Cyril Foray
Encyclopedia
Professor Cyril Patrick Foray (16 March 1934 – 31 July 2003) was a Sierra Leonean educator, politician, diplomat and historian.
(APC) party of Sierra Leone. He served as a cabinet minister to Siaka Stevens
.
, Stevens asked for his resignation.
to the Court of St. James's
in London under two governments: Valentine Strasser
's short-lived NPRC military regime and Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
's.
, years of corruption and the astronomical cost of the Sierra Leone Civil War
depleted the financial resources of the government. The office of the Sierra Leone High Commission were located at the exclusive address of 33 Portland Place in Mayfair
. However when Foray took up residence at the 5 story mansion it had fallen in to a state of hazardous disrepair. More than one ceiling had caved in and the Sierra Leonean government was unable to cover the cost of restorations and even the most basic maintenance. Because of the deteriorating state of the property, the landlord threatened to eviction. Before it came to this, Foray decided to downsize and downscale so that he could successfully run the high commission on the limited budget available to him. The remaining 20 years on the lease were sold for £50 000 to Edward Davenport's property development firm Capricorn Investments.
Outraged by the paltry profit from the sale the Sierra Leonean government sued Capricorn Investments and accused Davenport of being a war profiteer. Foray resigned from office on Friday, April 28, 2000. The Sierra Leonean government proceeded to file a suit against him in 2000. However, the government lost both cases when it was proven that Capricorn Investments paid a fair price for the dilapidated 24 room mansion. Professor Foray was cleared of any wrongdoing when the court determined that at the time of the sale the property at 33 Portland Place was in need of several million pounds worth of repairs.
and later became Chancellor.
Public service
Professor Foray was widely considered one of the most respected and accomplished men of his generation. He spent his life serving his country in a variety of roles.Cabinet Minister
Foray was a member of the All People's CongressAll People's Congress
The All People's Congress is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, the other is the Sierra Leone People's Party . The party was founded in 1960 by Pa Mucktarru Kallay, Allieu Badarr Koroma,Alhaji Sheik Gibril Sesay C A Kamara-Taylor, S A T Koroma and Abu Bakarr S Bangura...
(APC) party of Sierra Leone. He served as a cabinet minister to Siaka Stevens
Siaka Stevens
Siaka Probyn Stevens was the 3rd prime minister of Sierra Leone from 1967–1971 and the 1st president of Sierra Leone from 1971–1985. Stevens is generally criticised for dictatorial methods of government in which many of his political opponents were executed, as well as for mismanaging...
.
Foreign Minister
Foray was appointed Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister from 1969 to 1971. After an alleged coup attempt by Foray's close friend Brigadier John BanguraJohn Amadu Bangura
Brigadier John Amadu Bangura was the acting Governor-General of Sierra Leone from 18 April 1968 until 22 April 1968. He led the Sargents Coup in 1968 that successfully re-instated civilian rule in Sierra Leone.- Early life :...
, Stevens asked for his resignation.
High Commissioner to the Court of St. James
He served as the Sierra Leone High CommissionerHigh Commissioner
High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
to the Court of St. James's
Court of St. James's
The Court of St James's is the royal court of the United Kingdom. It previously had the same function in the Kingdom of England and in the Kingdom of Great Britain .-Overview:...
in London under two governments: Valentine Strasser
Valentine Strasser
Valentine Esegragbo Melvine Strasser served as head of state of Sierra Leone from 1992 to 1996. He had been a junior military officer but in 1992, he became the world's youngest Head of State when he seized power three days after his 25th birthday...
's short-lived NPRC military regime and Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah served as President of Sierra Leone from 1996 to 1997 and again from 1998 to 2007.He worked for the United Nations Development Programme and returned to Sierra Leone in 1992...
's.
Real Estate Debacle
By the time Foray arrived at his new post in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, years of corruption and the astronomical cost of the Sierra Leone Civil War
Sierra Leone Civil War
The Sierra Leone Civil War began on 23 March 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front , with support from the special forces of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia , intervened in Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government...
depleted the financial resources of the government. The office of the Sierra Leone High Commission were located at the exclusive address of 33 Portland Place in Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
. However when Foray took up residence at the 5 story mansion it had fallen in to a state of hazardous disrepair. More than one ceiling had caved in and the Sierra Leonean government was unable to cover the cost of restorations and even the most basic maintenance. Because of the deteriorating state of the property, the landlord threatened to eviction. Before it came to this, Foray decided to downsize and downscale so that he could successfully run the high commission on the limited budget available to him. The remaining 20 years on the lease were sold for £50 000 to Edward Davenport's property development firm Capricorn Investments.
Outraged by the paltry profit from the sale the Sierra Leonean government sued Capricorn Investments and accused Davenport of being a war profiteer. Foray resigned from office on Friday, April 28, 2000. The Sierra Leonean government proceeded to file a suit against him in 2000. However, the government lost both cases when it was proven that Capricorn Investments paid a fair price for the dilapidated 24 room mansion. Professor Foray was cleared of any wrongdoing when the court determined that at the time of the sale the property at 33 Portland Place was in need of several million pounds worth of repairs.
Scholar
Foray was always passionate about education and teaching. He was appointed head of the history department at Fourah Bay CollegeFourah Bay College
Fourah Bay College is the oldest university college in West Africa. It is located atop Mount Aureol in Freetown, Sierra Leone...
and later became Chancellor.
Historian
Foray is the author of several history books, including: An Outline of Fourah Bay College History (1827-1977) and The Road to the One-Party State: The Sierra Leone Experience and Historical Dictionary of Sierra Leone.Death
On 31 July 2003, Professor Foray suffered a massive heart attack and died in Freetown, Sierra Leone.Further reading
- An Outline of Fourah Bay College History (1827-1977) by C.P. Foray (Freetown, 1979)
- The Road to the One-Party State: The Sierra Leone Experience by Cyril Foray (Africanus Horton Memorial Lecture, University of Aberdeen, November 9, 1988)