A growing number of academic staff at Njala University have issued a strong response to recent calls for the retirement of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma. Describing the move as “misguided, malicious and self-serving,” the group denounced what they referred to as an orchestrated smear campaign led by a discredited faction within the university’s Academic Staff Association (ASA-NU).
In a detailed statement released this week, the “Authenticated Concerned Academic Staff of Njala University” slammed the legitimacy and integrity of the ASA-NU leadership, describing it as a two-man regime led by Dr. Brima Gegbe and Mr. Abu-Bakarr Sheriff. The statement claims that this duo has “slithered under the skin” of the Union of Academic Staff Associations (UASA) of Sierra Leone in a desperate bid to cling to power through intimidation, unilateralism, and financial misconduct.
According to the statement, the current ASA-NU leadership has operated in defiance of democratic principles, citing instances of alleged embezzlement, unapproved bank loans, and manipulation of staff dues and university resources. “Over NLe 30,000 is collected monthly from staff and yet unaccounted for,” the group alleged, adding that the proceeds from a water business and government-donated buses have been misappropriated.
In what they describe as the “most autocratic and corrupt ASA-NU leadership in the history of the university,” the concerned academic staff claim that Dr. Gegbe has declared strikes without consulting the wider membership, ignored mandates for salary negotiations, and used his position for personal gain—including securing deanship while simultaneously serving as ASA President, a move that contravenes the association’s constitution.
The group also took issue with the ASA-NU leadership’s unauthorized letter to the Parliamentary Committee on Tertiary and Higher Education, calling for the VC’s retirement. “That letter does not represent the views of the academic staff,” the statement reads. “It was neither discussed nor endorsed by any plenary of ASA-NU.”
In their sharpest criticism yet, the group described Dr. Gegbe’s leadership as “a toxic reign” characterized by “kleptocracy, intimidation, constitutional violations, and governance opacity.” They argue that his actions have severely damaged the credibility of ASA-NU and turned the association into “a theater of absurdity.”
Defending the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, the statement lauded Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma’s transformative leadership at Njala University. They cited achievements in institutional reform, infrastructural growth, and academic progress. “Alhaji Professor Bashiru M. Koroma deserves support, not baseless attacks,” the statement emphasized.
The group concluded by calling for a complete overhaul of the ASA-NU leadership, urging a return to democratic norms and integrity. “The tenure of Professor Koroma should be judged on his merits—not on the whims of a defunct and self-serving clique,” they stated.
As tensions continue to unfold, this development underscores a growing internal demand for accountability within ASA-NU, and a broader resolve among university staff to defend principled leadership and institutional progress.
