A wave of support has emerged within Njala University for Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma, following controversial and unfounded calls for his retirement. A group identifying themselves as the "Authenticated Concerned Academic Staff of Njala University" has publicly denounced the demands as malicious and politically motivated, accusing a faction of the Academic Staff Association (ASA-NU) of engineering a smear campaign to destabilize the institution's leadership.

In a strongly worded statement released this week, the group dismissed the legitimacy of the retirement calls, attributing them to what they described as a "two-man regime" led by Dr. Brima Gegbe and Abu-Bakarr Sheriff. The pair, who currently head ASA-NU, were accused of undermining democratic processes, mismanaging association funds and leveraging their positions for personal benefit.

According to the concerned academic staff, the ASA-NU leadership has operated in blatant disregard of transparency and accountability, citing alleged embezzlement, unauthorized bank loans and unaccounted funds collected from staff dues. “Over NLe 30,000 is collected monthly from staff, yet there is no financial transparency,” the group claimed. They also alleged that proceeds from a university-affiliated water business and Government-donated buses have been misused without proper oversight.

The statement condemned Dr. Brima Gegbe’s leadership style as autocratic and accused him of unilaterally declaring strike actions and manipulating ASA-NU’s internal affairs to serve personal interests. They pointed to his simultaneous roles as ASA President and a faculty dean, an arrangement that, according to them, contravenes ASA-NU’s constitution.

Particularly concerning, the group noted, was ASA-NU’s recent letter to the Parliamentary Committee on Tertiary and Higher Education calling for Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma’s retirement. “This letter does not represent the will of Njala University’s academic community,” the group stated. “It was neither discussed nor approved by the ASA-NU plenary and constitutes a serious breach of democratic norms.”

The group described ASA-NU under its current leadership as “a theater of absurdity plagued by kleptocracy, intimidation, constitutional violations and opaque governance.” They insisted that the Association has lost credibility and is being weaponized against the very institution it is meant to protect.

In defense of Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma, the academic staff highlighted his record of institutional reform, infrastructural advancement and academic leadership. “Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma has brought stability, vision and integrity to Njala University,” the statement affirmed. “His leadership deserves commendation, not attacks based on personal vendettas.”

Calling for a complete restructuring of ASA-NU’s leadership, the group urged for the restoration of democratic governance, transparency and professionalism within the Association. “Let the tenure of Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma be evaluated based on his contributions; not on the whims of a discredited clique,” they concluded.

The unfolding controversy reflects a broader demand among staff for accountability, institutional respect and the protection of principled leadership at one of Sierra Leone’s leading academic institutions. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/njala-university-academic-staff-condemn-retirement-calls-and-defend-institutional-leadership/