The Association of Christian Professionals-Sierra Leone (ACP-SL), on Saturday 19th July 2008 commemorated its Third Anniversary and the Launch of its Southern Regional Branch in Bo.  The celebrations which were held at the Methodist Youth Resource Centre in Bo commenced at 10:00am with musical renditions from the New Harvest Choir, with a guest attendance list numbering close to 200, drawn from all works of life from Freetown and the Southern Region.

In his annual report, the ACP-SL Chairman, Joe Abass Bangura, re-echoed the mission of the association which he said was to raise a team of God-dependent men and women all over the country, who would see their professions as a vehicle for serving God and their country through the principles of righteousness, integrity and excellence.

Mr. Bangura asserted that a change of Government does not automatically guarantee the actualisation of our national dreams. Real change he said was the result of an internal transformation of one’s mind birthed by the spirit of God. ‘This internal change’ he said ‘now puts in motion a change of perspectives, attitudes, values and mindset and eventually change in our actions’. He opined that poor leadership, bad governance and corruption, is not only a problem for politicians, but for professionals working in all spheres of life.

Mr. Bangura urged all ACP-SL members and the general public to be ready to make the sacrifices that are required to usher in the needed change to our motherland; sacrifices such as was made by the likes of Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr., who at the detriment of their personal well-being and indeed their life doggedly fought to rid their nations of racial segregation.  

In his keynote speech, the Guest speaker Rev. Dr. Shodankeh Johnson, warmly welcomed ACP-SL to the city of Bo. He said the establishment of ACP-SL in Bo had the potential to affect the lives of professionals positively. ‘However’, he said influencing people is not something that can be done instantaneously as in fast-food restaurants. It is rather a gradual process which involved modeling, motivating, mentoring and multiplying ourselves. Modeling, involves first being the change you want to see and leading by example. Motivating involves praising your subordinates for every achievement they make and not seeing them as threats to your position. By Mentoring, we set the stage to reproduce and multiply ourselves in others.   

Fraternity messages were made by the Sierra Leone Police Force Chaplaincy - Bo, Civil Society Movement, Talking Drum Studios/Independent Radio Network, Women’s Network Sierra Leone and Evangelical Fellowship of Sierra Leone. Rev. Dr. Shodankeh Johnson conducted the formal Launching / Dedication of ACP-SL’s Bo Branch Working Committee.