113-596: Ernest Bai Koroma (born 2 October 1953) is a Sierra Leonean politician who served as the fourth President of Sierra Leone from 17 September 2007 to 4 April 2018. Born and raised in Makeni in northern Sierra Leone, Koroma spent more than 24 years working in the private insurance industry before entering politics in 2002. From 1988 to 2002, he was the managing director of the Reliance Insurance Trust Corporation (Ritcorp). Koroma earned
226-566: A bachelor's degree from Fourah Bay College in 1976; and is an insurance agent by profession . Koroma was elected as leader of the All People's Congress (APC), Sierra Leone's main opposition party, on 24 March 2002, after defeating then-incumbent APC leader Edward Turay . Koroma stood as the APC candidate in the 2002 presidential election but was defeated in a free and fair election by incumbent President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah , who won 70.3% of
339-602: A plurality of seats in parliament, and Milton Margai was re-elected as prime minister. Margai was popular among Sierra Leoneans during his time in power, mostly known for his self-effacement. He was neither corrupt nor did he make a lavish display of his power or status. He based the government on the rule of law and the separation of powers, with multiparty political institutions and fairly viable representative structures. Margai used his conservative ideology to lead Sierra Leone without much strife. He appointed government officials to represent various ethnic groups. Margai employed
452-486: A brokerage style of politics, by sharing power among political parties and interest groups; especially the involvement of powerful paramount chiefs in the provinces, most of whom were key allies of his government. Upon Milton Margai's unexpected death in 1964, his younger half-brother , Sir Albert Margai, was appointed as prime minister by parliament. Sir Albert's leadership was briefly challenged by Foreign Minister John Karefa-Smart, who questioned Sir Albert's succession to
565-442: A ceremony attended by seven other African leaders. On this occasion, he promised to fight corruption and emphasized the importance of changing people's attitudes towards corruption. Koroma promised zero tolerance on corruption, to fight against the mismanagement of the country's resources and that he "would run Sierra Leone like a business concern", emphasising agriculture and tourism. He further promised his government will increase
678-495: A free healthcare program for children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. However, many experts and critics say most of the money meant to fund the program has been mismanaged and misused by senior government officials due to corruption. The Koroma presidency still faces major challenges in fighting corruption , extreme poverty , unemployment , poor housing conditions, poor healthcare, poor energy and water supplies. The president maintains improvements have been made in all of
791-644: A full investigation into the incident who is the overall head of the Sierra. The British government has continued to provide large scale aid and advice, with former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair continuing to work closely with the Sierra Leone government and speak out for investment in Sierra Leone. At Koroma's request, Blair created a nine-person board to advise the government on foreign investment. The UK continues to be
904-458: A large drug bust of an aircraft loaded with cocaine at the national airport . Sierra Leone Sierra Leone , ( / s i ˌ ɛr ə l i ˈ oʊ n ( i )/ , also UK : / s i ˌ ɛər ə -/ , US : / ˌ s ɪər ə -/ ; Krio : Salone ) officially the Republic of Sierra Leone , is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa . It is bordered to
1017-409: A local African chieftain, but he retaliated, attacking the settlement, which was reduced to a mere 64 settlers comprising 39 black men, 19 black women, and six white women. Black settlers were captured by unscrupulous traders and sold as slaves, and the remaining colonists were forced to arm themselves for their own protection. The 64 remaining colonists established a second Granville Town. Following
1130-573: A move that foreshadowed the women's suffrage movements in Britain, the heads of all households, of which a third were women, were given the right to vote. Black settlers in Sierra Leone enjoyed much more autonomy than their white equivalent in European countries. Black migrants elected different levels of political representatives, 'tithingmen', who represented each dozen settlers and 'hundreders' who represented larger amounts. This sort of representation
1243-483: A notably long time to name his Cabinet ministers, doing so in stages. The first group of 10 ministers was named on 8 October, and another 10 were named on 12 October. According to Koroma, he was willing to take additional time to find the right people; others, however, speculated that the delay was due to maneuvering within the APC for Cabinet positions. Koroma was formally inaugurated in Freetown on 15 November 2007 at
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#17327913608021356-612: A presidential republic, with Stevens as the inaugural president. In 1978, Stevens declared the APC to be the sole legally recognized party . In 1985, he was succeeded by Joseph Saidu Momoh . Momoh's enactment of a new constitution in 1991 reintroduced a multi-party system . That same year, a protracted civil war broke out between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel group. The conflict, characterized by multiple coups d'état , persisted for 11 years. Intervention by ECOMOG forces and later by
1469-649: A prominent Temne chief in Kasseh who was fighting against the "hut tax". The war was later known as the Hut Tax War of 1898 . Madam Yoko ( c. 1849 –1906) was a woman of culture and ambition. She employed her capacity for friendly communications to persuade the British to give her control of the Kpaa Mende chiefdom. She used diplomacy to communicate with local chiefs who did not trust her friendship with
1582-515: A series of court cases against his youthful leadership and executive and the 2002 APC Constitution, Koroma was eventually stripped of his de jure leadership of the APC by the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone on 22 June 2005. He was, however, again unanimously elected as Leader and presidential candidate of the APC ahead of the 2007 Sierra Leone presidential and parliamentary elections at APC National Delegates Convention held on 3 September 2005 in
1695-808: A single political system for both the Colony and the Protectorate. Most proposals came from leaders of the Protectorate, whose population far outnumbered that in the colony. The Krios, led by Isaac Wallace-Johnson , opposed the proposals, as they would have resulted in reducing the political power of the Krios in the Colony. In 1951, Lamina Sankoh ( born :Etheldred Jones) collaborated with educated protectorate leaders from different groups, including Sir Milton Margai , Siaka Stevens , Mohamed Sanusi Mustapha, John Karefa-Smart , Kande Bureh, Sir Albert Margai , Amadu Wurie and Sir Banja Tejan-Sie joined together with
1808-672: A strong working relationship. Koroma formed a positive relationship with British Prime Minister David Cameron. When the Ebola epidemic broke out in 2014, Koroma told David Cameron the scale of the disaster was such that it would cost at least £80 million, Cameron responded by pledging that much to help Sierra Leone. As the crisis unfolded, British aid to Sierra Leone grew, also at the request of Sierra Leone's government. Under Koroma, three consecutive British Prime Ministers had very positive relations with Sierra Leone, Tony Blair , Gordon Brown and David Cameron , all three of whom proved to rank among
1921-418: Is a presidential republic , with a unicameral parliament and a directly elected president . It is a secular state . Its constitution provides for the separation of state and religion and freedom of conscience (which encompasses both freedom of thought and religion ). Muslims constitute three-quarters of the population, and there is a significant Christian minority. Notably, religious tolerance
2034-716: Is a biochemist, holding Bachelor of Science with Honours in Chemistry and a master's in biochemistry . She is also a psychiatric nurse trained and qualified in Great Britain. Koroma and his wife Sia Koroma were married on October 18, 1986, at the King Memorial UMC Church in Freetown. Together they have 3 adult daughters: Alice (named after Koroma's mother) and Dankay (named after his wife's mother) and mary koroma and one Son Yunis koroma. Alice Koroma
2147-587: Is a lawyer, having graduated from the University of East Anglia in 2010. In 2002 it was announced that the All People's Congress (APC) would hold their convention to elect a new leader that would challenge president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of the SLPP who faced re-election for a second five-year term. Ernest Bai Koroma, then an Insurance broker from the northern district of Bombali who was virtually unknown by
2260-478: Is often seen waving to the people in his presidential motorcade . Several Sierra Leonean journalists critical of President Koroma, including Jonathan Leigh and Bai Bai Sesay of the Independent Observer newspaper and radio journalist who compare the president to a rat , and David Tam Baryoh who criticized the president Ebola response, have been arrested and detained on seditious libel charges by
2373-486: Is very high: it is both a social norm and part of the nation's cultural identity. Sierra Leone's current territorial configuration was established in two phases: in 1808, the coastal Sierra Leone Colony was founded as a place to resettle returning Africans after the abolition of the slave trade ; then in 1896, the inland Protectorate was created as a result of the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 . This led to
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#17327913608022486-542: The Black Poor settlers . Many in London thought moving them to Sierra Leone would lift them out of poverty. The Sierra Leone Resettlement Scheme was proposed by entomologist Henry Smeathman and drew interest from humanitarians like Granville Sharp , who saw it as a means of showing the pro-slavery lobby that black people could contribute towards the running of the new colony. Government officials soon became involved in
2599-644: The British Crown during the American Revolutionary War were resettled in Sierra Leone, forming a community named Black Loyalists . This resettlement scheme was partly motivated by social issues in London, with the Sierra Leone Resettlement Scheme offering a new beginning for the Black Poor , though it was fraught with challenges. In the late 18th century, many African Americans claimed the protection of
2712-558: The Creole/Krio ethnicity and an English-based creole language ( Krio ), which is the lingua franca and de facto national language used among many of the ethnicities in the country. The colonial era saw Sierra Leone evolving under British rule, with a unique settlement pattern composed of displaced Africans following the abolition of the slave trade . Sierra Leone developed as an educational center in West Africa, with
2825-773: The GDP per capita ; reduce poverty and increase jobs; pledged the provision of electricity not only in the urban areas , but to all parts of Sierra Leone. The inauguration ceremony was attended by several African Head of State and representatives of other world leaders and organisations, including Nigerian president Umaru Yar'Adua , Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf , Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade , Gambian president Yahya Jammeh , Burkina Faso 's president Blaise Compaoré , Malian president Amadou Toumani Touré , Guinean Prime Minister Lansana Kouyaté and United States Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer . The Koroma presidency has focused upon rebuilding
2938-711: The Magburaka Government Secondary School for Boys in Magburaka , Tonkolili District (about 25 miles from his hometown of Makeni). He graduated in 1973. He moved to the capital Freetown to attend Fourah Bay College , from where he graduated in 1976 with a degree in Business Management . Soon after graduating from Fourah Bay College, Koroma became a teacher at St. Francis Secondary School in Makeni (1976–78). Koroma joined
3051-729: The Sierra Leone Anti-corruption Commission and signed into law the country's new Anti-Corruption Bill of 2008 at the State House in Freetown. Under the new law, it is compulsory for the president and other government officials to declare their assets and update them annually. Koroma has given the country's anti-corruption commission more powers to investigate and prosecute corrupt officials. Since coming to power in 2007, Koroma has dismissed several government ministers associated with corruption, including two of his ministers indicted on corruption charges by
3164-745: The Sierra Leone Company was established to relocate Black Loyalists who wanted to take their chances in West Africa. In 1792 nearly 1,200 persons from Nova Scotia crossed the Atlantic to build the second (and only permanent) Colony of Sierra Leone and the settlement of Freetown on 11 March 1792. In Sierra Leone they were called the Nova Scotian Settlers , the Nova Scotians , or the Settlers . Clarkson initially banned
3277-572: The Sierra Leone Police but they were later released from jail . The oppositions, the Sierra Leone Bar Association of journalists and critic of the government, alleged the journalists were arrested because of their fierce and outspoken critic of president Koroma, an allegation again denied by the presidency. President Koroma was criticized after several people were shot dead by Sierra Leone Police officers in
3390-490: The paramount chiefs in the face of Krio intransigence. Later, Margai used the same skills to win over opposition leaders and moderate Krio elements to achieve independence from the UK. In November 1951, Margai oversaw the drafting of a new constitution, which united the separate Colonial and Protectorate legislatures and provided a framework for decolonisation . In 1953, Sierra Leone was granted local ministerial powers and Margai
3503-467: The (British) monopoly on Sierra Leone trade. At about the same time (following the Slave Trade Act 1807 which abolished the slave trade), Royal Navy crews delivered thousands of formerly enslaved Africans to Freetown, after liberating them from illegal slave ships. These Liberated Africans or recaptives were sold for $ 20 a head as apprentices to the white settlers, Nova Scotian Settlers, and
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3616-458: The 18th century further enriched the culture, eventually establishing a strong foothold in the north. The conquest by Samory Touré in the northeast solidified Islam among the Yalunka , Kuranko and Limba people. The 15th century marked the beginning of European interaction with Sierra Leone, highlighted by Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra mapping the region in 1462 and naming it after
3729-636: The 1960s, and was elected as a member of the All People's Congress (APC) to the Makeni city council . Alice Koroma was women's leader of the APC Bombali District branch. She was also a strong supporter of President Siaka Stevens ' administration, when the APC leader was elected. Alice Koroma later worked for most of her career as a primary school teacher in Makeni. Koroma attended the Sierra Leone Church Primary School in Makeni. For higher education, he went to
3842-481: The APC leadership of Edward Turay, the party had lost a significant number of seats in parliament and had lost trust among Sierra Leoneans, even in its traditional stronghold in Northern Sierra Leone. Koroma said the party will continue to lose even more support unless the party moves to a new direction that will care more about the interest of Sierra Leoneans. The APC was thought to be divided between
3955-849: The American Revolution, Black Loyalists from Nova Scotia , Canada, were relocated to Sierra Leone, founding Freetown and contributing significantly to the Krio people and Krio language that would come to define the region. Following the American Revolution , more than 3,000 Black Loyalists had also been settled in Nova Scotia , where they were finally granted land. They founded Birchtown , but faced harsh winters and racial discrimination from nearby Shelburne . Thomas Peters pressed British authorities for relief and more aid; together with British abolitionist John Clarkson ,
4068-533: The Black Poor of being responsible for a large proportion of crime in 18th century London. While the broader community included some women, the Black Poor seems to have exclusively consisted of men, some of whom developed relationships with local women and often married them. Slave owner Edward Long criticized marriage between black men and white women. However, on the voyage between Plymouth, England and Sierra Leone, 70 European girlfriends and wives accompanied
4181-698: The British Crown founded a settlement in Sierra Leone in what was called the " Province of Freedom ". About 400 black and 60 white colonists reached Sierra Leone on 15 May 1787. After they established Granville Town , most of the first group of colonists died, owing to disease and warfare with the indigenous African peoples ( Temne ), who resisted their encroachment. When the ships left them in September, they had been reduced to "276 persons, namely 212 black men, 30 black women, 5 white men and 29 white women". The settlers that remained forcibly captured land from
4294-720: The British Crown. There were thousands of these Black Loyalists, people of African ancestry who joined the British military forces during the American Revolutionary War. Many had been slaves who had escaped to join the British, lured by promises of freedom ( emancipation ). Official documentation known as the Book of Negroes lists thousands of freed slaves whom the British evacuated from the nascent United States and resettled in colonies elsewhere in British North America . Pro-slavery advocates accused
4407-502: The British decided they needed to establish more dominion over the inland areas, to satisfy what was described by the European powers as "effective occupation". In 1896 it annexed these areas, declaring them the Sierra Leone Protectorate. With this change, the British began to expand their administration in the region, recruiting British citizens to posts and pushing Krio people out of positions in government and even
4520-491: The British. Because Madam Yoko supported the British, some sub-chiefs rebelled, causing Yoko to take refuge in the police barracks. For her loyalty, she was awarded a silver medal by Queen Victoria . Until 1906, Madam Yoko ruled as a paramount chief in the new British Protectorate. The British annexation of the Protectorate interfered with the sovereignty of indigenous chiefs. They designated chiefs as units of local government, rather than dealing with them individually as had been
4633-510: The Creole ethnic group. As a result, Albert Margai became unpopular in the Creole community, many of whom had supported Sir Milton. Margai sought to make the army homogeneously Mende , his own ethnic group, and was accused of favouring members of the Mende for prominent positions. In 1967, riots broke out in Freetown against Margai's policies. In response, he declared a state of emergency across
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4746-689: The Eastern city of Koidu Town in 2007 and again in 2012 at protests rallies against poor living conditions and against the mining companies in Kono District . Several officers of the Sierra Leone Police Force were heavily criticized for using too much force and firing live bullets on protesters. The Sierra Leone Police opened an internal investigation on the 2007 incident and 2012 incidents in Koidu Town. President Koroma
4859-596: The Gold Coast; his government hanged 96 of the chief's warriors. Bureh was allowed to return in 1905, when he resumed his chieftaincy of Kasseh. The defeat of the Temne and Mende in the Hut Tax War ended mass resistance to the Protectorate and colonial government, but intermittent rioting and labour unrest continued throughout the colonial period. Riots in 1955 and 1956 involved "tens of thousands" of Sierra Leoneans in
4972-657: The Government of Queen Elizabeth II and British Colonial Secretary Iain Macleod in negotiations for independence held in London. On the conclusion of talks in London on 4 May 1960, the United Kingdom agreed to grant Sierra Leone independence on 27 April 1961. On 27 April 1961, Sir Milton Margai led Sierra Leone to independence from Great Britain and became the country's first prime minister. Sierra Leone had its own parliament and its own prime minister, and had
5085-694: The Governor of the Sierra Leone Company and a leading abolitionist, surrendered the company's charter. This ended its 16 years of running the Colony. The British Crown reorganised the Sierra Leone Company as the African Institution ; it was directed to improve the local economy. Its members represented both British who hoped to inspire local entrepreneurs and those with interest in the Macauley & Babington Company, which held
5198-695: The Jamaican Maroons. Many Liberated Africans were treated poorly and even abused because some of the original settlers considered them their property. Cut off from their various homelands and traditions, the Liberated Africans were forced to assimilate to the Western styles of Settlers and Maroons. For example, some of the Liberated Africans were forced to change their name to a more Western sounding one. Though some people happily embraced these changes because they considered it as being part of
5311-617: The Liberated Africans became successful traders and spread Christianity throughout West Africa, they intermarried with the Nova Scotians and Maroons, and the two groups eventually became a fusion of African and Western societies. These Liberated Africans were from many areas of Africa, but principally the west coast. Between the 18th and 19th century, freed African Americans, some Americo Liberian "refugees", and particularly Afro-Caribbeans , mainly Jamaican Maroons, also immigrated and settled in Freetown. Together these peoples formed
5424-483: The Protectorate. Domestic slavery , which continued to be practised by local African elites, was abolished in 1928. A notable event in 1935 was the granting of a monopoly on mineral mining to the Sierra Leone Selection Trust , run by De Beers . The monopoly was scheduled to last 98 years. Mining of diamonds in the east and other minerals expanded, drawing labourers there from other parts of
5537-549: The Register of Liberated Africans. Often documentation would be subjective and result in inaccurate entries, making them difficult to track. Differences between the Register of Liberated Africans of 1808 and the List of Captured Negroes of 1812 (which emulated the 1808 document) revealed disparities in the entries, specifically in the names; many recaptives decided to change their given names to anglicised versions which contributed to
5650-411: The SLPP leadership position. Karefa-Smart led a prominent small minority faction within the SLPP party in opposition of Albert Margai as prime minister. However, Karefa-Smart failed to receive broad support within the SLPP in his attempt to oust Albert Margai as both the leader of the SLPP and prime minister. The large majority of SLPP members backed Albert Margai over Karefa-Smart. Soon after Albert Margai
5763-452: The SLPP), when, according to the APC, a group of armed men led by Tom Nyuma , who was a participant in the 1992 coup that ousted the APC from power, attempted to enter Koroma's hotel room to kill him. Nyuma was severely beaten by Koroma's guards, and he was hospitalized as a result. In the first round of the 2007 presidential election in Sierra Leone, held on 11 August, Koroma garnered 44.3% of
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#17327913608025876-512: The Sierra Leone National Electoral Commission declared Koroma to be the winner of the election with 54.6% of the vote, although the SLPP disputed the results. He was sworn in later on the same day at a ceremony attended by Berewa and Kabbah. On 21 September, Koroma left Sierra Leone for a diplomatic visit to neighboring Guinea and Liberia , his first trip outside the country as President. Koroma took
5989-764: The Sierra Leone National Insurance Company in 1978. In 1985, he joined the Reliance Insurance Trust Corporation (Ritcorp), and in 1988, he became managing director of Ritcorp, remaining in that position for 14 years. A longtime member of the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone, Koroma married Sia Nyama Koroma , the daughter of attorney and politician Abu Aiah Koroma . He served as former Attorney General of Sierra Leone, and also held several other government ministry positions under presidents Joseph Saidu Momoh and Ahmad Tejan Kabbah . An ethnic Kono from Kono District , Sia Koroma
6102-496: The Sierra Leone anti-corruption commission. The Koroma presidency has focused on road constructions across the country, which has significantly improved Sierra Leone's infrastructure . The Koroma presidency has focused on encouraging investments, which has led to investment in the country's mining industry, mostly by Chinese companies. The Koroma presidency, with the financial help of the United Nations , has implemented
6215-552: The United Kingdom resulted in the defeat of the RUF in 2002, ushering in a period of relative stability. The two major political parties that remain are the APC and the SLPP. Sierra Leone is a culturally diverse country, home to approximately 18 ethnic groups , with the Temne and Mende peoples being predominant. The Creole people , descendants of freed African-American, Afro-Caribbean slaves and liberated Africans, constitute about 1.2% of
6328-649: The United Nations, African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Commonwealth of Nations, among others. Sierra Leone derives its name from the Lion Mountains near its capital, Freetown. Originally named Serra Leoa ( Portuguese for 'lioness mountains') by Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra in 1462, the modern name is derived from the Venetian spelling, which
6441-415: The West Coast. For more than a century, it was the only European-style university in west Sub-Saharan Africa . Samuel Ajayi Crowther was the first student to be enrolled. Fourah Bay College soon drew Creoles/Krio people and other Africans seeking higher education in British West Africa. These included Nigerians, Ghanaians, Ivorians and others, especially in the fields of theology and education. Freetown
6554-415: The ability to make 100% of its own laws, however, as with countries such as Canada and Australia, Sierra Leone remained a "Dominion" and Queen Elizabeth was Queen of the independent Dominion of Sierra Leone . Thousands of Sierra Leoneans took to the streets in celebration. The Dominion of Sierra Leone retained a parliamentary system of government and was a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The leader of
6667-486: The allegation, and some senior government officials linked to the Ebola funds were fired and suspended. President Koroma who won reelection with 58% of the votes, is still very popular particularly in the north and Western Area of Sierra Leone. His presidential staff and cabinet ministers are very diverse and are made up of members of about all of Sierra Leone's ethnic groups. President Koroma has often made unannounced visit to several poor Sierra Leonean neighborhood, and he
6780-407: The areas above, but critics and many experts say the government is behind in improving these conditions. In president Koroma inauguration speech, he promised zero tolerance of corruptions, and during the early years of his presidency, several senior government officials allied to the president were arrested and prosecuted for corruption by the country's Anti Corruption commission. However, most of
6893-417: The beginning of the 16th century, by Pacheco noted that: in this country [Sierra Leone] they make beautiful mats of palm-leaf and necklaces of ivory [...]: In this land they make ivory necklaces more delicately carved than in any other country, also very fine and beautiful mats of palm-leaf, which are call 'bicas' [which are] very beautiful and good. In the late 18th century, African Americans who had fought for
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#17327913608027006-405: The coast by indigenous traders from interior areas, undergoing conflicts over territory. The Europeans made payments, called Cole , for rent, tribute, and trading rights, to the king of an area. Local Afro-European merchants often acted as middlemen, the Europeans advancing them goods to trade to indigenous merchants, most often for slaves and ivory. Portuguese traders were particularly drawn to
7119-428: The community, some were not happy with these changes and wanted to keep their own identity. Many Liberated Africans were so unhappy that they risked the possibility of being sold back into slavery by leaving Sierra Leone and going back to their original villages. The Liberated Africans eventually modified their customs to adopt those of the Nova Scotians, Maroons and Europeans, yet kept some of their ethnic traditions. As
7232-422: The conflict somewhat later, for other reasons. For several months, Bureh's fighters had the advantage over the vastly more powerful British forces but both sides suffered hundreds of fatalities. Bureh surrendered on 11 November 1898 to end the destruction of his people's territory and dwellings. Although the British government recommended leniency, Cardew insisted on sending the chief and two allies into exile in
7345-432: The country still struggle with poverty and massive unemployment. President Koroma also worked closely with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown , who increased the United Kingdom's aid to and cooperation with Sierra Leone even further. While Brown was serving as Prime Minister, the United Kingdom encouraged investment in Sierra Leone's two state-owned banks. Brown became popular in Sierra Leone, and both he and Koroma formed
7458-415: The country's national infrastructure after the Civil War , fighting corruption and improving the country's health care system . In April 2010, Koroma signed into law the country's free health care program for pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under the age of five. Koroma has focused on free-market solutions, attracting more private investment. On 4 September 2008, Koroma declared his assets to
7571-501: The country. On 18 April 1968 a group of low-ranking soldiers in the Sierra Leone Army who called themselves the Anti-Corruption Revolutionary Movement (ACRM), led by Brigadier General John Amadu Bangura , overthrew the NRC junta . The ACRM junta arrested many senior NRC members. They reinstated the constitution and returned power to Stevens, who at last assumed the office of prime minister. Government Secondary School for Boys Magburaka Government Secondary School for Boys
7684-405: The country. In 1924, the UK government divided the administration of Sierra Leone into Colony and Protectorate, with different political systems for each. The Colony was Freetown and its coastal area; the Protectorate was defined as the hinterland areas dominated by local chiefs. Antagonism between the two entities escalated to a heated debate in 1947, when proposals were introduced to provide for
7797-472: The country. Sir Albert was accused of corruption and of a policy of affirmative action in favour of the Mende ethnic group. He also endeavoured to change Sierra Leone from a democracy to a one-party state . The APC, with its leader Siaka Stevens , narrowly won a small majority of seats in Parliament over the SLPP in a closely contested 1967 general election . Stevens was sworn in as prime minister on 21 March 1967. Within hours after taking office, Stevens
7910-403: The desirable residential areas in Freetown. During the British annexation in Sierra Leone, chiefs in the north and south of the country resisted the "hut tax" imposed by the colonial administrators. In the north, there was a Limba chief named Almamy Suluku fighting to protect his territory, while using diplomacy to trick the protectorate administrators, and sending fighters to assist Bai Bureh ,
8023-430: The difficulty in tracking them after they arrived. In the early 19th century, Freetown served as the residence of the British colonial governor of the region, who also administered the Gold Coast (now Ghana ) and the Gambia settlements. Sierra Leone developed as the educational centre of British West Africa . The British established Fourah Bay College in 1827, which became a magnet for English-speaking Africans on
8136-484: The dwellings, and 24 chiefs signed a petition to Cardew, stating how destructive this was; their people could not afford to take time off from their subsistence agriculture. They resisted payment of taxes, tensions over the new colonial requirements and the administration's suspicions towards the chiefs, led to the Hut Tax War. The British fired first; the northern front of mainly Temne people was led by Bai Bureh. The southern front, consisting mostly of Mende people , entered
8249-706: The ecological zones, influencing migration and conquest dynamics. The region's dense tropical rainforest and swamps, coupled with the presence of the tsetse fly which carried a disease fatal to horses and the zebu cattle used by the Mandé people , provided natural defenses against invasions by the Mandinka Empire and other African empires, and limited influence by the Mali Empire , preserving its indigenous cultures from external dominions. The introduction of Islam by Susu traders, merchants and migrants in
8362-451: The establishment of Fourah Bay College in 1827, attracting English-speaking Africans from across the region. The settlement of Sierra Leone in the 1800s was unique in that the population was composed of displaced Africans, brought to the colony after the British abolition of the slave trade in 1807. Upon arrival in Sierra Leone, each recaptive was given a registration number, and information on their physical qualities would be entered into
8475-620: The formal recognition of the territory as the Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate . Sierra Leone attained independence from the United Kingdom in 1961 under the leadership of Prime Minister Sir Milton Margai of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). In 1971, under Prime Minister Siaka Stevens of the All People's Congress (APC), the country adopted a new constitution, transforming Sierra Leone into
8588-424: The general population in Sierra Leone announced his candidacy for the leadership of the All People's Congress (APC) ahead of the 2002 Sierra Leone presidential and parliamentary elections. He was one of seven candidates for the APC leadership. Koroma was a clear underdog to longtime APC leader Edward Turay who was the favourite and was expected to easily win the APC leadership yet again. Koroma stressed that under
8701-473: The largest donor to Sierra Leone, giving more money per person than to any other nation, and promising to raise aid by a further 50 million pounds sterling in 2010. In a 2009 BBC report by Humphrey Hawksley , some British diplomats and aid workers raised concerns about the slow pace of development in the country stressing on the problem of corruption, and asking whether almost a decade after the war – British military and post-war aid assistance has gone in vain as
8814-584: The lioness mountains. This naming has been subject to historical reinterpretation, suggesting earlier European knowledge of the region. Following Sintra, European traders established fortified posts, engaging primarily in the slave trade , which shaped the socio-economic landscape significantly. Traders from Europe, such as the Dutch Republic , England and France started to arrive in Sierra Leone and establish trading stations. These stations quickly began to primarily deal in slaves, who were brought to
8927-502: The local craftsmanship in ivory , leading to a notable trade in ivory artifacts such as horns, Sapi Saltceller , and spoons. The Sapi people belonged to a cluster of people who spoke West Atlantic languages , living in the region of modern day Sierra Leone. There had already been a carving culture established in the area prior to Portuguese contact and many travelers to Sierra Leone initially impressed with their carving skills took local ivory horns back to Europe. One notable description at
9040-420: The main opposition All People's Congress (APC), Siaka Stevens, along with Isaac Wallace-Johnson, another outspoken critic of the SLPP government, were arrested and placed under house arrest in Freetown, along with sixteen others charged with disrupting the independence celebration. In May 1962, Sierra Leone held its first general election as an independent state. The Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) won
9153-414: The most well-known and most popular foreign leaders in Sierra Leone between 1998 and 2016. Koroma pushed through arrest and prosecution authority for the Sierra Leone Anti-corruption Commission , and naming former Human Rights lawyer Abdul Tejan-Cole its head immediately after his election. The government has spoken of transitioning from large scale aid to private investment in the nation, sought to boost
9266-415: The nascent tourist industry , signed deals for more extensive mobile phone service, began a widescale public sector reform program aimed at cutting government waste, and gave greater powers to the government Ombudsman. At the same time, Koroma inaugurated a large new national park at Gola Forest , and banned exports by logging companies, singling out Chinese-owned companies, which he accused of "plundering"
9379-603: The nation's forests. President Koroma has also controversially been one of the few African leaders to criticise Zimbabwe's former President, Robert Mugabe . At the African Union summit held at the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh in 2008, he was quoted saying, "The people of Zimbabwe have been denied their democratic rights. We should in no uncertain terms condemn what has happened." In July 2008, Koroma pledged to crack down on cocaine trafficking in Sierra Leone, after
9492-585: The northern town of Port Loko . The internal party dispute was said to be resolved in April 2007, mainly between Koroma and Edward Turay, with Koroma being accepted by APC dissidents as the party's leader ahead of the 2007 general election. Under his leadership, the APC swept virtually all the seats in the Western Area and the Northern Province during the local government elections of 2004. This
9605-461: The old guards wing of the party leady by Edward Turay, and the new generation wing of the party led by Ernest Bai Koroma. Koroma was elected leader of the All People's Congress (APC) on 24 March 2002, at a national convention of the party held in the northern town of Kabala , Koinadugu District ahead of the 2002 Sierra Leone Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. Koroma received 370 votes from APC delegates, while 12 delegates voted against him and
9718-443: The population. English is the official language, while Krio is the lingua franca , spoken by 97% of the population. The country is rich with natural resources, notably diamonds, gold, bauxite and aluminium. As of the most recent survey in 2019, 59.2% of the population is affected by multidimensional poverty and an additional 21.3% vulnerable to it. Sierra Leone maintains membership in several international organizations, including
9831-403: The powerful paramount chiefs in the protectorate to form the Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP as the party of the Protectorate. The SLPP leadership, led by Sir Milton Margai, negotiated with the British and the educated Krio-dominated colony based in Freetown to achieve independence. Owing to the astute politics of Milton Margai, the educated Protectorate elites were able to join forces with
9944-406: The previous practice. They did not maintain relationships even with longstanding allies, such as Bai Bureh, who was later unfairly portrayed as a prime instigator of the Hut Tax War. Colonel Frederic Cardew , military governor of the Protectorate, in 1898 established a new tax on dwellings and demanded that the chiefs use their people to maintain roads. The taxes were often higher than the value of
10057-425: The remainder abstained. In the 2002 Sierra Leone presidential election Koroma received 22.3% of the vote as the APC presidential candidate, losing in a landslide to incumbent President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), who received 70.3% and was shortly sworn in for a new five-year term. In the parliamentary election, Koroma was elected to a seat from Bombali District. Embattled by
10170-555: The ruling SLPP. Berewa conceded defeat, and Koroma was sworn in as President on 17 September 2007, at the State House in the capital Freetown . International and local observers declared the election free and fair. Koroma succeeded President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who was constitutionally ineligible to run for the presidency again after serving the maximum two five-year term limit . In the November 2012 presidential election, Koroma
10283-560: The scheme as well, although their interest was spurred by the possibility of resettling a large group of poor citizens elsewhere. William Pitt the Younger , prime minister and leader of the Tory party, had an active interest in the Scheme because he saw it as a means to repatriate the Black Poor to Africa, since "it was necessary they should be sent somewhere, and be no longer suffered to infest
10396-451: The senior government official allied to the president were acquitted of corruption charges in court . Critics alleged they were acquitted by the court because they were close allies of president Koroma, an allegation denied by the presidency. The Sierra Leone Auditor General report said millions of dollars of the money meant for Ebola patients were missing in government emergency ebola account. President Koroma named experts to investigate
10509-548: The settlers revolted. The Crown subdued the revolt by bringing in forces of more than 500 Jamaican Maroons , whom they transported from Cudjoe's Town (Trelawny Town) via Nova Scotia in 1800. Led by Colonel Montague James , the Maroons helped the colonial forces to put down the revolt, and in the process the Jamaican Maroons in Sierra Leone secured the best houses and farms. On 1 January 1808, Thomas Ludlam ,
10622-450: The southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Its land area is 71,740 km (27,699 sq mi). It has a tropical climate and environments ranging from savannas to rainforests . As of the 2023 census, Sierra Leone has a population of 8,908,040. Freetown is both its capital and its largest city. The country is divided into five administrative regions, which are further subdivided into 16 districts . Sierra Leone
10735-530: The streets of London". In January 1787, the Atlantic and the Belisarius set sail for Sierra Leone, but bad weather forced them to divert to Plymouth, during which time about 50 passengers died. Another 24 were discharged, and 23 ran away. Eventually, with more recruitment, 411 passengers sailed to Sierra Leone in April 1787. On the voyage between Plymouth and Sierra Leone, 96 passengers died. In 1787
10848-554: The survivors of Granville Town from joining the new settlement, blaming them for the demise of Granville Town. The Settlers built Freetown in the styles they knew from their lives in the American South ; they also continued American fashion and American manners. In addition, many continued to practise Methodism in Freetown. In the 1790s, the Settlers, including adult women, voted for the first time in elections. In 1792, in
10961-435: The vote, to Koroma's 22.35%. Koroma conceded defeat. Koroma was later elected to Parliament , representing his home District of Bombali from 2002 to 2007. In 2005, he was elected the minority leader of Parliament and remained in that position until his election to the presidency in 2007. In the 2007 presidential election run-off , Koroma received 54.6% of the vote and defeated incumbent Vice-President Solomon Berewa of
11074-408: The votes, ahead of Solomon Berewa of the ruling SLPP, who received 38.3%. This was not enough to win outright, and a run-off election was held on 8 September. In an interview with Reuters on 13 September, Koroma said that he wanted to run the country "like a business concern", with a focus on agriculture and tourism rather than mining , and fight firmly against corruption . On 17 September,
11187-560: Was again heavily criticized after at least two people were shot dead by police officers of the Sierra Leone Police Force at a protest in the northern city of Kabala against the living conditions and against the mining companies on August 16, 2016. The head of the Sierra Leone Police Force, Inspector General Francis Munu, suspended two senior Sierra Leone police officers, local unit commander Almammy Bangura and Koinadugu District Police Commissioner Foday Fofanah, pending
11300-474: Was charged with four counts of treason in relation to the coup on 3 January 2024. Ernest Bai Koroma was born on 2 October 1953 in Makeni , Bombali District in the Northern Province of British Sierra Leone . He was born into a Christian family in the predominantly Muslim north. Koroma was raised in a predominantly ethnic Temne household and is a fluent speaker of the Temne and Limba languages, his parents' mother tongues. His father, Sylvanus Koroma ,
11413-548: Was elected Chief Minister of Sierra Leone. The new constitution ensured Sierra Leone had a parliamentary system within the Commonwealth of Nations . In May 1957, Sierra Leone held its first parliamentary election. The SLPP, which was then the most popular political party in the colony of Sierra Leone as well as being supported by the powerful paramount chiefs in the provinces, won the most seats in Parliament and Margai
11526-541: Was in spite of the fact that some of the old guard of the APC dismissed his leadership as a matter of child's play. Koroma has been charged with four offences including treason for his alleged role in failed military attempt coup to topple the West African country's government in November. Koroma was the APC presidential candidate in the August 2007 general election . His main rival for the presidency of Sierra Leone
11639-470: Was incumbent Vice-President of Sierra Leone Solomon Berewa of the SLPP. Koroma stronghold was in Northern Sierra Leone, and in the Western Area of Sierra Leone. Berewa, on the other hand, maintained strong support in south-eastern Sierra Leone. Koroma was allegedly the target of an assassination attempt in the early hours of 23 July 2007 in Bo , Sierra Leone's second largest city (a traditional stronghold of
11752-403: Was introduced by Venetian explorer Alvise Cadamosto and subsequently adopted by other European mapmakers . Sierra Leone's history is marked by continuous human habitation for at least 2,500 years, influenced by migrations from across Africa. The adoption of iron technology by the 9th century and establishment of agriculture by 1000 AD along the coast. Climate shifts over centuries altered
11865-467: Was known as the " Athens of Africa" due to the number of excellent schools in Freetown and surrounding areas. The British interacted mostly with the Krio people in Freetown, who did most of the trading with the indigenous peoples of the interior. Educated Krio people held numerous positions in the colonial government, giving them status and well-paying positions. Following the Berlin Conference of 1884–85,
11978-614: Was later freed and fled the country, going into exile in neighbouring Guinea. However, on 23 March 1967, a group of military officers in the Sierra Leone Army led by Brigadier General Andrew Juxon-Smith , staged a counter-coup against Commander Lansana. They seized control of the government, arrested Lansana, and suspended the constitution. The group set up the National Reformation Council (NRC), with Andrew Juxon-Smith as its chairman and Head of State of
12091-471: Was not available in Nova Scotia. The initial process of society-building in Freetown was a harsh struggle. The Crown did not supply enough basic supplies and provisions and the Settlers were continually threatened by illegal slave trading and the risk of re-enslavement. The Sierra Leone Company, controlled by London investors, refused to allow the settlers to take freehold of the land. In 1799 some of
12204-539: Was of Temne and Loko heritage and grew up in a Temne household. He was born in the Makari Gbanti chiefdom , Bombali District . He worked for years as a bible school teacher at the Wesleyan Church in Makeni. Koroma's mother, Alice Koroma (27 June 1932 – 6 July 2012), was an ethnic Biriwa Limba from the small rural town of Kamabai , also in Bombali District. She entered local politics in
12317-499: Was opposed to the colonial legacy of allowing executive powers to the Paramount Chiefs, many of whom had been allies of his late brother Sir Milton. Accordingly, they began to consider Sir Albert a threat to the ruling houses across the country. Margai appointed many non-Creoles to the country's civil service in Freetown, in an overall diversification of the civil service in the capital, which had been dominated by members of
12430-603: Was ousted in a bloodless military coup led by Brigadier General David Lansana , the commander of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces . He was a close ally of Albert Margai, who had appointed him to the position in 1964. Lansana placed Stevens under house arrest in Freetown and insisted that the determination of the Prime Minister should await the election of the tribal representatives to the House. Steven
12543-453: Was re-elected as Chief Minister by a landslide. Sierra Leone was granted independence by the United Kingdom in 1961, transitioning to a state with its own governance structures, though it faced significant political instability post-independence, including the establishment of a one-party state and periods of civil unrest. On 20 April 1960, Milton Margai led a 24-member Sierra Leonean delegation at constitutional conferences that were held with
12656-489: Was re-elected as President for a second term, receiving 58.7%, against his main opponent, SLPP candidate Julius Maada Bio , who received 37.4%. International observers deemed the election to be free and fair. Koroma was succeeded by Julius Maada Bio following his victory in run-off elections held on 31 March 2018. In December 2023, Koroma was placed under house arrest after two days of interrogation following an attempted coup d'état on 26 November 2023 during demonstrations. He
12769-430: Was sworn in as prime minister, he fired several senior government officials who had served in his elder brother Sir Milton's government, viewing them as a threat to his administration, including Karefa-Smart. Sir Albert resorted to increasingly authoritarian actions in response to protests and enacted several laws against the opposition All People's Congress, while attempting to establish a one-party state . Sir Albert
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