By Amin Kef Sesay
A member of staff of Africell by the name of Alexander Ayodele-Manley emerged as the Best Male Graduate from the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), University of Sierra Leone for the 2019/2020 academic year and because of that he was awarded. After the graduation ceremony Alexander stated that he is determined to give back to society what he acquired from the University.
He maintained that he is even willing and ready to give more to society if the university administration can avail him the opportunity for further studies.
He received the prestigious award from the President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio who served as Chancellor of the University on the 22nd February, 2020 at the Siaka Stevens Stadium.
The award was made possible through the Adonis Aboud Trust Fund with a cash prize of over Eighteen Million Leones (Le18, 000,000) for both the University of Sierra Leone and the University of Makeni.
Alexander Ayodele-Manley explained that his Dissertation was based on Procurement Best Practices for Organizational Performance using Africell as a case study which, he said, is just the beginning of a long academic journey.
He said attaining such a feat does not mean all was well for him at IPAM, but he was just resilient to be the best. “I am looking for opportunities to do further studies through scholarship but I do not know what the future holds for me and my colleagues,” he stated.
He emphasized that some of them are willing to go for further courses and would accept international scholarships if possible and later to payback to society.
Ayodele-Manley described his award as one that came as a surprise for him because he had no knowledge of it. “I felt honored to receive such an award from an institution that has two faculties with thousands of students,” he expressed delight.
Alexander Ayodele-Manley entered IPAM during the 2016-2017 Academic Year after acquiring a Diploma and an Advanced Diploma from the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM), during which period he was exempted from Year One and was sent to Year Two.
Ayodele-Manley confessed that he saw the course as challenging at first considering his workload as a full time worker especially as it entails traveling in and out of Freetown and coming to the classroom again. “Coming to IPAM was a challenge for me, it was challenging for a start,” he confirmed.
He maintained that when he started classes his target was for him to get the requirement to be admitted into the Honours Class and that came to pass as his grade point was good for him to be called in the Honours Class.
Alexander Ayodele-Manley got: 10 A’s and 2B+ in year three and 10 A’s, 1B – and 1C during final year and graduated with a First Class Hons. in Procurement.
He advised that for one to succeed in the university one doesn’t need to be the most intelligent or too clever person than others; but that one has to be disciplined, hardworking, prepares well and applies dedication to work. “There are times you have to handle a lot of projects. Most students don’t make it because they fail to comply with what is required of them and of the lecturers,” he stated.
He expressed hope that the Government through the university will recruit him as Research Teaching Assistant (RTA) which they grant at the universities.
He expressed thanks and appreciation to the Procurement Department of IPAM-USL, the Adonis Abboud Trust Fund, Africell as well as family members and friends for the support given to him.
