By: Sulaiman Aruna Sesay
Sierra Leone is known to have a rich and diverse cultural heritage marked by religious and marriage tolerance, especially among the major ethnic groups of the country. The country enjoys a relatively peaceful coexistence of different religions and marriage tolerance, such as Islam, Christianity, and native African traditional religions and most importantly, we are seeing Temne married to Mende and Susu married to Fullah despite their cultures and traditions.
Sierra Leone’s history is quite interesting in terms of how the country has managed religious divides. Before modern times, the country was inhabited by various ethnic groups, each with its own traditional beliefs. During the colonial period, the British had little impact on religion, which allowed for a largely peaceful coexistence of religions. However, the British promoted Christianity more than other religions and set up mission schools in the country. Even though the British promoted Christianity that does not set aside the Muslim religion to rise on its pick. The people of Sierra Leone fully focused on religious tolerance and therefore anyone is free to choose his/her part.
The country has over 16 ethnic groups, each with its unique cultures and traditions. According to reports, interethnic marriages have been widely practiced since the colonial era, and Sierra Leoneans have been enjoying high levels of tolerance towards intermarriages. In Sierra Leone, intermarriages are regarded as a means of promoting unity and national integration. It is common to see couples from different tribes, ethnic groups, and religions living together harmoniously. People from different backgrounds are often welcomed with open arms and are treated like family members. For instance, the former president of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr Earnest Bai Koroma Married to a Kono woman the former First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Her Excellency Madam Sia Koroma. These couples have enjoyed long lasting relationship and still putting up with each other till date despite coming from different backgrounds.
The level of intermarriage tolerance in Sierra Leone is a testament to the country’s reputation for being one of the most culturally diverse nations in Africa. Sierra Leoneans believe that different cultures and traditions are essential to their identity and that intermarriages strengthen their social cohesion and unity. It is therefore not uncommon to find intermarriages being celebrated through cultural festivals and traditional ceremonies.
To crown it all, Sierra Leone is a country that values diversity, respects differences, and promotes intermarriage and religious tolerance as a way of achieving social cohesion and unity among the people.
