Bo, Sierra Leone: History
Bo began its modern development with the coming of the Sierra Leone Government Railway in 1889 and became an educational centre in 1906, when the Bo Government Secondary School was established.
From 1930 until independence in 1961, it was the capital of the Protectorate of Sierra Leone. The city is the administrative centre of the Southern Province. After Freetown, Bo is the leading transportation, commercial, and educational centre of Sierra Leone.
The Sierra Leone Government Railway was closed in 1974.
The inhabitants of Bo are known for their resolve, resistance and hospitality.
According to folklore, the town was named after its generosity. An elephant was killed by a hunter, and people from the surrounding villages came to receive their share. Because the amount of meat was so large, the hunter spent days distributing it. He said "Bi-woo", which in Mende language means "this is yours," (with reference to the meat) was said so much that the area came to be known as "Bi-woo", which became "Bo".