Tamba Songu M'briwa
Encyclopedia
Tamba Songu M'briwa wa a prominent Sierra Leonean politician
and paramount chief
from the Kono
ethnic group, who formed one of the few political parties in Sierra Leone before independence.
of Jagbwema, Fiama Chiefdom, Kono District
, in the Eastern Province
of Sierra Leone to parents from the Kono
ethnic group. He was educated at a local primary school in Kono District before proceeding to the Bo Government Secondar School
in Bo
. He worked as a government dispenser before he became paramount chief. As a paramount chief in the colonial era, Tamba Songu M'briwa did much to improve the life of his people. He established schools in his chiefdom and was generally devoted to the education of young people in Kono District.
As a politician, he formed the Sierra Leone People's Independence Movement (SLPIM.) later renamed it as the Kono People's Union (KPU.) As leader of his party he tried to inculcate a sense of responsibility in his followers, and did his best to educate the Kono people on their political rights. His party became so popular and famous in the Kono District that even the Sierra Leone People's Party
(SLPP), the biggest and most dominant political party
in the country never won a single seat in local government elections in the Kono District during the existence of the KPU party.
He was a fearless leader who was highly respected for his selflessness, which won him the admiration of many positive-thinking Sierra Leoneans. Convinced of the need for unity, he did much in the way of bringing together the various and ethnic groups in into his political party.
When Sir
Milton Margai
, the leader of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) took power in 1961 as Sierra Leone's first prime minister
Tamba Songu M'briwa was a prominent member of his government. He remained a popular politician and a prominent paramount chief until he fell out with Sir Milton Margai. He was subsequently removed from office and banished to Kamakwie
, Bombali District
in the Northern Province
of the country. He later joined forces with the All People's Congress
(APC) party in assisting in the victory of the APC over the SLPP in the 1967 general elections. He died in 1968, a few days after winning the by-elections as Paramount Chief of Kono District in the Sierra Leone Parliament.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and paramount chief
Paramount chief
A paramount chief is the highest-level traditional chief or political leader in a regional or local polity or country typically administered politically with a chief-based system. This definition is used occasionally in anthropological and archaeological theory to refer to the rulers of multiple...
from the Kono
Kono people
The Kono people is a major ethnic group in Sierra Leone at about 7.6% of the country's total population. Their homeland is the diamond-rich Kono District in south-eastern Sierra Leone. They form by far the single largest ethnic group in the district at about 52% of the population...
ethnic group, who formed one of the few political parties in Sierra Leone before independence.
Early life and political career
Tamba Songu M'briwa was born in 1910 in the villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Jagbwema, Fiama Chiefdom, Kono District
Kono District
Kono District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Koidu Town. The other major towns in the district include Yengema, Tombodu, Motema, Jaiama-Nimokoro and Sewafe. Kono District is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone.The population of Kono...
, in the Eastern Province
Eastern Province, Sierra Leone
Eastern Province is one of the four provinces of Sierra Leone. It covers an area of 15,553 km² and has a population of 1,187,532...
of Sierra Leone to parents from the Kono
Kono people
The Kono people is a major ethnic group in Sierra Leone at about 7.6% of the country's total population. Their homeland is the diamond-rich Kono District in south-eastern Sierra Leone. They form by far the single largest ethnic group in the district at about 52% of the population...
ethnic group. He was educated at a local primary school in Kono District before proceeding to the Bo Government Secondar School
Bo School
The Bo Government Secondary School commonly known as Bo School is a secondary school located in Bo, the second largest city in Sierra Leone. The school was founded in 1906 at the behest of Governor Leslie Probyn to educate the sons of Paramount Chiefs in the British manner...
in Bo
Bo, Sierra Leone
Bo is the second largest city in Sierra Leone and the largest city in the Southern Province. It lies about 164 miles south-east of Freetown and had a population 149,957 in the 2004 census, with a current estimate is 231,494 . The city serve as the capital and administrative center of Bo District...
. He worked as a government dispenser before he became paramount chief. As a paramount chief in the colonial era, Tamba Songu M'briwa did much to improve the life of his people. He established schools in his chiefdom and was generally devoted to the education of young people in Kono District.
As a politician, he formed the Sierra Leone People's Independence Movement (SLPIM.) later renamed it as the Kono People's Union (KPU.) As leader of his party he tried to inculcate a sense of responsibility in his followers, and did his best to educate the Kono people on their political rights. His party became so popular and famous in the Kono District that even the Sierra Leone People's Party
Sierra Leone People's Party
Sierra Leone People's Party is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, along with the All People's Congress .-Formation:...
(SLPP), the biggest and most dominant political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the country never won a single seat in local government elections in the Kono District during the existence of the KPU party.
He was a fearless leader who was highly respected for his selflessness, which won him the admiration of many positive-thinking Sierra Leoneans. Convinced of the need for unity, he did much in the way of bringing together the various and ethnic groups in into his political party.
When 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...
, the leader of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) took power in 1961 as Sierra Leone's first prime minister
Prime minister
A 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...
Tamba Songu M'briwa was a prominent member of his government. He remained a popular politician and a prominent paramount chief until he fell out with Sir Milton Margai. He was subsequently removed from office and banished to Kamakwie
Kamakwie
Kamakwie is a small town in Bombali District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. The population of the town was over 8,098 in 2006 estimate...
, 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 the country. He later joined forces with 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...
(APC) party in assisting in the victory of the APC over the SLPP in the 1967 general elections. He died in 1968, a few days after winning the by-elections as Paramount Chief of Kono District in the Sierra Leone Parliament.
External links
- http://www.sierra-leone.org/heroes9.html