Chiefdoms of Sierra Leone

The paramount chiefs and the ruling families in the chiefdoms were recognised and empowered by the British colonial administration when it organised the Protectorate of Sierra Leone in 1896. Typically, chiefs have the power to "raise taxes, control the judicial system, and allocate land, the most important resource in rural areas." They found there was a positive relationship between the number of ruling families in a chieftaincy and educational, health and economic outcomes in terms of human capital. The districts of Sierra Leone were divided into 149 chiefdoms of chieftaincies until 2017, as listed below as of 2011. Since 2017, they have been divided into 190 chiefdoms. ==Pre-2017 Chiefdoms==

Eastern Province ====Kailahun District==== • Dea – Baiwala • Jaluahun – Segbwema • Jawei – Daru • Kissi Kama – Dea • Kissi Teng – Kangama • Kissi Tongi – Buedu • Luawa – Kailahun • Malema – Jojoima • Mandu – Mobai • Peje Bongre – Manowa • Peje West – Bunumbu • Penguia – Sandar • Upper Bambara – Pendembu • Yawei – Bandajuma ====Kenema District==== • Dama – Giema • Dodo – Dodo • Gaura – Joru • Gorama Mende – Tungie • Kandu Leppiam – Gbado • Koya – Baoma • Langurama Ya – Baima • Lower Bambara – Panguma • Malehgohun – Sembehun • Niawa – Sundumei • Nomo – Faama • Nongowa – Kenema • Simbaru – Boajibu • Small Bo – Blama • Tunkia – Gorahun • Wandor – Faala ====Kono District==== • Fiama – Njagbwema • Gbane Kandor – Koardu • Gbane – Ngandorhun • Gbense – Yardu • Gorama Kono – Kangama • Kamara – Tombodu • Lei – Siama • Mafindor – Kamiendor • Nimikoro – Njaiama • Nimiyama – Sewafe • Sandor – Kayima • Soa – Kainkordu • Tankoro – New Sembehun • Toli – Kondewakor Northern Province ====Bombali District==== • Biriwa – Kamabai • Bombali Shebora – Makeni • Gbanti Kamaranka – Kamaranka • Gbendembu Ngowahun – Kalangba • Libeisaygahun – Batkanu • Magbaiamba Ndowahun – Hunduwa • Makari Gbanti – Masongbon • Paki Massabong – Mapaki • Safroko Limba – Binkolo • Sanda Loko – Kamalo • Sanda Tenraren – Mateboi • Sella Limba – Kamakwie • Tambakha – Fintonia ====Koinadugu District==== • Dembelia Sikunia – Sikunia • Diang – Kondembaia • Folasaba – Musaia • Kasunko – Fadugu • Mongo – Bendugu • Neya – Krubola • Nieni – Yiffin • Sengbe – Yogomaia • Sulima – Falaba • Wara-Wara Bafodia – Bafodea • Wara-Wara Yagala – Gbawuria ====Tonkolili District==== • Gbonkolenken – Yele • Kafe Simiria – Mabonto • Kalanthuba – Kamankay • Dansogoia - Bumbuna • Kholifa Mabang - Mabang • Kholifa Rowalla – Magburaka • Kunike – Masingbi • Kunike Barina – Makali • Malal Mara – Rochin • Sambaia – Bendugu • Tane – Matotoka • Yoni – Yonibana North Western Province ====Kambia District==== • Brimaia – Kukuna • Gbinle Dixing – Tawuya • Magbema – Kambia • Mambolo – Mambolo • Masungbala – Kawula • Samu – Kychum • Tonko Limba – Madina ====Port Loko District==== • Bureh – Mange • Buya Romende – Foredugu • Debia – Gbinti • Kaffu Bullom – Mahera • Kasseh – Mahera • Koya – Songo • Loko Masama – Petifu • Maconteh – Unknown • Maforki – Port Loko • Marampa – Lunsar • Masimera – Masimera • Sanda Magbolontor – Sendugu • T.M. Safroko – Miraykulay Southern Province ====Bo District==== • Badjia – Ngelehun • Bagbo – Jimmi • Bagbwe – Ngarlu • Baoma – Baoma • Bumpe–Gao – Bumpe • Gbo – Gbo • Jaiama Bongor – Telu • Kakua – Bo town • Komboya – Njala • Lugbu – Sumbuya • Niawa Lenga – Nengbema • Selenga – Dambala • Tikonko – Tikonko • Valunia – Mongere • Wonde – Gboyama ====Bonthe District==== • Bendu – Cha Bendu • Bum – Madina • Dema – Tissana • Imperri – Gbangbama • Jong – Mattru • Kpanda – Kemo Motuo • Kwamebai Krim – Benduma • Nongoba Bullom – Bullom • Sittia – Yonni • Sogbini – Tihun • Yawbeko – Talia ====Moyamba District==== • Bagruwa – Sembehun • Bumpe – Rotifunk • Dasse – Mano • Fakunya – Gandohun • Kagboro – Shenge • Kaiyamba – Moyamba • Kamajei – Senehun • Kongbora – Bauya • Kori – Taiama • Kowa – Njama • Lower Banta – Gbangbatoke • Ribbi – Bradford • Timdale – Bomotoke • Upper Banta – Mokelle ====Pujehun District==== • Barri – Potoru • Gallines Perri – Blama • Kpaka – Masam • Kpanga Kabonde – Pujehun town • Makpele – Zimmi • Malen – Sahn • Mano Sa Krim – Gbonjema • Kpanga Krim – Gobaru • Peje – Futta • Sorogbema – Fairo • Sowa – Bandajuma • Yakemo Kpukumu Krim – Karlu ==Post-2017 Chiefdoms==

Eastern Province ====Kailahun District==== • Dea – Baiwala • Jahn – ? • Jaluahun – Segbwema • Jawei – Daru • Kissi Kama – Dea • Kissi Teng – Kangama • Kissi Tongi – Buedu • Luawa – Kailahun • Malema – Jojoima • Mandu – Mobai • Peje Bongre – Manowa • Peje West – Bunumbu • Penguia – Sandar • Upper Bambara – Pendembu • Yawei – Bandajuma ;Notes: ====Kenema District==== • Dama – Giema • Dodo – Dodo • Gaura – Joru • Gorama Mende – Tungie • Kandu Leppiam – Gbado • Koya – Baoma • Langurama Ya – Baima • Lower Bambara – Panguma • Malegohun – Sembehun • Niawa – Sundumei • Nomo – Faama • Nongowa – ? • Simbaru – Boajibu • Small Bo – Blama • Tunkia – Gorahun • Wando – Faala • Kenema City – Kenema ;Notes: ====Kono District==== • Fiama – Njagbwema • Gbane Kandor – Koardu • Gbane – Ngandorhun • Gbense – Yardu • Gorama Kono – Kangama • Kamara – Tombodu • Lei – Siama • Mafindor – Kamiendor • Nimikoro – Njaiama • Nimiyama – Sewafe • Sandor – Kayima • Soa – Kainkordu • Tankoro – Bayama Tankoo • Toli – Kondewakor • Koidu Town – Koidu ;Notes: Northern Province ====Bombali District==== • Biriwa – Kamabai • Bombali Shebora – ? • Bombali Siari – ? • Gbanti – ? • Gbendembu – ? • Kamaranka – Kamaranka • Magbaiamba Ndowahun – Hunduwa • Makari – Masongbon • Mara – ? • Ngowahun – Kalangba • Paki Massabong – Mapaki • Safroko Limba – Binkolo • Makeni City – Makeni ;Notes: ====Falaba District==== • Delemandugu – ? • Dembelia – Musaia • Dembelia Sikunia – Sikunia • Folasaba – ? • Kamadu Yiraia – ? • Kebelia – ? • Kulor Saradu – ? • Mongo – Bendugu • Morfindugu – ? • Neya – Krubola • Nyedu – ? • Sulima – Falaba • Wollay Barawa – ? ;Notes: ====Koinadugu District==== • Diang – Kondembaia • Gbonkobon Kayaka – ? • Kalian – ? • Kamukeh – ? • Kasunko KaKellian – ? • Nieni – Yiffin • Sengbe – Yogomaia • Tamiso – Fadugu • Wara-Wara Bafodia – Bafodia • Wara-Wara Yagala – Gbawuria ;Notes: ====Tonkolili District==== • Dansogoia – Bumbuna • Gbonkolenken Masankong – Yele • Kafe – ? • Kalanthuba – ? • Kholifa Mabang – Mabang • Kholifa Mamuntha Mayosso – ? • Kholifa Rowalla – Magburaka • Kunike Barina – Makali • Kunike Folawusu – ? • Kunike Sanda – Masingbi • Malal – Rochin • Mayeppoh – ? • Poli – ? • Sambaia – Bendugu • Simiria – Mabonto • Tane – Matotoka • Yele – ? • Yoni Mabanta – ? • Yoni Mamaila – Yonibana ;Notes: North Western Province ====Kambia District==== • Briama – Kukuna • Dixing – Mafaray • Gbinle – Tawuya • Khonimakha – Kabaya • Magbema – Kambia • Mambolo – Mambolo • Masungbala – Kawula • Munu Thala – Thala • Samu – Kychum • Tonko Limba – Madina ;Notes: ====Karene District==== • Buya – ? • Debia – Gbinti • Gbanti – ? • Libeisaygahun-Gbombahun – Batkanu • Mafonda Makerembay – ? • Romende – Foredugu • Safroko – ? • Sanda Loko – Kamalo • Sanda Magbolontor – Sendugu • Sanda Tenraren – Mateboi • Sella Limba – Kamakwie • Tambakha Simibungie – ? • Tambakha Yobangie – Fintonia ;Notes: ====Port Loko District==== • Bakeh Loko – ? • Bureh – Mange • Kaffu Bullom – Mahera • Kamasondo – ? • Kaseh – ? • Koya – Songo • Loko Massama – Petifu • Maconteh – ? • Maforki – ? • Makama – Miraykulay • Marampa – Lunsar • Masimera – Masimera • Tinkatopa – ? • Port Loko City – Port Loko ;Notes: Southern Province ====Bo District==== • Badjia – Ngelehun • Bagbo – Jimmi • Bagbwe – Ngarlu • Baoma – Baoma • Bongor – Telu • Bumpe–Gao – Bumpe • Gbo – Gbo • Jaiama – ? • Kakua – Kakua • Komboya – Njala • Lugbu – Sumbuya • Niawa Lenga – Nengbema • Selenga – Dambala • Tikonko – Tikonko • Valunia – Mongere • Wonde – Gboyama • Bo City – Bo ;Notes: ====Bonthe District==== • Bendu – Cha Bendu • Bum – Madina • Dema – Tissana • Imperri – Gbangbama • Jong – Mattru • Kpanda Kemo – Kemo Motuo • Kwamebai Krim – Benduma • Nongoba Bullom – Bullom • Sittia – Yonni • Sogbini – Tihun • Yawbeko – Talia • Bonthe Urban – Bonthe ;Notes: ====Moyamba District==== • Bagruwa – Sembehun • Bumpe – Rotifunk • Dasse – Mano • Fakunya – Gandohun • Kagboro – Shenge • Kaiyamba – Moyamba • Kamajei – Senehun • Kongbora – Bauya • Kori – Taiama • Kowa – Njama • Lower Banta – Gbangbatoke • Ribbi – Bradford • Timdale – Bomotoke • Upper Banta – Mokelle ====Pujehun District==== • Barri – Potoru • Gallines – ? • Kagonde – ? • Kpaka – Masam • Kpanga – Pujehun • Makpele – Zimmi • Malen – Sahn • Mano Sakrim – Gbonjema • Panga Krim – Gobaru • Peje – Futta • Perri – Blama • Soro Gbema – Fairo • Sowa – Bandajuma • Yekomo Kpukumu – Karlu ;Notes: == See also ==