The Chief’s Diary: The Gobaru Clock Tower – Bridging Vision, Action, Partnership and Learning
This tower in Gobaru- at the entrance of Pujehun, is one of my favorite design concepts for a couple of reasons. Here are five:
1. VISION. The clock tower emanated from the vision of one man – the late Paramount Chief Gbonda. In his first meeting with me as Chief Minister, he had two things to check off his bucket list. a) The completion of the Bandajuma-Pujehun road. b) A clock tower in Gobaru. Today, that road is being finally completed by government and the clock tower is 99% done. I am happy that he saw both of them before he past away a few months ago. I must add that those two priorities also matched the requests of the Pujehun District Council Chairman Mr Foday Rogers (both were campaign promises).
2. DESIGN. I came up with the concept for the design. Unlike others, I wanted this clock tower to be functional and minimalist. It should be a monument, an event space, a cultural center and a tourist attraction all in one. So I sketched it in my notebook and dispatched it to a colleague.
3. LOCAL CONSTRUCTION. The architecture and construction of this tower was done by local Sierra Leoneans. Yes, I gave feedback on the drawings and went back and forth with my collaborators (and the public Pujehun WhatsApp group) but I want to thank the young Sierra Leoneans who did the drawings, incorporated feedback and worked with the road construction folks to deliver an excellent work. Two different companies did the construction.
4. PARTNERSHIP. This project is a classic example of what a good public private partnership should entail (it must match a local developmental need and private sector support.) Africell SL and its CEO Shadi Al-Gerjawi said yes to the project because it was different from what they usually get. It wasn’t about one person’s ego. It was a project that all local actors, and the community wanted. Right through the project development, Africell staff have engaged with respect for culture and respect for tradition. They didn’t push or request for their branding to be all over the structure because they wanted to honor the people of Pujehun. Class act!
5. A CULTURAL AND CIVIC CENTER FOR LEARNING: In Gobaru, every year, the traditional masked devil (Goboi) moves around the town. This tower now might become a spot for people to go and watch the beautiful Goboi dance. It also becomes a space to have public events (can you imagine a musical performance up there?). The inside will be historic and a space for learning. A mural listing all rivers in Pujehun? Why not! A history of all Paramount Chiefs ever in Pujehun? Why not! A somewhat public “museum”? Why not! It’s up to the citizens of Pujehun to decide. Already, everyone entering Pujehun pauses and takes a photo of this iconic building. Yes, it’s shaped like a mosque- Pujehun is an Islamic District and we are proud of it.
This brings me to the next phase of this project- we are looking for an artist to do murals and drawings inside the structure and perhaps around it. We are open to concepts and if you are an artist who wants to be part of this magic, contact me here, contact the Pujehun District Council or contact Africell.
Together #WeWillDeliver!