The Hill Station Club in Freetown was once the beating heart of Britain’s colonial community in Sierra Leone. It was here, in a raised clearing high above the city, that officials would unwind over gin and tonic and marvel at a panoramic view of the lush forest below.
These days, the club stands in disrepair. Its ornate metal railings are rusted and decayed, while the underside of the roof is littered with holes. The building has become just another relic of the British Empire; a symbol of power and influence lost.
Today in Sierra Leone – and much of the rest of Africa – there is a new player in town: the People’s Republic of China.
