By Theresa Moses
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Hon. Dr Haja Ramatulai Wurie, has urged graduates to apply their knowledge to public service, policy development and national progress, drawing on her transition from academic research to government leadership.
Wurie delivered the University of Ilorin’s 41st Convocation Lecture on Friday, October 23, 2026, at the University Auditorium, Ilorin, Kwara State. Her lecture, titled “From Lecture Hall to Cabinet Room: The Journey from Academia to Public Leadership,” examined how academic expertise can shape public policy and produce practical solutions to societal challenges.
She became the first woman to deliver the university’s convocation lecture.
Wurie earned a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Liverpool in 2002, an MSc in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Wolverhampton in 2004, and a PhD in Medicine from the University of Warwick in 2012.
She returned to Sierra Leone in 2013 to join the academic and scientific community at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS), University of Sierra Leone. In 2018, she became a Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry before moving into public leadership.
Reflecting on her decision to return home, she said, “Returning was a decision about where I wanted my knowledge to matter.”
She described her career as a reminder that professional progress does not always follow a predictable path.
“My professional journey did not follow a straight line — and I have learned not to mistake a detour for a delay,” she said.
Drawing on her experience in research and government, the minister emphasised that effective policymaking requires more than statistics. Decision-makers, she said, must consider quantitative evidence, qualitative insights, institutional realities and community experiences.
She warned against reforms that address isolated problems without examining the wider systems responsible for producing them.
“A system produces outcomes through the interaction of its parts. This is why reforms must address bottlenecks, incentives and unintended consequences — not just isolated activities,” she said.
Wurie also acknowledged the pressures of government, where incomplete evidence, limited resources and competing priorities can complicate decisions.
“Evidence is rarely complete. Priorities compete for resources. Decisions are seen and judged. Intentions must become outcomes,” she said.
Wurie highlighted Sierra Leone’s efforts to develop a national admissions architecture informed by Nigeria’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Central Admissions System.
She explained that the objective is not simply to replicate another country’s model, but to adapt relevant lessons to Sierra Leone’s needs and institutional realities.
The process requires coordinated admissions procedures, reliable data, privacy safeguards, accountability and public trust. It must also accommodate applicants with disabilities and students in areas with limited internet connectivity.
“Technology is not the system by itself. People, rules, data, governance and support make it work,” she said.
Her remarks underscored the importance of designing public services around the people who use them, rather than treating digital technology as a solution in isolation.
The minister called for stronger collaboration between universities, government and communities to ensure that research addresses real-world challenges.
She identified universities as important sources of knowledge, innovation, skilled talent, entrepreneurship and policy evidence, arguing that their contribution to development depends partly on how effectively their research informs decisions and improves lives.
“Research capacity is national development capacity. Co-design the questions. Co-lead the work. Share the benefits,” she said.
Wurie encouraged researchers and policymakers to work together from the outset, ensuring that research priorities reflect national needs and that its benefits are shared.
Addressing graduates, she said her move into government had not diminished the value of her academic background. “I did not leave academia behind. I carried it with me.”
She encouraged them to approach their careers with purpose, regardless of the direction they take, and to measure success by the contribution they make to society.
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