A major internal uprising is unfolding at Njala University as a group of academic staff has come forward with serious corruption and misconduct allegations against Dr. Brima Gegbeh, President of the Academic Staff Association (ASA-NU); and his associate, Mr. Abu-Bakarr Sheriff.
In a strongly worded statement, the “Authenticated Concerned Academic Staff of Njala University” accused the two-man ASA-NU leadership of gross financial mismanagement, constitutional violations, and authoritarian practices. They claim the duo has weaponized the association for personal and political gain, undermining transparency, accountability, and democratic governance.
At the center of the allegations is a pattern of unaccounted funds. According to the statement, over NLe 30,000 collected monthly from staff in dues is not properly accounted for. The group also highlighted the misappropriation of proceeds from university assets, including a campus water business and government-donated buses. These funds, they claim, have been diverted without the consent or knowledge of the wider association membership.
Further financial misconduct includes unapproved bank loans taken in the name of the association, without the backing of the general assembly. These moves, according to the concerned staff, expose ASA-NU to serious financial liabilities and violate the organization’s financial procedures and constitution.
Beyond the alleged corruption, the group condemned Dr. Gegbeh’s use of ASA-NU as a personal platform. They claim he unilaterally declared strike actions, neglected the association’s role in salary negotiations, and took up a deanship position while still serving as ASA President—a direct violation of the association’s rules on conflict of interest.
The statement also criticized Mr. Sheriff’s role in enabling what the group called a “kleptocratic partnership” that has turned ASA-NU into a “theater of absurdity.” Together, the pair is accused of intimidating dissenting voices, suppressing democratic participation, and making unauthorized representations on behalf of the association—including a controversial letter to the Parliamentary Committee on Tertiary and Higher Education, which called for the retirement of Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma.
The group was clear: that letter did not represent the views of the wider academic staff and was never discussed or endorsed by any legitimate ASA-NU plenary session.
Describing the current leadership as “the most corrupt and autocratic in ASA-NU history,” the statement portrays Dr. Gegbeh and Mr. Sheriff as a leadership duo operating in secrecy, driven by personal ambition and financial benefit.
While the statement called for the immediate resignation of Dr. Gegbeh and a complete overhaul of the ASA-NU executive, it also reaffirmed strong support for Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma, the Vice-Chancellor who was commended for his transformative leadership, marked by institutional reform, infrastructure expansion, and academic progress.
The allegations mark a turning point in Njala University’s internal politics, signaling a growing demand for accountability, transparency, and a return to democratic governance within ASA-NU
