almamy suluku was born in 1820 in kamabai, biriwa country, in the northern province of sierra leone. he was the son of sankailay, a great limba chief of the biriwa country, with its capital of bumban. as a young man, suluku became the war captain, and under his military leadership, biriwa became one of the largest kingdoms in sierra leone. when his father died, suluku replaced him as the chief of biriwa.