OMARU, AL HAJI
- 3 Min Read
Al Haji Omaru (1851?-April 26, 1931) was a Fula trading agent for a French company who became leader of the migrant Fula population in Freetown. A man of progressive ideas, he did much to promote his compatriots’ educational and religious welfare and was held in high esteem by both Christians and Muslims.
He was born about 1851 in the town of Jamburia in Futa Jallon to the north of Sierra Leone, and migrated to Freetown, as did many of his Fula countrymen, where he was employed as an interpreter for the firm of the Compagnie Française de l’Afrique Occidentale (C.F.A.O.) around 1880. As a loyal employee, he took an active interest in the business of the firm, and soon became a shopkeeper, buying kola nuts for his employers. On several occasions, he was responsible for heading commercial missions to the rulers of the northern rivers and Futa Jallon, his original home. These missions were invariably successful.
Throughout the 19th century, immigrants (called ‘strangers’) had been flowing steadily into Freetown, either as commercial agents, traders, or wage-earning labourers. As their numbers increased it became necessary to elect a chief or ‘tribal ruler’ to look after the welfare of the different ethnic groups. Al Haji Omaru was elected chief of the Fula in Freetown in 1902 and ceremonially installed at Victoria Park (now Sewa Grounds) in the presence of the governor and chiefs. He was given the title of Alimamy or Al Imam.
One of his chief concerns was to establish proper educational facilities for the Fula. He succeeded in getting the government to open a school for the sons of Fula residents in Freetown, where the pupils were taught Arabic and English. It was called Madrasa Islami, and at one time was housed on his premises in Jenkins Street. Through his interest in education, he was selected as a member of the Mohammedan Board of Education, created in 1906 to watch over the interests of Muslim children when the school for the sons of chiefs was established at Bo. He remained a member until the Board was dissolved in 1910.
He was also interested in furthering the religious life of his people. He built a mosque for them in Jenkins Street, and in 1911 he made a pilgrimage to Mecca, where he was given the title of Al Haji, his expenses being paid by the C.F.A.O. in recognition for his loyal services. By this time he was wealthy enough to buy shares in the firm that had previously employed him.
In his later years Al Haji Omaru was also appointed a Justice of the Peace, and when he died on April 26, 1931, not only the commissioner of police and a contingent of the police force, but many representatives of the Freetown community, Muslim and Christian alike, were present at the graveside to pay him their last respects.
ARTHUR ABRAHAM
