Sierra Leone

==== Independence (1961) and Margai Administration (1961–1964) ====
On 27 April 1961, Sir Milton Margai led Sierra Leone to independence from Great Britain and became the country's first Prime Minister. Sierra Leone had its own parliament and its own prime minister, and had the ability to make 100% of its own laws, however, as with countries such as Canada and Australia, Sierra Leone remained a "Dominion" and Queen Elizabeth was Queen of the independent [[Sierra Leone (1961–1971)|Dominion of Sierra Leone]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kargbo|first1=Michael S.|title=British Foreign Policy and the Conflict in Sierra Leone, 1991–2001|date=2006|publisher=Peter Lang|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tfW5ACrYksQC&pg=PA70|pages=70|isbn=9783039103324|access-date=19 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Fyle|first=Magbaily C.|title=Historical Dictionary of Sierra Leone|date=2006|publisher=Scarecrow Press|location=Lanham, Maryland|isbn=978-0-8108-5339-3|pages=XVII–XXII|url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio0000fyle}}</ref> Thousands of Sierra Leoneans took to the streets in celebration. The Dominion of Sierra Leone retained a parliamentary system of government and was a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The leader of the main opposition [[All People's Congress]] (APC), Siaka Stevens, along with Isaac Wallace-Johnson, another outspoken critic of the SLPP government, were arrested and placed under [[house arrest]] in Freetown, along with sixteen others charged with disrupting the independence celebration.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/27/newsid_2502000/2502411.stm |title=BBC On This Day {{pipe}} 27 {{pipe}} 1961: Sierra Leone wins independence |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=20 May 2012 |date=27 April 1961}}</ref>

In May 1962, Sierra Leone held its [[Sierra Leonean general election, 1962|first general election]] as an independent nation. The [[Sierra Leone People's Party]] (SLPP) won a [[Plurality (voting)|plurality]] of seats in parliament, and Milton Margai was re-elected as prime minister.

Margai was popular among Sierra Leoneans during his time in power, mostly known for his self-effacement. He was neither corrupt nor did he make a lavish display of his power or status.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sierra-leone.org/Heroes/heroes8.html|title=Sierra Leone Web – Sierra Leonean Heroes – Achievement of Independence|website=www.sierra-leone.org|access-date=28 November 2018}}</ref> He based the government on the [[rule of law]] and the separation of powers, with multiparty political institutions and fairly viable representative structures. Margai used his conservative ideology to lead Sierra Leone without much strife. He appointed government officials to represent various ethnic groups. Margai employed a brokerage style of politics, by sharing political power among political parties and interest groups; especially the involvement of powerful paramount chiefs in the provinces, most of whom were key allies of his government.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}