Phillip Samuel (Sam) Bangura was the third of four kids born to the late Bishop Thomas Bangura, and Mrs. Regina Bangura. Sam got his initial education in Akron Ohio and New York where both his mom and dad were students in the United States. After his parents graduated and went back to Sierra Leone, Sam continued his primary school education at the Fergusson Street Municipal School, and went to secondary (high) school at the Albert Academy. Whilst in sixth form at the Albert Academy, Sam was appointed senior prefect. During this period, both Sam and Jimmy Kandeh spearheaded the “No College No School” demonstration against the ruling APC party led by the late Siaka Probyn Stevens (An alumnus of the school). This demonstration mushroomed and became a countrywide demonstration (with over 10,000 students participating), and it severely impacted the government, and eventually led to schools closing for a long period while the government and students at the Fourah Bay College came to an agreement on how students should be treated and on how to diffuse the situation.
