By George M.O. Williams
The late Professor Kosonike Koso -Thomas was laid to rest on Friday, March 31, 2023, after a well-attended befitting funeral service at the Wesley Methodist Church, Lamina Sankoh Street, Freetown. He died on March 14, 2023.
Professor Koso – Thomas was laid to rest at the Kingtom Cemetery. He was also given a civic laying out which was attended by the Vice President Dr Juldeh Jalloh at the Freetown City Council hall.
The 91-year-old was an engineer, artist and painter. He was the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone. He served as Visiting Scientist to the University of Illinois, and later in 1980 he visiting Professor at University of California (Berkley).
He was the former chairman of the African Network of Scientific and Technological Institutions (ANSTI). He was also a former member of the UNESCO committee of higher education; and served as external examiner in Civil Engineering to Universities in Makerere, Zambia, Kenya, and Leeds.
He published several technical papers in Civil Engineering and several more in National Development Strategies for National Technical Development. He received several awards and honours including the Palmes Academique from France, and Member of the Republic of Sierra Leone (MRSL).
He was a fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Great Britain, and of the Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers. As an author, he was an accomplished author of biographies, short stories, anthologies, novels, and poems.
A family member, Arthur Johnson described him as humble and respectful personality, attributes which he derived from his Christian upbringing.
He added that Professor Koso – Thomas loved to excel which had manifested in all his career life.