THE ORIGIN OF SIERRA LEONE IN THE HISTORY OF WEST AFRICA

The foundation of Sierra Leone came as a result of the attempt by the British philanthropists to stop slavery and slave trade. It must be remembered that it was a practice of the British planters in the West Indies who were going home either on leave or retirement to take along with them Negro domestic slaves such that by about 1772 there were over 17,000 such slaves in Great Britain.

These were later increased by the slaves who had fled to England following the conclusion of the American war of Independence in 1778. Also those slaves who had settled in Jamaica, Nova Scotia joined their colleagues and Britain became a "melting pot" of the settlement of slaves,

It was this state of affairs that forced chief justice Mansfield to pass a decree regarding the place of slaves? and slave trade under which it was instituted in English law and constitution to make slaves free- This decision greatly alarmed the owners of slaves who consequently decided to abandon the slaves.

It's imperative to note that by the time of Mansfield's decree, the slaves were not prepared for emancipation and therefore couldn't effectively support themselves thus the slaves resorted to begging, became street dwellers and unemployed and generally public nuisances in the English society. It was this state of affairs that aroused pity from the British humanitarians or philanthropists in the likes of Granville Sharpe, William Wilberforco who decided to form a committee of relieving the "black poor".

As far back as 1773. Granville Sharpe had proposed to settle these slaves along the coast of West Africa and was supported by Sir Henry Smeathman who recommended Sierra -Leone as a suitable place for the settlement of the freed slaves.  This idea was wholesomely welcomed and in 1789 the first group of these unfortunate black poor was thereby settled and its under these circumstances that Sierra Leone was founded as a settlement for freed slaves from Britain with the Capital Free Town to signify the purpose for which Sierra Leone was founded.

In 1807 after the British had settled their first batch of the freed slaves, they embarked on the scheme of abolishing slave trade and committed themselves on this task but since Britain needed a strong naval base. to carry out this work, Sierra Leone by her geographical setting and her good harbours was used as a base.

It was because of her geographical structure that on 1st January 1888 Sierra Leone was declared as the first British crown colony in West Africa where the British based to fight against the notorious activity of slave trade such that during their period of stay, many slaves were rescued from the ships that were still carrying on, is this abolished evil trade some of whose origins were of modern Nigeria, Gambia and Gold coast (Ghana).

These slaves finding themselves completely cut off from their own societies, many of them decided to respond positively to the opportunities offered by the new environment and thus adopted to the new cultural traits such as religion, language, technical skills, mode of dress, mannerism of the colonies elite of the English administrative and missionaries such that there emerged a new type of an African, a man of two worlds and this new breed came to be referred to as the Creoles-essentially black although they had a slight mixture of white blood resembling the Millaties of the Goid Coast a group of people who had developed a culture which was neither pure black nor pure European although most of them had mixed up with the Europeans and thus looked at themselves as more superior to the indigenous people and had even developed their own language "Krio" which according to Adu Boahen was "English language Africanized".

REASONS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SIERRA LEONE

Sierra Leone like Liberia was established in order to offer permanent settlement of freed slaves who had lost trade of their original homeland.

Many of the slaves became unemployed and were poverty stricken and humanitarians like Granville Sharp suggested settlement in a new colony in West Africa, and his suggestion was headed too.

Some humanitarians also wanted to get rid of London prostitutes, in the English society.

The idea to get them married to the liberated Negroes.

Sierra Leone was chosen because of its good harbour and fresh water supply from sailing ships. It had also been a centre of the British slave trade and it was a bit developed commercially.

The former slaves from Europe had learnt how to read and write. They would teach other Africans why the former slaves who never knew how to read and write would be taught by the missionaries. Hence, Sierra Leone was to be a centre from where many people of West Africa would attain their education.

Activities of the anti slave abolition movement in Europe. The people, who struggled for the abolition of slave trade, exerted pressure on the British government to find a home for the former slaves. It was partly as a result of the pressure from the abolitionist that a home had to be established for the former slaves.

It was expected that the former slaves would spread Christianity on the other Africans in West Africa. Even those people freed from ships going to Europe would be taught the word of God before being taken back to their mother countries hence Sierra Leone would be a centre for spreading Christianity in the whole of West Africa.

The former slaves from Britain would help to civilize the Africans while those slaves who were freed before taken to Europe would acquire civilisation from the missionary centres.

Politically, Britain expected to have control over the former slaves in their new land. Hence the formation of Sierra Leone was an extension of British influence in West Africa.

Commercially, the establishment of Sierra Leone was also dictated by trade. The British thought that in future they would be able to control trade in the region.

The English government supported the scheme, by providing transport, food stuffs and farm equipment to the settlers.

GOVERNMENT OF THE COLONY FROM 1808

From 1808, the British government appointed governors who ruled the colony as f representatives of the King. The governors took directives from the Secretary of State in London and sent him regular reports of their administration.

The governor ruled with a council of seven senior officials appointed by the British government. All laws were made by them.

The people had no say in the government of the colony.

In 1863, however, the governor's council was abolished and replaced by an executive council and a legislative council.

The executive council comprised officials and two unofficial African representative of the community.

The first two unofficial members were Charles Heddle who was appointed by the governor and John Ezzidio who was elected by the Sierra Leone Merchants' Association.

Other rich liberated Africans such as Sir Samuel Lewis, a lawyer by profession were after this nominated to the Legislative Council by the governor.

Elections to the Legislative council were not introduced until 1924. However, in 1893, Free Orange town was granted municipal status and Sir Samuel Lewis became its first Mayor.

The Sierra Leone administration was merged with the governments of other British West African colonies several times in the century. In 1821, the governments of the Gambia, Sierra Leone and the Gold Coast were united with Freetown as their Headquarters. They were only separated in 1827.

Again, following the recommendati6ns of the 1865 Select Committee,  the governments of these colonies and that of Lagos were United under a governor- in- Chief at Free Orange State.

But in 1874, Lagos and the Gold Coast were given separate administrations while the Gambia regained separate administration in 1888.

THE GROWTH OF SIERRA LEONE SOCIETY

In 1807, the whole population of Sierra Leone was less than 2000. It consisted mainly of Nova Scotian and Maroon settlers and some of the few survivors of the original settlers from England. These three groups came to settle in Sierra Leone in a very interesting way.

But from 1807, as a result of anti stave activities of the British Naval Squadron based in Sierra Leone, large numbers of liberated Africans were settled in the colony.

The liberated Africans or recaptives as they were called greatly swelled the population and soon became the largest single group in the colony. For example, the population of Sierra Leone rose from 1871 - 1807 to 450,661 in 1847.

As shiploads of the recaptives arrived from time to time, they were settled in the near by villages-Leicester, Wellington, Hastings. Waterloo, York, Kent and Banana Islands. Some however enlisted in the British army while others particularly children were employed as domestic servants to wealthy Europeans.

The recaptives proved to be a very enterprising and industrious group. From humble beginnings, they soon outdistanced the older groups of settlers in wealth and influence.

They formed their own companies, established their own shops and businesses and built their own schools, churches and mosques. Above all, they gave their children good education.

The recaptives were made up of people from many nations. But the most dominant groups were the Yoruba or Aku, the Ibo and the Asante. As time went on, many recaptives left their villages and moved to free town in search of fortune and after acquiring enough wealth migrated to their, native land or to other coastal towns of West Africa.

THE CREOLES

The name Creole was originally applied to recaptives children born in the colony. At first the older groups of settlers discriminated against the captives and their children.

But by the 1850s, owing to the growth in wealth, education and influence of the recaptives and also intermarriages the old distinctions had disappeared and the older groups and the recaptives had merged into one Creole community its own distinctive culture.

Creole culture had a peculiar trait. It was a curious blend of Christian European and American culture and African traditional culture. For Creoles were Christians, wore European dresses, lived in European style houses and practiced monogamy. But they spoke their own style of English (Krio) and kept the traditional customs, diet and dances of their native lands. This Creole culture gave to Sierra Leone a national identity all its own.

These were the offspring of the recaptured liberated slaves and the settlers' children.

The Creoles played a very important "role in the development of Sierra Leone and they achieved much in West Africa as a whole.

They achieved much in education by building primary and secondary schools.

In 1827, they built the famous Fourah Bay College to train African clergy.

There were disputes between the settlers and the Temne over land and clash of culture.

1875, it gained a University status and offered degrees for University of Durham. The society hoped that the new colony would lead to the christianisation and civilisation of the continent and then to the final suppression of slave trade in Africa as well as beginning the expansion of American trade on the West Coast.

Many Creoles qualified as professionals in law and medicine Free orange town became the intellectual centre of coastal West Africa.

The Sierra Leone church, was very strong and many Creoles were unknown Christians.

Bishop Crowther led in all Creoles staff for missionary work in the states of Niger Delta.

Economically, the Creoles were great commercialists, they set up business in the interior and operated successfully in Liberia, the Gold coast. Dahomey, southern Nigeria and the Cameroon.                

They were politically dominant in areas they settled in; By 1863, they were members of the Sierra Leone Legislative and executive councils and by the 1870s, over the senior civil services positions were d by Creoles.

They worked as civil servants throughout British West Africa

They are known to have kindled the fire for nationalism in West Africa.

They did this by publishing newspapers which influenced thought and ideas in British West African for example, "Sierra Leone Weekly News" edited by William Grant and Rev. Joseph Clandina.

GOVERNOR MACCARTHY'S WORK IN SIERRA LEONE.

Charles MacCarthy was Governor of the colony of Sierra Leone from 1814 to 1824.

This was a period of great social progress and missionary activity. MacCarthy had great ideas about the colony, hie dreamed of transforming the small colony into a center from which Christian European civilisation could spread throughout West Africa.

His first major task was to organise for the proper caring and education of the thousands of recaptives now arriving and settling in the various villages around Freetown.

For this, he invited the missionaries to come out to help. Following MacCarthy's appeal, the Church Missionary Society and the Methodist Mission which had begun working in Sierra Leone in 1805 and 1811 respectively sent out more missionaries.

The CMS missionaries acted as government superintendents over the villages where they, also founded churches, schools and colleges.

The Christian institution at Leicester village, later become Fourah College which was founded in 1814 for the training of teachers and missionaries. It was transferred to Freetown in 1827 as Fourah Bay College.

These-institutions developed and produced the missionaries, teachers, professional men and civil servants that spread civilisation to other parts of West Africa. In this way MacCarthy's dreams were realised.

MacCarthy also improved the economy of the colony. He initiated such development schemes as the enlargement Freetown harbour.

He persuaded European settlers to settle in Freetown MacCarthy also encouraged trade with the countries of the interior.

He also improved the standard of living of the colonies as was evident in the building of better houses in Freetown.

Under MacCarthy's administration, relations with neighbouring African kingdoms improved and the colony saw great expansion.

He acquired from the Temne, the villages of York, Kent; Welling. Hastings and Waterloo and the Sherbro, the banana islands for the settlement of Negro ex-servicemen and recaptives.

By ^829, Sierra Leone had become s6 important that it was made the headquarters of the British West African colonies which had been united administratively in that year.

MacCarthy thus became the first governor of the united colonies.

He died a tragic death in the war with the Asante of the Gold Coast in 1824.

PROBLEMS        

Some problems were even external - Napoleonic wars between Britain and France resulted m the destruction of the supply ships from Europe. In 1794, the French Navy destroyed the new settlement of Freetown.

The settlers from Nova Scotia revolted against the administration as a result of being discontented with the Sierra Leone company to charge all settlers a quite - rent of one shilling per acre per year in respect of the land given to them for cultivation.

There were disputes between the settlers and the Temne, yet the settlers believed they owned the land outright. Because of the dispute, the Temne under King Jimmy almost wiped out the colony, when they attacked and burnt down Granville town on 1789.

The wise rule of Zachary as governor saved the colony from collapsing.

Role Played By Creoles in Sierra Leone

They made achievement on commerce and civil service, education and Christian missionary service.

The Creole business concern thrived on large towns along the West Coast from Buthurst to Niger.

They traded along the coast into the interior.

The Creoles became a wealth class in West Africa and many of them possess ships.

Their greatest achievement was in the field of education. The Creoles sent their children to school.

By 1850, there were many teachers, clergymen and flood number of doctors and lawyers, in 1861, the Sierra Leone Anglican churches founded all the pastors were Creoles.

The Sierra Leone church sent out Creole missionaries and teachers to spread Christianity and Western Education in West Africa.

Creole's intellectuals produced original work of high academic standard for example History of Yorubas'

The Creoles also published Newspapers which influenced thought and ideas in British West Africa.

Significance of Sierra Leone in development of West African civilisation

From the historical point of view, Sierra Leone became very significant for her foundation as the first British crown colony marked a new era in the relationship between Africa and the rest of Europe.

Closely related, Sierra Leone being the first British crown colony which was occupied in 1 808 marked an era of the British colonial imperialism in the history of West Africa in the sense that Sierra Leone was used as a stepping stone for the British expansionism to other West African states such as Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria, Gambia etc. with the aid of the preventative squadron passed at Freetown.

Socially, the foundation of Sierra Leone as a settlement for the freed slaves marked the end of three centuries of slave trade and other commercial exploitations to an era of humanitarian activity where slave trade was henceforth replaced with legitimate trade. It's therefore' partly from this basis that Sierra Leone is regarded as very significant in the development of West Africa. In addition, Sierra Leone was made up of liberated Negroes who formed a single homogenous Creole community with a predominantly western culture who greatly influenced the development of not only Sierra Leone but generally West Africa. It's therefore in this light that Freetown has been regarded by scholars as an intellectual centre of the 19th Century West Africa and indeed Sierra Leone as the Athens of West Africa or the nursery bed of West African civilization. In the 1890's many of the Creoles migrated to their former home areas greatly influencing the development of society in those places like Yorubaland.

The above analysis can rightly be evident in the rote played by the Creoles in the development of West Africa and it's civilisation the greatest of which being in the field of education and missionary activities which seemed to trace their roots in Sierra Leone whereby the first generation of educated West Africans traced their origin from the number of secondary schools for both boys and girls and teacher training colleges the most outstanding of which being the Fourah-Bay College which was established in 1827 and later in 1876 it became the first university in Sierra Leone and at that West Africa therefore providing education to the children of Sierra Leone and West Africa generally. 

It's therefore partly from this analysis that Sierra Leone has been described, as a nursery bed of West African civilization. 

Closely related, these institutions produced the most outstanding educated Creoles among whom included John Thorpe the first black Sierra Leone lawyer, William Davis and Africans Horton the first black doctors of western medicine, Samuel Lewis the first black newspaper editor and owner, first mayor of Free Town, first African to be granted the Cambridge and oxford degrees and to be given the title of the knight. Therefore, the Creoles are remembered for having supported the development of education through establishing institutions that produced the best professional such as doctors, teachers, lawyers, clergymen etc.

It's therefore partly from this basis that Sierra Leone has been described as the mother of West African civilization.

The Creoles are also remembered for having spread Christianity especially through the activities of Rev. Samuel Ajayi Crowther the first black Protestant bishop who was the first to bring Christianity along with his fellow catechists to the Niger territories and the delta city states through the creation of self-supporting churches and other Creoles continued to spread the gospel of Christianity as far as Gambia, Yoruba land and other parts of southern Nigeria. It's therefore from this analysis that Sierra Leone has been referred to as the Athens of West Africa.

Closely related, Freetown prospered and other areas of West Africa because of the assistance from "Their sons abroad" who sent money to their relatives as other wealthy Creoles gave money to charitable organizations leading to the development of schools, churches/hospitals, etc.

The Creoles are also believed to have been the writers of the original books of West African languages, history, geography, medical research and they also acted as interpreters of African culture to the whites and vice versa all of which provided a medium of civilisation and it's in this light that Sierra Leone is regarded as the mother place of West African civilisation.

Economically, many Creole businessmen engaged in trade along the coast and many others migrated to different-parts of West Africa the most historically known include R.B. Blaize who was born in Freetown and was one of the richest man in Lagos.

Similarly, James Horton became the richest in Gambia as many other traders and professionals from Sierra Leone settled in other parts of West Africa especially in cities like Accra, Lagos built houses, became prosperous landlords which was to the benefit of West Africa.

Politically, the 19th Century and 20th Century civil service in the British colonial of West Africa relied mainly on the Creole personnel in form of doctors, magistrates, administrators, heads of police etc.                        

Lastly the Creoles being elites were vanguards of West Africa nationalism through their writings the fires of nationalism begun to rise for example the writings of Williams Grant "West African reporter" and Rev. Joseph Claudius May's "Sierra Leone weekly news" which greatly incited the forces of nationalism whose forces did not only end in Sierra Leone but spread in other parts like Nigeria, Gambia, Ghana, etc.

In conclusion therefore, from the above analysis Sierra Leone has been referred to as the nursery bed. the mother or the Athens of West African civilisation however despite these developments', the civilisation impact of Sierra Leone was only limited to the coastal areas of Gambia, Gold coast and Nigeria i.e. majorly the West African British colonies but had little influence in the French colonies, Liberia and the Muslim states of the West African hinterland.

Relationship between creoles and indigenous Temne Mende people

The Creoles right from the Genesis of their coming to Freetown regarded themselves as socially superior to the indigenous inhabitants notably the Temne and Mende who were the most important tribes in the Sierra Leone interior.

As a result therefore, the Creoles dominated the most important sectors in Sierra Leone such as education, administration and generally the government offices.

It was this dominance of the Creoles over the indigenous races that greatly angered the Temne-Mende people who decided to revolt against the dominance in what became the Temne-Mende revolt of 1898.

The Creoles regarded the Temne-Mende cultures as barbaric, primitive, backward and outdated and therefore needed to be abolished its this cultural arrogance and aggression of the Creoles that was received by the indigenous people who found no alternative but to revolt in what became the Temne-Mende revolt of 1898.

By the 1890's, a police force was formed greatly a composition of the Creoles who were spread in the hinterland of Sierra Leone to enforce law and order according to the tunes of the; colonial government.

And as a way of showing their authority, they used all forms of savage and oppressive means which included bellying, looting, raping, flogging of chiefs in public (daylight) policies that couldn't be absorbed by the local people and therefore they had no alternative but to revolt against the good-for-nothing policies. This came to be the Temne-Mende revolt of 1898.

Apart from that cultural fact the Temne-Mende revolts were caused by political factors that included the desire by the indigenous people to fight for -their independence for after the British had declared Sierra Leone a protectorate. A British governor Cardew at Freetown appointed District Commissioner to administer different parts of the colony and these starter undermining and interfering with the powers of the chiefs something that the people could not tolerate. They therefore decided to revolt in order to get rid of the Free-town government therefore largely undermined the predominant position of Creoles in the politics of Sierra-Leone and paved way for the local people. Therefore with the leadership of the British, there was effective development in the economic and social aspects, Which was later to identify Sierra Leone as the mother of West African civilization.

EFFECTS OF THE HUT TAX WAR

The rebellion brought about the attack and systematic killing of Creoles in Sierra Leone.

The resistors would kill all the Creoles including women and children even missionaries, traders / frontier policemen and government official were killed.

The Creoles were looked at as a symbol of European colonialism in Africa

There was massive famine because during the war the Temne and Mende could not concentrate on agriculture; Many able -bodied young-men concentrated on war arid could not settle down to grow crops.

Trade was disrupted because most of the Creole traders were murdered. Yet all the trading activities in Sierra Leone were dominated by the Creoles.

There was massive destruction of property. This property mostly belonging to Creoles and colonial government were destroyed.

The Africans were over powered by the military supremacy of the British and therefore defeated. It was followed by a period of peace.

Confidence in African traditional chiefs was tost especially the medicine since their tactics had failed. 

DECLINE OF CREOLES

Between 1898-1914, the importance of Creoles in the political, economic and social history of Sierra-Leone and West African in general begun to decline. In Sierra-Leone governor Cardew, continued with a policy which aimed at keeping the Creoles out of the protectorate administration. He rejected Creoles heads of department for instance J.C. Parker who was then head of native affairs. Supported by the London government he laid down administrative reforms whereby only the English were to administer in the interior. The colonial office further argued that apart from causing the tax war, Creoles had benefited a lot from the British conquests of the area. In this way therefore Creoles influence was reduced while the influence of the Temne-Mende was allowed to rise in some sectors.

The British also started on a policy of openly discriminating against the Creoles and Creoles settled areas. Roads connecting free town with the interior were over looked or were non-constructed as away to punish the Creoles.

In the field of education Creoles dominance was also reduced. They were for example not allowed to give instructions in schools and instead the Temne-Mende were trained to ''occupy the junior positions in education ahd other administrative positions.

In the field of commerce, Creole merchants steadily lost control of their initial economic positions leading to their decline. The French who had traded with them in some areas also diverted their caravans of ivory, gold and cattle away from Free Town to Conakry.

This was partly because Creoles had attempted to assist Samouri Toure in his battle with the French. By so doing therefore Creoles dominance in trade also declined. With the coming of large European trading companies, Creole lost in the whole sale trade and later In the home retail trade. They were therefore eliminated from the economic sector that they had controlled for about seventy years.

The colonization of other parts of Africa by other European powers also affected the position of Creoles, In areas controlled by Germans and French, Creoles were sent away on ground that they were British sympathizers.

In missionary work Creoles also met difficulties Anglicans and Methodists begun to replace Creole archdeacons and superintendents with Europeans. Bishop Samuel Ajayi was replaced by a European Bishop and thereafter no Creole or African was ever concentrated as Bishop for about sixty years.

The discovery of quinine and its wide spread later also helped to reduce "Creole dominance. This was because after the discovery more Europeans begun to work freely in parts of the interior unlike before when they had greatly relied on .the Creoles. The population of Europeans in the interior of West Africa also steadily increased and many of them begun to take up offices which Creoles had for a long time occupied.

With time employment opportunities for graduates for Creole education, system also reduced in this way the influence of Creole through educated elites from Creole dominated schools also declined. Colleges like Fourah Bay declined in standards and by 1900it was even closed down