JAMB History Past Questions & Answers - Page 51

Christianity was first introduced in Sierra Leone in 1792, however, Sierra Leone is a predominately Muslim country today. Seventy-eight percent of the population are Muslim, and the country's two largest ethnic groups, the Mende and Temne, are Muslim majority.

The 1962 population census put the total population of the country at 45 million, out of which the south had 24 million and the north 21 million. This was the first time the population of the south would exceed that of the north. The population count created a big political problem for the Balewa government, which had to cancel it and order a re-count.

Britain finally abolished the trans-Atlantic slave trade in 1807, and the United States implemented its ban a year later in 1808. Despite these legal bans, and subsequent acts to suppress the trade in the United States and elsewhere, the illegal trans-Atlantic slave trade continued into the 1860s.

The Republic of South Africa was proclaimed on 21 May 1961. Charles Robberts Swart, the last Governor-General, was sworn in as the first State President. The title 'State President' was originally used for the head of state of the Boer Republics, and like them, the holder of the office wore a sash with the Republic's coat of arms. He was elected to a seven-year term by the Parliament of South Africa, and was not eligible for re-election.

Nigeria became the 99th member of the United Nations General Assembly, eight days after her independence in 1960.