Tegloma International Mini-Convention Boston 2015

Tegloma Federation Chairman
Mustapha Sheriff

Tegloma Federation International, Inc. a Sierra Leone sociocultural and philanthropic organization headquartered in the United States of America with 24 chapters in USA, Canada, UK, Gambia and Sierra Leone, held their annual Mini-Convention in Boston, MA, the intellectual hub of the United States of America and home of the Kennedys. 

Tegloma Federation Vice Chair
Eddie Williams

Massachusetts is home to Harvard University, University of Massachusetts, Amherst College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and many more universities considered among the best in the world. It is also the home of John F. Kennedy, the man who sent men to the moon. 

Tegloma Federation Board Chairman
Abu Bhonapha

Boston was a fitting place for the Tegloma Mini-Convention, as the organization is going through a process of change, with a greater focus on humanitarian efforts in Sierra Leone and the establishment of adequate provisions for some of its members nearing retirement or already retired. There was also an exploration of ideas to make the organization more relevant to a younger and more diverse generation. Tegloma members agreed that the organization should be nimble enough to provide supplementary response to humanitarian crisis like the current Ebola outbreak in the country, complementing the efforts of the authorities in the country.

Convention Host New England Chief
Contance Barkon "Mama Africa"

The Tegloma Federation currently provides many services to its members. Many of its individual chapters are also engaged in independent relief services in rural areas of Sierra Leone. The organization provides scholarships for deserving students all around the country, has supplied medical equipment to hospitals in Sierra Leone and was one of the first  indigenous Sierra Leone diaspora organizations to fly personal protective equipment into the country at the beginning of the recent Ebola crisis.

Chief Lahai Ansumana of Minnesota

Of immediate concern to Tegloma is the plight of the children orphaned by Ebola, and the need to help Ebola hit communities with small scale projects to restart their lives. There will also be a greater concentration on increasing the capacity of schools in rural communities in the country. Tegloma is currently planning to open a multipurpose center in Bo, Southern Sierra Leone.

New Tegloma DVC Chief
Augustine Kebbie

At the mini-convention, new chapter chiefs were introduced, including Mrs Constance Barkon, the Chief of Tegloma New England, Mr. Lahai Ansumana, the Chief of Tegloma Minnesota Chapter, Mr. Augustine Kebbie, the chief of the Tegloma Delaware Valley Chapter, and Mrs Elizabeth Mamie Bockarie, the chief of Tegloma Dallas.

Mr. Joseph Ngaojia

Mr. David Kolima Williams outlined a Cultural Life Insurance and Disability scheme that received a lot of attention and members voted for the project to be further explored and fine tuned for adoption. The scheme received the support of both the Board Chairman Abu Bhonapha and the Federation Chairman Mustapha Sheriff. Mr Joseph Ngaojia of the Garden State Chapter gave a presentation on Tegloma and Social Media that was also well received.

New Tegloma Dallas Chief
Elizabeth Mamie Bockarie

Chief Margaret Tagoe of New York appealed for Tegloma members to revisit their values. She appealed for a closer scrutiny of the scholarship award process and said the administration needed to provide more specific reports of individual scholarship recipients. She emphasized that Tegloma should ensure that all scholarship funds sent to Sierra Leone were reaching the intended recipients. She also appealed to the Tegloma administration to start treating all members as one, as she likened current events in the organization to "Animal Farm" in which all animals were equal, but some were treated as more equal than others. She also wanted the organization to define the role of its African chapters.

Board Chairnan Abu Bhonapha and
Fed. Sec. Gen. Amos Allie

Mrs Julia Hawa Conteh
Federation Chair Candidate

The Convention keynote Speaker Mrs. Fisher implored members of the organization to practice forgiveness in order to achieve progress. This was particularly relevant as some aggrieved members of the DVC chapter had come to the convention as the Dover Group, intent on forming a new chapter. Most Tegloma members were against the formation of a new chapter and urged members of DVC to find a way to settle their long running differences. The Convention also celebrated the Birthday of former Federation Chairman Sam Saidu.

New York Chief
Magaret Tagoe

Ex-Chairman Sam Saidu and Wife

The convention ended with declarations from individuals who were interested in being candidates for Tegloma Federation elections slated for Labor Day Weekend,  September 2015, in Sacramento California. Both the Federation Chairman Mustapha Sheriff and the Vice Chairman Eddie Williams were challenged by other candidates, as they go for their second and final two year terms. 

Elizabeth Momoh Vice Chair
Candidate

The Segbwema blog will be publishing the campaign platforms of all the candidates. The California convention which is to be hosted by Tegloma Northern California Chapter promises to be very interesting.

Mr. Kolima Williams on Tegloma
Life Insurance Scheme

The Boston Convention received an "A," as the hospitality of the hosts led by Chief Constance Barkon and the Federation Board
Vice Chair Hawa Alice Kallon "Apkaji" was remarkable. All the chapter members rose to the occasion and Mr. Enoch Johnson deserves special mention for being there everytime people wanted to move from one place to the other.