I didn't expect Freetown Sierra Leone to be like this

Added: 2026-05-15

[00:00:00]Good afternoon from Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone here in West Africa. Guys, we made it to Sierra Leone. And in today's video, we'll be stepping out to explore the city to see what we can find around. What makes this different from every other countries and every other capital city that we've been through. What makes it stand out? What do they have here that they don't have in other places? In today's video, we are going to find out. So, we'll be starting from this particular place that I have right here in Juba Hill here in Freetown. Sierra Leone. First, I want you to see this. We are currently on this mountain and this view is everything.

[00:00:41]See guys, that's the sea over there and they have these houses all around. It looks so beautiful from afar. This is what the view looks like from all the mountains here in Freetown. So, right now, I'm going to be stepping out to meet with our other friend to show us around this place and you know, just tell us more about this uh city and this particular mountain that we have right now. Now, we are house. We are going up the hill to go start from on top of the mountain here, which is this place that we have right there. So, we are going to pass this road and we smooth with there. We have Abdul.

[00:01:21]>> Abdul. Who's going to be showing us around this place and tell us what other two things or everything that we need to know about this place. So, Abdul, welcome to the channel. Thank you.

[00:01:32]Oyin. Um to start off with, this has been one of the most prestige community in the entire Freetown and of course, entire Sierra Leone. We're going to start off um with the Kabassa Lodge. The Kabassa Lodge in Freetown was once the house of the first president here that we have um Siaka Stevens. So, and the uniqueness about this community is just that this community has produced the highest numbers of presidents in living in Sierra Leone. So, most of them Yes, that become head of state and president came from this neighborhood. That's why we're exploring and we're going to make sure we check out almost all of the houses that this president live and to see the entire community. Watch out.

[00:02:17]Before we even go look at this view, is this all the whole of Freetown in Uh I could say more than 50% of the entire uh landscape uh in Freetown is way above sea level.

[00:02:29]Uh you can see it's on the hill. And so, that's the uniqueness about this city and unlike other cities in West Africa.

[00:02:35]So, almost everywhere, anywhere, any different place you are in Freetown, you see you have a view as beautiful as this. And this is just a small part of the entire city. There are many, many other hills and many, many other other places that you can go and have a beautiful view much more even better than this one. Another thing is also currently the house of the the the current president is there.

[00:02:58]There uh it's called Hill Station. And the the highest peak there Okay.

[00:03:03]>> is called Leicester Peak, which is the highest point in Freetown. Oh, that one.

[00:03:07]Yes, the one that has the tower, that's the antenna for the radio and the TV station. And then you have the NATCOM, you have most of the embassies and the residents are on that side. I think the green white the green and white there is the residence of the Okay, that one.

[00:03:22]That one, this one. Yes, that one is Yes, that's the residence uh Nigerian embassy residence.

[00:03:28]>> So, all there you see the house most of the embassies.

[00:03:35]What about those parts that are those not about city? What about those parts?

[00:03:39]Those are just mostly if you go beyond this, it's like a reserve um place that [snorts] should not be touched by people. But definitely um the rest of the other places are just um normal dwellings. Why should they not be touched by people? What they are Uh they're what you call reserve. It's >> a forest reserve where not necessary that people have to leave there, but then we have to keep it for nature. So, you know >> has its own existence. That's so good to know.

[00:04:07]So, now we are going up.

[00:04:26]We are at this place They have this building behind me called Kabassa Lodge.

[00:04:31]And I heard is the house of the former president.

[00:04:37]The first president of Sierra Leone. And she is really very fantastic.

[00:04:46]Looking at the structure, it looks really old. But the thing that I find very fascinating about this place is the view too. The view from here is amazing. Look at it. You can see all this side. The beach tree is over there.

[00:05:01]That is the interesting thing about this Freetown as a uh a city.

[00:05:07]Oh my goodness.

[00:05:13]Oh.

[00:05:15]So, this place is part of Kabassa Lodge.

[00:05:18]All this place.

[00:05:21]Oh my. No, the building looks very old and over 30 40 years. As you can see, this is the pool area. It's dilapidated now.

[00:05:35]Uh at a There was a time like the We are hearing rumors that they want to sell it. Mhm. public.

[00:05:44]But of course, that never came to pass.

[00:05:47]This is where the president was residing as the president. It's a very unique structure and it's overlook the majority of the Yes.

[00:05:54]>> cross section of the western area of Freetown.

[00:05:57]Ooh. And there there's a 4 km long beach, Lumley Beach, at the the famous community, yes. And Aberdeen house most of the prestigious hotels.

[00:06:08]Then this other side is Lumley Mountain.

[00:06:11]It's down to the Atlantic Ocean.

[00:06:13]Being here is actually so beautiful.

[00:06:15]Thank you.

[00:06:15]And I think here is for sale anyways.

[00:06:19]Maybe we can have someone who wants to buy it. I thought I was going to sell it.

[00:06:22]>> Yeah, I want to sell it. I'm an agent.

[00:06:24]You have like a resort here. Oh my goodness. Yeah, that's one of my Makes so much sense.

[00:06:29]All these parts to the airport are part of the Yes, all these were part of Oh. Majority are others.

[00:06:37]Walking down.

[00:06:40]The house of You know the president who was called Joseph Saidu Momoh? Okay. And his house is just like few minutes walk. Just down the hill Oh. Yeah, and the name of the drive is called Momoh Drive to back here.

[00:06:54]Okay.

[00:06:57]So now we are walking down the hill.

[00:06:59]Of course, the the that former president The man has died now. It's been over 20 years.

[00:07:05]But uh This second one or this first one?

[00:07:09]Both of both of them died. Oh, both of them are late. Yes, yes. So the wife of the former president, Joseph Saidu Momoh Mhm. is still alive.

[00:07:20]Walking down the hill.

[00:07:22]It's not easy, oh. It's very sloppy.

[00:07:25]Now imagine if you are coming up.

[00:07:28]Just imagine someone is coming up. The way your leg will be paining you, eh?

[00:07:33]It's so good to see that we have places like this in Africa. You know, my friend was was just saying when we are coming that uh-uh because he didn't know the whole of Freetown in like this, so the houses on mountain and like how do those people live in a mountain? We just like getting to some part of the mountain. Okay.

[00:07:50]Uh-uh, how do they get there? How do they get to the top of the mountain? How do they build How do they They build on the land to build like this. How do they build houses there? I said they they did road now only for us to get like the middle of the road and start saying that uh-uh. I said this old Freetown now on the mountain. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Many people get surprised to see how people live on the mountain.

[00:08:09]>> On the mountain. Yeah.

[00:08:11]And so easy. And when you live there it's like you live as if you're not in the mountain.

[00:08:16]That is so normal. Yes, it's so normal for many many people.

[00:08:20]It seems like we are on the ground like normal ground surface. So so so normal.

[00:08:25]You know it's a bit surprising.

[00:08:28]For someone that lived all their life here in Freetown to go to other places and see like people people are not people are not living on mountain you know. I agree with you. I agree with you.

[00:08:37]I agree with you. That's absolutely true.

[00:08:39]But When many people travel so when they arrive in Freetown they look they say, "Wow, what is this? Unbelievable." And the view at night is everything. Yes, we'll have to have make a video of that.

[00:08:51]Ooh.

[00:08:53]Where? That's That's it.

[00:08:56]Oh. Yes, this is this is a side of the most house. That is it. Yes, so this one there. So we want to go down to have a better view.

[00:09:07]So now we are going down it's so sloppy.

[00:09:11]Okay, that's the way the wind blows from up.

[00:09:13]Okay, that's the out. So we are going all the way down to that place.

[00:09:17]That's the other view over there.

[00:09:20]It's one of my mom's house.

[00:09:21]Interestingly, the whole house is bulletproof. From the bricks to the glass, all the glass right round the house is it was built over 40 years.

[00:09:30]None of them is cracked, none of them is broken. Everything is still intact. The walls, everything is fully bulletproof.

[00:09:36]And you can see those are two poles where they used to Yes. And people are even still building new houses here. You can see new houses over here. This one is under construction.

[00:09:47]See another new house over here.

[00:09:49]So, now we are turning here. They have this road that goes down the hill. And we have another road here that goes this way. So, we are going this way right now. That's where we came from all the way from up there to Jabi Hill.

[00:10:00]Um Kabusa Lodge.

[00:10:03]So, right now we are going this way.

[00:10:07]One more house. This part is not tarred.

[00:10:10]Yeah, it's not tarred.

[00:10:12]It's only tarred halfway down.

[00:10:25]And here is Maman Daura's and that's Maman house.

[00:10:28]Okay. The house is all bulletproof.

[00:10:31]All white glass.

[00:10:38]And finally finally stick here. Okay, that's the what That's the house over there.

[00:10:45]Oh, and those are the poles that we were talking about.

[00:11:16]House over there. Another house.

[00:11:20]Nice.

[00:11:22]So, this part that we are right now, this road is called Maman Drive.

[00:11:25]>> Yeah, Maman Drive. After here, I'm going down, we go to Madabiya Drive with the current president right now.

[00:11:30]>> Really?

[00:11:32]This drive is just down and the houses here is the just after being elected.

[00:11:37]It's also down there. And now he's the president of the ECOWAS currently.

[00:11:41]Oh.

[00:11:43]No wonder you said there is a lot to this Juba Hill. It's about about five presidents. Wow.

[00:11:54]I was also born in this neighborhood. I want to show you the house my parents were living in when they gave birth to me. Oh, interesting.

[00:12:04]I think I like this guy.

[00:12:08]It's not to dislike going down the mountain. This is the most steep area.

[00:12:15]The most steep area? Yes.

[00:12:17]Okay.

[00:12:23]It's not just Jesus.

[00:12:29]Many apartments.

[00:12:39]Okay.

[00:12:40]Yes, that's what I'm saying. It was used to be the president's area.

[00:12:43]Many people have built like mansions here.

[00:12:46]Nowadays, those people of course they died.

[00:12:49]So this is the start of the Madam Builder as you can see it's painted it's painted green, white, and blue on the side.

[00:12:54]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:12:56]Uh, you see the house.

[00:12:59]Oh.

[00:13:00]What is this stuff going on in the house?

[00:13:02]Okay.

[00:13:03]So this is the house. Oh, this is the house he was staying in. Immediately when he became president. You see the pool again? Yeah, I see the pool.

[00:13:10]>> Yeah, this is the pool. This is the house.

[00:13:12]He stayed here for a while before he went to the presidential villa. Oh.

[00:13:18]Wow.

[00:13:20]And they all stayed there.

[00:13:25]The coming down like this we have this.

[00:13:33]These are big, big, big houses in the neighborhood.

[00:13:39]One of the richest men in Australia uh his house is just right here.

[00:13:44]Uh and the guy just launched and opened the biggest flour mill factory in the entire West Africa. Wow. That produces 600 tons of flowers every day.

[00:13:58]Wow. You buy him a lot.

[00:14:01]It's a lot. Hold on.

[00:14:08]And another place to see is here.

[00:14:16]You see the houses? They're abandoned houses.

[00:14:18]>> Abandoned houses.

[00:14:21]Like he >> time. It's not a new He's like old money neighborhood. Exactly.

[00:14:29]Very old money.

[00:14:33]Very old money neighborhood.

[00:14:41]So guys, this is what mountain looks like. If you've ever seen mountain from afar, you see a lot of houses on it. I you're imagining it.

[00:14:51]What does that side look like? How do you get that one looks like? This is how it looks like.

[00:14:58]Yes. You wouldn't even know that we are we are on the mountain right here.

[00:15:05]Look at what is down there. Now we are going up the mountain again.

[00:15:10]To go and see the houses of the other uh houses.

[00:15:16]Wow.

[00:15:20]I can't even drive.

[00:15:23]This is not a driving road I am on.

[00:15:25]I got dry.

[00:15:29]Yoruba language So, I'm going to show you the house now.

[00:15:37]That's how they built the stone house.

[00:15:39]Wow.

[00:15:39]>> So, meaning this house has been here I'm not I'm not 40 years yet, but this house has been here.

[00:15:46]You see how old this is? This is how it was built.

[00:15:49]Wow.

[00:15:51]This place This are writings.

[00:15:54]Wow.

[00:15:56]Wow.

[00:16:03]So, this one is like in a closed It's a closed one.

[00:16:09]So, how do people acquire lands on in these places?

[00:16:13]Because this is mountains. Yes.

[00:16:15]So, people just park it and be like, "Oh, it's my my family. Let us go."

[00:16:19]Or is it Does it belong to the government? I just want to know.

[00:16:32]Well, first and foremost, all the land belongs to the government. Okay.

[00:16:37]Uh if you want to acquire Um we have local community heads. Okay.

[00:16:42]Like we call it headman or chairman.

[00:16:44]Okay. So, you meet these people and then tell them that you want a certain portion.

[00:16:49]So, through them um you now go through the government's now and prepare the land.

[00:16:56]So, and they'll do the land document.

[00:16:58]Okay. The the the local community heads will give you the price for the land.

[00:17:06]So, initially this is how it started.

[00:17:08]So, then you now pay. Once you pay you now take that receipt. Okay. You now take it to the government that, "Ah, okay, I've paid for this land." And the government now will now prepare the land documents.

[00:17:19]Yeah. So, once they prepare the land document with your name on it, and then this local community head will have to sign Mhm. that you are aware that yes, they are aware that you are not trying to purchase this land. Oh. Yeah, and then they prepare the land document and it becomes your own.

[00:17:35]So, this is how it started. Then now, over the years, over and over and over, this land passes from one person to the Yes, it has been sold or the house has been sold.

[00:17:45]So, before then, many people just bypass and sell the land.

[00:17:49]And they will now sell it, sell it, sell it, sell it to all people that are interested in buying over the years. So, this is how uh it started. So, if I wanted to purchase a plot of land here right now, I would have to look for an existing land and look for And I have to look for an existing land and look for the person that holds the land. Yes. I buy it from the person. Yes. Okay.

[00:18:10]Yes. Uh if it's not owned by somebody, then you have to meet the community head. Community head.

[00:18:16]Is it possible that there are some lands that are not owned by somebody? Yes.

[00:18:19]It's owned by the community. Yes, you still have some government This is owned by nobody, but then government Okay.

[00:18:26]>> to go to the community Okay.

[00:18:29]So, how much do you think, you know, maybe a portion of land, like a plot of land, would cost this kind of place?

[00:18:35]>> Uh For example, like in Dubai, it's quite expensive. Like how much?

[00:18:40]>> But I think it's also very It just costs a few thousands of dollars. It depends on who you're buying it from also. Because then, if you're buying it from let's say someone who just went to Let's say the seller just has some money.

[00:18:56]Then, it's quite cheap. Let's say it ranges from around a piece of land or plots >> [snorts] >> uh we call like town lots.

[00:19:04]Um maybe I'll have to check the the exact measurement in terms of feet and meters.

[00:19:10]But they cost from around like it's an average of like $2,000. So, So, let's say you have $2,000, you can buy a plot of land and you can be able to build a small house, maybe like a two-bedroom.

[00:19:22]So, you're good to go. If you have something like $4,000, Wow, that's so so interesting and so good to know.

[00:19:31]So, now we are working towards that.

[00:19:36]Yes.

[00:19:39]Fire up the Interestingly, that we started off the highest and now we're just at the bottom, bottom, bottom >> Yes, we are at the bottom. of the entire Juba community. The entire Juba community. On the other side of this area, the other community, there is called Bendebou and then there is called Maji Town, where I used to live. This place is swampy area. You have As you can see like this now, one rich man will just come one day, look at this place and say, "I will just buy this entire place." And then bring dirt just back here.

[00:20:10]Just fill up the place.

[00:20:11]Yeah, this place looks like a dumping ground. A dumping ground in swamp. It's basically the lowest point of the entire Juba here. So, Interesting.

[00:20:21]>> So, this is Juba we are doing. All right. So, we started from the top. Now, we are here. Now, we are here.

[00:20:26][laughter] We are now at the bottom.

[00:20:29]>> [gasps] >> We are now at the bottom, guys. We are just here. We are just here.

[00:20:34]So, thank you, guys. Let me know what you think about Freedom. Have you been here before? What was your experience like? Thank you so much, Abdu, for you know, taking us around and sharing those insightful information information with us. Thank you so so much. And till next time, we will be bringing more juicy and educative content your way. Stay blessed. I'll see you in the next one.

[00:21:01]Bye.