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Today Sunday 29/7/2012, marks the 33rd anniversary of the passing of my beloved (maternal) Grandfather Counsellor Israel Onesimus WIilliams, MBE - first black African Inspector of Works Public Works Department (PWD) in Colonial Sierra Leone. After his retirement from the Civil Service in the early fifties, he set up as a private Contractor and Builder in Bo.
He was the contractor and builder of several government and councils projects including The Bo Town Council, Bo Central Market, The first Football Stadium in Bo, many feeder roads and bridges, and government's (clerks') quarters in the South, North and East of Sierra Leone (especially Bo, Kenema, Moyamba, Yonibana) before the arrival, and era of Engineer Whadi Williams (no relations) of Tiama Bridge fame. Grandpa was Honoured in 1947 with the MBE presented to him by the then Governor of Sierra Leone.
He was very proud to have met the young Queen Elizabeth II on her historical visit to Sierra Leone in November 1961 together with my Grand me Julia. This was special for him as my Grandma was by then ill with breast cancer. She died the following 1st April 1962. Grandpa was a member and Counsellor of the Bo Town Council and was supervisor for all their buildings and bridges.
Grandpa was born of very humble parentage in Kossoh (Miiddle Town)Waterloo, the last of six children. He gained his elementary schooling first at Benguema School and then transferred to the Huntingdon Day School in Waterloo where he completed his Elementary education at Standard six, learning several subjects’ including mathematics, English and Bible studies. By this time his father had died and was being looked after by his elder siblings. He was scheduled to go to the Grammar school but changed his mind having been persuaded by an elder relative to 'learn Trade'. He left Waterloo and stayed with an Aunt -the Doughty family) to learn Carpentry at Kanikay. On completing his apprentiship, Grandpa was employed by the Public Works Department [(PWD) now- Ministry of Works)] and was sent to work in Kenema, Eastern Sierra Leone. Like the early morning sun my Grandpa rose from these humble beginnings to become the First Black African Inspector of Works under Colonial Sierra Leone. Years later, he passed on this talent to his nephew, who also became Inspector of Works long after him at the very PWD - Samuel B Ogumi Williams of Kosso Middle Town (also deceased)
Grandpa grew up in a very strict religious household but was not inclined to be a clergyman like his cousin The Late SS Williams of Holy Trinity and Regent Churches. He was nonetheless very much involved in church (Anglican) matters. Right from his early age, he loved singing and as there was no choir at Saint Paul's Church Middle Town (Kossoh), he went and joined the choir of Saint Mathews Church at Benguema Grandpa was one of the few creoles from the Colony (Western Area now) who spent most of his life in the Provinces. By the early20s he had settled in Bo with his young 18 year old bride, my Grandma Julia Agnes (from the Oldfield/ Belford family of Benguema) whose only child was my mother, Regina Omoh (1923-2007).
Making Bo his resident station, he moved around, being transferred from one station to another, but wherever he went, he became an active member of the church and took meaningful part in church activities.. So it was that in Bo, he became a member of the St. Paul's Church Committee and was later appointed Vicar's Warden - a post which he held for many years. At the same time , he supported his Home village church, St. Paul's Kossoh (Middle Town) in all practicality - including rebuilding the High Alter, and replacement of the hard wood church benches, stained glass windows etc. I dare say, this religious flavour was well drilled into every child in the family that was privileged to come under Grandpa's radar. You may be so lucky to escape any part of this influence: from waking up very early in the morning to read the Psalms and morning prayers, to joining the church choir, and/or going to church 'on time'. Every child was equally treated and taught to respect and be responsible. The youngest child will perform domestic duties suitable and parallel to his or her age limit with pleasure. School work was nowhere to be neglected -Grandpa was a disciplinarian!
In 1971, nine years after losing his beloved wife, and almost 50 years in the provinces Grandpa decided to return to his little village , Kossoh (Middle Town) to settled down for good; and in true form, that so indeed so. It was in November 1970 when I spent my annual leave with him in Bo (whilst working for Standard Bank in Freetown) that Grandpa revealed his intention to return to his Roots. The first thing he did was to re-survey all the land and housed he had in Bo especially the Matrimonial compound at Ngeiyeiya Road, close to the Chief's compound.. An Official from the PWD was invited to perform this task and documented it properly. Grandpa was very concerned that this was done properly. Such was the nature of the man- very thorough and precise.
On his return to Kossoh (Middle Town), the first self-appointed task he undertook was the renovation of the church building the very church building where his funeral service was held and where the last tribute was paid to him by both the Rev. W M E Wells of St Michael and All Angels Church, Waterloo who delivered the funeral oration and also by the then Arch - Bishop of West Africa, The Most Rev. Dr Moses N C O Scott who was past Vicar and Arch - Deacon of St Paul's church Bo. [He was my Sunday School Teacher and later my Confirmation Priest at the St. Georges Cathedral, Freetown]. All but two of the steel windows of that church were provided by Grandpa as well a complete new High Alter Table and a good number of the hard wood benches that needed replacement.. And up to his death, Grandpa was Vicar's Warden of the little church of St. Paul in Kossoh (middle Town) and a Member of the East Rural Deanery Council of the Anglican Church in Sierra Leone.
In his address and tribute , the Arch- Bishop of West Africa, the Most Rev. Dr M N C O Scott said this " He had gone through life like a cycle - ending up where he started and steadfast to the end". Rev. W M E Wells posit " Of him it must be said: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant"... May his soul rest in perfect peace where the un-ending music of God's love can cause the unwary traveller to the world beyond, to exclaim: "How bright those glorious spirits shine".
