List of heads of state of Sierra Leone
This is a list of the heads of state of Sierra Leone, from the independence of the Sierra Leone in 1961 to the present day.
From 1961 to 1971 the head of state under the Sierra Leone Independence Act 1961 was the Queen of Sierra Leone Elizabeth II, who was also the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The monarch was represented in Sierra Leone by a Governor-General. Sierra Leone became a republic under the Constitution of 1971 and the Monarch and Governor-General were replaced by an ceremonial President, a year later it became an executive Presidency.
Monarch (1961–1971)
The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.
| № | Monarch (Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Reign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reign start | Reign end | |||
| 1 | Queen Elizabeth II |
 |
27 April 1961 | 19 April 1971 |
Governor-General
The Governor-General was the representative of the monarch in Sierra Leone and exercised most of the powers of the Monarch. The Governor-General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the Monarch. After the passage of the Statute of Westminster 1931, the Governor-General was appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Sierra Leone without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.
List of heads of state of Sierra Leone
| № | Name (Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Took office | Left office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir Maurice Henry Dorman (1912–1993) |
 |
27 April 1961 | 5 May 1962 | |
| Sierra Leone (1961–1971) | |||||
| 1 | Sir Milton Margai (1895–1964) |
 |
27 April 1961 | 28 April 1964 (Died in Office) |
Sierra Leone People's Party |
| 2 | Sir Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston (1898–1969) |
|
5 May 1962 | 11 July 1962 | |
| 11 July 1962 | 23 March 1967 (deposed) |
||||
| 2 | Maurice Henry Dorman
(1912–1993) |
28 April 1964 | 28 April 1964 | Independent | |
| 3 | Sir Albert Margai (1910–1980) |
|
28 April 1964 | 21 March 1967 | Sierra Leone People's Party |
| 4 | Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston
(1898–1969) |
21 March 1967 | 21 March 1967 | Independent | |
| 5 | Banja Tejan-Sie
(1917–2000) |
21 March 1967 | 21 March 1967 | Independent | |
| 6 | Siaka Stevens (1905–1988) |
21 March 1967 (minutes) (Deposed) |
All People's Congress | ||
| Sir Banja Tejan-Sie | 21 March 1967 | 21 March 1967 | |||
| Military rule (1967–1968) | |||||
| 7 | Brigadier David Lansana (1922–1975) |
.jpg) |
21 March 1967 | 25 March 1967 | Military |
| 8 | Ambrose Patrick Genda
(1927–2001)
|
25 March 1967 | 25 March 1967 | National Reformation Council | |
| 3 | Leslie William Leigh (acting) (b. 1921 - d. 1980) | 23 Mar 1967 | 28 Mar 1967 | ||
| 9 | Commissioner Leslie William Leigh (1921–1980) |
25 March 1967 | 28 March 1968 | National Reformation Council | |
| 4 | Andrew Terence Juxon-Smith (acting)(b. 1933 - d. 1970) | 28 Mar 1967 | 18 Apr 1968 | ||
| 10 | Brigadier Andrew Juxon-Smith (1931–1996) |
28 March 1968 | 18 April 1968 | National Reformation Council | |
| 5 | Patrick Saidu Conteh | 18 Apr 1968 | 19 Apr 1968 | ||
| 11 | Warrant Officer 1st Class Patrick Conteh
(19?–?) |
18 April 1968 | 18 April 1968 | National Reformation Council | |
| 12 | Brigadier John Amadu Bangura (1930–1970) |
18 April 1968 | 22 April 1968 | National Reformation Council | |
| 6 | John Amadu Bangura
(b. 1930 - d. 1970) |
19 Apr 1968 | 22 Apr 1968 | ||
| Leslie William Leigh | 22 April 1968 | 22 April 1968 | |||
| Sierra Leone (1968–1971) | |||||
| 7 | Banja Tejan-Sie
(b. 1917 - d. 2000) |
22 Apr 1968 | 22 March 1968 | ||
| 8 | Sir Banja Tejan-Sie (1917–2000) |
|
22 March 1968 | 29 September 1970 | |
| 29 September 1970 | 31 March 1971 | ||||
| 13 | Siaka Stevens (1905–1988) |
22 April 1968 | 17 April 1971 | All People's Congress | |
| 14 | Sorie Ibrahim Koroma (1930–1994) |
 |
17 April 1971 | 17 April 1971 | All People's Congress |
| 15 | Christian Alusine Kamara-Taylor (1917–1985) |
|
17 April 1971 | 19 April 1971 | All People's Congress |
| First Republic (1971–1992) | |||||
| Christopher Okoro Cole (1921–1990) |
|
31 March 1971 | 19 April 1971 | ||
| 16 | Christopher Okoro Cole
(1921–1990) |
19 April 1971 | 21 April 1971 | Independent | |
| 17 | Siaka Stevens
(1905–1988) |
21 April 1971 | 28 November 1985 | All People's Congress | |
| Sir Emile Luke | 1973 | 1973 | |||
| Justice Percy Davies | 1976 | 1976 | |||
| Christian Alusine Kamara-Taylor | May 1984 | May 1984 | |||
| Siaka Stevens
(1905–1988) |
May 1984 | 28 November 1985 | |||
| Francis Misheck Minah | 28 November 1985 | 28 November 1985 | |||
| 18 | Joseph Saidu Momoh (1937–2003) |
28 November 1985 | 29 April 1992 |
All People's Congress | |
| Abu Bakar Kamara | November 1985 | November 1985 | |||
| Eben Livesey Luke | November 1985 | November 1985 | |||
| Joseph Saidu Momoh
(1937–2003) |
November 1985 | 4 April 1987 | |||
| Justice Singer Betts | 4 April 1986 | 4 April 1986 | |||
| Salia Jusu-Sheriff | 4 April 1987 | 4 April 1987 | |||
| Joseph Saidu Momoh
(1937–2003) |
4 April 1987 | 29 April 1992 (deposed) | |||
| Abdulai Osman Conteh |  |
1992 | 1992 | ||
| Joseph Bandabla Dauda |  |
1992 | 1992 | ||
| M.S. Tarawallie | 1992 | 1992 | |||
| Foday Saybana Sankoh | 1991 | 2000 | |||
| Chairmen of the National Provisional Defense Council | |||||
| 19 | John Benjamini ( 1952 —) | 29 April 1992 | 29 April 1992 | ||
| 20 | Captain Yahya Kanu
(d. 1992) |
29 April 1992 | 1 May 1992 | Military | |
| 21 | Akim A. Gibril (b. 1946) | 1 May 1992 | 1 May 1992 | Military | |
| Chairmen of the Supreme Council of State | |||||
| Major General
Jusu Gottor |
1992 | 1992 | |||
| William Niaka Stephen Conteh | 1992 | 1992 | |||
| 22 | Captain Valentine Strasser (b. 1967) |
1 May 1992 | 17 January 1996 | Military | |
| Solomon Musa | 1 May 1992 | 1 May 1992 | |||
| Sheku Fomba Kutubu | 1993 | 1993 | |||
| Brigadier Kellie Conteh | 1994 | 1994 | |||
| 23 | Brigadier Julius Maada Bio (b. 1964) |
17 January 1996 | 29 March 1996 | Military | |
| Joy Turay | 1996 | 1996 | |||
| Hassan Conteh | 1996 | 1996 | |||
| Second Republic (1996–1997) | |||||
| Komba Mondeh | 29 March 1996 | 29 March 1996 | |||
| 24 | Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (1932–2014) |
 |
29 March 1996 | 25 May 1997 | Sierra Leone People's Party |
| Hon.Umaro S Timbo | 25 May 1997 | 25 May 1997 | |||
| Samuel Beccles Davies | 25 May 1997 | 25 May 1997 | |||
| Chairman of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council | |||||
| 25 | Major Johnny Paul Koroma (1960–2003?) |
25 May 1997 | 12 February 1998 | Armed Forces Revolutionary Council | |
| Foday Sankoh Solomon Musa | 12 February 1998 | 12 February 1998 | |||
| Second Republic (1998–present) | |||||
| Sam Bockarie | 1997 | 1999 | |||
| Foday Saybana Sankoh | 1999 | 2000 | |||
| Issa Hassan Sesay | 2000 | 2002 | |||
| Augustine Gbao | 2002 | 2002 | |||
| Alimamy Pallo Bangura | 2002 | 2002 | |||
| Foday Kallay | 2002 | 2002 | |||
| 26 | Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (1932–2014) |
|
12 February 1998 | 17 September 2007 | Sierra Leone People's Party |
| Albert Joe Demby | 1998 | 1998 | |||
| Desmond Edgar Luke | 1998 | 1998 | |||
| Justice Sheku Mohamed Fadril Kutubu | 1998 | 1998 | |||
| Brigadier General
Maxwell Mitikishi Khobe (1950–2000) |
April 1998 | April 2000 | |||
| Major General
Tom Carew |
April 2000 | April 2000 | |||
| Abdulai Timbo | April 2000 | April 2000 | |||
| Justice Edmund Cowan | April 2000 | April 2000 | |||
| Major General
Edward Sam M'boma |
2005 | 2005 | |||
| Yahya Kanu | 1991 | 2002 | |||
| Solomon Musa | 1991 | 2002 | |||
| Moinina Fofana | 1991 | 2002 | |||
| Allieu Kondewa | 1991 | 2002 | |||
| Vijay Jetley | 1991 | 2002 | |||
| Tony Blair | 1991 | 2007 | |||
| John Holmes | 2000 | 2001 | |||
| David Richards | 1991 | 2007 | |||
| Solomon Ekuma Berewa
(1938–2020) |
17 September 2007 | 17 September 2007 | |||
| Alfred Nelson-Williams | 17 September 2007 | 17 September 2007 | |||
| 27 | Ernest Bai Koroma (1953–) |
 |
17 September 2007 | 4 April 2018 | All People's Congress |
| Justice Abel Nathaniel Bankole Stronge | 17 September 2008 | 17 September 2008 | |||
| Ade Renner Thomas | 17 September 2008 | 17 September 2008 | |||
| Umu Hawa Tejan-Jalloh | 4 April 2010 | 4 April 2010 | |||
| Samuel Sam-Sumana
(born 1962) |
 |
4 April 2010 | 4 April 2010 | All People's Congress | |
| Ernest Bai Koroma | |
4 April 2010 | 4 April 2015 | All People's Congress | |
| Sheku Badara Bashiru Dumbuya | 19 November 2013 | 19 November 2013 | |||
| Victor Bockarie Foh
(born 1946) |
 |
4 April 2015 | 4 April 2015 | All People's Congress | |
| Valesius Thomas | 4 April 2015 | 4 April 2015 | |||
| Ernest Bai Koroma | |
4 April 2015 | 4 April 2018 | All People's Congress | |
| Alfred Paolo Conteh | 4 April 2018 | 4 April 2018 | |||
| Abdulai Hamid Charm | 4 April 2018 | 4 April 2018 | |||
| 28 | Julius Maada Bio (1964–) |
.jpg) |
4 April 2018 | 8 May 2018 | Sierra Leone People's Party |
| Presidents Chief Minister of Sierra Leone | |||||
| 29 | David J. Francis
(1965–) |
8 May 2018 | 23 May 2018 | Independent | |
| President of Sierra Leone | |||||
| 30 | Julius Maada Bio (1964–) |
|
23 May 2018 | 30 April 2021 | Sierra Leone People's Party |
| Abass Bundu | 25 April 2018 | 25 April 2018 | |||
| Simeon Nasiru Sheriff | 20 November 2019 | 20 November 2019 | |||
| Kellie Hassan Conteh | 20 November 2019 | 20 November 2019 | |||
| 31 | Jacob Jusu Saffa
(born 19??) |
30 April 2021 | 30 April 2021 | Independent | |
| 32 | Julius Maada Bio | |
30 April 2021 | 10 July 2023 | Independent |
| Desmond Babatunde Edwards | 10 July 2023 | 10 July 2023 | |||
| 33 | David Moinina Sengeh
(born 1986/87) |
10 July 2023 | 10 July 2023 | Independent | |
| Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh | _(cropped).jpg) |
10 July 2023 | 10 July 2023 | Independent | |
| 34 | Julius Maada Bio | |
10 July 2023 | Incumbent | Independent |
| Alhaji Timothy Musa Kabba | 10 July 2023 | 10 July 2023 | |||
| Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura | 17 July 2023 | 17 July 2023 | |||
| Mohamed Lamin Tarawalley Esq | 17 July 2023 | 17 July 2023 | |||
| Kellie Conteh | 18 July 2023 | 18 July 2023 | |||
| Henry M. Kpaka | 18 July 2023 | 18 July 2023 | |||
| Alhaji Kanja Sesay | 19 July 2023 | 19 July 2023 | |||
| Austin Demby | 19 July 2023 | 19 July 2023 | |||
| Nicholas Colin Browne-Marke | 19 December 2023 | 19 December 2023 | |||
| Segepoh Solomon Thomas | 2 May 2024 | 2 May 2024 | |||
| Charles James Mishek Yamba | 2024 | 2024 | |||
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Karefa-Smart (1915–2010) |
|
1961–1964 |
| 2 | Cyril B. Rogers-Wright (1910–1971) |
|
1964–1965 |
| 3 | Maigore Kallon (1929–2015) |
|
1965–1967 |
| 4 | Leslie William Leigh (1921–1980) |
|
1967–1968 |
| 5 | Luseni A. M. Brewah (1925–?) |
|
1968–1969 |
| 6 | Cyril Foray (1934–2003) |
|
1969–1971 |
| 7 | Solomon Athanasius James Pratt (1921–2017) |
|
1971–1973 |
| 8 | Desmind Luke (b. 1935) |
|
1973–1975 |
| 9 | Francis Minah (1929–1989) |
|
1975–1977 |
| 10 | Abdulai Conteh (1945–2024) |
|
1977–1984 |
| 11 | Sheka Hassan Kanu (b. 1932) |
|
1984–1985 |
| 12 | Abdul Karim Koroma (b. 1944) |
|
1985–1991 |
| 13 | Ahmed Ramadan Dumbuya (b. 1942) |
|
1991–1992 |
| 14 | Mohamed Lamin Kamara (b. 1943) |
|
1992–1993 |
| 15 | Karefa Kargbo | |
1993–1994 |
| 16 | Abass Bundu (b. 1948) |
|
1994–1995 |
| 17 | Alusine Fofanah (b. 1952) |
|
1995–1996 |
| 18 | Melvin Chalobah (b. 1944) |
|
1996 |
| (3) | Maigore Kallon (1929–2015) |
|
1996 |
| 19 | Shirley Gbujama (b. 1936) |
|
1996–1997 |
| 20 | Alimamy Pallo Bangura (b. 1950?) |
|
1997–1998 |
| 21 | Sama Banya (b. 1930) |
|
1998–2001 |
| (13) | Ahmed Ramadan Dumbuya (b. 1942) |
|
2001–2002 |
| 22 | Momodu Koroma (b. 1956) |
|
2002–2007 |
| 23 | Zainab Bangura (b. 1959) |
.jpg) |
2007–2010 |
| 24 | J. B. Dauda (1942–2017) |
|
2010–2012 |
| 25 | Samura Kamara (b. 1963) |
 |
2012–2017 |
| 26 | Kaifala Marah |
|
2017–2018 |
| 27 | Alie Kabba |
|
2018–2019 |
| 28 | Nabeela Tunis |
.jpg) |
2019–2021 |
| 29 | David J. Francis (b. 1965) |
 |
2021–2023 |
| 30 | Timothy Kabba | 2023–present |
ECOMOG Commanders
Below is a chronological list of ECOMOG commanders:[1]
| Commander | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Lt-Gen. Arnold Quainoo | Force Commander | July 1990 - September 1990 |
| Maj-Gen. Joshua Dogonyaro | Field Commander | September 1990 - February 1991 |
| Maj-Gen. Rufus Kupolati | Field Commander | February 1991 - September 1991 |
| Maj-Gen. Ishaya Bakut | Field Commander | September 1991- October 1992 |
| Brig-Gen. Tunji Olurin | Field Commander | October 1992 - October 1993 |
| Maj-Gen. John Shagaya | Field Commander | October 1993 - December 1993 |
| Maj-Gen. John Mark Inienger | Field Commander | December 1993 - August 1996 |
| Maj-Gen. Victor Malu | Force Commander | August 1996 - January 1998 |
| Maj-Gen. Timothy Shelpidi | Force Commander | January 1998 - March 1999 |
| Maj-Gen. Felix Mujakperuo | Force Commander | 1999 |
Sierra Leone
| Commander | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| Major-Gen. Gabriel Kpamber | 2000 |
| Brig-Gen. Abu Ahmadu | 2000 |
| Brig-Gen. Maxwell Khobe[2][3] | 1999 |
| Major-Gen. Felix Mujakperuo | 1999 |
| Major-Gen. Abdul One Mohammed | 1998 |
Living former heads of state
There are three living former Sierra Leonean Heads of State:
| Image | Name | Term/Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth II | 1961–1971 | |
|
Valentine Strasser | 1992–1996 |
| Ernest Bai Koroma | 2007–2018 | |
Related pages
- Sierra Leone presidents and head of state by tribes
References
- ↑ Berman & Sams (2000). Peacekeeping in Africa: Capabilities and Culpabilities. United Nations Publications UNIDIR, 2000. p. 95. ISBN 9789290451334. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
- ↑ General Khobe served as the chief of staff of the Sierra Leone army after the war. He died of Encephalitis at the St. Nicholas Hospital in Lagos, due to injury from the war.
- ↑ "BARRACKS". Archived from the original on 2003-07-14.