The Baton was welcomed into Freetown on 16 June with a high-profile celebration that brought together over 440 people from across the city. Her Excellency Josephine Gauld, British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, formally presented the Baton, with the Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh, unveiling it on behalf of the government. In his address, the Chief Minister described sport as a vital force in Sierra Leone’s national development, capable of uniting communities and inspiring the next generation.
The streets came alive with a Baton parade featuring 200 athletes, joined by representatives from government, local business, and civil society. Among them were 80 officials, including the Deputy Mayor, councillors and staff from the Municipality of Freetown. Employees from Africell and several national institutions, including the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank and the National Tourist Board, also took part. Baton handovers between these groups became moments of shared pride, symbolising the unity and collective spirit at the heart of the Commonwealth movement.
The Baton itself was designed by British Sierra Leonean fashion designer Foday Dumbuya, founder of LABRUM London. Known for combining British tailoring with West African storytelling, Dumbuya used Sierra Leone’s national colours and layered motifs to create a design that reflects identity, heritage and environmental responsibility.
Central to the design is the Nomoli figure, a carved stone artefact with deep roots in Sierra Leone’s cultural and spiritual traditions. Often sculpted from soapstone or granite, these figures are associated with protection, harvest and ancestral guardianship. Their stylised features and strong presence evoke leadership and legacy. The inclusion of the Nomoli figure on the Baton grounds the design in a specifically Sierra Leonean narrative, honouring tradition while presenting it to a global audience.
As part of the Commonwealth’s Clean Oceans campaign, a plastic clean-up was carried out at Aberdeen Beach in Freetown, supported by the Africell Impact Foundation. Volunteers from the local community joined Africell staff and event participants to collect waste and raise awareness of the importance of protecting Sierra Leone’s coastline from plastic pollution, a growing threat to agriculture, livelihoods and marine ecosystems.
On 17 June, the Baton travelled inland to Mamoi Village near Kenema, where 211 people, including 35 traditional dancers, 25 school athletes and 150 residents, gathered for a ceremony led by the Village Headman. The dancers performed a traditional welcome as members of the Bondo Society, wearing Sowei masks. These masks, among the few in Africa worn exclusively by women, symbolise feminine beauty, wisdom and transformation.
The event also acknowledged the cultural significance of the Nomoli figure, often associated with ancestral guardianship, harvest, and spiritual protection. Though distinct in form and purpose, both the Nomoli figure and the Sowei mask reflect the deep cultural heritage of Sierra Leone. The ceremony created a moment of connection between these traditions, brought into focus by the Baton’s journey.
Cultural performances followed, including folklore renditions of rites of passage, gymnastics, acrobatics and dance displays by young people. Individuals with disabilities were also included in both the relay and the performances. Community engagement activities emphasised the shared values of sport and culture. The event was attended by traditional leaders, Bondo Society elders and members of the Commonwealth Games Association, including the President, General Secretary, CGA intern and executive members. Eight Batonbearers participated.
Celebrations continued the following day in Bo, where 305 people took part. The Baton was received by the Chairman of Bo District Council and paraded through the city by the Mayor of Bo, the Resident Minister South (Chief John Abu) and the Brigade Commander of the 5th Infantry Brigade, Brigadier General A. O. Kamara. Participants included 100 athletes, 80 government functionaries and 25 members of a local waste management company.
A Commonwealth values education session was held with pupils at Methodist High School. A community clean-up also took place at Shelmingo Lorry Park as part of the Clean Oceans campaign, reinforcing the message that environmental action is a shared responsibility. Speakers linked the clean-up to local concerns about plastic waste’s impact on waterways and farmland, highlighting the need for sustainable practices.
The King’s Baton Relay left Sierra Leone having ignited a powerful start to the African leg. Through the involvement of athletes, artists, civic leaders, traditional custodians and schoolchildren, and with a Baton design that tells a distinctly Sierra Leonean story, the country demonstrated how sport can bring people together, celebrate cultural identity and champion sustainability on the road to Glasgow 2026.
