SIERRA LEONE'S EQUIVALENCE OF THE WHITE HOUSE - THE STATE HOUSE..

Many in the West (who are not political) have a propensity to analyse West Africa under a dim light much like the same light that ancient European excavators shed on it as a - 'a dark continent'. Their negative views come from prehistoric and racist indoctrinations that were designed to blind fool people of African descent in order to mislead them about the pre-eminence of their African heritage. As one who have traveled from Europe to China, from throughout the United States to Mexico and Canada, coming from West Africa, my biggest shock have been the inadequate background that many people have when it comes to Africa as a whole.

I have heard many ignorant annotations about tree dwelling bush men and male chauvinistic ideals, misconstrued perceptions about polygamy and damaging indications of academic, religious and political inferiority in West Africa. Most view West Africa as a plagued hub of poverty and despair but ironically recognize its gold, silver and diamond wealth. When most in the West plan their vacations, they tend to avoid historic resorts in Egypt, Nairobi, Ghana, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Mali or The Gambia. For some reason many do not know that places like Liberia, The Ivory Coast and Guinea all have beautiful affordable tourist attractions that are open to be visited. It is with such hoodwink that I decided to use my Hip Hop platform to unveil the true nature of the places in Africa where many call their home. I begin with my country of birth, Sierra Leone... 

                                              
                        
                                                                     MAP OF SIERRA LEONE..

The Current president of Sierra Leone is His Excellency Dr. Earnest Bai Koroma. (Will be posting a BLOG about Sierra Leone heads of state and their legacy). The nation uses a ‘Leonean’ currency which is facilitated by a central bank called ‘The Bank of Sierra Leone’. Foreign currencies can be exchanged at any of Sierra Leones' commercial banks as well as at hotels and in restaurants and by traders all over the country. Sierra Leone has a slew of natural resources including palm nuts from palm trees, cocoa, coffee and a verity of tropical crops such as rice and maize can be grown along with many types of fruits and vegetables common in tropical regions (mangos, banana, orange, plantain, berries,  peanuts, pineapples etc.). The primary mineral resources bountiful in various parts of the country include spring water, oil, gold, diamond, rubber, bauxite and rutile. Night life in Freetown can also be very adventerous.  

               
                                                        SIERRA LEONE MONEY

The Republic of Sierra Leone is a prominent West African state located in what is described as a savannah/rainforest region in West Africa. With a population of nearly 6.5 million inhabiting approximately 27,698 sq miles of land, Sierra Leone can be depicted as diminutive. Its immediate neighbours are The Republic of Guinea which is convened across the northern border, The Republic of Liberia stretching beyond the Southeastern border and the Atlantic Ocean shielding its natural beaches along the southwest coast of the nation. The capital city of Sierra Leone is Freetown (a separate BLOG will be posted about it later). Sierra Leone is home to about fifteen (15) different tribes (a separate BLOG will also be posted about Sierra Leone’s tribes later) all of which have their own distinct culture and dialect and they inhabit the several districts within the provinces and the Western Area where the capital is situated. 

                
               MAP OF FREETOWN PENINSULA SHOWING ITS SHORES AND WHARFS..


Sierra Leone is decidedly respected for and referred to as the 'Athens Of West Africa' because it housed the first Western style university in West Africa – 1827 - Fourah Bay College (since the pre historic Arab institutions of Mali) and the largest natural harbours in the world. The major key port located in Freetown known as the Queen Elizabeth II Quay or Government Warf is the second largest in the world. For those who wonder why Sierra Leoneans are exceedingly proficient in the English language, the reason is because it administrates a very effective British school system where English is the official Language spoken at schools, businesses, Government establishments and throughout the Sierra Leone media.
    
More to the point, 'Krio’, which is a broken English dialect containing elements of French, Portuguese Dutch as well as phrases from some of the most prominent dialects in the country, is spoken as a second language. Nearly every Sierra Leonean speaks or understands the ‘'Krio’ dialect in addition to their indigenous tribe dialect. ‘Krio’ is the linguistic thread that weaves all the tribes together but along with ‘Krio’, many from the southern province will come to speak a ‘Mende’  dialect which is the dialect of a ‘mother tribe’ to a family of tribes throughout West Africa. In the Northern Province many will come to speak a ‘Temne’ dialect which is a dialect spoken by a historic trade oriented tribe, dating back to the trans-Saharan trade era of ancient Ghana and Mali. There is an Eastern Province which also inhabits more "Mende’ and ‘Temne’ speaking Sierra Leoneans and others such as the Limbas who dwell among members of other prominent tribes. (a subject which I will BLOG on in the coming month).
                             
              
                           SIERRA LEONE 'LION MOUNTAINS' - LION AS IN HUGE.


Sierra Leone is English for ‘Serra de Leão’, Portugese for ‘Lion Mountains’. An ancient Sierra Leonean tale from the 1400’s states that when a Portuguese excavator by the name of Pedro da Cintra, first set foot in Sierra Leone he was taken aback by its gigantic and gorgeous mountainous landscape and in his astonishment, he named Sierra Leone the lion mountains. Before that sporadic renaming, Freetown had been known as ‘Romarong’ by all who lived within or migrated to it. During the Trans Atlantic slave trade that followed shortly after Europeans excavators under the guise of explorers began to frequent West Africa, Sierra Leone was one of the hubs along the west coast of Africa where slaves were assembled before being shipped to Europe and American. It was also a focal point for the return of freed West Indian slaves and slaves from Europe and American after slavery was abolished a few centuries later. At one time Sierra Leone consisted of two separate regions namely - Freetown (which is now the capital) and the British Protectorate (which is now the provinces). Both parts were combined into a British Colony after a fierce civil war against the British. Tribal warriors from the protectorates were finally defeated after delving several disastrous blows to the more equipped British Army that sort to tax the tribes men for their huts and combine the protectorate region with Freetown. In 1961 Sierra Leone won its independence peacefully and ended nearly one hundred years of British rule. However Sierra Leone maintained historic ties with the British there after.

    
                            THE SIERRA LEONE FLAG AND THE 'COAT OF ARMS'..

Sierra Leone represents Unity, Freedom and Justice. The flag has three (3) large stripes. A green stripe epitomizes the natural resources, agriculture and its lion mountains, a white stripe for unity and justice and a blue stripe that signifies the natural harbours, peace and hope. Citizens of Sierra Leone pledge their allegiance to this flag as well as a Coat of Arms with a national pride in the country’s national anthem.                                             

        
                                            SIERRA LEONE PARLIAMENT BUILDING..

The central Government of Sierra Leone is administrated out of the capital and governs by a constitution which is implemented with a Parliament partnered with the  State House and the supreme Justice. Sierra Leone has a national Police force and a Criminal Investigation Division (CID) for law enforcement and a national armed force, a Navy and a Ports Authority. Sierra Leone is a member of the United Nations Security Council and has its embassies all over the world and in the United Nations. A significant bulk of Sierra Leone’s inhabitants make a living from agriculture, cattle gazing, mining, export, trade, tourism and performing arts. Even though the constitution provides for freedom of religion, the majority of Sierra Leoneans are Muslims. Christianity is the second largest religion leaving what is known as ‘African Tribal Religions’ to be the third largest form of worship. 


THE 'CLOCK TOWER' AND DOWN TOWN FREETOWN SHOWING THE HISTORIC 'NATIONAL COTTON TREE'

These tribal religions have been linked to ancient religions of Africa that existed before the spread of Islam and Christianity. Some of Sierra Leone's monuments are a Clock Tower which is located at a round about near the Eastern Police Headquarters and a historic Cotton Tree located in the heart of Freetown. Sierra Leone has an international airport located outside of the capital in a town called Lungi which can be accessed from Freetown via a ferry ride over the Sierra Leone river.  

For more information on the current news from Sierra Leone please click the following link to visit COCORIOKO NEWSPAPER.

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