By Adeyemi Paul
Witnessing the Kula Samba honorable event on Monday 21 this year, taught me a lot of lessons on how us as human beings can quickly became a lion to one another just because of money and power. It was amazing to listen to some of incredible works this beautiful woman, Miss Kula Samba, rendered to the Olivet College where she graduated and to Sierra Leone her home country.
Miss Kula Samba graduated from the Olivet College in 1973 where she acquired a Bachelor’s Degree and went on to acquire a Master’s Degree in Nursing, she worked in this field for sometime before her return to Sierra Leone.
On this honorable day, Monday 21st this year, Miss Kula Samba was honored in commemoration with the celebration day of the late Dr. Martin Luther King for his work of non-violent protest and peace.
The occasion started at 1:30 p.m. with a candle lighting ceremony at the altar of the Olivet Congregational Church, where Kula Samba’s picture was prominently displayed.
Rev. Michael Fales, a personal friend of Kula Samba whilst she was at Olivet College, introduced Rev. Jack Brown who gave an opening prayer. This was followed with an introduction from Dr. Linda Logan, VP and Dean for student life, who introduced Mr. Maxie C. Jackson, Jr. who contributed a Salute to Dr. King’s life and his protests on peace and integration.
The Olivet College Men’s Quartet then rendered a beautiful anthem on Civil war, called "Tenting Night." The celebration continued with Amnesty International Representative, Ann Varghese, who gave a brief overview on Amnesty International’s background, and the role it plays worldwide.
Another touching anthem, rendered by the Olivet College Chamber singers called "I Dream a World" echoed in the ceiling of the beautiful church.
Rev. Michael Fales then commenced his tribute to Kula Samba. He gave a story on how Kula came to the USA from Sierra Leone in 1971, to a college special to her, and her people. He stated that, Kula was a very special student on campus and was involved in the Church choir, the International Club, and was a Sigma Beta Sister.
Kula lived with a few families whilst at Olivet College, one particular family where she spent most of her time was with Doris Harrington and her family. Doris was the Secretary to the Dean of Students at Olivet College at that time.
"Kula was the first African that I knew personally," Rev. Fales stated! .She had a profound impact on my life. After graduating with a MD of Nursing and obtaining a US citizenship, you would then think she was set for life. She has a very good job and was doing very well for herself. Midst the turmoil in Sierra Leone, Kula felt compelled to leave the USA where she had everything, and decided to return home to help the people of Sierra Leone with her experience. Kula then lived to help the people of her country. She, was appointed as the Minister of Social Welfare, Children and Gender, by President Kabba. To that effect, Samba’s work mostly related to disarming children through a United Nation’s Funded Program. It was during that period of time that Kabba’s administration was overthrown by a Military coup. Kula stayed in Sierra Leone and continued in her role with the United Nations in her work mostly related to children. A year later, Kabba with the aid of Nigerian forces regained power, and that was when the story that began so bright turned ugly.
It was then, Rev. Michael Fales tried to find ways and means to save a good old time friend’s life. "I called upon the State Department in Washington, other government bodies, news media, Human Rights Organization, Amnesty International, and many more organizations, as much as I could, but to no avail."
The only source willing to listen to Rev. Fales’ protest to the execution was the New York Times. "I even went to the extent of collecting letters from her friends and colleagues here in the USA and faxed them to Kabba, but I never got a reply from the former president.
I had lost contact with Kula for a long period of time and it was not until the day her name was mentioned as a lady to be executed, that I started doing a follow up, Rev. Fales lamented! Think of the kindest and gentlest person you have ever known in your life, and think of that person being forcibly tied and shot at close range, that will give you a little idea of what the friends of Kula Samba felt on the day that she was executed..
Rev. Fales, as a Christian, and a man of faith, said he would like to take the opportunity to ask the former president a few questions:
Dear former president Kaba, here are a few questions from a personal friend of the late major Kula Samba, who you executed in October of 1998.
What kind of a leader in a country that is divided by religion commutes the sentences of the Muslims but kills the Christians?
What kind of man are you, President Kabba, that takes a beautiful defenseless woman and ties her to a post and has her shot by close range?
What kind of a leader of a nation that is so desperate for nurses take a woman with the skills Kula Samba had, and takes these skills away knowing they are fully needed in your country?
Rev. Fales then concluded his tribute with the following moving comments, "I use this opportunity to call upon the international community to seek justice for one who can no longer seek it for herself. I ask the Human Right’s Commission to call on President Kabba to hold him accountable for this evil act in October 1998. I am sure President Kabba would like the name of Kula Samba to fade away. Olivet College is 164 years old and the theatre to be named for Kula Samba is in the college library, our most important building on campus. This way the name of Kula Samba will not die, Mr. Kabba, but will live on forever."
Rev. Fales then invited all present to attend the ribbon cutting and dedication of the new Kula Samba Theater.
Rev. Jack Brown closed the ceremony with the words, "We will walk in the life of God."
Outside entrance to the Kula Samba Theatre, Rev. Michael Fales stated that he was pleased to have a few people from Sierra Leone, one in particular, a man who knew and work with Kula, in the SL military, Francis Ken Josiah, Retired military officer, said a few words:
"I met Kula in the Military hospital in Freetown. She was the only senior officer that came to see me. Her kind words of support were encourage able.
"Kula Samba was innocent, a victim of a government whose definition of treason was contrary to the name."
Sierra Express Media (SEM) was invited to say a few words and I, Adeyemi Paul, CEO of SEM, was proud to take the opportunity to state that I knew a little about Kula Samba at that time of her execution, I was there at that unforgettable event when they were all brought out from a military truck and were called upon one at a time to give a last statement, or word, to their family and friends. That was when Kula Samba stepped down from the truck and was singing a song, "We Shall Overcome, We Shall Overcome Someday."
I also thanked the Olivet College for honoring Kula Samba, and keeping her memory alive by naming the beautiful new theatre after her, and dedicating it in memory of her extraordinary life and work.
Credit: Sierra Express Media.
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