The University of Sierra Leone has announced the appointment of Mrs. Elizabeth Lucy Alberta Kamara (née Kamanda) as the new Assistant Deputy Vice Chancellor of Fourah Bay College (FBC), marking another milestone in her distinguished academic and administrative career.

Mrs. Kamara, an accomplished scholar, poet, and educator, becomes one of the few women to ascend to such a senior academic leadership position in the history of the University. Her appointment is widely celebrated as a testament to her decades of dedication to higher education, literary excellence, and mentorship.

She previously served as Head of the Department of Language Studies at FBC, making her the first female to hold that envious position. Over the years, she has contributed immensely to the development of English and Literature studies at the College and beyond, inspiring countless students and colleagues through her teaching, mentorship, publications, and leadership.

Mrs. Kamara holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in English Language and Literature and a Master’s Degree in English, both from Fourah Bay College, where she graduated among the top of her class. She has authored several poetry collections and academic papers, including African Literature Today, Leononnahator, The Literature of Contemporary Sierra Leone, and Revista Prometheo.

Her creative works have gained continental recognition. The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) adopted her poem ‘New Tongue’ for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) English Literature syllabus (2026–2030), making her the first Sierra Leonean female poet to achieve such distinction. Two of her other poems, ‘Create a New Sierra’ and To Cross for a Daughter, have also been recommended for study across Anglophone West Africa.

Beyond academia, Mrs. Kamara is a respected literary activist and community leader. She is a member of the African Literature Association, World Poetry Movement, Sierra Leone Writers’ Guild, and Conservation Society of Sierra Leone. She also founded the Poetry Reading Club at Fourah Bay College, mentoring young writers to embrace the power of words and storytelling.

Her leadership and service have earned her numerous accolades, including the Academic Staff Association Award for Lecturer of the Year (2021) and recognition from the Sierra Leone National Book Fair Committee. She also serves as Executive Director of the Jar of Flour Charity Organization (JaFCO), a non-profit she founded in 2023 to support women, children, and vulnerable families through education and empowerment initiatives.

In her new role as Assistant Deputy Vice Chancellor, Mrs. Kamara is expected to continue championing academic excellence, inclusivity, and institutional growth at Fourah Bay College – Africa’s oldest university college. Her appointment, colleagues say, reflects her unwavering commitment to scholarship, mentorship, and service to humanity.