By Jonathan Hindolo Kurabu
A donation of a large consignment of law books was done by a UK- based company, Anglo American Company, De Beers and GemFair in partnership with the International Law Book Facility (ILBF), a UK-based charity with the mission to support the rule of law and access to justice through sharing of legal knowledge. The UK Sierra Leone Pro Bono Network was also part of the donation exercise.
A case for the donation of 213 cartoons of law books in order to boost and to harness the potentials of the Njala University Law Department was made by Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, one of Sierra Leone’s erudite legal practitioners and formerly served though transiently as the Chairman for the Sierra Leone Premier League Board.
Chief Executive Officer, ILBL, Katrina Crossley who was unavoidably absent yet represented by Raymond Alpha remarked thus ‘’the ILBF is delighted to donate books from the UK legal community to Njala University. We very much hope that this donation will support the lecturers, students, and practitioners in their important work…’’
Accordingly, a team of Anglo-American lawyers based in London namely Jonathan Hoch, Cecilia Ferreira and Andrew Donovan were successful in their pursuit to support the ILBF represented by their CEO Katrina Crossley to distribute legal textbooks to Sierra Leone under a project known as the Rule of Law Ambassadors with supports provided by Clifford Chance (an international law firm) and Nottingham University to make the delivery possible.
Country Director, for the UK Sierra Leone Pro Bono Network ,Momo Turay, one of the partners avowed on behalf of their organization that with interest and firm commitments on the part of Njala University, they shall together transform the Law Department of Njala University into a very attractive entity for the training of legal professionals in Sierra Leone. ‘’We have done so with the University of Makeni, the opportunity is for Njala University and the Law Department to make use of,’’ he opined.
The UK Sierra Leone Pro Bono Network (UKSLPBN) is an umbrella network for the UK legal professionals and organizations interested in providing Pro Bono (free) legal assistance to Sierra Leone. With an objective to act as a focus for demand for assistance in legal matters from both Government of Sierra Leone and legal professionals and bodies, the UKSLPBN is overseen by a steering group comprising prominent UK legal professional, solicitors, barristers, government, and private sector lawyers.
Acting Dean, School of Social Sciences, and Law, Dr. James Fomba Sandy, on behalf of the University Administration expressed gratitude to the donors and all role players for uplifting the academic profile and pedigree of the Njala University Law Department which was established three years ago.
With a current students’ enrolment of 130, the University he went on has been able to employ high profile Judges of the Superior Courts of Judicature and Lawyers 90% of them, he added are holders of Masters of Law (LLM)
With current staff strength of 14 hardworking and committed men and women who are presently lecturing various courses on the programme, and with an entry requirement detailing WASSCE Certificate and a First Degree from any recognized University and with course duration of three years, they have succeeded in admitting three batches. Plans he disclosed are underway to sail the first batch of students admitted ab initio to Final Year after meeting the required grade points for promotion.
Students of the Law Department present and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Bo Campus Dr. Saidu Charley lauded the gesture and promised to use the shipment of books now shelved at the Law Department Library for its intended purposes.
