The Responsibilities of Independence

Sierra Leone was a former British colony during which the rule was free from political and other turbulence. The country was granted independence by the British in April 1961 starting with a promising democracy. The country experienced its first military coup in March 1967. Then followed a series of military coups and counter-coups which had a very adverse effect on its governance. The country was made a republic in 1971 and in 1978 the president converted the government to a one-party system. This resulted to an autocratic rule after which the President cleverly handed over the government to the former military commander, and he immediately resigned. The latter's regime became mired in allegations of corruption, nepotism and incompetence. This resulted to the country being embroiled in a most atrocious civil war. It took the intervention of large contingents of international forces before the war was finally brought to an end in 2002 and peace restored.