From 1871 to 1873, Blyden spent time in Sierra Leone as a government agent to the Interior, leading official expeditions — one to Falaba (a Koinadugu District of the northern area of Sierra Leone) and the other to Futa Jallon (a West African area based in the highlands of modern Guinea).
In 1878, he became an honorary member of the Athenaeum Club in London. The prestigious organization was founded in 1824 for individuals who specialized in scientific, literary or artistic areas.
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