By Alhaji Jalloh, Freetown.
Since he assumed power in September 2007, President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma has been receiving gifts from friends and well-wishers as a sign of appreciation for his remarkable leadership.
Last Thursday, the President received another gift; this time an autographed copy of a Sierra Leonean US based author.
Formally presenting Alhaji Dr. Hamid Charm’s "It took a broken leg to go to school,” Information and Communications Minister, Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo told President Koroma at State House that the author is an immaculate Professor who believes that the President should play a pivotal role in disseminating the information in his book.
The Information and Communications Minister, who doubles as the government spokesman, added that, Dr. Charm decided to write a book to chronicle events similar to the way of our lives as Sierra Leoneans. "When this book was presented to me by Dr. Charm’s family members, a couple of days ago, I asured them that it will reach the top level of government."
Kargbo went on to say that, the author strongly holds the view that the African continent has played a major role in world history and cultural heritage, and that his book is rich with cultural norms, historical events and notable leaders and therefore, he deemed it expedient to write about cultural conflicts and social survival among other things.
Before he handed over the book to a family member of Dr. Charm, Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo praised the coordinator of the State House presentation, Sierra Leone’s Press Attache to the Arab Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Alhaji Jalloh who is also the head of Dr. Charm’s publicity team in the United States of America.
The Information Minister told the President that the Press Attache has played a major role in publicizing Dr. Charm’s new literature in reputable media organizations both within and outside the United States.
Handing over the book to the President on behalf of Dr. Charm’s family, former Sierra Leone Ambassador to the US, UN and AU, Ibrahim Mbaba Kamara, said the professor has great respect for President Koroma and believes the President took over the leadership of the country at a very crucial time when the people were desperate for a positive change.
Receiving the book, President Koroma thanked the author for autographing a book in his name and personally sending it to him. He expressed delight about the progress Dr. Cham has made in the US by transforming himself into an immaculate academia.
The President told the audience: “We are proud of Dr. Charm as a nation and for him ascending to the level of writing a history of what the Sierra Leone traditional life is all about. Indeed, I am proud of him and Sierra Leone is proud of him.”
His Excellency the President added: “I want to extend my profound appreciation and congratulation to him on behalf of Sierra Leone for projecting and earning himself academic laurels.”
President Koroma promised that he would find time to see Dr. Charm whenever he pays an official visit to the US.
Also gracing the presentation ceremony at State House were intimate friends of Dr. Charm, which include the former NaCSA Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Justin Buya Bangura, who is now Director of CORD/SL, and retired Fairfax County worker, Hassan Hamid Kamara. Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Dr. Minkailu Bah has also received a copy of Dr. Charm’s book yesterday.
About The Book
In his book, Dr. Charm dealt with cultural conflicts and offers readers an odyssey through a maze of raw African tribal beliefs, customs and practices.
Since ancient times, Africa has played a major role in world history and cultural heritage. It is rich with extensive cultural norms, important historical events and notable leaders. In the new book It Took a Broken Leg: To go to School, authored by Dr. Hamid Charm, an engaging tale about cultural conflicts and social survival in Africa is set to begin.
It Took a Broken Leg follows the life and fortunes of Mawudor, a young, brilliant, and talented boy born to an ultraconservative Muslim father. Mawudor was born at a time when Western education was making headway into the town of Dubayabia. His father, Mordibor, a Tukulor and devout Muslim, had serious concerns about Western education as well as traditional African practices such as secret societies.
He did not want his sons to be ’infested’ with the baneful influence of either foreign culture or African secret societies. For him, Western education meant the dissolution of the Tukulor culture and language.
The novel explores the immense struggles, aspirations, and fears of both individuals and community when cultures come in contact.
It examines the nature of the relationship between Islam and traditional African religion/practices, and between Western education and African cultural practices. It also advances the view that cultural mutual respect is the healthy way to cultural co-existence. It is in defense of an authentic African cultural identity existing side by side with other cultures without being denigrated.
This is a story worth reading especially at a time when the pressure is on Africa to show what it owns, and what it can contribute to the global cultural calabash.
About the Author
Dr. Alhaji Hamid Charm was born in 1945 in Kambia Town in Sierra Leone, West Africa. After completing his Elementary and Secondary education in Kambia, he gained admission to Njala University College, a constituent college of the University of Sierra Leone in 1967.
Upon graduating in 1971, Dr. Charm took a teaching appointment at his Alma Mater, Kolenten Secondary School Kambia where he taught Geography, English Language, Literature in English, and also formed the school’s first drama group, the Kolenten Drama Group that staged his popularly acclaimed play, Dance of the Witches a social satire.
In 1974, Dr. Charm left Kolenten and took up appointment as Principal of the National Commercial Secondary School in Magburaka in Sierra Leone.
In January 1980, Dr. Charm proceeded to the United States of America under the African Graduate Fellowship Program, AFGRAD to do the Master of Science degree in Education at the University of Rochester in New York. For the love he has for his country and the desire for others to benefit from what he acquired in the US, he returned upon completing his program in June 1981 and took up appointment in the Ministry of Education in Freetown as a guidance and counseling officer.
While at the Ministry, Dr. Charm was seconded to the Milton Margai Teachers College, Goderich for two years as Senior Assistant Registrar. He reverted to his position at the Ministry of Education and was promoted Inspector of Secondary Schools in 1987.
But with the penchant he has for bagging more qualifications, the erudite Dr. Charm returned to the US and added to his academic treasure a Doctorate Degree in Education at the University of Rochester in New York under an AFGRAD Fellowship. Upon graduating, he took up a counseling position in the Rochester City School District in 1993.
Dr. Charm and his family now live in Rochester, New York where he works.
Photo: President Koroma(left) receiving the book from Dr. Charm.
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