Foamansa Matturi
Encyclopedia
Foamansa Matturi was a Sierra Leone
an ruler who led his fellow Kono people
in fighting abilities and a diplomacy
that helped bring stability to Kono District
, a region that was continually the target of invasions from both its Sierra Leonean neighbours and Samori Toure's Mandinka
warriors
from French Guinea
(now Guinea
).
in the Eastern Province
of Sierra Leone
to parents from the Kono
tribe. His father was a prominent village elder in Jaima and his mother was a local Kono trader
. As a young boy, Matturi quickly rose as the most dominant warrior
of Jaima village.
For years, the region of Kono was unstable because of frequent attacks by its neighbours. Many of the people living in Jaiama were forced to flee in the wake of such raids, and hide in caves in the Nimini hills before migrating secretly northwards towards Kuranko
country.
Jaiama then was one of the regions controlled by the great Mende
ruler, Nyagua. When Ndawa, a professional warrior, attacked the territories of Nyagua's father in the Upper Mende region, Nyagua called for assistance from the Kono people. Matturi, the leader of the Kono responded swiftly by mobilising his Kono warriors on behalf of Nyagua. He was put in charge of all the fighting forces, and he carried out his task effectively, returning with spoils of victory for Nyagua. Nyagua rewarded Matturi by giving him all of Southern Kono and by promising to protect the region from enemy attacks.
warriors attacked Kono in 1893 and occupied the villages of Tecuyama and Levuma. Matturi immediately informed Nyagua who, in turn, reported to the British
Governor to Sierra Leone who was based in Freetown
that his region had been invaded. However, by the time the British sent in their troops to repel the invaders, Matturi with the assistance of Nyagua had already succeeded in driving the Mandinka warriors from Kono.
of Kono District.
During his rule, Foamansa Matturi initiated several development projects in his chiefdom, and the British authorities commended him for embarking on a road construction project linking the town of Jaiama to the other main towns in the Kono District. Foamansa Matturi died at an old age in 1936.
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...
an ruler who led his fellow Kono people
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...
in fighting abilities and a diplomacy
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
that helped bring stability to 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...
, a region that was continually the target of invasions from both its Sierra Leonean neighbours and Samori Toure's Mandinka
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
warriors
Warrior
A warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
from French Guinea
French Guinea
French Guinea was a French colonial possession in West Africa. Its borders, while changed over time, were in 1958 those of the independent nation of Guinea....
(now Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
).
Career
Foamansa Matturi was born in 1855 in the village of Jaima in Kono DistrictKono 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
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...
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...
tribe. His father was a prominent village elder in Jaima and his mother was a local Kono trader
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
. As a young boy, Matturi quickly rose as the most dominant warrior
Warrior
A warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
of Jaima village.
For years, the region of Kono was unstable because of frequent attacks by its neighbours. Many of the people living in Jaiama were forced to flee in the wake of such raids, and hide in caves in the Nimini hills before migrating secretly northwards towards Kuranko
Kuranko people
The Kuranko, also known as the Koranko, are an ethnic group living in Sierra Leone and Guinea. The Koranko occupy a large section in mountainous region within northeastern Sierra Leone and southern Guinea . Within this geographical region, different dialects, as well as distinct social groupings...
country.
Jaiama then was one of the regions controlled by the great 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...
ruler, Nyagua. When Ndawa, a professional warrior, attacked the territories of Nyagua's father in the Upper Mende region, Nyagua called for assistance from the Kono people. Matturi, the leader of the Kono responded swiftly by mobilising his Kono warriors on behalf of Nyagua. He was put in charge of all the fighting forces, and he carried out his task effectively, returning with spoils of victory for Nyagua. Nyagua rewarded Matturi by giving him all of Southern Kono and by promising to protect the region from enemy attacks.
Stability in Kono
With peace and stability in the region, those who had fled returned and Matturi urged his people to re-build the town. This move towards reconstruction was abruptly interrupted when Samori Toure's MandinkaMandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
warriors attacked Kono in 1893 and occupied the villages of Tecuyama and Levuma. Matturi immediately informed Nyagua who, in turn, reported to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Governor to Sierra Leone who was based in Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
that his region had been invaded. However, by the time the British sent in their troops to repel the invaders, Matturi with the assistance of Nyagua had already succeeded in driving the Mandinka warriors from Kono.
Paramount Chief
Matturi's military success in defeating Samori Toure's warriors greatly enhanced his reputation both among his subjects and the Freetown-based Colony Government. When Sierra Leone was declared a Protectorate in 1896, Foamansa Matturi was crowned the first Paramount ChiefParamount 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...
of Kono District.
During his rule, Foamansa Matturi initiated several development projects in his chiefdom, and the British authorities commended him for embarking on a road construction project linking the town of Jaiama to the other main towns in the Kono District. Foamansa Matturi died at an old age in 1936.
External links
- http://www.sierra-leone.org/heroes4.html