gardens. The President of the Republic came into the hall at about 7.30, and then started a gradual tour of the entire hall, trying as much he could to shake hands with as many guests as was possible.

Here he offered pleasantries and there he was overhead giving some brief instructions and elsewhere he was overheard simply seeking family news from a guest. If the President's stay in the hall was brief - something like 15 minutes - guests had no reason to complain simply because of the plentiful and varied culinary offers