Description
Walking through the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History in Lagos, I was reminded that the story connecting Sierra Leone and Nigeria runs much deeper than many people realize.
John Randle was a Sierra Leonean Krio who became an important figure in Lagos history. His story is also part of the larger history of the Krios who migrated or were repatriated to Nigeria. In Nigeria, many of these people became known as the Saro, short for Sierra Leoneans.
The Saro played an influential role in the development of modern Nigeria, particularly in education, Christianity, commerce, medicine, journalism, and public life. Their presence helped create a bridge between Freetown and Lagos, two West African cities whose histories are deeply connected through the movement of African people across the Atlantic and back to the continent.
For me, this history feels especially personal.
I consider myself a New Krio. A New Saro.
I am Sierra Leonean and Nigerian, with roots that also extend through the Black American experience. So when I walk through places like the J. Randle Centre, I’m not simply learning history. I’m seeing pieces of my own story reflected in it.
Sierra Leone and Nigeria have always been connected. And for those of us who carry multiple African and diasporic identities, perhaps we are simply the newest generation continuing that connection.
#SierraLeone #Nigeria #Krio #Saro #YorubaCulture