John Karefa Smart | |
|---|---|
| 1st Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sierra Leone | |
| In office 27 April 1961 – 28 April 1964 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Position Created |
| Succeeded by | Cyril B. Rogers-Wright |
| Leader of the United National People's Party (UNPP) | |
| In office 1996–2002 | |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | Abdul Kady Karim |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Albert Musselman Karefa-Smart 17 May 1915 Rotifunk, Moyamba District, British Sierra Leone |
| Died | 26 August 2010 (aged 95) Freetown, Sierra Leone |
| Resting place | Rotifunk, Moyamba District, Sierra Leone |
| Political party | United National People's Party (UNPP) |
| Spouse | Rena Karefa-Smart |
| Alma mater | Fourah Bay College
Freetown, Sierra Leone Otterbein College
|
| Profession | Medical Doctor |
John Albert Musselman Karefa-Smart (17 June 1915 – 26 August 2010) was a Sierra Leonean politician, medical doctor and university professor. He served as the first Foreign Minister under Sierra Leone's first Prime Minister, Sir Milton Margai. He was an ordained Elder of the United Methodist Church.
A medical doctor by profession, Karefa-Smart was one of the founding fathers of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) in 1951. He was one of Sir Milton Margai's closest political advisors and a close personal friend. From 1957 to 1964, Karefa-Smart was a Member of Parliament of Sierra Leone from Tonkolili District.
After the death of Prime Minister Milton Margai in 1964, Karefa-Smart challenged Albert Margai for the SLPP leadership position, but he was unsuccessful, as Albert won the SLPP leadership and succeeded his brother as Sierra Leone's Prime Minister. Karefa-Smart ultimately left the SLPP and politics overall and moved abroad to continue his professional career.
From 1965 to 1970, Karefa-Smart served as Assistant Director-General to the World Health Organization (WHO). In 1970, he made an unsuccessful bid for the Presidency in Sierra Leone. From there, he returned to Geneva, then migrated to the USA to pursue his career in university teaching, research and public speaking.
In 1996, Karefa-Smart returned to Sierra Leone's politics as the founder of the newly formed United National People's Party (UNPP). He stood as the UNPP candidate in the 1996 presidential election, but he was defeated in the second round election runoff by the SLPP candidate Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.