By Foday Moriba Conteh
During a well-attended ceremony held on Saturday 18th February 2023 one of the oldest Colleges in the West African sub-region, Fourah Bay College, commemorated its 196th Foundation Day and Flag Raising ceremony. The event took place at the Multipurpose Hall on the college’s Campus in Freetown,
In his welcome address, the Deputy Registrar at Fourah Bay College, Brima Bah described the celebration as another Flag Raising Day of FBC adding that they are indeed very heartened by the renewed general interest in the revival of the past glory of the institution proudly recognized and revered for being the Athens of West Africa.
He said in this era, “our task is to rebuild a modern College that caters for the needs of society, producing rounded graduates who would significantly contribute in diverse ways, through the training acquired here, to the development of our country. We have a clear strategy to accelerate the achievement of this goal,”
The Chairman of the Academic Staff Association FBC, Ambrose T. Rogers, said that Fourah Bay College has endured and surmounted trials to clock 196 years, adding that the college has over the years supplied the human resource base of reputable institutions.
He said that the college has served as an educational hub for nearly two centuries and has brought enlightenment and pride to the country, stating that the college has continued to produce men and women of integrity to carry the noble task of nation building.
Ambrose T. Rogers called for security enforcement, prompt payment of staff and the provision of basic social amenities within the college.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Fourah Bay College, Prof. Kelleh Mansaray expressed appreciation to the past administrations of the college for the foundation they have laid towards the development of the college.
He used the opportunity to shed light on the FBC DVC’s 2022-2025 Agenda which, he said, has one of their main focus on revenue generation to enable the implementation of transformative programmes, projects and activities that will accelerate the restoration of the past glory of the College.
Prof. Kelleh Mansaray added that bulding systems that will support the delivery of quality learning and standard assessment of students, enhance the research activities of faculty, and promote the outreach drives of the College through the optimal use of ICT – the USL Portal and the e-LearningInfrastructure.
He said that as part of the DVC’s agenda, the college is working on fully mainstreaming ICT – the optimal use of the Portal- in the operations of the College, by the commencement of the 2023/2024 Academic Year.
In her keynote address, the Executive Director of the Legal Aid Board, Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles, said that Fourah Bay College was founded in 1827 with people from different countries attending it of which it was named as the Athens of West Africa.
She said that the college has produced reputable personalities in all walks of life regardless of the numerous challenges faced by the college which she said are inevitable.
Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles commended the academic staff for their relentless efforts towards giving high quality education regardless of the challenges they are faced with.
She said few years from now the college will be celebrating its 200 years anniversary of which she called on the college administration to enhance proper planning on the said activity in order for it to be memorable in the history of the college.
Closing the ceremony was the official flag raising ceremony to mark the 196th anniversary of Fourah Bay College by the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Fourah Bay College, Prof. Kelleh Mansaray and dignitaries present.
