Dr. Bilal Philips in warm hand shake with President Koroma
By Sheik Alie Y. Kallay
The Chancellor of Islamic online University (IOU), Dr. Bilal Philips commonly known as Abu Ameenah last week paid a courtesy visit on the Chancellor of University of Sierra Leone, President Ernest Bai Koroma at State House and through him donated US$ 50,000 to the local Voice of Islam.
After briefing the president about the activities of IOU, the Jamaican-born Canadian Dr Bilal handed over a cheque to the president saying the donation was meant for the development of VOI in its coverage across the country.
President Koroma acknowledged the donation on behalf of the radio station and promised to monitor the committee in charge of the money. He welcomed the idea of establishing the IOU-type Islamic institution in the country, promising to enrol as a student if he had the time. He also promised to ensure that the registration process of the IOU at the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) was fast-tracked.
According to Dr. Bilal Philips, during his last visit to Sierra Leone his university had 100,000 students around the world a number he said now stood at 130,000 in 219 countries in the world.
The IOU Chancellor also had fruitful meetings with Ministers of Social Welfare and Education who welcomed his initiative and promised to speed up the registration process.
Social Welfare Minister Moijueh Kaikai said that if the IOU was taken seriously in the country it would help Sierra Leoneans by giving them contemporary Islamic Education and providing them with job.
The IOU was originally a product of Dr Bilal's teaching courses in Islamic Studies at the American University in Dubai for seven. A year after it had been established in 2001 the programme ran into technical difficulties and had to shut down. However, the curriculum was used to establish a department of Arabic and Islamic Studies at Preston University - Ajman, UAE. Three years later the department had its first batch of BA graduates.
It currently offers both undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
(C) Politico 17/12/13
