By Abdulai Bayraytay in Colesville, Maryland, USA.
The annual Family Reunion Picnic of the Old Makeni Franciscan Association (OMFA) North America Chapter has ended in Maryland amid unprecedented pomp and pageantry.
In his welcome address, the president of the association, Samuel Kamara told his audience that the annual event was made possible with the unflinching support of alumni over the years. He particularly commended this year’s turn out, maintaining that as president, he would be setting a benchmark for the association to secure a resource centre by 2008. He said the resource centre will help members to be more familiar with the activities of the association. This was greeted by thunderous applause from the audience.
In his keynote address, the guest speaker Dr. Thomas T. Turay (TMT) praised the efforts of the executive of the association for bringing families together and treating them free to dinner. He said such a gesture was not only novel, but very symbolic in promoting the cultural socialization of old Franciscans and their families. “This is worth emulating to say the least”, he noted.
In an exclusive interview with the secretary-general of the association on his vision for the association, Mohamed Kamara alias Kamanigay(photo) said his association is poised to live up to its motto of “veritate salus” (in truth there is salvation) by the executive working conscientiously to accomplish the goals of not only uniting families, but also imbibing the spirit of what it means to be a Franciscan.
This, he went on, meant among other things working across tribal lines for the general interest of one’s alma mater and the country as a whole. “This is clearly demonstrated in the first line of our school song, “...no difference in tribes that count, since near the hills united,” Kamanigay said amidst thunderous applause from fellow Franciscans. He expressed optimism that the resource centre mentioned by the president will be realized with the support of colleagues and friends of the association.
The event, attended by hundreds of alumni and their families and friends, was held on Saturday, August 11th, 2007 at the famous Pilgrim Hills Park in Colesville, Maryland in the United States. It was climaxed by the school song.
St. Francis Secondary school was founded on February 3rd, 1958 and became the first real secondary school in the Northern province of the Republic of Sierra Leone. It is located at the foot of the Mena Hill along the Lunsar -Makeni road, about 110 miles from the capital city, Freetown. Its motto is IN VERITATE SALUS which means in Latin IN TRUTH THRERE IS SALVATION. The school song portrays friendliness, freedom from tribalism, sectionalism and nepotism.
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