David Lansana

Lansana was born on 22 March 1922 in Baiima, Mandu Chiefdom, Kailahun District, British Sierra Leone. Lansana was the bearer of Sierra Leone's colours during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Lansana was one of a small, elite group of Sierra Leoneans to be educated and trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Berkshire, United Kingdom during the colonial period. As a Lieutenant, he was a frequent and popular visitor to the home of Sir Robert de Zouche Hall, Governor of Sierra Leone from 1952 to 1956. ==Marriage and family==

He was married to Komeh Gulama Lansana, the daughter of Paramount Chief Julius Gulama of Kaiyamba Chiefdom and Madame Lucy Gulama. The Gulamas are Mende royalty and among the most important ruling families in Sierra Leone. Force Commander of the Sierra Leone Military He was appointed army commander of Sierra Leone in 1964. When his close friend and ally Prime Minister Albert Margai came to power, Brigadier Lansana took control of the army from British colonial adviser, Brigadier R.D. Blackie. Margai promoted a one-party (non-democratic) state. Both Lansana and Margai came from the Mende tribe which exacerbated existing conflicts with the northern tribes and the Krios. ==Sierra Leone's first coup d'état==

1967 general election On 17 March 1967, Margai was defeated in the general election. The All People's Congress (APC) won 32 seats in parliament while Margai's SLPP held on to just 28 seats. This distinction lasted only four days. On 21 March 1967, Lansana instructed Samuel Hinga Norman to conduct the extrajudicial arrest of the new, democratically elected prime minister Siaka Stevens. Counter coup Lansana's unilateral decision was unpopular with many of his fellow Mende officers who did not believe the army should be a tool of internal government. In addition to this, before the coup d'état his influence with his subordinates had been compromised by accusations of "drunkenness" and "womanizing". On 19 July 1975, Lansana was executed by hanging with former Minister of Finance Mohamed Forna, Lieutenant Habib Lansana Kamara, Ibrahim Bash Taqi, and Paramount Chief Bai Makarie N’silk were executed at Pademba Road Prison. After their executions, their bodies were displayed for an hour. ==See also==