Makeni

Makeni, Sierra Leone
Makeni, Sierra Leone Location in Sierra Leone
Coordinates: 8°52′54″N 12°02′39″W / 8.88167°N 12.04417°W / 8.88167; -12.04417
Country	Sierra Leone
Province	Northern Province
District	Bombali District
Chiefdom	Bombali Shebora
Government
- Type	City council
- Mayor	Moses Musa Sesay (APC)
Population
- Total	105,900 [1]
	(estimate)
Time zone	GMT (UTC-5)

Makeni is the largest city in the Nortern Province of Sierra Leone and the fifth largest city in Sierra Leone. The city is the capital of Bombali District and had a population of 80,840 in the 2004 census^[1] and a current estimate of 105,900 [2]. The city lies 110 miles east of Freetown.

Government

The city of Makeni is governed with a city council form of government, which is headed by a mayor, in whom executive authority is vested. The mayor is responsible for the general management of the city and for seeing that all local and national laws are enforced. The mayor is elected directly by the residents of Makeni. The current mayor of Makeni is Moses Musa Sesay; who replaced Alhaji Andrew Kanu after the recently concluded Sierra Leone Local Government Elections in July 2008. He is a member of the ruling All People's Congress (APC). The city along with the entire Bombali District has always been a stronghold of the APC.

Sport

Makeni is home to one of Sierra Leone's biggest and oldest football clubs called the Wusum Stars. The club currently playing in the Sierra Leone National Premier League, the top football league in the country. The club represents Makeni and the entire Bombali District. They won the Sierra Leonean FA Cup in 1979.

Media

The local radio station that serves Makeni and the Bombali District is Radio Mankneh 95.1. Sierra Leone's national radio and television stations, SLBC (Sierra Leone Broadcasting Cooperation) are on the air in the city, as well as The BBC World Service, CNN International, and several other private stations are on the air for those who have satellite.

Education

Like the rest of Sierra Leone, Makeni has an education system with six years of primary school (Class 1-6), and six years of secondary school (Form 1-6); secondary schools are further divided into Junior secondary school (Form 1-3) and Senior secondary school (Form 4-6). Primary schools usually start from ages 6 to 12, and secondary schools usually start from ages 13 to 18. Primary Education is free and compulsory in government-sponsored public schools.

Notable secondary schools in Makeni

Benevolent Islamic Secondary School St Francis Secondary School UMC Secondary School Birch Memorial Secondary School AL-Harrkan Islamic Secondary School St Joseph Secondary School The Sierra Leone Muslim Brotherhood MCA Secondary School Ahmadiyya Secondary School Higher Institutions of Learning includeThe University of Makeni (UNIMAK) The Northern Polytech

Ethnicity

The population of Makeni is ethnically diverse, although the Limba and Temne make up the largest ethnic groups. The city has always been a stronghold of the ruling All People's Congress (APC).

Aid from China

In March 2010, the Chinese ambassador to Sierra Leone, Qiu Shaofang traveled to the city on an official visit to donate sixteen KVA generators and nine sewing machines.^[2]

Notable people from Makeni

• Ernest Bai Koroma, president of Sierra Leone
• Edward Turay, lawyer
• Brima Koroma, football star
• Daddi Cool, Sierra Leonean-born Guinean reggae musician
• Moses Musa Sesay, mayor of Makeni
• Mohamed Kamara, football star

References

1. ^ Source: Republic of Sierra Leone: 2004 Population and Housing Census: Analytical Report on Population Distribution, Migration and Urbanisation in Sierra Leone.
   Ibrahim Mohamed Sesay, Andrew A. Karam, Jinnah J. Ngobeh. Published November 2006,
2. ^ "China Donates to Makeni Council." Sierra Express Media. Sierra Express Media, 27 Mar. 2010. Web. 11 Oct. 2010. <http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/archives/6893>.

Coordinates: 08°52′54″N 12°02′39″W / 8.88167°N 12.04417°W / 8.88167; -12.04417

v · Chiefdoms and towns of Bombali District Bombali Shebora - Makeni  • Makari Gbanti - Masongbon  • Sanda Tenraren - Mateboi  • Biriwa -Kamabai  • Magbaiamba Ndowahun - Kagbere  • Sanda Loko - Kamalo  • Safroko Limba - Binkolo  • Sella Limba - Kamakwie  • Tambakha - Fintonia  • Gbanti Kamaranka - Kamaranka  • Gbendembu Ngowahun - Kalangba  • Paki Massabong - Mapaki  • Libeisaygahun - Batkanu