Deconstructing the Historically and Culturally-Specific Forms and Patterns of Corruption in Sierra Leone

Corruption in Sierra Leone is not just about institutional and political corruption; some cultural practices clash with modern-day corruption definitions. Pinpointing one of the causes of the war on corruption, the article explores the death of literature to explain Sierra Leone’s eleven-year civil conflicts. This article postulates that traditional practices must be understood to fight corruption. It propounds the metaphoric civil war mentality syndrome and the African social system practice to explain why it is hard to fight corruption. The article also looks at the beneficiaries of corruption and the agents against successful anti-corruption campaigns in Sierra Leone. It highlights opportunities and challenges in the fight against corruption and the reforms needed to minimise corruption.