By Sahr Ibrahim Komba
FREETOWN, July 25 (SALONE TIMES) – On the 18 July 2022, President Bio commissioned three- Storey ultramodern smart Building at Fourah Bay College University of Sierra Leone. The building was funded, constructed and furnished by Alhaji ING Mohamed Babatunde Cole an alumnus of Fourah Bay College.
It is a massive modern facility that can house over 700 students per session. The building is the first ultramodern smart building for learning in the history of Sierra Leone and the building worth $ 2 million Dollars.
The facility will add to the existing lecture rooms and provide offices that are equipped with modern technologies to maximize learning outcomes. The building is equipped with smart board, overhead projectors for video/ web conferencing and online content deliveries, six visual learning rooms, two auditoriums, conference rooms, canteen and comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage throughout the building.
The building has uninterrupted power supply in order to keep the system running when there is power outage and it is self-sustainable. The facility will serve as a remote hub at the university for years to come. The building was constructed by centurion construction company, a locally own firm.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio said that the introduction of human capital development by his government was intentional because it is the best pathway to sustainable development.
“We must go back to those things that made us the Athens of Africa, ’’he said. President Bio thanked Mr. Cole for the good work and added that some people would rather spread disinformation in order to foment unrest in the country rather than to acknowledge the excellent work other good citizens like Mr. Cole and other are doing.
“Good citizenship is about doing the right thing at the right time about multiple challenges we face as a developing nation,’’ he added.
Speaking at the ceremony, Alhaji ING. Mohamed Babatunde Cole said that the structure was constructed out of love for his Alma Mater; he further noted that he knew that the university had challenges with lecture rooms when he attended the 190th magazine launching anniversary of FBC where different speakers asked for supports from the public and private sector.
“It is not what you can do for this alma mater, but what you can do for Sierra Leone’’, he said, adding that, education is expensive and that the government alone cannot not fund it.
Mr. Cole dedicated the building to engineering department but urged university authorities to allow other departments to use of facilities in the building for lectures and other academic work, adding that the culture at FBC is that different departments make use of facilities of other departments and that culture must be uphold. He encouraged other alumni to do the same or more in order to lift the face of Fourah Bay College.
He thanked President Bio for his presence at the commissioning of the building, adding that this was his contribution to government’s flagship program-Free Quality Education.
Professor Foday sahr, Vice Chancellor and Principal of University of Sierra Leone thanked Mr. Cole and said that Mr. Cole’s gesture is expected to serve as a pioneering move worthy of emulation by other alumni of the university who can come on board and add to the growth of the university.
“This comes at a time when the university itself had identified and embarked on infrastructural process across all campuses in response to the exponential growth of student’s number. Even though tremendous efforts have been made, a lot more is needed to be accomplished in terms of infrastructural development,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor assured Mr. Cole that the building will be used for its intended purpose, and it will not only serve as posterity but would serve as a useful centre for other alumni, donors and well-meaning Sierra Leoneans
Dr.Tonya Musa, the director of Media, Alumni & international Relation encouraged students and lectures to take proper care of the building and the equipment, adding that the sustainability of the building largely dependent on a collective commitment in terms of proper care.
He further said that the university is expecting everybody to be committed to protecting and servicing the building as best as possible so that it could not be only used by present students but other generations.
He noted that the smart building has added value change but classrooms constraints remain, encouraging other alumni to assist so they can have a 21st century University.
He added that the university has also completed the construction of another building which can accommodate over 500 students and was funded and constructed by FBC using internal generated fund.
