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Hangha, Tongo Mosque in Sierra Leone wear a new look courtesy of Pa Salami Family

Published

5 years ago

October 28, 2021

By Cyril Ogar

The Sierra Leone community in Hangha and Tongo, Eastern Province, has honoured the memory of late Pa Salami Aremu Jimoh with a three-day Qur’anic recitation organised by his children.

The event brought together Islamic scholars, community members, friends, associates and others who had close relationships with Pa Salami during his lifetime.

Pa Salami, who was born in 1934 in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, moved to Sierra Leone in search of better opportunities and eventually established a lasting connection with the country.

He was involved in the artisanal diamond trade, where he built a reputation for honesty, diligence and integrity among miners, traders and business associates.

However, members of the communities where he lived said his most enduring legacy was his generosity and concern for the welfare of others.

In Hangha and neighbouring Tongo, he was remembered as a father figure, adviser and mentor who readily offered support to people in need.

His home was reportedly open to struggling families and individuals, while young people seeking guidance on business and personal matters often relied on his counsel.

He also encouraged youths to engage in legitimate businesses and supported individuals seeking to improve their livelihoods.

The three-day Qur’anic recitation provided an opportunity for the community to remember his contributions and pray for the repose of his soul.

Islamic scholars recited verses from the Holy Qur’an and offered prayers seeking Almighty Allah’s forgiveness for his shortcomings, as well as His mercy and blessings upon him.

Prayers were also offered for Allah to illuminate and expand his grave and grant him Al-Jannatul Firdaus.

Food was prepared and shared among participants as part of the gathering, reflecting the spirit of generosity associated with Pa Salami’s memory.

His children and grandchildren said the memorial also served as a reminder of their responsibility to preserve the values he represented, including honesty, humility, compassion, generosity and service to humanity.

Although Pa Salami maintained strong ties with his Nigerian and Yoruba heritage, his years in Sierra Leone enabled him to develop deep relationships within the communities where he lived and worked.

More than a decade after his death, residents of Hangha and Tongo continue to remember him for the relationships he built and the lives he impacted.

The Qur’anic recitation therefore served not only as a religious observance but also as a tribute to a man whose legacy continues to connect his family and the Sierra Leonean communities across generations and borders.

May Almighty Allah (SWT) forgive his shortcomings, illuminate and expand his grave, and grant him Al-Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen.

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AWESSA 2026: Customs Assures Border Cooperation for Women Entrepreneurs

Published

6 hours ago

October 25, 2026

The Gleamer

By James Samuel, Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service has said the nation’s borders must become gateways of opportunity for African women entrepreneurs, not obstacles that kill their businesses.

This was disclosed at the African Women’s Economic Sovereignty Summit and Awards (AWESSA) 2026 held at the Customs House, corporate headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja.

Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, his representative, an Assistant Controller, said hosting the summit inside Customs premises was deliberate.

“That this summit holds within the Customs premises is no accident. It is a statement of intent,” he said.

“The border is where the promise of every African trader either comes alive or dies quietly. And the men and women of this Service have resolved that for every woman entrepreneur of this continent, that promise will never die.”

He said women account for an estimated 70% of informal cross-border trade in Africa and over half of agricultural labour, yet they face documentation, standards, finance and harassment challenges.

“Too often she meets the border as an obstacle rather than a gateway. Because she trades in small volumes, in cash, in informality without formal papers, capable business women are now trapped in informality, invisible to trade statistics,” he noted.

He added: “AfCFTA will not be delivered by treaties alone. It will be delivered at border posts, in conference halls, and in market stores.”

Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, represented by a Director, said women are central to Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.

According to her, NEPC’s focus is now on building export- ready competitive enterprises through programmes like the Women in Export Initiative, Export Clinic, and Zero to Export.

“Our focus is no longer on encouraging exports alone, it is on building competitive export-ready enterprises. We are supporting women to move beyond production into value addition, quality assurance, standard compliance, branding and market positioning,” she said.

She said AfCFTA offers a market of over one billion people, but women need knowledge, certifications and institutional support.

“Empowering women economically is one of the most effective tools for achieving poverty reduction, food security, job creation and inclusive growth,” she stated.

The Convener, Helen Okon, who is the Publisher of Business Review Africa & Africa Today Magazine, as well as representatives of NAFDAC DG and NEXIM Bank MD, reaffirmed commitment to supporting women-owned businesses access standards, certification and finance.

The summit, with the theme of positioning women as drivers of trade and sustainable development, is part of activities marking the International Year of the Women Farmer.

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