Hannah Benka-Coker, MBE, née Luke (1903 – 17 June 1952)[1] was an educator from Sierra Leone. She is one of the founders of the Freetown Secondary School for Girls (FSSG) which was established in 1926.

Hannah Benka-Coker
Born
Hannah Luke

1903
Died17 June 1952
Alma materPortway Institute in England
Occupation(s)
Known forA founder of the Freetown Secondary School for Girls

Early life and education

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Born Hannah Luke to Creole parents in British Sierra Leone, she was educated at the Portway Institute in England.[2]

Freetown Secondary School for Girls

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She organized a group of close family members and friends to plan a school that would offer a comprehensive, world-class education program for girls.[2] One of her friends was Maisie Osora, the British wife of a Sierra Leonean clergyman, who was a teacher at the Annie Walsh Memorial School.[2]

On 20 January 1926, the Freetown Secondary School for Girls opened at Garrison and Gloucester Streets with a student body of twenty girls.[2] Osora was principal and Benka-Coker was as vice-principal.[2]

The Freetown School for Girls was the only school that had classes from Kindergarten through Secondary School.[2]

Eventually, Hannah became the school principal.[2] During her tenure she accepted students from all over West Africa regardless of creed or tribe.[2] The school moved to Tower Hill in Freetown and became a boarding school.[2] Students flocked from The Gambia, The Gold Coast and Nigeria.[2]

In 1944, Benka-Coker was awarded an MBE for her services to education.[3]

Marriage and family

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She married a lawyer from the Gambia and became Hannah Benka-Coker.[2]

Death

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She died in June 1952,[4] aged 49.[5]

Legacy

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Her contributions to the education of girls and women were lauded in Sierra Leone and internationally.[6]

Benka-Coker has since had a statue erected in her honour.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Our History" Archived 2015-12-11 at the Wayback Machine, FSSG Ex-Pupils Association UK.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "The History of Our School". 2013-12-03. Archived from the original on 2014-12-03. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
  3. ^ Hadi Bah, "Once out of sight, Sierra Leone’s heroes, historical figures, are out of mind too", Sierra Leone 365.
  4. ^ Constance Agatha Cummings-John (1995). Memoirs of a Krio Leader. Sam Bookman for Humanities Research Centre. p. 95. ISBN 978-978-2165-51-0. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  5. ^ "Noted African Lady Passes" Archived 2015-06-24 at the Wayback Machine, Memphis World, 25 July 1952.
  6. ^ Johnson, Alex C. (8 November 2005). Mac Dixon-Fyle, Gibril Raschid Cole (ed.). New perspectives on the Sierra Leone Krio. Peter Lang. p. 271. ISBN 978-0820479378.
  7. ^ Hafkin, Nancy Jane (30 June 1976). Edna G. Bay (ed.). Women in Africa: Studies in Social and Economic Change. Stanford University Press. p. 218. ISBN 978-0804710114.