Even though foreign investors may own or lease land, native Sierra Leonean women rarely can.

Women’s land ownership rights in Sierra Leone remain limited. Colonial laws and tribal customs still block women from owning or inheriting land.

Land in Sierra Leone operates under a dual tenure system dating back to the British colonial era. The British Crown Colony of Freetown (est. 1808) used English freehold and leasehold systems, while the surrounding Protectorate (declared 1896) was governed by local customary law.

Freehold tenure grants the legal right to own land outright; leasehold allows renting from an owner. These Western forms exist mainly around Freetown. In the rural Protectorate, customary law dominates—and that often means land is passed through male lineage, keeping women as users but not owners.

How Customary Rules Keep Women from Owning Land

Land disputes in rural Sierra Leone are settled informally by chiefs and elders, with rules based on unwritten tradition. Women are rarely invited into these negotiations. In many areas, women cannot sue in land cases or inherit family property. Boundary markers—trees or streams—are unreliable, and without formal titles women’s farms can be seized or sold without their consent.

Population Pressure and Modernization Attempts

Urban growth around Freetown—from 195,000 people in 1960 to over 1.5 million in 2015—has intensified land demand. After civil war, the government tried to modernize land records. In 2014 Sierra Leone launched the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure to promote fairer access. Yet in provinces ruled by customary law, mindsets remain slow to change and women’s ownership is still rare.

Why Secure Land Rights For Women?

Women produce most subsistence crops yet lack legal titles, leaving them vulnerable to land grabs and unable to use land as collateral for loans. As Landesa notes, “For women, land truly is a gateway right — without it, efforts to improve basic rights and well-being will be hampered.”

“It was taboo for a woman to inherit or purchase land, rent a house in her own name, or even speak in men’s meetings.” — Sayon Mansaray, rural Koinadugu social worker

Newer policies, such as the 2022 Customary Land Rights Act, aim to require female representation in land decisions. But implementation challenges and deep-rooted patriarchy still make secure ownership elusive for most women farmers.

Read More on Land and Gender in Africa

• Disputes Over Land and Maritime Borders in Africa
• What Waist Beads Symbolize in Africa
• African Healers and Traditional Beliefs

Ashe to Amen — learn about the custom of using the words Ashe and Amen historically.

This article is part of our African History hub — exploring race, African identity, and philosophy across the continent.

Where did the word Amen and Ashe come from, why is it said, and what does it mean?

In Judaism, which dates back over 3,500 years, and Christianity, about 2,000 years old, Amen means “may it be so.” In the African Yoruba language, among the Yoruba people whose culture is as old as time, Ashe or Ase also means “may it be so.”

Ase or Ashe means power, commandment, and authority — the ability to make whatever one says happen from the spiritual to the physical realm. In Yoruba, Ashe is omnipresent spiritual energy.

Followers of Judaism and Christianity use the word Amen to end prayers as an affirmation for divine response. Similarly, in Yoruba spirituality, Ashe refers to the life force within all living things — the spark that animates creation itself.

Ashe is used at the end of appeals and prayers as an affirmation that what has been requested should manifest in the physical realm.

It is fascinating how many newer religions that often dismissed African indigenous spirituality have borrowed words and ritual practices from ancient African traditions.

Modern-day Yoruba people still blend traditions — Jewish, Christian, and Muslim practices often merge with Yoruba customs, reflecting an ongoing dialogue between old and new faiths.

The Yoruba word Ashe or Ase (pronounced AH-SHAY) is the divine force, energy, and power to make things happen — the same as the word Amen.

Did you know?
Ile-Ife is the ancestral and spiritual home of the Yoruba, and the Ooni of Ife is the revered traditional head. The Yoruba — one of the three largest ethnic groups of Nigeria, also living in Benin and northern Togo — have long been recognized among the most skilled artisans in Africa.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ashe and Amen

What does Ashe mean in Yoruba belief?

Ashe (or Ase) in Yoruba spirituality represents divine energy or life force — the power to make things happen through words, intention, and action.

Is Ashe the same as Amen?

Yes, both Ashe and Amen mean “may it be so.” Amen is rooted in Hebrew and Christian traditions, while Ashe originates from Yoruba cosmology as the affirmation of divine energy.

How is Ashe used in modern prayers?

People end affirmations or prayers with Ashe to declare intent and align their words with spiritual power, much like saying Amen in other faiths.

What is the origin of Amen?

Amen derives from ancient Hebrew, meaning “truly” or “so be it.” It was carried into Christian liturgy and is used globally in prayer and worship.

Read more facts about Africa and African food recipes. African people are praised for their proverbs, history, traditions, and resilience. Learn more about African history.

Honor a child and she will honor you.

Below are more articles you will find thought-provoking. Ase.

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3. What is an African Proverb?
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Three-Ingredient North African Tahini Honey Butter Recipe

Tahini is simply sesame seeds ground into a rich, smooth paste. Making your own at home is easy, fresher, and less expensive than buying a jar at the store.

You only need three ingredients: sesame seeds, honey, and oil. Add salt to taste if you like. Store your homemade tahini honey butter in a clean, tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.

Use North African tahini honey butter as a spread or dip

Nutrition (per serving)

• 2 grams fat
• 38 grams carbohydrates
• 2 milligrams sodium

Ingredients

• 1 cup honey
• ½ cup sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• Salt to taste (optional)

Directions

1. In a dry frying pan over medium heat, lightly toast the sesame seeds until golden and fragrant.
2. Transfer toasted seeds to a food processor. Add sunflower oil and blend until a thick paste forms.
3. Add honey and blend again until smooth and creamy.
4. Pour into a clean jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for up to three weeks.

How to Use

Spread this sweet North African tahini honey butter on crackers or bread, or serve it as a dip with fruits and vegetables. It’s also delicious swirled into oatmeal or drizzled on pancakes.

Explore More African Recipes

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• Frikkadelle — Afrikaner Meatballs
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Cassava and cassava flour, everything you ever wanted to know.

Cassava is known by various names, manioc, yucca, yuca, mandioca, and tapioca. Cassava originated from tropical America and was first introduced into Africa in the Congo basin by the Portuguese around 1558.

Adding cassava and cassava flour to your diet can easily lead to weight gain since cassava flour has double the carbohydrate and calorie content of sweet potatoes. Cassava flour is great if you are looking for high-calorie food but not so great when trying to lose weight. Cassava flour maybe a gluten-free, wheat flour alternative, however, cassava root is essentially a rich carbohydrate source.

Cassava grows well in poor soils with little attention needed to grow the crop. However, it requires considerable postharvest labor because the roots are highly perishable and must be processed into a storable form soon after harvest. Roots can be harvested between six months and three years after planting.

Cassava is a major staple food in the developing world, providing a basic diet for over half a billion people. Nigeria is the world's largest producer of cassava, while Thailand is the largest exporter of dried cassava however, Africa exports only one ton of cassava annually.

Nearly every person in Africa eats around 176 pounds or 80 kilograms of cassava per year. It is estimated that 37% of dietary energy comes from cassava. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest consumer of cassava in sub-Saharan Africa, followed by Nigeria.

Many varieties of cassava contain a substance called cyanide that can make the crop toxic if inadequately processed. Various processing methods, such as grating, sun drying, and fermenting, are used to reduce the cyanide content.

Apart from food, cassava is very versatile and its derivatives and starch are applicable in many types of products such as foods, confectionery, sweeteners, glues, plywood, textiles, paper, biodegradable products, monosodium glutamate, and drugs. Cassava chips and pellets are used in animal feed and alcohol production.

Best Fritters Recipe

Best Fritters Recipe

Fritters are best served with homemade soups and stews recipes. Golden brown Garri Fritters are a favorite recipe of Western Africa made with ground cassava flour and spices fried into delicious snacks.

 

Serves 8

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 10

Total time: 20 min

Best Cassava Fritters Recipe Ever

Ingredients

2 cups cassava flour

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 tablespoon white sugar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 - 1/3 cups water

1-2 cups oil for frying

 

Directions

In a large frying pan heat vegetable oil. Add all ingredients, mix well and form small fritters, fry until golden brown about 3 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with extra salt or curry powder before serving.

Cassava Fact. 
Nearly every person in Africa eats around 176 pounds or 80 kilograms of cassava per year.
Recipes for the heart, mind, and soul.

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Homemade South African Indian Garam Masala

Garam masala simply means “hot spice mix.” This traditional blend of aromatic spices traveled from the Indian subcontinent to Africa and became the heart of South African Indian cooking. Our recipe is simple, budget-friendly, and adds warmth to any meal.

South African Indian recipes often include garam masala — a mix of seven key spices: cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Indian food is unimaginable without Garam Masala

Spices give South African Indian cuisine its distinctive flavor and personality. Most South African Indian recipes use many different spices, but don’t let that intimidate you — most are easy to find in local supermarkets or Indian grocery stores.

One thing new cooks often find intimidating about Indian food is the wide variety of spices, but blending them yourself creates depth and balance that store-bought mixes can’t match.

Homemade Garam Masala Recipe

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Mix all the spices together in a bowl until evenly combined. Breathe deeply as you do—this is the first scent memory: the sharp, bright awakening of raw spices meeting for the first time.
2. Store the mixture in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 months. When you open it weeks later, the second scent memory emerges: matured, complex, like a story that needed time to settle.
3. Use in small batches to preserve aroma and flavor. The final scent memory blooms when heat hits the spices—that warm, enveloping cloud that means home is being made.

South Africans of Indian descent, especially in KwaZulu-Natal’s city of Durban, keep garam masala at the center of their kitchens. For many, the scent of toasting spices is the very smell of belonging—a fragrant thread connecting Durban markets to ancestral villages in India. Try pairing it with our Eggplant Brinjal Curry for a perfect Durban-style meal that will fill your kitchen with generations of memory.

Kente cloth pronounced Ken-Tay is the most famous African textile design. Kente a Ghanaian traditional fabric that is worn for major celebrations.

Discover more textile symbolism and quilt traditions in the African Quilting & Textile Crafts Hub .

Kente cloth is the most recognizable of all African textiles. Kente cloth fabric design was inspired by a spiders web by the Ashanti people of Ghana.

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Why African kente cloth is popular

Africa, particularly in the areas of dance, music and the fine arts has influenced cultures around the world for two millennia ans so has kente cloth. African people are creative having a long history of unique cultural elegance valued around the world over. The fact is making and trading of African cloth have been vital elements in African culture. The first colorful kente cloth was worn by Otumfuo Nana Prempeh I, a former Ashanti king. Through cloth, we can understand not only Africa’s history but also its engagement with other parts of the world. Textiles can be used to address global issues and to express individual traditions of Africa. African textiles unspoken language often provides a way of suggesting thoughts and feelings that may not or cannot be expressed in other ways, and these cloths regularly move between the kingdoms of the earthly and the revered.

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The Ashanti people of Ghana and the Ewe people of Ghana and Togo make the African cloth kente.

Kente cloth is the most recognizable of all African textiles. Kente cloth originated with the Ashanti people of Ghana dating back 375 years in the village of Bonwire. Bonwire is a kente clothing weaving village in Ejisu-Juaben Municipal district, a district of Ashanti. To this day, Bonwire is still the most famous center for kente cloth weaving. Traditional Kente Cloth was black and white however the colors of black, red, yellow and green symbolize: Black represents Africa, Red represents the blood of ancestors, Yellow represents a wealth of gold and Green represents the land.

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African Kente Cloth Legend

According to legend, Kurugu and Ameyaw, two brothers from the village, went hunting one afternoon and came across a spider spinning a web. They were amazed by the beauty of the web and thought that they could create something like it. Upon returning home, they made the first cloth out of black and white fibers from a raffia tree. A second legend of the origins of kente cloth told by Bonwire villagers is the story of a man named Ota Karaban and friend, Kwaku from Bonwire had their weaving lessons from a spider that was weaving its web. They tried to do the same by weaving a beautiful raffia fabric.

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Kente cloth

Continue exploring patterns + meaning inside the African Quilting & Textile Crafts Hub .

An easy one-pot meal of tender mutton lentil stew is just what you need for hectic weeknights.

Hearty mutton lentil stew recipe from North Africa is The African Gourmet most popular stew recipe. Nourishing, healthy lentils are a staple food throughout North Africa. North African cuisine is famous for the use of mutton, various pulses, such as chickpeas, and lentils and flavored by seven earthy spices.

North African Mutton Lentil Stew

North African Mutton Lentil Stew

Ingredients

1 pound mutton meat thinly sliced

1 large white onion, finely chopped

1 cup dried lentils

2 large potatoes diced

2 large carrots diced

4 cups of water

2  tablespoons ground cumin

2  tablespoons minced garlic

1  tablespoon ground cinnamon

1  tablespoon ground allspice

1  tablespoon ground paprika

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Add all ingredients to a large pot and and simmer for about two hours until the mutton is tender. Serve with rice.

North African Lamb Lentil Stew

What is mutton?
Lamb and mutton are the meat of sheep at different ages. Sheep in its first year is called a lamb while the meat of an adult sheep is mutton.

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