Tegloma Minnesota Hosts Major Convention

Members of Tegloma Minnesota

We did it!

Members of 1975 Tegloma Founding
Members (The Pioneers)

One of my favorite creatures is the mail African agama lizard. There are two reason why I love the agama lizard. The first reason is that as a former biology student, it was one of those creatures whose scientific name was very easy to remember. The scientific name simply being "agama agama." Now that was not so hard, was it?

The second reason why I love the agama lizard is the rare natural talent the reptile has to motivate itself. An agama lizard will crawl up to a roof and then find no way to get back down. No matter how high the roof, the agama will close its eyes and leap off, landing on the hard grown below on its stomach with a thud. It will then look right and look left, and if there is no other lizard around it will shake its head up an down apparently in self admiration, as if to say. "Yes, I did it!". I love this reptile which knows how to blow its own horn even in the presence of nobody.

New Tegloma Ohio President

Chief Jamiru and Tegloma Day
Declaration from Mayor

When we recently concluded the Tegloma International Convention here in Minneapolis, that is exactly what I felt like doing, patting myself on the back, and that is exactly what every other member of the Minnesota Tegloma Chapter must have felt like doing, nodding their heads and murmuring quietly to themselves, "Yes we did it!"

Convention Delegates

Hosting the Minnesota convention two weeks ago was challenging for two reasons. Firstly, two formidable Tegloma Chapters, Tegloma Indiana and Minnesota had both wanted to host the convention and Indiana had graciously let Minnesota have the opportunity, so we had to prove that their decision was justified. Secondly, the convention coincided with Tegloma Federation elections, an event that draws Tegloma crowds like insects to a light bulb. We were therefore expecting a huge turnout, as we were expecting delegates from most of the 24 chapters around the world.

New Secretary General Amos Allie

Given that the active membership of Tegloma Minnesota Chapter was just 28 individuals who had other commitments, hosting a crowd of over 250 adult individuals for three days without proper planning would have been a logistical nightmare. Luckily most of the members of our chapter are veterans at community organizing and the planning of events involving public participation.

Tegloma Northern California Delegates

Chief Hassan and the Minnesota
Team

We could have sought the help of professional event planners, but these people are so prohibitively expensive that we would not have been left with any money to entertain and feed our guests had we decided to go that route.

Having recently returned from the relatively new Tegloma Missouri Chapter and experienced how they had managed to host a beautiful convention with just a few members, we knew that we could do much better and do it in grand style.

Tegloma Washing DC Delegation

Much thanks and admiration goes to our President Hassan Kamara and his Vice Alice Karpeh who ensured that every committee set up to facilitate the panning of the convention was constantly monitored to ensure they were ready before the convention and during the convention the only focus would be on execution or modification, and not the time for new ideas.

Tegloma Minnesota Vice President Alice Karpeh and the wonderful ladies of Tegloma ensured that there was enough food for the three days to feed an entire battalion of starving elephants. The food was fresh and available and we ensured that hunger was kept as far away from the convention hall as possible. Wherever Alice and her crew was, hunger fled the scene with the utmost urgency, as hunger is no friend of great tasting food and gourmet beverages.

Tegloma Dallas Delegates

Tegloma DVC

The Transportation committee consisting of Imam Lamin Jabbie, Charles Grey and Philip Sandy, easily tied the food committee for hard work, as these three men gave up those three days of their lives, burning the miles between the Minneapolist-Saint Paul International airport, the three guest hotels and the convention center. All the delegates who sent messages of thanks after going back home gave special commendation to these three heroic gentlemen.

Tegloma Ontario Canada

Of course the media committee of Sheku Sheriff (Segbwema Blogger), Rebecca Johnson and David Wonnie ensured that the convention received maximum exposure. Guests were informed in timely fashion about airport and hotel facilities months before the convention and reminded on a weekly basis. The media committee was also able to publish a wonderful convention booklet with advertisements from some wonderful Tegloma members. The media committee also helped in designing the beautiful t-shirts for the convention.

Candidates Conteh & Sheriff

The cultural committee showcased the talents of Raymond Kamara, Paul Mbemeh, Philip Sandy and other cultural ambassadors who put on such a wonderful cultural display that Tegloma Minnesota Chapter is now receiving invitations from all across the state of Minnesota for cultural performances.

Tegloma Chicago Delegation

Ibrahim Seisay, Ansumana Lahai and the members of the entertainment committee ensured that the convention hall was always in a state of readiness, the public address and entertainment system was in prime shape and security around the hall was top notch. The DJ for the event, Raymond Borbor made such a name for himself those three days that he will have customers lining up for him for years to come.

Tegloma Southern California

Tegloma Missouri Delegation

Hassan Kamara and his beautiful wife Safiatu ensured that they played the role of President and chapter First Lady magnificently. Hassan did not leave anything to chance and ensured that he was always physically on hand to ensure everything was in place. The fellow deserves a medal for sheer tenacity.

Tegloma Atlanta Delegates

No event of such magnitude will be complete without suitable aesthetics. To ensure that the hall was beautiful and ready for the event, we turned to our Friends at Fairfax Decor, a Farmington Minnesota based Event Decoration business owned by a group of Sierra Leoneans. Fairfax decor made the hall beautiful and suitable for the event.

Tegloma Houston President

Though we have received praised from many quarters for a wonderful convention, I think I would behave like the Agama Lizard today and join them in saying, "Yes we did it!"

Tegloma Garden State President