Zainab O. Sheriff, a well-known Sierra Leonean entrepreneur, musician, actress, and political activist, has spoken strongly about the death of Victor Onie Williams and the pain it caused his family, especially his mother, Madam Ebiduni Onie Williams, who passed away recently after years of calling for justice.
Victor Onie Williams, a popular model, fashion figure, and former reality TV contestant, died on December 5, 2024. His death was first described as a medical emergency, but an autopsy later showed that he died from violent injuries. Since then, there have been rumours and public debate linking his death to alleged university fraternity activities, though no court judgment has yet been made public on the matter.
Reacting to the situation on her Facebook page, Zainab O. Sheriff placed strong blame on Fourah Bay College (FBC), which Victor attended. She described the university as part of a wider system that, in her view, allows serious violence among students to go unpunished. According to her, Victor’s death and the suffering of his mother reflect deeper problems within the institution and the way student life is managed.
In her statement, Zainab Sheriff argued that if Victor had not been a student at FBC, he might still be alive today.
Zainab went further to say that the same system she believes failed Victor has also failed the country by shaping leaders who later struggle to govern well. She described FBC as being at the centre of many of Sierra Leone’s long-standing problems.
She also compared what she sees as hidden violence within the university system to other social issues that receive more public attention.
In her words, she called on women and activists who fight against harmful practices like female genital mutilation and drug abuse to also focus on what she believes is happening within universities, especially FBC.
Zainab Sheriff’s statements have evoked mixed reactions on social media platforms. While some people concur with Zainab regarding investigation and change at college institutions, others seem to feel that Zainab’s words are somewhat offensive and that allegations of this kind should be treated cautiously and confirmed after proper investigation and judicial procedures.
One thing that is clear, however, is that the death of Victor Onie Williams, and more recently the death of his mother, has left many Sierra Leoneans not only angry but sad and asking questions. This is an issue that continues to ask questions relating to the safety of students and questions of justice in Sierra Leone’s oldest university.
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“As discussions are ongoing, many citizens are now appealing to the authorities to investigate fully the situation that led to Victor’s death,” said one anonymous citizen.
