Lansana was one of a small, elite group of Sierra Leoneans to be educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Berkshire, United Kingdom during the colonial period. As a Lieutenant, he was a frequent and popular visitor to the home of Sir Robert de Zouche Hall, Governor of Sierra Leone 1952–1956.
Marriage and family
He was married to Komeh Gulama Lansana, the daughter of Paramount Chief Julius Gulama of Kaiyamba Chiefdom and Madame Lucy Gulama. The Gulamas are Mende royalty and among the most important ruling families in Sierra Leone. His father-in-law was a founding member of the Sierra Leone People's Party, the first and oldest political party in the country. His sister-in-law was Paramount ChiefElla Koblo Gulama. His brother-in-law was Paramount Chief Bai Koblo Pathbana II. Lansana and his wife had five children Sheku, Judy, Tala, Foday, Kornya. Lansana also had a son, Daniel, from another relationship.
Force Commander of the Sierra Leone Military
He was appointed army commander of Sierra Leone in 1964. When his close friend and ally Prime Minister Albert Margai came to power, Brigadier Lansana took control of the army from British colonial adviser, Brigadier R.D. Blackie. Margai promoted a one party state. Both Lansana and Margai came from the Mende tribe which exacerbated existing conflicts with the northern tribes and the Krios. Northern and Krio officers were systematically purged from the armed forces.
Sierra Leone's first coup d'état
The 1967 General Election
On 17 March 1967, Margai was defeated in the general election. The All People's Congress won 32 seats in parliament while Margai'sSLPP held on to just 28 seats.
Martial Law
was the first country in postcolonnial Africa to hold a successful democratic election. This distinction lasted only four days. On 21 March 1967, Lansana instructed Samuel Hinga Norman conduct the extrajudicial arrest of the new, democratically elected prime minister Siaka Stevens. The arrest took place prior to the announcement of the election result. Lansana then seized control of State House as well as the national radio and television channels and declared martial law in Sierra Leone. On 22 March 1967, Lansana made a second radio broadcast reiterating his declaration of martial law.
Counter coup
Lansana's unilateral decision was unpopular with many of his fellow Mende officers who did not believe the army should be a tool of internal government. In addition to this, before to the coup d'état his influence with his subordinates had been compromised by accusations of "drunkenness" and "womanizing". On 23 March 1967, Major Charles Blake and other senior military officers relieved Lansana of his command. They established the National Reformation Council and took control of the government. Subsequently, Lt.-Colonel Andrew Juxon-Smith, of the Krio community, who was abroad when the coup took place, was asked to return and head the NRC military regime in 1968.
Arrest
Both Lansana and his sister-in-law Paramount Chief Ella Koblo Gulama were arrested on charges of treason and detained at Padema Road Prison. Both were charged of conspiracy with former Prime Minister Albert Margai. The claim was based on a meeting between Gulama and Margai on 19 March 1967 in which Margai is said to have express his wish not to lose his office. He was said to be weighing his options, including military intervention. Gulama was a minister without portfolio in Margai's government. She was also the hereditary ruler of Kaiyamba District, the most powerful Mende chiefdom in Sierra Leone. She reportedly advised him not to stand down from the office of Prime Minister in spite of the APC victory. She was also reported to have offered him her formidable support and suggested that both Margai bribe Lansana to stage a coup d'état. The charges against Gulama could not be proven and she was released from prison after one and a half year.
