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For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories through food, history, and folklore. Selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage, ensuring our digital timeline endures for generations.

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Julius Maada Wonie Bio President of Sierra Leone elected in April 4, 2018

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Sierra Leone Country and Presidential Profile




Sierra Leone is recovering gradually from civil war (1991-2002) and disease.


Sierra Leone Country and Presidential Profile.



Julius Maada Wonie Bio President of Sierra Leone elected in April 4, 2018
Julius Maada Wonie Bio President of Sierra Leone elected in April 4, 2018
Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Wonie Bio is a Sierra Leonean born on May 12, 1964 in Tihun, a village in the Sogbini Chiefdom, Bonthe District, in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone, Maada is one of 35 children born to a Mende Paramount Chief, Charlie Bio II, of Sogbini Chiefdom.

He was briefly the Head of State of Sierra Leone from January 16, 1996 to March 29, 1996. Bio is currently the President of Sierra Leone elected in April 4, 2018 winning just over 51% of votes.

Since then his governmental offices launched a free education program and is retooling its governance and financial and health‑care institutions. On health care, President Bio called on international partners to help invest in critical institutional, technical and human resources and to help improve the country’s preventative health infrastructure.

One of the world’s poorest nations despite huge mineral and diamond deposits, Sierra Leone is recovering gradually from civil war (1991-2002) and disease. Its economy remains fragile, with corruption widespread in the former British colony.


Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone

Before the Ebola outbreak, Sierra Leone was on track to overcome its troubled past. The countries Ebola epidemic threatened to stop the progress of Sierra Leone economic and social growth. The post-Ebola recovery period is proving challenging.

Bio was in a group of youthful soldiers behind a 1992 coup that would install their leader, Valentine Strasser, as the youngest head of state in the world, at age 25. He later took power but agreed to step aside in 1996 for an elected civilian leader, and his subsequent apologies for his role in the military installed government.

Sierra Leone name is from the Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra who named the country Serra Leoa or Lion Mountains for the impressive mountains he saw while navigating the West African coast in 1462.

Following the American Revolution, a colony was established in 1787 and Sierra Leone became a destination for resettling black loyalists who had originally been resettled in Nova Scotia.
After the abolition of the slave trade in 1807, British crews delivered thousands of Africans liberated from illegal slave ships to Sierra Leone, particularly Freetown.

Sierra Leone hope is to become a middle-income country, be an inclusive, green country, with 80% of the population above the poverty line, have gender equality, a well-educated, healthy population, good governance and rule of law, well-developed infrastructure, macroeconomic stability, with private-sector, export-led growth generating wide employment opportunities; there would be good environmental protection, and responsible natural resource exploitation.


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The African Gourmet explores how African food, history, and science intertwine. Here, a plant is a healer, a story is a map, and the kitchen is a laboratory. I’m Ivy — a writer raised by historians, now sharing Africa’s wisdom from the U.S. through cookbooks, cultural research, and storytelling. If you’re curious about where flavor meets memory, you belong here.

Recipes Explain Politics

When Rice Recipes Become Revolution

What if your grandmother's rice recipe could explain the Liberian Rice Riots of 1979?

"In Liberia, rice isn't just food—it's life, identity, and sovereignty. When the government proposed raising rice prices in 1979, they weren't just adjusting economics; they were threatening every grandmother's ability to feed her family according to traditions passed down for generations."

The riot that followed wasn't about politics—it was about the sacred right to cook your family's rice recipe.

The Deeper Recipe

  • Ingredients: Colonial trade patterns + Urbanization + Economic inequality
  • Preparation: Political disconnect from daily survival needs
  • Serving: 40+ deaths, regime destabilization, and a warning about ignoring cultural fundamentals

This is African Gourmet analysis: understanding how the food in grandmother's pot connects to the protests in the streets. The recipes we inherit carry not just flavor, but the entire history of our political and economic struggles.

Read the Rice Riots Analysis → Try Liberian Rice Bread Recipe
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African Gourmet FAQ

Archive Inquiries

Why "The African Gourmet" if you're an archive?

The name reflects our origin in 2006 as a culinary anthropology project. Over 18 years, we've evolved into a comprehensive digital archive preserving Africa's cultural narratives. "Gourmet" now signifies our curated approach to cultural preservation—each entry carefully selected and contextualized.

What distinguishes this archive from other cultural resources?

We maintain 18 years of continuous cultural documentation—a living timeline of African expression. Unlike static repositories, our archive connects historical traditions with contemporary developments, showing cultural evolution in real time.

How is content selected for the archive?

Our curation follows archival principles: significance, context, and enduring value. We preserve both foundational cultural elements and timely analyses, ensuring future generations understand Africa's complex cultural landscape.

What geographic scope does the archive cover?

The archive spans all 54 African nations, with particular attention to preserving underrepresented cultural narratives. Our mission is comprehensive cultural preservation across the entire continent.

Can researchers access the full archive?

Yes. As a digital archive, we're committed to accessibility. Our 18-year collection is fully searchable and organized for both public education and academic research.

How does this archive ensure cultural preservation?

Through consistent documentation since 2006, we've created an irreplaceable cultural record. Each entry is contextualized within broader African cultural frameworks, preserving not just content but meaning.