Bilali (circa 1810-1880s) also known as Mori Lamina, was the ruler of Tonko Limba in Sierra Leone. He was born to servile status among the Soso, but subsequently became an independent ruler in Limba country.
He was the son of a Karonko slave woman, and of Mori shake, one of the Soso rulers of Kukuna, in what is now the Kambia district. Because his father did not pubilcy acknowledge him as his son, Bilali retained his servile status. But his father had him brought up in the warrior tradition, and he became a great warrior, feared by the neighboring Tonko Limba. When Mori Shake died, he left the knowledge of the use of his war charms with Bilali, even though he had many other sons.
As Shaka had left many debt, his other sons proposed to pay them off by selling off some of the 200 slaves Shaka had left behind. The head slaves, of whom Bilali was one, told the creditors that they were willing to work off the debt by farming and by trading with canoes. But the creditors drove them away, scorning any settlement with slaves.
Apparently jealous of Balali’s prowess, his brothers attempted to pay off part of the debt by selling some slaves, including Bilali’s two sons. Bilali and other head slaves redeemed those sold. Later Bilali aslo redeemed his sister and some of his other children, who had also been sold by his brothers.
By this time Bilali had decided that, he had to escape from Kukuna. Together with the slaves supporting him, he fled from Kukuna in 1836, after negotiating for protection with the ruler of Tonko Limba. His brothers pursued him, but he defeated them in combat. He then marched on in triumph to Tonko Limba, where he built a town called Kolunkuray on land given him by the Bombo Lahai, ruler of Tonko Limba.
Kolunkuray was located on the border between Kukuma and Tonko Limba. Later,Bilali expanded the area of his authority by building more towns.Laminaya became his chief town.
From the time of his escape in 1836 onwards, Bilali’s brothers, who later became the rulers of Kukuna, never gave up the idea of recapturing him. They formed several coalinations for his purpose,which included the Soso of the Soso of the Morea state centered on Forecaria,as well as the Soso of Kambia under sattan Lahia(q.v.).But aided by the Tonko Limba.Bilali successfully resisted their attacks.In the event,the constant campaigning eventually reduced the ruler of Kukuma to poverty,while Bilali continued to thrive,as more and more slaves railed to his cause.By the 1870s,he had entered into diplomatic relations with neighboring Koranko and Loko rulers, in order to strengthen his power.
He was, by this time, regarded as an important independent ruler in his own right. He was also one of the rulers who accorded protection to the trade Canavans which travelled to Sierra Leone Colony from the interior.
Bilali apparently died in the 1880s, having for half a century successfully maintained his own freedom and independence, despite his original status.
