KAI, LONDO

Kai Londo (circa 1845-airca 1896) was a famous warrior who through the defeat of a great rival in war became the supreme chief of Luawa, in Kailahun district in eastern Sierra Leone. Energetic in peaceful pursuits as well as in aggressive ones, he undertook vigorous internal reconstruction in his territory, building a new town and rebuilding others. Through wars of expansion he extended the boundaries of Luawa creating a powerful state with many chiefs recognising his overlordship.

PHOTO CAPTION: Kai Londo. SOURCE: EA Library

He was born at Komalu, the home of his grand-mother, near Mano Sewalu, a sub-district of Luawa. His father, Dowii Komei was born and lived at Dukono on the Mo River in Wunde country, today part of the Republic of Guinea.

It was while Dowii Komei, a warrior of repute, was absent on a campaign against the Kiss Tongi and the Vassama Gbandi, both of Loja county of Liberia, that his wife, Kefue Mombeh, gave birth to a baby boy.

Dowii had forced the powerful Gbandi chief Kai Londo to capitulate, and sued for peace at Kunjo in the upper Kpombai section of Luawa. It was during the festivities that followed the reconciliation that news of his son’s birth reached him, and as a gesture of faith in the new agreement, Dowii at once decided to call the baby Kai Londo. Thus, though the boy was a Kissi he had a Gbandi name.

Kai was brought up in Komalu, his birth place, in the usual manner for a Kissi boy. He was taught the art of war by Kpawi Bundu of Ngiema, in Kailahun district, and later apprenticed as a horn-blower to chief Nyangbe of Medekelema, a large town in the small chiefdom of Bo in Kenema district, southeastern Sierra Leone.

Kai made his debut in the war which broke out between Mendekelema and Nongowa, and returned home with the reputation of an outstanding warrior. Once back in Luawa he built a small town and named it Mofindoh, after a town in Njaluahun country, in Kailahun district, where he had been hospitably received on his homeward journey.

During the 1880s. Kai Londo took part in the Kpoveh wars began with the onslaught of the famous Mende warrior Ndawa against chief Benya of Blama, capital of Small Bo, for raiding the territory of his mentor, chief Makavoray. It was this war which brought Kai Londo from relative obscurity to the legendary fame which he still enjoys today.

Initially on good terms with each other, Ndawa asked Kai Londo to join him in hostilities against Benya. Benya, however, hearing of the planned attack, fled from Blama and proceeded towards Kono, where he was pursued by Kai Londo and Ndawa. But the expected engagement at Lowama near Kono did not take place for Benya evaded them by taking a different route and returning to Blama.

After this relations between Kai Londo and Ndawa became strained. Kai complained to Ndawa that his slaves were being maltreated by Nawa’s followers, but the latter took little notice of this. Over the distribution of the spoils of war the latent conflict became open. Kai took offense and, refusing to cooperate in any joint venture, again assembled his warriors and set out for Mofindoh ahead of Ndawa, destroying all the bridges in the vicinity. Ndawa, interpreting this as an affront, resolved to teach Kai a lesson. Taking a roundabout route, he went to Ngiehun in Luawa where he invited collaboration from some local chiefs including Faagbandi of Sacambu, Kpaweh of Mende, and Manjakewai and Jobo of Ngeihun.

The Luawa rulers were immediately thrown into terror. When Kai Londo crossed the Moa River and came to the Sewalu district of Luawa he discovered that an emergency meeting of chiefs had been convened at Gbondu to discuss the threat posed by Ndawa. (Among those present were Kpawi Bundu of Ngiema, Mbapa of Sandyalu, Bondo Foyor of Dia, Towai from Liberia, Massa, Mbowa, Jimmi, Sagba and Bendeh.)

Traditions vary as to who took the initiative in asking Kai Londo to become their leader. By some accounts, it was Kai himself who asked the Gbondu conference members what they would give him if he expelled Ndawa. By others, it would seem that Kpawi Bundu, Kai’s instructor in warfare, acted as spokesman, asking Kai to “defend your land.” However it came about, they swore to make Kai Londo king of all Luawa should he defeat Ndawa.

Meanwhile, Ndawa had distributed his best warriors at various strategic points. Kai pitched his camp at Golahun in Luawa, where for three weeks he collected as much food as possible, engaging only in preliminary skirmishes with Ndawa’s followers.

When he was fully prepared, he and his warriors set out for Ngiehun, arriving there shortly before dawn. After going through the stockades surrounding the town, Kai boldly announced himself. Ndawa, lying awake in a hammock, replied “You have met me.” In the ensuing combat, Kai defeated Ndawa, who then promised to trouble Luawa no more, and departed leaving behind as hostages a wife and a son.

At Ngiehun, the members of the Gbondu Conference convened a great assembly of chiefs. Kpawi Bundu was once again the spokesman, and after proclaiming that they had all agreed “to give the country to Kai Londo” as supreme ruler, he went through the ceremony of symbolic handover.

First, he took a handful of earth and placed it in a piece of white cloth; he then took a gun, loaded it and unloaded it, and passed all these symbolic objects to Kai saying: Here is your country. Since you defended us, we give all to you. We shall never resist you.” Kai replied that he would never condone an invasion or a threat to Luawa, after which there was a great rejoicing.

Kai immediately set about the internal reconstruction of his state. On the site of the destroyed Sacambu, he built a new town which was named Kailahun, meaning the town of Kai. He rebuilt other towns destroyed by war and counseled his people to build larger towns for greater safety, while he also had roads made along strategic routes and closely watched. In the interests of internal order, he tried to keep the peace by settling disputes amicably and also arbitrated in disputes among chiefs outside his jurisdiction.

Kai Londo then set out on a war of expansion. He took Vahun in Guma country south of the Moa River, and made war on the Kiss Tengea, compelling them to recognise his overlordship. Further east, he went to Gbele country (the country of the Belle people in Liberia), killing chief Fobaywulo on the way, for refusing to accept his supremacy.

He then crossed the Mafessa River beyond the Moa River in the north, and after a successful battle at Wulade forced all the people east of the Mafessa under his rule. He conquered the Gbandi at Papalahun, while Kai Kai, the chief of Kissi Tongi, came of his own free will to Kailahun and pledged himself as vassal to Kai Londo.

The process of enlarging and consolidating Luawa was not without its difficulties. Ndawa, Kai Londo’s old enemy, plotted with the three sub-chiefs of Ngiehun who had originally collaborated with him to recall one of Ndawa’s lieutenants, Mbawalomeh, from Liberia to help them destroy the new Luawa. Together they captured some of the inhabitants of Tabia, in Luawa, set the town ablaze, and killed chief Kpawi Bundu in cold blood.

Kai Londo set out immediately to meet the challenge. Mbawulomeh escaped, but Kai Londo captured the sub-chiefs Faagbandi, Manjakewai anu Jobo and administered swift justice, drowning them in the Keeya River with heavy stones tied around their necks. He then pursued Mbawulomeh through Gbandi country into Liberia, and when he refused to surrender burned many of his towns.

On his way home Kai made Fabana Falla chief of Vassama, Keifa ruler over Papalahun, and Molifo over Botema, thus establishing three Luawa sub-chiefdoms. He reached Kailahun with a considerable quantity of slaves and war booty.

Immediately after this, one of his sub-chiefs, Kafula of Wunde, rebelled against Kai’s rule and called in Samori Touré’s Sofa warriors to assist him. Once more Kai was victorious, routing the Sofa from their camp at Benduma, from whence they retired to Tecuyama in Kono district, in what is now the Eastern province.

Besides his wars of territorial expansion, Kai undertook a number of campaigns to help oppressed people. He was also concerned to settle disputes inside and beyond his frontiers, and encouraged his people in the peaceful art of food-growing.

In 1890, the British traveling commissioner, T.J. Alldridge, signed a treaty of friendship with Kai Londo. He was highly impressed by his qualities of leadership and has put his opinions of him on record:66 a man of small stature but large intelligence, beloved by the people for miles around, who used to speak of him… as a father.. Certainly he was one of the most intelligent chiefs I ever met; powerful and a mighty man of war, but capable of understanding what was for the lasting interest of his people… a chief who was never spoken of except in the highest terms.”

In June 1895, Mbawulomeh and Kai were again engaged in war, then the former attacked the Gbandi for submitting to Kai, and then raided parts of Luawa.

Kai defeated Mbawulomeh and his allies, Mbawulomeh barely escaping with his life but during this campaign Kai became ill with dysentery. His speaker (deputy), who was also away on the Liberian front fighting the Gola, hurried home immediately to start making funeral arrangements. Early in 1896 the architect of the great Luawa state died.

Kai Londo’s burial was a closely guarded secret. It is said that he died at Dukono and was originally buried there, the body being later removed to Sakona and then to Komalu in Luawa. According to some traditions, however, it was removed to Magbalu, Kai’s mother’s home, before being carried to Komalu. Following the custom, £12 sterling, many country cloths, brass bowls and boxes, and perhaps some slaves were buried along with this great ruler.

ARTHUR ABRAHAM