Baba-Gallé Soumah has been a faithful friend of our Farenya project from the beginning in 1998. He is a native of Farenya Village and still maintains a home there even though he resides in Conakry with his mother, wife, and six daughters.

This tall, gangly man who always wears African gowns and a boubou cap is a jokester, a politician, and an educational leader in Guinea. During a conversation, he bounces from one joke to the next, poking fun at all around him but always gentle and polite.

Baba-Gallé's home is on the grounds of Ecole Tombo 2, the most prominent secondary school in Guinea of which he is director. Dr. Jim Fisher and I have been honored several times in the past with invitations to his evening meals. Even though he speaks no English and we speak only pidgin French, the conversation has always been brisk and humorous. He makes his guests feel at home and a member of his family.

Ken, Andrew, and I arrived at Baba-Gallé's darkened home. He greeted us with big hugs and announced, "We will have dinner by candlelight. But, first, I must show you a video."

Baba-Gallé demonstrates how he keeps the students under control. We were led into the living room and seated in large stuffed chairs. Baba-Gallé ceremoniously lit candles around the room, then went to the television set, inserted a video, and pushed the VCR button. He took his place in front of the TV and began a running commentary of what was not showing on the screen. Then he burst out laughing. "What to you think of TV by candle power? A robber stole our power line this morning and we have no electricity."

His eight women then appeared and shared in the joke. Baba-Gallé led us out of the house, past the goat pen, up to the second floor of the school where two 40-watt bulbs illuminated a dinner table set for five. The daughters served the men and their mother.

We Americans washed down our chicken, rice, and French fries with Coke and Fanta. Baba-Gallé and his wife, being strict Moslems, stuck with bottled water. It was delicious.

After dinner, Baba-Gallé took us on a tour of his office. He proudly displayed a calendar. On each month was his picture with the Teacher of the Month. The days included the instructional program for that month. Suddenly, he picked up a megaphone and raced to the door shouting commands into the darkness. "I must keep the students under control," he said with a chuckle.

Maria Teresa is the great granddaughter of Capt. Styles Lightbourn and Niara Bely. She owns three restaurants in Conakry. At nine o'clock, Baba-Gallé piled us into his Toyota sedan and unexpectedly stopped at Le Grillon (The Cricket). A band was setting up on the stage, and I began to wonder why we were there.

Cokes appeared in front of us and Baba-Gallé announced, "This restaurant is owned by Maria Teresa Lightbourn, the great granddaughter of Capt. Lightbourn and Niara Bely. You must meet her."

A large portrait of Maria Teresa hung over the bar. She was quite elegant and had a wonderful smile. Baba-Gallé said she was very wealthy and owned three restaurants in Conakry. Her son eventually appeared and said his mother was out of the country, "but I will tell her Dr. Warner and his friends were here. She keeps up with your work and thanks you for your research on Farenya."

The Baba-Gallé Soumah family plus Warner Montgomery, Ken Kelly, and Andrew Hoose Africa is full of surprises.

(Next week: Sonfonia Conference)

Baba-Gallé shows his school calendar to Dr. Ken Kelly.Dinner is served in the second floor hall of Baba-Gallé's school.