Jophakar Amah Koroma

Gola Forest Child Jophakar Amah Koroma

The Gola Forest covers a vast area of the eastern part of Sierra Leone, starting from the Malema, Gaura, Nomo, Tunkia and Makpeli chiefdoms and stretching on to the Moro River that forms the international border between Sierra Leone and Liberia. The Gola Forest has many of the largest animals and fauna and it was in that region where I was born, raised to enjoy the conviviality of the natural environment.

As children, we were left to grow and adventure many things. Sometimes we roamed for hours in the jungle of the Gola Forest, discovering things under the coolness of the trees which were responsible for creating a type of jungle air conditioning, until the parents decided that it was time learn a trade, Qur'an madrassa or attend other schools which were usually too far away in different areas.

This haunting, hilarious, memorable narrative of my childhood enriched my life at primary and secondary schools, from the jungle village on the back waters of the Eastern Province in Sierra Leone.