1. Sierra Leonean Statesman
2. Academic Career
3. Political Career
4. International Role
5. Return to Sierra Leone

Sierra Leonean Statesman

Early Life and Education

John Bangura was born in Sierra Leone and belonged to the Sherbro ethnic group. He obtained a Bachelor's degree from Fourah Bay College in 1936 and subsequently earned degrees from Otterbein College (USA) in 1940, McGill University (Canada) in tropical medicine in 1945, and Harvard University (USA) in 1948.

Academic Career

Bangura held positions as a faculty member or lecturer at various institutions worldwide, including Bunumbu Union Teachers Training College (Sierra Leone), University of Ibadan (Nigeria), and several American universities such as Xavier University (Louisiana), Columbia University, Harvard University, Boston University, Wellesley College, and Howard University.

Political Career

Entering politics in 1957, Bangura was elected to Parliament and held various ministerial positions, including Minister of Lands, Mines, and Labor and Minister of Defense. From 1961 to 1964, he served as Sierra Leone's first Minister of Foreign Affairs.

International Role

From 1965 to 1970, Bangura served as Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.

Return to Sierra Leone

In 1996, Bangura returned to Sierra Leone and was elected to Parliament. He ran for the presidency in both 1996 and 2002 but was unsuccessful.

Politics