My good old friend starting from the early 1970s, Mr. Alimamy Mansaray, was born in Dembelia Sinkunia Chiefdom, formally in the Koinadugu District. He did both his primary and secondary education there.

In later years, he got a wife, had children, got good job, and built a house in Kabala township.

In 2018, he decided to contest for a parliamentary seat in the Kabala Central constituency.

He thought it was business as usual, because he was born in the district. Little did he realized that the district has been divided and he now belongs to Falaba District.

He was meted with strong resistance by some sections of the population, but what they failed to realize was that, Mr. Mansaray was born in (then) Koinadugu District and not (now) Falaba District.

Mr. Mansaray’s case isn’t peculiar only to him, as many others who were born in Koinadugu before the separation.

This issue, which I will call ” Displaced Identity”, needs serious attention by the authorities moving forward.

Koinadugu District (The Land of Powerful Mixture), held the unshakable record of been the largest district in Sierra Leone before it was divided and into two separate districts by former President Ernest Koroma in 2017, hence Falaba District was created.

Falaba District got its independence on a silver platter, but without any transition program or technical and logistical support from the former administration.

Five years down the road, the question still arises as to whether the division of the two districts is still necessary.

Should Koinadugu and Falaba be amalgamated once again or should the stay divided as they’re now? The debate continues!