2022-09-02 Fri

Constance Cummings-John, a Sierra Leonean educator and politician in both pre-and post-colonial Sierra Leone, is depicted on the nation’s new 20-leone note.

In both pre-and post-colonial Sierra Leone, Constance campaigned for women’s rights in the country and the continent of Africa at large. She was the first woman in Africa to join a municipal council and in 1966, she was the first woman to serve as mayor of Freetown, and so the first woman in Africa to govern a modern capital city.

The brown, black, and orange banknote features the smiling portrait of Constance Cummings-John on the front along with a coat of arms and laurels flanking an open book with flame. The reverse of the banknote features a crowd of 16 students seated at school desks with a map of Sierra Leone in the background with the text “Education for Gender Empowerment” on top and right.

Image Courtesy: banknotenews.com