Meet Sierra Leone’s true friend … a scientist, academician & diplomat
Prof. Dr. Ekmeledin Ihsanoglu is a mild-mannered scientist, diplomat and academic who served as the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) from 2004-14. (Photo: Hon. Theo Nicol (r) having audience with Dr. Inshaglou )
It’s the second largest Inter Governmental Organization after the UN. After completing his Ph.D. studies at Ankara University, Turkey in 1974, he did his post-doctoral research from 1975 to 1977 as a research fellow at the University of Exeter, the United Kingdom. He served as a faculty member in faculties of science and then became the first professor and founding Head of the Department of History of Science at the Istanbul University.
The learned Doctor is also the first by-vote-elected Secretary of the OIC. When he took the office as the ninth Secretary General in January 2005, he provided strong leadership to the 57 member states organization and espoused the cause of the Muslim world in difficult times.
On various occasions in the past, he proposed measures to strengthen world peace and to forge solidarity among the global Muslim community. He took serious steps to make the OIC as an effective organization. His effort to strengthen the OIC was lauded by many heads of state, including Sierra Leone’s President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma. He met the later in June, 2011. It was be the first ever visit to Sierra Leone by the head of the 57-member pan-Islamic organization since its inception in 1969.
Dr. Inshaglou talking about President Koroma to Saudi Press Attache
During the meeting, President Koroma and the former OIC top gun held discussions on developing and strengthening the existing multi-lateral ties between the Sierra Leone Government and the OIC with its affiliated institutions and specialized organs. Two months after their meeting, I met the Turkish Diplomat in the Gabonese capital, Libreville (both of us in photo) where he spoke highly of President Koroma. “I admire your President very much,” he told me among many other positive things about the President.
Last year, Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Information and Communications, Theo Nicol was in Saudi Arabia on an official visit. During his three days stay in the Kingdom, he paid a courtesy call on the former Secretary General and they held very fruitful discussions.
The Secretary General described Sierra Leone’s democracy as “unique” to the Minister and noted that the 17th November 2012 multi-tier elections were an “honourable victory for all Sierra Leoneans which they must be proud of”.
The former head of the 57 member states organization also said Sierra Leone proved to the international community that its democracy was advancing beyond all reasonable doubts by conducting four categories of elections on the same day – Presidential, Parliamentary, Chairman/Mayoral and Councillorship elections, under a peaceful and violence free environment. “We sent observers and they came with very positive and impressive reports about the conduct of the elections; which is very good for a country,” Prof. Ihsanoglu said.
He also commended President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma for the development strides he made during his first five years. He recalled the two meetings he had with President Koroma in Sierra Leone and in the USA.
“The first time I met your President was in Freetown and the other was in the USA at a special luncheon at the UN Headquarter premises in New York organized for a few of us by President Barack Obama during the 2011 UN General Assembly.” Professor Ishanglou told Sierra Leone’s Deputy Information Chief.
The Turkish born Secretary General added: “Both meetings with your President proved to me that he’s a democrat who is ready to transform Sierra Leone and I observe that he’s a leader who cares for his people.”
Well, last Sunday the Professor took part in his country’s first direct election as the main opposition candidate challenging Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister, but he was defeated. Erdogan took more than 50 percent of the vote, according to Turkey’s election board.
In a brief statement to reporters in Istanbul just after he lost the election, Ihsanoglu said: “I congratulate Mr. Prime Minister and wish him success”. As a matter of fact, this is what is expected of true politicians – accept defeat and congratulate the winner, particularly in free and fair elections like the just concluded one in Turkey.
During his tenure as OIC Chief, Dr. Ekmeledin supported a Trust-Fund to assist the Government of Sierra Leone with its post war reconstruction program, among many other projects across the country. He’s a true friend of Sierra Leone !! Thank you, Professor and congratulations to the President -Elect.
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