Prof Joe AD Ali
By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
A lecturer at Fourah Bay College, Professor Joe AD Ali, has reported a death threat. Professor Alie said the threats were sent to him via messages around his home Tuesday evening.
Inscriptions like “you are wanted” were found written on his drive way. According to Professor Ali, he saw other writings on rocks and trees, from the street leading up to the floor of his driveway at Kortright.
Kortright are blocks of houses where lecturers and other college staff reside. It is situated in the outskirts of the college campus on Mount Aureole.
It is not clear how the security guards at the FBC security post could not have seen the assailant (s), since the writings were done from FBC primary school, up to Professor Ali’s drive way. The distance is about a 400 meter stretch.
But the situation points to the security loophole on the college campus and nearby residents.
The matter has already been reported to the FBC Police post on the college campus and the police confirmed to Politico that investigations were now under way. It was difficult to get details as to the nature of the investigation from the police.
No suspects have been named yet and Professor Ali said he could not remember any situation which could have prompted the attack.
“I am very new to this. I cannot understand why someone had to use such means to channel his problem with me,” he said in an interview.
Joe AD Ali is an accomplished academic. He is the Dean of the Post Graduate School at the FBC and he is also responsible for the admission of students in the University of Sierra Leone (USL).
USL is made up of three constituent colleges, Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM); College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) and Fourah Bay College ( FBC).
Every year hundreds of applications send application for admission into all three colleges. Hundreds are accepted and hundreds are turned away based on set requirements and other factors.
Professor Ali noted that there might have been a wrong perception about him being the sole person responsible for admitting and rejecting applications.
“I am not the only one that make this decision. I do so in consultation with departmental heads,” he said.
Professor Ali is just the latest person that has come under some form of attacked at the FBC. Just under a year ago, a lecturer at the Mass communication department, Joshua Nicol, was attacked in his home by burglars. Since then the investigation has not been concluded.
It is not clear how long the Professor’s investigation could take.
In assessing the security situation, the lecturer said: “We have been complaining, security situation on FBC as a whole is not satisfactory.”
His view reechoes the general outcry of staff of the college living at Kortright.
His statement comes as a direct indictment on the path of the FBC security unit. When contacted by Politico, they declined to comment without permission from the administration.
On the part of the administration, they are so far tight leaped about the situation. Munda Rogers, the Public Relations man for the University, could not be reached for comments.
However, Professor Ali said he had already informed the administration on Wednesday on the general situation and had requested for security presence at his home.
It is not clear when the security situation in the area will improve. But the FBC Police post say they are not responsible for the security of individual lecturers.
The Commanding Security Officer also told Politico that the FBC security unit told them that they were just responsible to guide college properties and not the individuals.
Over the years, there has been a general feeling that much has not been done by the administration to improve the security situation on the campus and its nearby residents.
If the situation continues like this, there are fears that something terrible could happen and go unnoticed.
(C) Politico 10/06/16
