On The Celebration of IWD… Pro-Vice-Chancellor Thrills NU Students, Njala, Mokonde

By Alhaji Umaru Gbow

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Njala Campus and Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Njala University has on Monday  8th March thrilled students of Njala University as they joined their counterparts the world over to celebrate the International Women’s Day (IWD) on the theme ‘’ Leadership Without Sex Barriers’’.

The august gathering was organized by the Ministry of Gender Affairs of the Njala University Students' Union under the Grand Chief patronage of Madam Mariama Gbekpah Latif the Deputy Women’s Leader hopeful in the forthcoming Sierra Leone Peoples' Party Delegate Elections.

Professor Koroma who chaired the ceremony thrilled the students with exceptional traditional pleasantries to the admiration of many. He exhibited a high sense of humor to inspire the women folks that it was their day and was worth celebrating.

Professor Koroma used his long-standing traditional experience in steering the program to a logical conclusion while also using the platform to inform the Guest Speaker and her entourage that Njala University was undergoing a sharp transformation from the old ways of doing things.

He concluded by calling on the Guest Speaker to join the Private Partnership journey for the revitalization of Njala University.

Mohamed Alex Koroma, President Njala University Students' Union noted that the hosting of the International Women’s Day at Njala University by his Ministry of Gender Affairs is a testimony to his manifesto campaign to empower the women folks.

He further committed his Government's vision to work with the Keynote Speaker and other private sector players to engage his women in Agricultural gardening to support food self-sufficiency on campus and the host communities.

The program took the form of statements from Gender experts, activists, and feminists who stressed that International Women’s Day should be a day of reflection on the critical challenges facing the growth and development of women across the world.

The speakers included Mrs.Fatmata Deveh Khellah a renowned Family Investment Specialist based in Maryland in the United States of America. She encouraged the women not to allow intimidation within their ranks and to also nurture the zeal and confidence to move on and support their women folks who vie for leadership positions.

The speeches were highly motivational and addressed the various gender equity and equality issues facing women in the workplace and the need for women to pay attention to these issues and work towards surmounting them.

The Keynote Speaker, Madam Mariama Gbeakpah Latif also employed a lot of tact and experience to admonish the women to resist the cultural and sex barriers that confront them as they grow up with their male folks in the society.

She cited the growing concerns around the world for women to be included in the developmental strides of institutions, corporations, and Government due to their numbers and resilience.

Madam Latif disclosed that Sierra Leone has domesticated international treaties and conventions relating to the empowerment of women and that a number of them have been domesticated locally to support the growth and advancement of women in Sierra Leone.

She encouraged the women to support the national campaign by His Excellency the President, Dr.Julius Maada Bio, and the First Lady to curb Sierra Leone of rape and Sexual and Gender-based Violence.

She assured the Students' Union Government that as an entrepreneur she is ready and willing to work with the Students' Union and the University to support women’s empowerment.

The climax of the auspicious occasion was the touring of the Njala Campus by the Guest of honor and her entourage.

©Public Relations Unit

Njala University