Joseph Saidu Momoh
Encyclopedia
Major General
(Ret.) Joseph Saidu Momoh (January 26, 1937 – August 3, 2003) was the President of Sierra Leone
from November, 1985 to April 29, 1992.
, Bombali District
in the Northern Province
of Sierra Leone
to Limba
Parents. He married to a Fullani woman from Kono Mrs Fatmata N. Momoh years after the first lady Hannah Momoh died in the Republic of Guinea.
Momoh served as President of Sierra Leone
from November 28, 1985 to April 29, 1992. A professional soldier drawn into politics, Momoh rose from the enlisted ranks, to the highest position in the Sierra Leone Military Forces
(Major-General), during his presidency. In 1985 Momoh succeeded President Siaka Stevens
by becoming the only candidate in a one-party election in the form of a referendum
under the banner of the All People's Congress
party (APC).
Momoh declared a state of economic emergency early in his rule, granting himself greater control over Sierra Leone's economy, but he was not regarded as a dictator. Instead, his people viewed him as far too weak and inattentive to the affairs of state, allowing his notoriously corrupt advisors to manipulate matters behind the scenes. Sierra Leone's economy gradually disintegrated under Momoh's rule, and the country's currency decreased in value. Sierra Leone reached the point under President Momoh where it could not afford to import gasoline and fuel oil, and the country went without electricity for months at a time. In September, 1991, after the start of the Sierra Leone Civil War
, Momoh ushered in a new constitution, providing for a multi-party state and ending the single party rule Siaka Stevens initiated in the 1970s. He also played a great part in dissolving tribalism. But Momoh's efforts at reform came too late to rescue Sierra Leone from chaos.
Momoh was overthrown in a military coup staged by Valentine Strasser
, a 25-year-old army captain, in April, 1992. Strasser's cabinet members were young lieutenants and captains in their 20s. Momoh spent the last years of his life as a guest of the military government in neighboring Guinea
, where he died in exile in 2003.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
(Ret.) Joseph Saidu Momoh (January 26, 1937 – August 3, 2003) was the President of Sierra Leone
President of Sierra Leone
The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone is the head of state and the head of government of Sierra Leone, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces...
from November, 1985 to April 29, 1992.
Biography
Joseph Saidu Momoh was born on January 26, 1937 in BinkoloBinkolo
Binkolo is a rural town in Bombali District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Binkolo is home to an estimated 13,867 residents . The majority of the population are from the Limba ethnic group. The town is the birthplace of Sierra Loene's second President, Joseph Saidu Momoh....
, Bombali District
Bombali District
Bombali District is district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. It's capital and largest city is Makeni, which is also the fifth largest city in Sierra Leone and the largest city in the north. The other major towns in the district include Kamakwie, Kamabai, Masingbi and Binkolo...
in the Northern Province
Northern Province, Sierra Leone
The Northern Province is one of the four provincial divisions of Sierra Leone. It comprises five Districts and covers an area of 35,936 km² and with a population of 1,718,240 . Its administrative and economic center is Makeni...
of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
to Limba
Limba people (Sierra Leone)
The Limba people is a major ethnic group in the Republic of Sierra Leone. They form the third largest ethnic group in the country, about 8.5% of Sierra Leone's total population ....
Parents. He married to a Fullani woman from Kono Mrs Fatmata N. Momoh years after the first lady Hannah Momoh died in the Republic of Guinea.
Momoh served as President of Sierra Leone
President of Sierra Leone
The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone is the head of state and the head of government of Sierra Leone, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces...
from November 28, 1985 to April 29, 1992. A professional soldier drawn into politics, Momoh rose from the enlisted ranks, to the highest position in the Sierra Leone Military Forces
Military of Sierra Leone
The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces is the armed forces of Sierra Leone, responsible for the territorial security of Sierra Leone's border and defending the national interests of Sierra Leone, within the framework of its international obligations...
(Major-General), during his presidency. In 1985 Momoh succeeded President Siaka Stevens
Siaka Stevens
Siaka Probyn Stevens was the 3rd prime minister of Sierra Leone from 1967–1971 and the 1st president of Sierra Leone from 1971–1985. Stevens is generally criticised for dictatorial methods of government in which many of his political opponents were executed, as well as for mismanaging...
by becoming the only candidate in a one-party election in the form of a referendum
Sierra Leonean presidential election, 1985
A referendum to confirm the presidential candidate Joseph Saidu Momoh was held in Sierra Leone on 1 October 1985. The country was a single-party state under the All People's Congress at the time, and only one candidate from that party was allowed. A referendum to approve the sole candidate was...
under the banner of the All People's Congress
All People's Congress
The All People's Congress is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, the other is the Sierra Leone People's Party . The party was founded in 1960 by Pa Mucktarru Kallay, Allieu Badarr Koroma,Alhaji Sheik Gibril Sesay C A Kamara-Taylor, S A T Koroma and Abu Bakarr S Bangura...
party (APC).
Momoh declared a state of economic emergency early in his rule, granting himself greater control over Sierra Leone's economy, but he was not regarded as a dictator. Instead, his people viewed him as far too weak and inattentive to the affairs of state, allowing his notoriously corrupt advisors to manipulate matters behind the scenes. Sierra Leone's economy gradually disintegrated under Momoh's rule, and the country's currency decreased in value. Sierra Leone reached the point under President Momoh where it could not afford to import gasoline and fuel oil, and the country went without electricity for months at a time. In September, 1991, after the start of the Sierra Leone Civil War
Sierra Leone Civil War
The Sierra Leone Civil War began on 23 March 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front , with support from the special forces of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia , intervened in Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government...
, Momoh ushered in a new constitution, providing for a multi-party state and ending the single party rule Siaka Stevens initiated in the 1970s. He also played a great part in dissolving tribalism. But Momoh's efforts at reform came too late to rescue Sierra Leone from chaos.
Momoh was overthrown in a military coup staged by Valentine Strasser
Valentine Strasser
Valentine Esegragbo Melvine Strasser served as head of state of Sierra Leone from 1992 to 1996. He had been a junior military officer but in 1992, he became the world's youngest Head of State when he seized power three days after his 25th birthday...
, a 25-year-old army captain, in April, 1992. Strasser's cabinet members were young lieutenants and captains in their 20s. Momoh spent the last years of his life as a guest of the military government in neighboring Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
, where he died in exile in 2003.
External links
- News about his release, IRIN November 1999