Mohamedrafiq Bhimani

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EDUCATION & US

by Dr. Mohamedrafiq Bhimani (written circa 1951)

Most of our Ishna-Asheri families who came to East Africa first landed at Mogadishu, Lamu, Mombasa, Pangani, Bagamoyo, Kilwa, and Mikindani. The migration to Bukoba mostly occurred from Mombasa on completion of the railway line by the British.

My grandfather with his five sons and a daughter was one of them. I was the first male child born in the family in late 1931. In those days the Indians were about one thousand (one-third Isna-Asheries, a third Ismailis and a third Hindus). Our Jamaat had about 35 families. There was no electricity. Most of the houses were built with tin sheets. The community had their own religious places.

Indian Public School was the only school catering to the kids of these communities. It was run by Indian School Board from the fees collected from children. The earliest jamaat members of the Board were Hassanali Pirbhai Visram and Abdulla Fazal. There was no permanent building; hence the school was moved from one place to another till much later. The teachers, all Hindus, were recruited from Gujarat; hence the Muslim kids learnt more about Rama & Krishna, than Prophet Mohamed (SAW) & his progeny. The medium of instruction was Gujarati for the first three grades. English was slowly introduced later, till grade seven.

On completion of grade seven most children joined their father’s dukas or sought jobs in post-office & banks, or started their own dukas. The girls were not encouraged in studies hence not many finished grades seven. In this situation, there was no guidance at all for further education. My beloved, late father was highly motivated and exponent of education. He was among the first students of Alidina Visram School, Mombasa. His colleagues used to call him H.R.H. (Hussein Rajabali Hasham). Now, it was an ordeal for him as I had topped my class in all grades.

My father was encouraged by his Hindu friends and our devoted headmaster Mr.M.D.Bakre. It was like making a footpath through a thick forest! At night, after maghrib prayers, around the dining table, Father announces that he is taking me to Mwanza next week. “Allah is Great. HE will guide us!” Quick preparations were made. The news traveled like wildfire through the small township. A week later a trunk was stuffed. A mattress was procured. My mother won’t stop crying while stuffing foodstuffs in. I was 12-13 years old.

As per his determination, in the evening we boarded S.S.Usoga, one of the steamers plying around the lake. The journey will take twelve hours. The first-class cabins were reserved for ‘whites’, and second class for the elite travelers. Hence we found space on the deck and spread our mattresses. With a cold wind blowing and the open sky, it can be very chilly. My father saw that I was properly wrapped. Early morning we docked at Mwanza pier. We hired a coolie and reached Musafir khana. Later, my father met jamaat members and found that Mr. Ahmed Janmohamed Dhirani was taking paying guests.

S.S. Usoga circa 1940's

Arrangements were made and I was installed with him. I was admitted at the Indian Public School, later known as Lake Primary School. As a committed student, I topped the class. By this time my father knew many people of Mwanza Jamaat. Next year he arranged my stay with Mohamedali Karim family. I made many friends and started the routine. The news spread in Bukoba. My father contacted Mwanza Jamaat. After consultations, Mwanza Jamat agreed to make space in Musafir khana for four students from Bukoba. I finished grade 8 and topped the class again. The four students came, were installed in Musafir khana and admitted to the school. The footpath trodden by me now became a lane. By this time, the Hindu Boarding House was built in Mwanza and since they did not have enough students, Muslim students were admitted. I obtained admission and so did the four students after their stay of a few months at Musafir khana.

Life in the Hindu Boarding House was tough but disciplined. We woke up at 5.00am. Each boy was allotted three minutes to shower in rotation, a half-hour for exercises, then get ready. At six, sit in a line for breakfast of a cup of tea and three purees. At eight, go to school. Back at 12.00 noon, rest awhile and line up for a vegetarian lunch of rice, chapatti & daal. Clean your own thali and glass. At 2.00, back to school till 4.00pm, then a cup of tea at 4.30. Study till 7.00pm, then line for dinner. At 8.00 pm gather in common-hall for prayers led by two boys in rotation. Muslim boys usually recited the translation of Sure-Tawheed. Back in rooms for studies. The lights will be put off at 10.00pm. Recreation was going to the cinema once a week if allowed.

Next year the Muslim students were barred. Mwanza used to cater till grade ten which I finished topping all my classes and returned home. To do Senior Cambridge classes one had to go to Daressalaam. My father had contacted Mr. Suleman Mohamed Bhimji, originally from Bukoba, and had arranged my stay with his family. Accordingly, I took a train from Mwanza and arrived in Daressalaam.

I got admission in the Gov’t Indian Central School at Jangwani. There were two other Isna-Asheri boys in my class, Mr. Bashir Hassanali Rahim (local boy) and Mr.Gulamabbas Juma Ebrahim (from Tanga). I studied diligently for two years and obtained the Oversea School Certificate of the University of Cambridge. It was a great achievement for a boy from the hinterland to remain away from home for five years at this tender age and reach this far. My father was elated and he threw a tea-party for all Indians. Jamaat-youths threw a party and presented me with a lovely wall-clock.

But now what?. I got a clerical job and gave the first salary to my father. He was not satisfied.

He was nagged by Mangalbhai Patel. Father owned a tin-sheet house which Mr. Patel advised to mortgage with him to finance my studies in India. This time our Federation started student loans for further education if approved by your local jamaat. Well, I applied but was rejected by our chairman (for his personal reasons). Nevertheless, my father took up getting my passport made. Mr. Jamaldin, only photographer, could take a black-and-white picture on his box camera. That was done, necessary forms were filled and the passport was processed. Mr. Bhimji was advised to book my passage per S.S.Amra sailing from Daressalaam to Bombay. Well, I took off in the big steamer on the deck. The journey will take nine days. I only knew that my maternal grandpa will come from Kutch to receive me. It was like somebody coming from a thousand miles to meet me, not knowing each other. Leaving aside weird experiences, I reached Ballard Pier at Bombay. Suddenly I hear a coolie shouting my name. He was employed by Faize-Panjetani and was advised to make contact with my grandpa, which he did through the custom’s wire-netting. After clearing customs we arrived at my aunt’s flat at Khoja Mohalla, Dongri.

This was a very sensitive period. Post-partition riots between the Hindu/Muslims had taken place and tempers were very fragile. As such, I was late for admissions in good colleges. I got admitted at Ismail Yusuf College, Jogeshwari, dominantly Muslim, about twenty miles away. I stayed in the hostel and finished the inter-science course of two years. By now, many students had come to India on Federation student-loans, doing various courses. I applied for medical college. Only two students were admitted from our college and I was a lucky one. I studied medicine for five years at Grant Medical College and got my degree. Later I worked for one year at J.J.Group of Hospitals and returned home at the end of 1959.

By this time our Daressalaam Jamaat had built a boarding house near Selander Bridge. Over a dozen students had come from Bukoba in this boarding house.** The lane had now become a highway. The Bukoba school was upgraded and was imparting courses up to Cambridge classes. After the second world war, the local financial conditions had improved. People had become prosperous. Many had built concrete houses. My younger brothers and two cousins were ready to travel to India for studies.

I joined the Tanzania Civil service as a Medical Officer and worked for five years. First few months at Sewa Haji Hospital, (later, Princess Margaret Hospital renamed Muhimbili Hospital). Then I traveled to Jerusalem to study Ophthalmology. Later, I went to London for studies and obtained my British certificate. I came back as an eye specialist at Muhimbili Hospital. I was the first eye surgeon in the community. Among lots at the hospital, I operated many in various towns, including some Isna-Asheries, for cataracts. My early colleague, Bashir Rahim, did law in England and was a magistrate in Daressalaam. I understand he wrote the constitution of independent Tanzania. And Gulamabbas Ebrahim became a Pediatrician at Muhimbili, and later was working with W.H.O.

In later years my younger brother became a Urologist and the youngest became a Dentist. My one cousin became Radiologist and another did Microbiology. Other Bukoba students did Commerce, Accountancy, and Opticals. Our Federation financed loans to many students in Tanzania who became accountants, doctors, and engineers, etc.

OVERALL BUKOBA, A SMALL VILLAGE/TOWNSHIP, PRODUCED A BULK OF ISNA-ASHERI GRADUATES IN THE EARLIER TIMES SURPASSING ALL THE TOWNS IN EAST AFRICA. SURELY IS A BIG ACHIEVEMENT FOR WHICH MY “HATS OFF” TO MY LATE FATHER WHOM I PROUDLY DESIGNATE “A PIONEER”.

- Some names I remember are:- Masi Rawji Jessa, Rajabali Dhirani, Musa Datoo (in Dar), Sikina Hasham(Tanga), Mulyani Amina Ladak(Moshi), Mohamedtaki Rashid(Mwanza), Mrs.Mulla Nanji (Nairobi), Akber Alidina (Nairobi), Fizabai Fidahussein(Nairobi), Aliraza Musa Muraj (Mogadisho). and others…..

- Some students I recall: Hassanali Yusuf Mohamed (accts), Sultan M. Bhimani(Radiologist), Mohamed H.Rajabali Bhimani (microbiology), Jaffer S. Mullani (accts), Gulamabbas H.Bhimani(Urologist),Hassanali A. Fazal (Optician), Mohamedraza H. Bhimani (Dentist), Fidahussein Nurali Rashid, Anwar Nurali Rashid, Mohamedtaki & Amirali M.Kara, Shiraz H.Kara, Rustom H.Moledina, Sikander & Shiraz A. Fazal, Mohamed S.Mullani.