By Anthony Leevay in Bo
Njala University has conferred an honorary Doctor of Science degree on Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Ibrahim Sesay, for his public service to Sierra Leone, which spans nearly three decades.
In his citation on Friday at the Njala University auditorium at Torwama, in Bo, the University Orator, Prof Saidu Challey said that Kanja Sesay was “the complete accomplished citizen and one who has rendered distinguished services in the advancement of humanity, as someone eminently worthy to receive the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa”.
The Orator said that Kanja Sesay “epitomises our National Pledge, vowing to always serve Mama Sa Lone faithfully and at the same time keeping alive the motto of his alma mater Fourah Bay College, which is “Non Sibi Sed Allis” (“not for self, but for others”) which is a patriotic call of selfless service to humanity”.
He said that it was “a great honour to our University and to the current and future graduands” that he accepted the award.
“A life dedicated to the service of humanity cannot be nurtured overnight”, he said, adding: “Our awardee is a humanitarian per excellence.”
He said that with a “burning desire to better serve his people”, Kanja resigned from the CRS “to the amazement of his superiors, to co-establish the Association for Rural Development (ARD) in 1990. ARD was and still is a pro-poor not-for-profit development organisation that caters for the socio-economic welfare of the grassroots citizens”.
He said that the ARD had had a great impact on many Sierra Leoneans and whose lives it had changed. “But what is even equally noteworthy perhaps is the fact that our honorary awardee founded the organisation with a gentleman of like mind, Mr Alie Fornah, who happened to be on the other side of the political divide”. He said that the deep commitment of the two men to improve the lives of the less fortunate Sierra Leoneans superseded political differences.
Prof Challey said that the creation of ARD had also been partly influenced by Dr Kanja Sesay’s graduate work at the prestigious Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, The Netherlands from 1985-1987, where he was awarded a Master’s degree in Development Studies. There it was that he met a Sierra Leonean diplomat, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who would later become president of Sierra Leone and would bring him into public service.
President Kabbah appointed Kanja Sesay as Deputy Commissioner and later Commissioner of National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), Sierra Leone’s main post-conflict rebuilding agency. So Kanja was the Government’s point man for the coordination of humanitarian relief, resettlement of displaced persons and refugees and rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged social infrastructure during and after the 10-year rebel war.
On behalf of the University Court, the Chancellor of Njala University, Professor Sahr Ngavoa declared open the occasion to award the doctorate degree to Sesay and dressed Dr Sesay is his academic regalia.
Earlier, in his welcome Address, the Vice Chancellor and Principal of Njala University, Prof Bashiru Mohamed Koroma said that as a University they were delighted to award the minister.
He expressed gratitude to the Minister of Energy in the Government of Sierra Leone for accepting the honorary degree for his service to the nation.
Professor Koroma narrated how Njala University had achieved their successes over the years and cataloged their challenges for the attention of the government through the Minister of Energy. He also disclosed plans for the introduction of new courses.
In his touching acceptance speech, Dr Kanja Sesay thanked the Njala University administration for carefully selecting him for the honorary doctorate. He said that he accepted the honorary doctorate with both pride and humility as the degree was given for his public recognition of human effort.
He told a moving story, which brought tears to the eyes of many in the hall, he spoke of how his father defied tradition and chose to send him to school, much to the chagrin of his relatives. See speech below.
Alhaji Kanja Sesay graduated with a BA (Hons) in History at FBC in 1976. He later studied for a Master's degree in development in The Hague, Netherland.
He has a number of certificates in Executive Management and Strategic Leadership, Counter-Disaster Planning and Management, and Disaster Management from leading universities including Templeton College, University of Oxford, England, Mananga Agricultural Management Centre, Swaziland, and Disaster Preparedness Centre and Royal Military College of Science, Cranfield, England.
Among other positions, he has served as Deputy Minister of National Reconstruction, Resettlement and Rehabilitation (MNRRR) from 1996-February 1998, and more recently since April 2018, as Minister of Energy.
The ceremony was marked by pump and pageantry amid a blend of academic and cultural displays marking the Mandingo culture of the awardee. Hundreds of supporters from across society and the corners of the country joined his family to make the day one to always remember.
Read the inspiring Acceptance Speech by Alhaji Kanja Sesay (abridged):
Mr Chancellor of Njala University
Vice Chancellor & Principal
Deputy Vice Chancellors of the constituent colleges of Njala University
Deans, Directors and Heads of Schools/Departments
University Faculty
Invited Guests
Family, friends and well-wishers of the great and prestigious Njala University
Ladies and gentlemen
I am most privileged to receive this Honorary Doctorate (D.Sc) from a University that plays such a big part in developing the potential and talent of tens of thousands of Sierra Leonean students who come from so many different parts of the country.
Several decades ago when I received my first degree from Fourah Bay College, I never dreamt I would be standing here today robed in scarlet. This is indeed a remarkable achievement.
Let me begin by thanking Almighty Allah on this Juma day, which is a great day in my life and that of my family.
I want to especially thank the Njala University community and particularly the Honorary Degree Awards Committee for their kind consideration in nominating me for an honorary doctorate degree, and the Chancellor for subsequently conferring the degree of Doctor of Science (D Sc) on me. Let me also thank profusely the University Public Orator for his kind words about me.
I am informed that the D.Sc degree is awarded to individuals who have made significant contribution to their field and to society.
I accept this prestigious and rare honour with both great pride and profound humility. The honour is a public recognition of my humble efforts in promoting the Vision, Mission and strategic goals of the University.
I am aware that the acknowledgement comes with a corresponding obligation to use my knowledge, skills and resources to advance the course of humanity and to continue to support the aspirations of this great University.
Let me assure you all present here that I do not take the award for granted and I am pleased to be an adopted member of Njala University.
The late president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, once remarked that “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. For, “it is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of a mine, that the child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation”
Throughout the length and breadth of our country, Sierra Leoneans know the power of education and how it changes individuals, their families, villages and communities. It is for this reason that the Government of His Excellency President Bio and its partners, families and communities are investing heavily in education…
Mr. Chancellor, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, kindly permit me to sincerely applaud the tremendous contribution of Njala University in improving the human capacity of our county through the provision of higher education…I am pleased to be associated with your positive strides in human capital development...
In this my acceptance speech, I would like to dilate on the theme Humanity First. “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others.” This powerful Nelson Mandela quote has guided and influenced my work in the public and private sectors all these years.
I have, over the years, devoted a considerable part of my adult life in helping to empower Sierra Leoneans, particularly the less-privileged. I have striven to impact the lives of individuals by providing them a tool that allows them to drive their own positive change. Everyone has a purpose, and it is important to find your path to help make this world a better place for all. If we only live for ourselves, we have not contributed to nor benefited from the people and community around us.
I have been guided by the principles of a) Humility, b) Respect for authority, c) Patriotism and d) Dedication to national and community service. These principles have been adequately reflected in my work at Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Association for Rural Development (ARD), National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) and lately as Minister of Energy in the Government of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, to which the Public Orator referenced in his Citation.
To have been reappointed by his Excellency to serve as Energy Minister during the President’s Second Term is no mean achievement. I owe this call to serve to the devotion and commitment by my fellow workers in the Ministry and the unflinching support from well-meaning and patriotic Sierra Leoneans. I thank you all for your continued support and encouragement.
My wife, children and other close family members have been the strongest pillar of support in all my endeavours and I owe them a debt of gratitude. I thank the late President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah for giving me the first exposure to public service in 1996. Before then, I was an NGO man. May his soul rest in Peace. I am indebted to my SLPP family, the Madingo Union and all close friends and well wishes for being with me in this long journey of public service.
Mr Chancellor, distinguished ladies and gentlemen let me announce here that I am dedicating this great honour to a man who unfortunately is not here today to witness the result of his investment in me. My father, the late Pa Mohamed Sesay, fondly called Pa Sesaykeh.
My father, a very learned Islamic scholar, who spent his later years in life as an Imam, never darkened the walls of Western education institutions, not even at Primary level but he believed in it as an enabler and therefore spared no effort in seeing me and my siblings through at least basic education. His brothers and other family members would tell him to stop wasting his meagre resources on a Madingo boy and instead teach me business because that is what we were known for. He would tell them “I will give him the opportunity to go to school until he fails even one class examination”.
He suffered for that decision because when I went to school his brothers would never allow their own children to run any errands for him. Pa Sesaykeh would call me and remind me about the monetary sacrifices and the discomfort he was going through to keep me in school but only as an encouragement for me to do better. That kept me challenged and by the grace of Allah, I never failed in class even once.
And so it was until I gained admission to Fourah Bay College in 1976. Because I entered with good A Level results, I was hoping I would get a Government scholarship but I didn't. The College gave me a Tuition waiver but I still needed to pay for other charges like caution and examination fees, which totalled about Sixteen Leones which I didn't have and I had to register within the Term or lose my place. I ran to Bo and explained to my mother who didn't have the money but managed to get me my transport fare to chase Papa in Bonthe. I went and explained my problem to him and he said as follows: "My son, you have come at a time that I have no cash on me. The little I had yesterday I have used to buy these two bags of cola nuts to take to Delken (which is a village further down in the ocean). You can take one of them and take to your mother so she can sell and give you what you need."
Ladies and gentlemen, I couldn't hold my tears back for such a huge sacrifice. I left but with more determination to do my best to be able to show gratitude to Papa. I sailed through University, got a job later but he didn't live much longer to enable me give him the comfort I thought he deserved.
On this occasion therefore, with all humility, gratitude and pride, I dedicate this honour to Pa Sesaykeh and continue to pray that his soul rests in peace.
Finally, Mr Chancellor, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, let me end this acceptance speech with the following French expression – Il n'est jamais trop tard (It is never too late).
I thank you all for your attention.
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