Hannah Benka-Coker

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 British Sierra Leone
Died	17 June 1952
Alma mater	Portway Institute in England
Occupation(s)
Known for	A founder of the Freetown Secondary School for Girls

Early life and education

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

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

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

Death

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

Legacy

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

• Women in Sierra Leone
• Index of Sierra Leone–related articles
• George Beresford-Stooke
• Annie Walsh Memorial School

References

1. "Our History" Archived 2015-12-11 at the Wayback Machine, FSSG Ex-Pupils Association UK.
2. "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.