Gain Strength From the Past

We close this Women’s History month with a quick look back into Sierra Leone’s history to acknowledge and honor the women who have left us with the legacy of women’s leaderships in our country. Even though we have not made it “yet” in leadership at the national level, history tells us that we are capable and have always been present at the  local government levels as Paramount Chiefs, local councils and in Parliament. The condition of the majority of women in Sierra Leone today makes it easy for us to forget this fact, this is just a reminder.

Our female ancestors held their own in ruling their districts efficiently. This legacy gives us the audacity as women of Sierra Leone to believe that the condition of our lot will improve one of these days and we will be afforded our rights to sit at the national leadership table and put women’s issues in the forefront.

Our main challenge, however, is to eliminate what divides women of Sierra Leone along class lines; we must to shed our elitist mentality and unite as one voice for all women of Sierra Leone.

The list below is comprised of some of the female leaders we know about in Sierra Leone, from pre-colonial through colonial and post-colonial eras. We are sure there are many more that should be on this list but we are limited by the scarcity of available information; should you know of any more please let us know.

PRE-COLONIAL & COLONIAL ERA