Moyamba District
Encyclopedia
Moyamba District is a district
in the Southern Province
of Sierra Leone
with a population of 260,910 in the 2004 census. Its capital and largest city is Moyamba
. The other major towns include Njala, Rotifunk
and Shenge
. The district is the largest in the Southern Province
by geographical area, occupying a total area of 6,902 km² and comprises fourteen chiefdoms.
Moyamba District borders the Atlantic Ocean
in the west, Port Loko District
and Tonkolili District
to the north, Bo District
to the east and Bonthe District
to the south.
The district has a history of producing some of Sierra Leone's most prominent politicians, including Sir
Milton Margai
, who led Sierra Leone to independence
in 1961 and became the nation's first prime minister from 1964 to 1967; Siaka Stevens
, Sierra Leone's president from 1971 to 1985; John Karefa-Smart
, one of Sierra Leone's most prominent political figure and leader of the United National People's Party
(UNPP); and John Akar
, a Sierra Leonean entertainer, writer, and journalist, who composed the music of Sierra Leone's National Anthem.
The main economic activities include mining
(rutile
and bauxite
), fishing
, rice
growing and oil palm
plantations.
The largest ethnic group
s in the district are the Mende
, Sherbro
and Limba
.
Districts of Sierra Leone
||The provinces of Sierra Leone are divided into 14 districts. One traditional leader from each district occupies a seat in Sierra Leone's parliament...
in the Southern Province
Southern Province, Sierra Leone
The Southern Province is one of three provinces of Sierra Leone. It covers an area of 19,694 km² and has a population of 1,377,067 . It consists of four districts . Its capital and administrative center is Bo, which is also the second largest and second most populated city in Sierra Leone...
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...
with a population of 260,910 in the 2004 census. Its capital and largest city is Moyamba
Moyamba
Moyamba is the capital and largest city of Moyamba District, in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone, with a population of 11,485 in the 2004 census. The city is about 48 miles southeast of the capital, Freetown. The population of the city is ethnically diverse although the Mende people make up...
. The other major towns include Njala, Rotifunk
Rotifunk
Rotifunk is a town in Moyamba District, in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. The Sherbro make up the largest ethnic group in the town.Rotifunk is the birthplace of Sierra Leonean politician, John Karefa-Smart, and writer, John Akar....
and Shenge
Shenge
Shenge is coastal town in the Atlantic ocean located in Moyamba District in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. The inhabitant of Shenge are predominantly fisherman and the town is one of the biggest fish producers in Sierra Leone. The town of Shenge can only be reached by helicopter or boat due...
. The district is the largest in the Southern Province
Southern Province, Sierra Leone
The Southern Province is one of three provinces of Sierra Leone. It covers an area of 19,694 km² and has a population of 1,377,067 . It consists of four districts . Its capital and administrative center is Bo, which is also the second largest and second most populated city in Sierra Leone...
by geographical area, occupying a total area of 6,902 km² and comprises fourteen chiefdoms.
Moyamba District borders the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
in the west, Port Loko District
Port Loko District
Port Loko District is the most populous district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone with a population of 489,488 Its capital is Port Loko and the largest city is Lunsar...
and Tonkolili District
Tonkolili District
Tonkolili District is a district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Magburaka. The other major towns include Mathora, Magbass, Yonibana and Mile 91...
to the north, Bo District
Bo District
Bo District is the second most populous district in Sierra Leone and is located in the Southern Province of the country. Its capital and largest city is the city of Bo, which is the second largest city in Sierra Leone. The other major towns in the district include Baoma, Bumpeh, Serabu, Sumbuya,...
to the east and Bonthe District
Bonthe District
Bonthe District comprises several islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the southwestern coast of Sierra Leone and a mainland area. Its capital is the town of Mattru Jong and the largest town in the district is Bonthe, on Sherbro Island and the town of Masabendu....
to the south.
The district has a history of producing some of Sierra Leone's most prominent politicians, including Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Milton Margai
Milton Margai
Sir Milton Augustus Strieby Margai was a Sierra Leonean politician and the first prime minister of Sierra Leone...
, who led Sierra Leone to independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
in 1961 and became the nation's first prime minister from 1964 to 1967; 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...
, Sierra Leone's president from 1971 to 1985; John Karefa-Smart
John Karefa-Smart
Dr. John Albert Musselman Karefa-Smart was a politician from Sierra Leone and leader of the United National People's Party. He was an ordained Elder of the United Methodist Church.-Education:...
, one of Sierra Leone's most prominent political figure and leader of the United National People's Party
United National People's Party
The United National People's Party is a political party in Sierra Leone.In 1996, the UNPP received 21.6% of the votes in the parliamentary election, winning 17 of the 68 seats...
(UNPP); and John Akar
John Akar
John Joseph Akar was a Sierra Leonean of Lebanese descent entertainer, writer, and diplomat. He served as Sierra Leonean Ambassador to the United States...
, a Sierra Leonean entertainer, writer, and journalist, who composed the music of Sierra Leone's National Anthem.
The main economic activities include mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
(rutile
Rutile
Rutile is a mineral composed primarily of titanium dioxide, TiO2.Rutile is the most common natural form of TiO2. Two rarer polymorphs of TiO2 are known:...
and bauxite
Bauxite
Bauxite is an aluminium ore and is the main source of aluminium. This form of rock consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite Al3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, in a mixture with the two iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite, and small amounts of anatase TiO2...
), fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
growing and oil palm
Oil palm
The oil palms comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis is native to West Africa, occurring between Angola and Gambia, while the American Oil Palm Elaeis oleifera is native to...
plantations.
The largest ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
s in the district are the Mende
Mende people
The Mende people are one of the two largest and most dominant ethnic group in Sierra Leone, along with the Temne. The Mende make up 30% of Sierra Leone's total population or 1,932,015 members...
, Sherbro
Sherbro people
The Sherbro people are a native people of Sierra Leone, who speak the Sherbro language; they make up 3% of Sierra Leone's population or about 201,000. They are also known as the Bullom people...
and 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 ....
.
Notable people from Moyamba District
- Sir Albert MargaiAlbert MargaiSir Albert Michael Margai was the second prime minister of Sierra Leone and the half-brother of Sir Milton Margai, the country's first Prime Minister...
, attorney-at-law who became second Prime Minister of Sierra Leone from 1964 to 1967 - Siaka StevensSiaka StevensSiaka 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...
, first President of Sierra Leone. - Sir Milton MargaiMilton MargaiSir Milton Augustus Strieby Margai was a Sierra Leonean politician and the first prime minister of Sierra Leone...
, medical doctor who led Sierra Leone to independence in 1961, and became nation's first prime ministerPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
from 1961 to 1964 - John Karefa-SmartJohn Karefa-SmartDr. John Albert Musselman Karefa-Smart was a politician from Sierra Leone and leader of the United National People's Party. He was an ordained Elder of the United Methodist Church.-Education:...
, one of Sierra Leone's most prominent political figure and leader of the United National People's PartyUnited National People's PartyThe United National People's Party is a political party in Sierra Leone.In 1996, the UNPP received 21.6% of the votes in the parliamentary election, winning 17 of the 68 seats... - John AkarJohn AkarJohn Joseph Akar was a Sierra Leonean of Lebanese descent entertainer, writer, and diplomat. He served as Sierra Leonean Ambassador to the United States...
, Sierra Leonean diplomat, speaker and lyricist. - Tinga SeisayTinga SeisaySamuel Tinga Khendekha Seisay is a Sierra Leonean pro-democracy activist and diplomat.- Early life :Born to a prominent political family, Seisay was educated at the prestigious St. Edward's Secondary School. He began his career as a law enforcement officer after graduating from the Police Training...
, Sierra Leonean diplomat and pro-democracy activist. - Banja Tejan-SieBanja Tejan-SieSir Banja Tejan-Sie, GCMG was a politician and lawyer in Sierra Leone and one of the "founding fathers" of the Sierra Leone People's Party . Tejan-Sie was born in Moyamba District to a famous Muslim cleric and scholar from the Fulah tribe...
, Sierra Leone chief justice, speaker of the house of parliament and attorney general from 1967 to 1968.