Prominent Sierra Leoneans who have Contributed Immensely in Science and Technology in the World

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When it comes to western education, Sierra Leone was the first country in Sub-Sahara Africa where the first College was built in 1827 (Fourah Bay College). The college  was responsible for producing the early educated West Africans, and it was nicked the Athens of West Africa. Sierra Leone has produced many individuals who have contributed immensely in different fields of studies including but not limited to, Agriculture and Food Science, Law, Economics, Medicine and Health, Science and Technology in the world. The contributions of some of these individuals or persons earned them international recognition and awards and their theses, findings and research can be seen in books, magazines and libraries.

This article will focus on their academic background, research/discoveries, and their awards or achievement excluding their political career and personal lives. All articles written on this blog is aimed as projecting the good values of Sierra Leone, issues, or persons. In no specific order these are some of the individual who’s contribution(s) into Science and Technology cannot be override.

7. Prof. Victor Esehwanu Strasser King (1942-)- geology

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Prof. Strasser-king is a renowned educator and scientist from Sierra Leone. He was born in Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone. He got his Bachelor of Science from Durham University, UK and his Masters and Ph.D. in the University of Manchester UK.

Prof. Strasser-King spent almost all his life as a university lecturer in England, USA and Sierra Leone. He lectured Geology at Fourah Bay College for many years, serving as Head of Department of Geology and Dean for the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences. In 1973, Prof. Strasser-King was named as Full Bright Fellow of the Pennsylvania State University. His Research were vital especially in handling the problems of mining and providing knowledge and means of extracting minerals.  He has headed many mining companies in Sierra Leone such as SITRACO mining, GEOMINCO association and Nation Diamond Mining Cooperation.

His hard work was recognised throughout the world. Due to that, he was listed as a noteworthy geology educator and department head by Marquis Who’s Who. Lately under former president Ernest Bai Koroma, prof. Strasser-King was appointed as Director for Strategic and policy unit at State House.

6. Dr. Amadu Sahr maturi – BenniMix baby food

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Dr. Amadu Maturi was a Sierra Leonean, a Scientist, Educator and government Parastatal. He was born in Kono district, eastern region of Sierra Leone. He was educated in Fourah Bay College Freetown where he had his Ph.D in chemistry. He later became the Head of Department of Chemistry in the same institution. In 1964 when Njala University College was created, he was appointed as the first Principal of the college.

At Njala University as a principal and researcher, he discovered the Formula for Benny Mix baby food. The formula which combines different varieties of food which are essential for the baby to grow strong and healthy. After some years the product was approved by the World health Organisation and the World food programme. BenniMix baby food became the most sought after baby food in Africa.

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Dr. Maturi is a renowned food chemist who has taught for many years in Sierra Leone’s most prominent Universities i.e. Fourah Bay College and Njala University College.  After he retired from Njala University, he was appointed as Sierra Leone High-Commissioner to the United Kingdom during which he played a key role in twinning Hull City and Freetown City.

5. Hon. Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella (1959-present) – Renewable Energy

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Dr. Kandeh Yumkella is a prominent figure and personality not only in Sierra Leone but the world at large. Dr. Kandeh Yumkella is an Agricultural Economist, Educator, Energy expert, Public Speaker and a Politician. KKY as he is commonly called was born in a small town in Kambia District North-West region of Sierra Leone. KKY had his secondary school education at Christ the King College later enrolled at Njala University to pursue a degree in Agriculture General

Dr. Yumkella was the former director general of the United Nation Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) for eight(8) years.  Prior to his appointed he has held many positions in the united  Nations including, special adviser to the director general of UNIDO then Mauricio de Maria campos, chair of UN-Energy , Special Representative for sustainable Energy for all initiative and many more. He worked in the UN for more than 20 years, during his stay in the UN his ideas and knowledge on renewable energy has helped transformed and addressed the problem of many nations across the globe. The UN sustainable Energy for all initiative was achieved as the result of the massive contributions of KKY. Throughout his stay in UN he championed many development project relating to Energy, Climate and Environment.

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Outside the UN, KKY has worked as a university professor in Michigan State University and University of Illinois. His outstanding work to salvage the problem of unsustainable

energy supply affecting nations and states on the globe brought him many laurels, medals and awards from institutions, nations and individual groups. Some of his notable awards includes, but not limited to, 2008 Champion of Youth Award, 4th World Youth Congress in Quebec City, Canada, 2012 United Nations Association (UNA-USA) Global Leadership Award, for the leadership he has provided to strengthen the United Nations, Madhuri and Jagdish N. Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Commander of the National Order of Côte d’Ivoire and many more.

4. Dr. David Moinina Sengeh (1989-present) – Biological/Medical Engineering

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Dr. David Moinina Sengeh is a Sierra Leonean born in 1989 in the southern region of Sierra Leone. He is presently the Chief Innovator Officer (CIO) at the Directorate of Science Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and  Minister of Basic and Secondary School Education (MBSSE).He had his college education at the UWC Red cross Nordic College in Norway. He later enrol in Harvard University to pursue a bachelor of science in Biological Engineering and he further his education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for his post graduate studies.

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At MIT lab, Dr. Sengeh did a magnificent job to solve the problem of amputees creating a prosthetic socket with the aid of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 3D-Printing that are cost effective and comfortable. His new innovation help amputees to move around comfortably without no side effect and this earned him a lot of accolades and popularity. In 2014 he appeared on Forbes 30 under 30 list under technology for his achievement. His passion to mitigate the problem of amputees as a result of the Civil War in Sierra Leone attracted the attention of the president of the Republic of Sierra Leone His Excellency the president Julius Maada Bio. In 2018, the Directorate of Science Technology and Innovation (DSTI) was created under the office of the president with supervision from the ministry of Education.

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Dr. Sengeh has won many awards from different institutions in the world. He was named a TED fellow in 2014, delivering a talk titled the sore problem of prosthetic limbs in 2014. In the same he was awarded Lemelson-MIT prize for his innovation in healthcare and he was selected as one of the Face2Face Africa’s young African committed to Excellency.

3. Prof. Monty Patrick Jones (1951-present) – Agriculture (Nerica Rice)

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Prof. Monty Jones is a Sierra Leonean plant breeder, former government minister, researcher and educator. He was born in Freetown western Sierra Leone. He obtained a B.Sc. in Agriculture from Njala University College in 1974, followed by Master of Science in plant Genetic resources in 1979 and a Ph.D. in Plant Biology in 1983 from the University of Birmingham, UK.

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  Nerica RIce Farm

Prof. Monty Jones has worked in many agricultural research institutes in the world especially in Africa. Prof. Jones has spent more than 30 years working as a plant breeder starting from Sierra Leone his home Country unto international level. He has worked in institutions like FARA, IITA/USAID Cameroon rice program as coordinator and the West African Rice Development Association (WARDA) as a principal breeder. It was in WARDA that he led a team that successfully crossed breed the Asian and African rice species (Oryza sativa and oryza glaberrima) producing the high-yield NERICA rice a three (3) months rice for Africa in collaboration with other Scientists from Asian, Europe and USA.

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  Prof Monty Jones of Forum for Agriculture Research in Africa speaks during the African green Revolution Forum closing ceremony on September 4, 2010 at the Accra international conference centre in Ghana.AFP PHOTO/ ISSOUF SANOGO (Photo credit should read ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP via Getty Images)

His contribution into solving the problem of food in Africa earned him an international recognition and series of awards. In 2001, prof. Jones received the National order of Merit of Cote d’Ivoire. In 2004 he also received the world food prize for his contribution in developing NERICA and in 2007 Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential persons in the world.

2. Dr. John Albert Musselman Kerefa-Smart (1915-2010) – Medicine

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Dr. John Kerefa-Smart was a Sierra Leonean, Medical doctor, public speaker, University professor and politician. He was born in a small town called Rotifunk, Moyamba district southern region of Sierra Leone.  As his named implies, John Kerefa-Smart is regarded as one of most intelligent Sierra Leoneans ever lived and he is regarded by many people as a genius. He did his secondary school education at the Albert Academy and he received his BA from Fourah Bay College in Freetown in 1936. He later moved to the USA to further his studies and in 1940 he received his BS from Otterbein College, Ohio USA. He then moved to McGill University in Montreal, where he received his MD and CM in 1944 and Diploma in Tropical medicine in 1945. And finally in 1948 he received his MPH from Harvard University in Boston.

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Dr. Kerefa-Smart was an intelligent and a successful medical doctor. He worked in renowned Medical intuitions and organisations in the world. He was a former assistant director general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) from 1965 to 1970. He has also served as a member of the Queen’s council (QC) and he was the first Black doctor assigned to the Queen of England.

He was a fellow or professor of many colleges and universities in  the world including Harvard University, Boston University, Howard University, Wellesley University, University of Louisiana, Columbia University,  University of Ibadan Nigeria many more.

1. Prof. Davidson Sylvester Hector Willoughby Nicol (1924-1994) – Insulin

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Prof. Nicol was a Sierra Leonean Scientist, Educator, Writer, Physician, and a Diplomat. He was born in Bathurst, Freetown. He enrolled at Fourah Bay College and later studied on scholarship at King’s College, University of Cambridge graduating with a BA in natural science in 1947. He was the first black African to graduate with first class-honours. He got a medical degree is from London Hospital Medical College.

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In 1960, Prof Nicol published two works on the topic; The Mechanism of Action of Insulin and The Structure of Human Insulin and he was the first scientist to do so. Prof. Nicol was a prominent writers his writings are described as one of the best from Africa, some of his writings includes; Africa, A Subjective View, Two African Tales,The Truly Married Woman, and Other Stories and Creative Women. He served many universities as a professor and administrated head including University of South Carolina, University of Ibadan, University of California, Fourah Bay College and King’s College. He was the first black African to be named as fellow/professor at Cambridge University and he was the first native Principal of Fourah Bay College (FBC) for 8 years, he was also appointed as the first Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sierra Leone (USL).

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Prof. Nicol also served in key positions in the UN including; Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations under Austrian Kurt Waldheim, while he was serving as the under-Secretary –General, Nicol also served as head of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).  He once served as president of the United Nations Security Council in 1970.

After retiring from the international scene, Prof. Nicol was appointed as the first Permanent Secretary of Sierra Leone to the United Nations. He was also at one point ambassador of Sierra Leone to Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Prof. Nicol is one of the most decorated academician from Africa. The legacy of Dr. Nicol  is unmatched in Sierra Leone Academic system.

sources: wilkipedia, and prabook.

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