Alpha Kanu
Encyclopedia
Alhaji Alpha Sahid Bakar Kanu is a Sierra Leonean politician and the current Sierra Leone minister of Presidential and Public Affairs. He is also the official spokesman of the All People's Congress
(APC) political party, a position he has held even before the APC came to power. Kanu is one of the closest and most trusted aide to president Ernest Bai Koroma
.
Kanu had served in the Parliament of Sierra Leone from Port Loko District
from 2002 until 2007. He is a mining engineer by profession. He graduated with a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in geophysics from the University of Nottingham
in the United Kingdom
.
in the Northern Province
of Sierra Leone
of Loko
and Temne parentage. Kanu attended the St. Francis Secondary in Makeni and graduated as a Science student. Upon graduation, he attended Fourah Bay College
in Freetown
and later proceeded to the University of Nottingham
in the United Kingdom
where he received a Master of Philosophy
(M.Phil) in geophysics
.
for about four years, before he proceeded to lecture
at the Fourah Bay College in Freetown.
After he left his lecturing profession, Kanu was appointment as head of the department of commercial enterprises where he worked for four years.
from his home district of Port Loko
in the 2002 Sierra Leone Parliamentary Election
. He won the seat as a member of the opposition All People's Congress
(APC). While in Parliament Kanu was one of the fierce critics of Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
lead Sierra Leone People's Party
(SLPP) government. Kanu was one of the most senior members of the APC to publicly declare his support for Ernest Bai Koroma during Koroma battle with long time APC leader Edward Turay for the APC Leadership in 2002. When Koroma was stripped off the APC leadership by the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone
in 2005, Kanu spoke against the members of the party that took the case to the supreme court and fought very hard for Koroma to again win the APC leadership. He was the spokesman of the APC, then an opposition party during the 2007 election.
All People's Congress
The All People's Congress is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, the other is the Sierra Leone People's Party . The party was founded in 1960 by Pa Mucktarru Kallay, Allieu Badarr Koroma,Alhaji Sheik Gibril Sesay C A Kamara-Taylor, S A T Koroma and Abu Bakarr S Bangura...
(APC) political party, a position he has held even before the APC came to power. Kanu is one of the closest and most trusted aide to president Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma is the fourth and current President of Sierra Leone. He was sworn in as President on 17 September 2007 at the State House in the capital Freetown, shortly after being declared the winner of a tense run-off in the 2007 Sierra Leone presidential election with 54.6% of the vote over...
.
Kanu had served in the Parliament of Sierra Leone from Port Loko District
Port Loko District
Port Loko District is the most populous district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone with a population of 489,488 Its capital is Port Loko and the largest city is Lunsar...
from 2002 until 2007. He is a mining engineer by profession. He graduated with a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in geophysics from the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Early life and education
Alhaji Alpha Sahid Bakar Kanu was born in Port Loko DistrictPort Loko District
Port Loko District is the most populous district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone with a population of 489,488 Its capital is Port Loko and the largest city is Lunsar...
in the Northern Province
Northern Province
Northern Province or North Province may refer to:*North Province *Far North Province, Cameroon*North Kazakhstan Province*Northern Province, Rwanda*North Province, New Caledonia*Northern Province, Papua New Guinea...
of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
of Loko
Loko people
The Loko are one of the indigenous ethnic groups in Sierra Leone. They speak a Mande language that is also called Loko. The majority of the Loko people live in or around the capital city of Freetown and in the Northern Province of the country, particularly in Port Loko District. The Loko were among...
and Temne parentage. Kanu attended the St. Francis Secondary in Makeni and graduated as a Science student. Upon graduation, he attended Fourah Bay College
Fourah Bay College
Fourah Bay College is the oldest university college in West Africa. It is located atop Mount Aureol in Freetown, Sierra Leone...
in Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
and later proceeded to the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
where he received a Master of Philosophy
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
(M.Phil) in geophysics
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
.
Career
Upon his return to Sierra Leone, Kanu was employed as a mining engineer at the National Diamond Mining Company (NDMC) based in Kono DistrictKono District
Kono District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Koidu Town. The other major towns in the district include Yengema, Tombodu, Motema, Jaiama-Nimokoro and Sewafe. Kono District is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone.The population of Kono...
for about four years, before he proceeded to lecture
Lecture
thumb|A lecture on [[linear algebra]] at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]]A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history,...
at the Fourah Bay College in Freetown.
After he left his lecturing profession, Kanu was appointment as head of the department of commercial enterprises where he worked for four years.
Political career
In 2002, Kanu ran for a seat in the Parliament of Sierra LeoneParliament of Sierra Leone
The unicameral Parliament of Sierra Leone is the country's legislative body. It is sometimes known as the House of Representatives.The current Parliament, formed following elections held on 14 May 2002, has a total of 124 members. 112 members are directly elected in multi-member constituencies...
from his home district of Port Loko
Port Loko District
Port Loko District is the most populous district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone with a population of 489,488 Its capital is Port Loko and the largest city is Lunsar...
in the 2002 Sierra Leone Parliamentary Election
Sierra Leonean general election, 2002
General elections were held in Sierra Leone on 14 May 2002 to elect a president and parliament. Both votes were won by the Sierra Leone People's Party, whose leader, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, was re-elected as President...
. He won the seat as a member of the opposition All People's Congress
All People's Congress
The All People's Congress is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, the other is the Sierra Leone People's Party . The party was founded in 1960 by Pa Mucktarru Kallay, Allieu Badarr Koroma,Alhaji Sheik Gibril Sesay C A Kamara-Taylor, S A T Koroma and Abu Bakarr S Bangura...
(APC). While in Parliament Kanu was one of the fierce critics of Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah served as President of Sierra Leone from 1996 to 1997 and again from 1998 to 2007.He worked for the United Nations Development Programme and returned to Sierra Leone in 1992...
lead Sierra Leone People's Party
Sierra Leone People's Party
Sierra Leone People's Party is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, along with the All People's Congress .-Formation:...
(SLPP) government. Kanu was one of the most senior members of the APC to publicly declare his support for Ernest Bai Koroma during Koroma battle with long time APC leader Edward Turay for the APC Leadership in 2002. When Koroma was stripped off the APC leadership by the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone
Supreme Court of Sierra Leone
The Supreme Court of Sierra Leone is the highest court in Sierra Leone. It has final jurisdiction in all civil and criminal matters within Sierra Leone and its decisions cannot be appealed...
in 2005, Kanu spoke against the members of the party that took the case to the supreme court and fought very hard for Koroma to again win the APC leadership. He was the spokesman of the APC, then an opposition party during the 2007 election.
Cabinet positions
When Ernest Bai Koroma was elected president in 2007, Kanu was appointed Minister of Presidential and Public Affairs from October 2007 to February 2009 when he was moved to the Ministry of Mineral Resources. In December 2009, Kanu was again appointed Minister of Presidential and Public Affairs.External links
- http://news.sl/drwebsite/exec/view.cgi?archive=5&num=9499
- http://www.thepatrioticvanguard.com/spip.php?article3206
- http://www.thepatrioticvanguard.com/spip.php?article3808
- http://crwepicks.com/?tag=alhaji-alpha-kanu