Falaba District

Last updated
Falaba District
Falaba District in Sierra Leone 2018.svg
Location of Falaba District in Sierra Leone
Coordinates: 9°30′N11°30′W / 9.500°N 11.500°W / 9.500; -11.500
Country Sierra Leone
Province Northern Province
Capital Bendugu
Largest city Bendugu
Government
 • Type District Council
 • District Council ChairmanAbdulai Maranda Sajor [1] (APC)
Area
 • Total
7,423 km2 (2,866 sq mi)
Population
 (2018 estimate)
 • Total
205,353
 • Density28/km2 (72/sq mi)
Time zone UTC0 (Greenwich Mean Time)

Falaba District is a district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. [2] [3] It is one of the sixteen districts of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest town is Bendugu. Other towns in Falaba District include Falaba, Sikunia, Krubola, Musaia Ganya and Mansadu. Falaba District is divided into thirteen chiefdoms. Falaba District is one of the largest districts in Sierra Leone by land area, However, it is one of the least populous districts in the country. Falaba District is known for its mostly conservative Muslim population. [4] Falaba District has a population of 205,353, based on 2018 estimate.

Contents

In 2016, Falaba District was created out of Koinadugu District, and declared a newly created district by then Sierra Leone president Ernest Bai Koroma, and was ratified by the Parliament of Sierra Leone to officially become a district in the same year. Falaba District is one of the two newest districts created by the Government of Sierra Leone, along with Karene District. Falaba District borders Koinadugu District, Bombali District, and the Republic of Guinea.

Falaba District is an entirely rural district that is composed of mostly farming, livestock and mining. Many of the towns and villages in Falaba District are in far distance and remote areas within the district. [5]

The main ethnic groups in Falaba District are the Kuranko, Yalunka, Fula and Mandingo. [3] Falaba District is home to the largest population of ethnic Yalunka in Sierra Leone.

The overwhelming majority (an estimated 95%) of the people of Falaba District are Muslims of the Sunni tradition of Islam. Large number of Islamic schools, commonly known as Madrasa, are found throughout Falaba District. Falaba District is known for its conservative Muslim population. Falaba District has the largest percentage of Muslims in Sierra Leone, and is one of two Districts in Sierra Leone where Muslims make up over 90% of the population (along with its neighbor Koinadugu District), though Muslims are the majority in all of the 16 Districts of Sierra Leone. Falaba District is home, however, to a small but significant Christian minority at about 5%. There are several Catholic and Protestants churches in the District.

Government and politics

Politically Falaba District is a swing district as it is home to a large percentage of supporters of Sierra Leone's two major political parties: the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) and the All People's Congress (APC).

At the local government, Falaba District is governed by a directly elected district council, headed by a directly elected district council charman, in whom local executive power is granted. The current district council chairman of Falaba District is Abdulai Maranda Sajor, of the All People's Congress who was elected district council chairman of Falaba District with 45.8% of the vote, as he narrowly defeated the Sierra Leone People's Party's candidate in the 2018 Falaba District council elections. [1]

The chiefdoms' paramount chiefs of Falaba District are very powerful and extremely influential, especially in village within Falaba District. The Paramount chiefs usually resolve family dispute and minor crimes.

In the 2018 Sierra Leone Presidential election, Samura Kamara of then ruling All People's Congress received 57% of the votes in Falaba District, and Julius Maada Bio of then major opposition Sierra Leone People's Party received 42% of the votes in Falaba District.

After the 2018 Sierra Leone Parliamentary election, Falaba District currently has four elected representatives in the Sierra Leone Parliament, and they are Mohamed Billow Shaw (SLPP), Alusine Marah (APC), Alhasan Jeroh Kamara (APC), and Lahai Marah (APC). [6]

Administrative divisions

Chiefdoms

After the 2017 local administrative reorganization, Falaba District has made up of thirteen chiefdoms as the third level of administrative subdivision.

Prior to the 2017 local administrative reorganization, Dembelia Sikunia, Folasaba, Mongo, Neya and Sulima Chiefdoms were formerly from Koinadugu District.

  1. Delemandugu [a] – ?
  2. Dembelia [b] – Musaia
  3. Dembelia Sikunia – Sikunia
  4. Folasaba – ?
  5. Kamadu Yiraia [c] – ?
  6. Kebelia [d] – ?
  7. Kulor Saradu [e] – ?
  8. Mongo – Bendugu
  9. Morfindugu [a] – ?
  10. Neya – Krubola
  11. Nyedu [e] – ?
  12. Sulima – Falaba
  13. Wollay Barawa [f] – ?
Notes
  1. 1 2 Formerly part of Mongo Chiefdom.
  2. ↑ Formerly part of Folasaba Chiefdom.
  3. ↑ Formerly part of Sengbe Chiefdom from Koinadugu District before splitting off.
  4. ↑ Formerly part of Sulima Chiefdom.
  5. 1 2 Formerly part of Neya Chiefdom.
  6. ↑ Formerly part of Nieni Chiefdom from Koinadugu District before splitting off.

Law enforcement and safety

The Sierra Leone Police is the primary law enforcement agency and crimes investigation in Falaba District. However, the Paramount chiefs and the traditional council also investigate minor crimes and solve family and community conflict in Falaba District. The Paramount chiefs are very influential within their chiefdoms in Falaba District.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sierra Leone</span> Country on the southwest coast of West Africa

Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Its land area is 71,740 km2 (27,699 sq mi). It has a tropical climate and environments ranging from savannas to rainforests. As of the 2023 census, Sierra Leone has a population of 8,908,040. Freetown is both its capital and its largest city. The country is divided into five administrative regions, which are further subdivided into 16 districts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Sierra Leone</span>

The government of Sierra Leone is the governing authority of the Republic of Sierra Leone, as established by the Sierra Leone Constitution. The Sierra Leone government is divided into three branches: the executive, legislative and the judiciary. The seat of government of Sierra Leone is in the capital Freetown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sierra Leone People's Party</span> Political party in Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, along with its main political rival the All People's Congress (APC). It has been the ruling party in Sierra Leone since 4 April 2018. The SLPP dominated Sierra Leone's politics from its foundation in 1951 to 1967, when it lost the 1967 parliamentary election to the APC, led by Siaka Stevens. Originally a centre-right, conservative party, it identifies since 2012 as a centre-left social democratic party, with a centrist tendency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julius Maada Bio</span> President of Sierra Leone since 2018

Julius Maada Wonie Bio is a Sierra Leonean politician who has served as president of Sierra Leone since 4 April 2018. He is a retired brigadier in the Sierra Leone Army and was the military head of state of Sierra Leone from 16 January 1996 to 29 March 1996, in a military junta government known as the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC). Bio is the first democratically elected president of Sierra Leone born after Sierra Leone's independence from British colonial rule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moyamba District</span> Place in Province, Sierra Leone

Moyamba District is a district in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone, with a population of 318,064 in the 2015 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 (2,665 sq mi) and comprises fourteen chiefdoms.

Falaba is a rural town in Solima chiefdom, Falaba District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. The population of Falaba is largely from the Yalunka, Kuranko and couple of Mandingo ethnic groups. Falaba is virtually all Muslim and it is known for its deeply religious population. Farming is the major economic activity in Falaba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bombali District</span> Place in Northern Province, Sierra Leone

Bombali is a district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Makeni, which is also the largest city in the north. The Bombali district is one of the sixteen districts of Sierra Leone. Bombali is one of the largest districts in Sierra Leone by geographical area, after Koinadugu District, and is the second most populous district in the Northern part of Sierra Leone, after Port Loko district. In the 2015 Sierra Leone national census, the population of Bombali District was 606,183. Other major towns in Bombali District include Kamabai, Karina and Binkolo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Province, Sierra Leone</span> Province of Sierra Leone

The Northern Province is one of the five provincial divisions of Sierra Leone. It is located in the Northern geographic region of Sierra Leone. It comprises the following four Districts: Bombali, Falaba, Koinadugu and Tonkolili. The Northern Province covers an area of 35,936 km2 (13,875 sq mi) with a population of 2,502,865, based on the 2015 Sierra Leone national census. Its administrative and economic center is Makeni. The North borders the North West Province to the West, the Republic of Guinea to the north-east, the Eastern Province and Southern Province to the south-east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kono District</span> Place in Eastern Province, Sierra Leone

Kono District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Koidu Town. Motema is the second most populous city in the district. The other major towns in the district include Yengema, Tombodu, Jaiama Nimikor and Sewafe. The district is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone. The population of Kono District is 505,767. Kono District borders Kenema District to the southwest, The Republic of Guinea to the east, Koinadugu District to the northeast and Kailahun District to the southeast. Kono District is divided into fourteen chiefdoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Koinadugu District</span> Place in Northern Province, Sierra Leone

Koinadugu District is a district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. It is the largest District in Sierra Leone in geographical area, and one of the least densely populated. Its capital and largest city is Kabala, which is also one of the main cities in Northern Sierra Leone. The District of Koinadugu has a population of 404,097, based on the 2015 Sierra Leone national census; and has a total area of 12,121 km2 (4,680 sq mi). Koinadugu District is subdivided into eleven chiefdoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenema District</span> Place in Eastern Province, Sierra Leone

Kenema District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Kenema, which is the third most populous city in Sierra Leone, after Freetown and Bo. Tongo is the second most populous city in the district. Other major towns in Kenema District include Blama and Yomboma. The district is the most populous district in the Eastern province with a population 609,873. Kenema District has an area of 6,053 km2 (2,337 sq mi) and comprises sixteen chiefdoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Area Rural District</span> Place in Western Area, Sierra Leone

The Western Area Rural District is one of the sixteen districts of Sierra Leone. It is located mostly around the peninsula in the Western Area of Sierra Leone. The Western Area Rural District has a 2015 census population of 442,951. The district capital and largest city is Waterloo. Other major towns in the district include Newton, Benguema, Leicester, Tombo and Regent. Most of the towns and villages in the Western Area Rural District are close to the capital Freetown and are part of the Freetown Metropolitan Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samura Kamara</span> Sierra Leonean politician and economist

Dr Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara is a Sierra Leonean politician and economist. He was the All Peoples Congress (APC) Party's candidate for President of Sierra Leone in the 2018 election and 2023 election. He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone from 2012 to 2017, Minister of Finance and Economic Development from 2009 to 2013, Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2009, Financial Secretary in the Ministry of Finance during President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah's administration.

Danda Mohamed Kondeh is a Sierra Leonean economist and politician. He is currently a member of the parliament of Sierra Leone from his home district of Koinadugu. He is a member of the ruling All People's Congress (APC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religion in Sierra Leone</span>

Sierra Leone is officially a secular state, although Islam and Christianity are the two main and dominant religions in the country. The Sierra Leone Government is constitutionally forbidden from establishing a state religion, though Muslim and Christian prayers are usually held in the country at the beginning of major political occasions, including presidential inauguration.

Kaifala Marah is a Sierra Leonean politician, accountant, Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone (2016–2017), and Minister of Finance (2013–2016). On 7 March 2017, Dr. Marah resigned as governor to seek the nomination of the All People's Congress (APC) for the presidential election of 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethnic groups in Sierra Leone</span> Ethnic groups living within the country of Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is home to around sixteen ethnic groups, each with its own language. In Sierra Leone, membership of an ethnic group often overlaps with a shared religious identity. According to the 2004 census Temne is the largest ethnic group in Sierra Leone.

Bendugu is the capital and largest town of Falaba District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Bendugu is a very rural town and is also the seat of Mongo Chiefdom. Bendugu is located in close proximity to the international border with the Republic of Guinea. Bendugu is about 85 miles to Kabala, and is 300 miles east of Freetown. The main economic activity in the town is farming.

Walia is a rural remote village in Mongo Chiefdom, Falaba District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Walia is located at the international border with the Republic of Guinea. The main economic activity in Walia is farming. The village of Walia is extremely remote and there is no accessible road transport by vehicle to Walia village.

References

  1. 1 2 "Elected Mayors - Sierra Leone 2018 Election - Sierra Leone Open Elections Data Platform". Sierra Leone Open Elections Data Platform.
  2. ↑ "Sierra Leone News: New Northern District to be called 'Falaba' - Awoko Newspaper". 2 May 2017.
  3. 1 2 APANEWS. "Sierra Leone: Newly established district named - Apanews.net". apanews.net.
  4. ↑ "Sierra Leone Web - Districts and Chiefdoms of Sierra Leone". www.sierra-leone.org.
  5. ↑ "Measles outbreak confirmed in remote Falaba district".
  6. ↑ "Parliament of Sierra Leone > About Us > Members of Parliament". Archived from the original on 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.