Gullahdugu

Reflections on the Interview on Return, Reparations, and Citizenship

By: Kenya Malinke Mansaray

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this interview, as it provided much-needed clarity on the evolving pathway of Return to Sierra Leone for members of the African diaspora. More importantly, it reaffirmed something many of us have long believed, this movement is not only alive, it is advancing in the right direction.

In recent times, there have been widespread rumors suggesting that this pathway had been canceled. In fact, one of our own guests was directly told by an employee of another tour company that the initiative no longer existed, although they acknowledged that we could still host a first homecoming tour. This interview directly confronts those misconceptions and confirms that the work toward establishing a formal, structured pathway is still active and progressing. That alone makes this a significant and timely conversation.

What stood out most is how closely the current discussion aligns with earlier engagements that my husband and I had with previous leadership. During his time serving in international roles, including as Executive Director and Founder of the Black Star Action Network International and as International Ambassador for the Gullah Nation of North America, we were part of early conversations focused on formalizing this pathway into law. There has always been a clear understanding that for Return to be sustainable, it must move beyond informal processes and be grounded in legislation that can endure beyond any single administration.

The historical connection between Gullah Geechee people, African Americans, and Sierra Leone cannot be overstated. Sierra Leone stands as a cornerstone in Pan-African history, a place of return and resettlement for formerly enslaved Africans from the diaspora. Thomas Peters, widely recognized as a founding figure of Freetown, was a formerly enslaved Gullah Geechee man from Wilmington, North Carolina, the same place Assata Shakur mother was from. His wife was also Gullah Geechee, from Charleston, South Carolina, and together their legacy reflects the deep roots of this transatlantic connection. Peters played a pivotal role in organizing the return of Black Loyalists from Nova Scotia to Sierra Leone. This legacy is not distant history, it is a living foundation that continues to shape today’s movement for reconnection.

Over the years, there have been periods of silence and uncertainty, particularly surrounding citizenship laws and settlement policies. We were informed previously that aspects of the program had been postponed, with intentions to revisit and formalize them through legislation. As far back as 2016, during active leadership engagement and dialogue with figures such as former chairperson Isatu Smith, discussions were already underway to establish clear criteria and policy frameworks that could eventually be codified into law. Hearing those same commitments echoed today demonstrates continuity and confirms that, while the process may be gradual, it is steadily moving forward.

The recent remarks by Joseph Ben Kaifala, Chairman of the Sierra Leone Monuments and Relics Commission, further reinforce this trajectory. In his interview with Truth Media Sierra Leone, he emphasized that reparations must go beyond financial compensation, calling for acknowledgment, restoration of dignity, and institutional reform rooted in the historical realities of slavery and colonialism.

On the issue of citizenship, he highlighted the importance of developing clear and accessible legal pathways for people of African descent to reconnect with Sierra Leone, while also maintaining national structure and integrity. His insights underscored the importance of historical memory, diaspora engagement in national development, and the need for strong legal frameworks that ensure long-term sustainability.

Overall, this interview reflects a renewed and growing commitment to positioning Sierra Leone as a central hub for Pan-African reconnection. It is not just symbolic, it is strategic, necessary, and long overdue.

Now that we are in 2026, it is clear that the next step must be to enshrine this birthright into legislation, rather than relying solely on presidential decrees, as seen during earlier conferments, including those connected to Isaiah Washington in 2010. This is how we protect the vision, institutionalize the pathway, and secure it for generations to come.

This is a good move. A necessary move. And a powerful step in the right direction.

I fully support this pathway and the effort to embed it into law, ensuring that it creates a lasting bridge for our global community to return, reconnect, and rebuild.

Gullahdugu.com

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KINGS YARD GATE & HOLDING PLACE @ KENT 🇸🇱

SIERRA LEONE PEACE MUSEUM 🇸🇱

The Sierra Leone Peace Museum in Freetown, located at the former Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) site in New England Ville, is a memorial and education center dedicated to the country's 1991–2002 civil war, truth-telling, and reconciliation. It features exhibitions, a memorial garden, and archives.

In facilitating the historical homecomings of 3 Sierra Leonean descendants in Freetown it was key to connect them with the proper traditional authorities when being bestowed a proper ancestral name. Choose Gullahdugu!!