By Alimamy Conteh
The Old Princewalean Association Fourah Bay College Chapter (OPWA-FBC), on Thursday 3rd February 2023, formally opened the OPWA-FBC Royal Garden and commissioned the newly appointed Executive at Fourah Bay College, Mount Aureol.
This historical event was graced by a barrage of Princewaleans on campus and members of the national OPWA Chapter. The flamboyant event, started with a procession of Old Princewaleans and National OPWA executives followed by the Prince of Wales Brass Band performance from the FBC Airport to the location of the Royal Garden, singing the school song and ended with the unveiling of the plaque and auction of Royal Tables at the Garden. The construction of the Royal Garden started in 2020 and was formally opened in 2023, reviving a life-long pride and joy for Princewaleans at Fourah Bay College.
Making a statement at the formal opening of the Royal Garden and installation of the new executives, the former President of OPWA-FBC, Algassimu Barrie-BA Esq. said he is overwhelmed with joy and pride as his promise to construct a Garden for old PrinceWaleans on the campus of Fourah Bay College has been achieved. 
“When I took over the mantle of leadership from Prezo Sulaiman Bah, whenever we want to have our meetings as an Association on campus we had to write the heads of other Associations for their permission to use their garden and if they were not informed about that gathering they will drive us away from their garden and tell us to go and construct ours if we could. It was shameful and heart-rending for us then. So I took it upon myself as President together with my executive to ensure that Prince of Wales had a Royal Garden at Fourah Bay College”, said Mr. Barrie-BA. He pleaded with the incoming executives to maintain the Royal Garden as maintenance is key to durability of the Garden.
The Guest Speaker at the epoch-making event, Robert Starsser-King thanked students and the current executive for the tremendous work they have done to ensure that such a massive Royal structure has been constructed at Fourah Bay College.
“When Algassimu approached me some years ago about this project, he was just a young timid OPWA-FBC President then, whose dream was to construct a garden for Princewaleans on campus,” said Mr. Strasser-King. He emphasized on the responsibility of the incumbent executives to maintain this beautiful garden in a country which does not have a maintenance culture.
Making a statement on behalf of the OPWA national body, Alhaji Dauda Musa Bangura the Vice-President II of OPWA National Chapter admonished the bold step taken by young Princewaleans at Fourah Bay College to ensure that the school has a Royal Garden on the shores of Fourah Bay College and a strong and vibrant executive to man the affairs of the Association. He added that the OPWA National Chapter will continue to support the OPWA-FBC Chapter in whatever ever project they embark on.
The newly-inaugurated President of OPWA-FBC James Sanu in his inaugural speech praised Mr. Algassimu Barrie-BA Esq. and the OPWA national executives for their tremendous support to the Oversight Committee to ensure the completion of the Royal Garden, “as this is another bold step in ensuring that our Prince of Wales School is continually great.” 
He stated that despite the different ideologies of Princes on campus, they should endeavor to put the interest of the school first. “One thing that will kill the Association is our ideologies, be a Princewalean not a Black or a White man. You did not come to Fourah Bay College under the ticket of a Black or White entity, but that of your school. So put Prince of Wales first”, said Mr. Sanu. He urged Princewaleans on campus to throw in their support to the new executives and they will work for the betterment of the Association.
