Bo, Sierra Leone

Bo began its modern development with the coming of the Sierra Leone Government Railway in 1889 and became an educational centre in 1906, when the Bo Government Secondary School was established.[10]

From 1930 until independence in 1961, it was the capital of the Protectorate of Sierra Leone. The city is the administrative centre of the Southern Province. After Freetown, Bo is the leading transportation, commercial, and educational centre of Sierra Leone.

The Sierra Leone Government Railway was closed in 1974.

The inhabitants of Bo are known for their resolve, resistance and hospitality. The town was named after its generosity. An elephant was killed close to what is now known as Bo Parking Ground. People from the surrounding villages came to receive their share. Because the amount of meat was so large, the hunter spent days distributing it and the words "Bo-lor" (which in Mende language means "this is yours," with reference to the meat) was said so much that the elders and visitors decided to name the place Bo. "Bo-lor" in Mende also translates to "this is Bo."

The city of Bo is one of Sierra Leone's six municipalities and is governed by a directly elected city council form of government, headed by a mayor, in whom executive authority is vested. The mayor is responsible for the general management of the city. The mayor and members of the Bo city council are elected directly by the residents of Bo in a municipal election that is held every four years.`

Like virtually all parts of the Southern Province, the city of Bo is a reliable political stronghold of the SLPP, the main opposition party in Sierra Leone. The SLPP has won every Sierra Leone presidential elections in the city and the rest of Bo District by an overwhelming majority. The SLPP has also won virtually every parliamentary, and Local government elections in Bo by an overwhelming majority, including the most recent Sierra Leone general elections held in November 2012. With assistance from the Revenue Development Foundation Bo City Council has started to collect property taxes.

Bo has an ethnically diverse population, although the Mende make up the largest ethnic group. The city is home to a significant numbers of many of the country's ethnic groups as well as a large Liberian community. The population of the city is about equal in numbers between Muslims and Christians.

The city has a campus of Njala University.

As in most parts of Sierra Leone, the Krio language is widely spoken in the city Bo, although English is the official language spoken at schools and government places. The Mende language is also widely understood by the city's residents. Bo has one of the highest literacy rates in Sierra Leone.

The city is home to Bo Teacher's College, and hence to many primary schools as well as several secondary schools, including one of the elite secondary schools in West Africa, The Bo Government Secondary School (commonly known as Bo School).

Bo school was founded in 1906 by British educationist Leslie Probyn to educate the children of Bo Town. The school has a long history of producing the elite of Sierra Leone, especially the country's top politicians. It is situated on 5.5 hectares (13.5 acres) of land in the heart of Bo Town. The school itself is situated in pleasant surroundings and within walking distance of the government hospital, government post office, police station, and the main shopping centre of Bo Town. A football field, volleyball court, basketball court, long tennis court, and cricket pitch enrich the recreational facilities the school provides. There are plans to rehabilitate the school swimming pool. Bo School also maintains a unique tradition of seniority which has consistently augured well for social cohesion among the students. Maggots/Greeners/Rustics are either junior or newer members of the school (specifically those with more recent admission numbers). They are expected to always observe all rules of deference association with their positions and comply fully with specific instructions from senior students.

Bo is also home to the Bo Teacher's College, and the newly built Bo Industrial Growth Centre, one of Sierra Leone's largest vocational schools, which was officially opened by Sierra Leone's president Ernest Bai Koroma in April 2013. [15]

Bo is the second most important city in Sierra Leone, after the capital Freetown. The two main local radio stations in Bo are Kiss FM 104, and Radio New Song 97.5. The local service of the national broadcaster, SLBS, transmits on 96.5 MHz. Commercial station Capital Radio uses 102.3 MHz and BBC World Service also has an FM relay.

Like the rest of Sierra Leone, football is the most popular sport in the city. Bo has two football clubs in the Sierra Leone National Premier League, Bo Rangers, and Nepean Stars. Both clubs play their home games at the Bo Stadium. Another club from Bo Town called the Kakua Rangers plays in the Sierra Leone National First Division, the second highest football league in Sierra Leone, after the Sierra Leone National Premier League. There are several clubs from Bo Town in the lower divisions of Sierra Leone league system.

Since the end of the civil war in 2002, there has been an increase in homicide, armed robbery, home invasion and carjacking in Bo Town. Petty crime and pickpocketing of wallets, cell phones, and passports are very common in the city. Over the past year, criminal exploits have become more aggressive; increasingly operating in numbers and using weapons. Like in most West African countries, local criminals target expatriates due to their perceived wealth.

Places of worship are predominantly Muslim mosques. [17] There are also Christian churches and temples : Roman Catholic Diocese of Bo (Catholic Church), United Methodist Church in Sierra Leone (World Methodist Council), Baptist Convention of Sierra Leone (Baptist World Alliance), Assemblies of God.

• Nabih Berri, speaker of Lebanese parliament
• Joe Robert Pemagbi, Sierra Leone ambassador to the United Nations
• Kanja Ibrahim Sesay, Financial Secretary of Bo District Students Union and Secretary General of the Fourah Bay College Students Union
• Wusu Sannoh, mayor of Bo
• Sallieu Bundu, Sierra Leonean football star
• Caddi Golia, Epidemiologist
• Bunturabie Jalloh Sierra Leone's Olympic flag-bearer[18]
• Nuli Lemoh, Paediatrician; founder of Bo Children's Hospital[19]
• Patrick Michaelson Gibrilla-Sei former Student Bo School, Former Bo student Association President IPAM-USL
• Harold Logie Tucker, Mayor of Bo
• Dr. Sombie - Doctor, Bo children Hospital
• Dr Abdulai Fofana, General Manager, Sierra Leone Ports Authority

There are other towns in Sierra Leone with the same name.

• Media related to Bo, Sierra Leone at Wikimedia Commons