By Ishmael Sallieu Koroma

Leading contender and presidential hopeful in the upcoming Fourah Bay College Students ‘ Union Elections, Salamatu Kakay has on Thursday 25th August told an adoring crowd that when elected president, students will experience a new path to liberation, a liberation that speaks life to the changes students at Aureol dearly needed.

Addressing her colleagues at the famous Adjai Crowther Amphitheatre grounds on FBC campus, she added that the path to liberation infuses collective hope and aspirations of the general studentship of their great university thus urging students about the need to divorce themselves from the politics of orthodoxy and embrace “the new path to Liberation”.

‘’The path to Liberation will unify and solidify the strength and depth of the true meaning and ideals of student unionism, against the diabolic agenda of student separatism that is enveloped in the mantra of “chosen few”. The new path to liberation predicates its desire to transform our great university and restore the sanctity of its lost glory. A path that speaks to the practical solutions in contrast to issues of integrity and accountability,’’ she said.

Salamatu Kakay said that she knows that the task she has taken upon herself to help restore the lost glory at the university is a difficult one, one that will not be done through a simplistic approach to the ordeals that beset the college student union but said with the firmest belief that the answers lie in everyone’s collective ability and commitment to solving them, thus serving as her strongest motivation.

‘’In view thereof, my team and I have tailored, streamed, and inexplicably narrowed down the solutions to the problems that are damaging to the needs of the general studentship of FBC into six (8) pillars of development. These pillars of development are herein referred to as the “The Path to Liberation”. These pillars are arranged into sectors but are not limited to the following: Education, Transportation, communication, health and sanitation, infrastructure, ICT, transparency, Infrastructure and security, and accountability, promoting social activities, and enhancing cohesion and cultural diversity,’’ Miss Salamatu Kakay noted.

The presidential hopeful added, that the problems facing the university are manifold, they are issues every student of Fourah Bay College can attest to be true and evident stating every student has collectively suffered the injustice of having to re-sit modules due to missing grades every academic year.

‘’We have collectively suffered the grave and adverse effects of an inefficient transport system. We have collectively suffered from the grossly dysfunctional state of our health facilities, even when our composite fees account for medical insurance. This manifesto lays the platform for students’ liberation on campus, thus, it is a student-centered manifesto,’’ the presidential hopeful lamented.

Commenting on the transportation issue, the third-year law student added, that there is no doubt that 95% of the general students are non-residents on campus, thus stating the need for transportation cannot in any way be overemphasized, stressing that transportation has been a perennial problem for students not residing on campus.

‘’Most students do miss early classes because of the motion-less queue at the model. The buses, which we had, are no longer in existence because of mismanagement; thus, has affected hugely the mobility of students’’

‘’My administration will endeavor to ensure that the required platform is created for students to explore their skills and utilize them to maximum benefit, to create a career path for their success in society after university. Thus, it is fitting to have a well-structured creative arts multi-purpose studio, which can serve as a platform to promote talent. My leadership will partner with History and African Studies and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to launch between December 7th- 15th, what will be known as FBC Culture-Fest, which will be a one-week event showcasing multiple activities that will be climaxed with an award ceremony for various categories of participants,’’ the presidential hopeful Kakay lamenting on her plan on social activities on campus.

The Child Activist went on to say that sport meets should never be canceled in an academic year adding not only will her government ensure that it holds, but said they will also work with the Ministry of Sports, Games and Sports Department, FBC, and the Administration to have sports included as part of student’s academic work thus saying, it helps in building a healthy lifestyle and further contributes to national laurels by having exceptional students participating in International competitions.

The Presidential hopeful called on students to give her their votes, as she will bring in a new path to liberation that will bring changes to the lives of students.

On his part, a final year law student Hymanson Johnson said on the 26th of July, he was opportune to introduce the Presidential hopeful Madam Salamatu Kakay to the general populace of Aureol, a moment he said ‘’gladdens his heart.’

‘’I will say that it gladdens my heart because she has proven beyond expectations. She indeed has made me become a believer in the feminist movement and subscribe to the quotation of Margret Thatcher, which says “In politics if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.” Ladies and gentlemen men, some questions have been asked but our opponents have refused to answer them, and based upon that we shall and will not vote for any candidate who is involved in academic fraud, nor will we vote for a candidate who conspired to embezzle our 100Million Dinner funds,’’ he said.

Johnson called on his fellow students to vote for Miss Salamatu Kakay whilst encouraging them to vote for a candidate with an unblemished character, and one who is willing to serve the student with her heart and mind.