Mary Musa

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Sia Mary Musa (nee Kaingbanja,[1] died 3 August 2015) was a Sierra Leonean politician and activist from Koidu-Sefadu, Kono District. She was the mayor of Koidu, and a member of the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP).

Early career[]

Mary Musa lived and worked in her home city of Koidu,[1] the capital and largest city of the diamond-rich Kono District in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone, and the country's fourth largest city. She taught and worked in various schools in the area, including the , Koidu Secondary School, and the , of which she was the head teacher for 25 years.[1]

Exile and return to Koidu[]

When the Sierra Leone Civil War broke out, Mary Musa went into exile, returning to Koidu when the war was over.[2] Large parts of the city's infrastructure had been destroyed in her absence, including some of the school buildings where she had taught, and large scale death had left numerous orphans.[2] Musa worked to provide shelter for her own children and several of these orphans, using bricks from the school to build small houses.[2] Following her lead, many of the other teachers assisted with this process.[2]

Political career[]

Despite considerable opposition, in a traditionally male dominated region, Mary Musa went on to become the first female mayor and chairperson of the Koidu council.[2] Following her appointment, the United States government's USAID agency trained her with a course, as well as leadership training.[2]

Personal life and death[]

Mary Musa married Mr. S.E.K. Musa, a senior civil servant,[1] before the civil war broke out, but when she returned to the country she discovered that her husband had been killed while she was in exile.[2] She and her husband had five children: Sia Mary Sawyer, Kumba Edna Keili, Finda Eileen Mattia, Yei Gladys Musa, and Sahr Edward Musa, as well as several stepchildren and grandchildren.[1]

She died on 3 August 2015, in Freetown, Sierra Leone's capital.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Sodengbe, Aiah. "OBITUARY: MRS. SIA MARY MUSA". Kono District Development Association. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016 – via Voice of Binkongoh.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g USAID. "Sierra Leone Leadership Training Breaks Barriers". Archived from the original on 31 December 2006. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
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