OMAWALE, Nijisane
OWEN, Toby A.
Family members and friends of a popular Howard University student, whose stepfather was the leader of the failed coup in Trinidad, said yesterday they believe he was killed after the rebels surrendered there this week. Njisane Oma wale, 21, a senior finance major at Howard who was scheduled to be inducted as a national officer in the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, was killed sometime after the rebels released their hostages Wednesday, said a cousin of Omawale who lives in New York. "My aunt called and said he had been killed," said the cousin, who did not want her name used out of fear for her safety. Members of Omawale's fraternity at Howard said yesterday that they had called the morgue in the capital, Port of Spain, where an attendant described the body of a man who fit Omawale's description including a brand of the fraternity's insignia on the left arm. At least 22 people died and hundreds were injured in the attempt to take over the government of the southern Caribbean island that started last week with the taking of dozens of hostages, including the prime minister. The cousin's family in Trinidad told her that Omawale was in his grandmother's house outside Port of Spain when men dressed as soldiers removed his grandmother and mother from the house. The two women heard a gunshot from inside the house, the cousin said, and Omawale was later taken away on a stretcher. Attempts to confirm Omawale's death with officials in Trinidad by telephone were unsuccessful. And a spokesman for the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago in Washington said he had no information about individual deaths on the island. The cousin in New York said that Omawale's father, who is a Nigerian diplomat with the United Nations, had left Thailand, where he was working, to travel to Trinidad. The whole family is angry, she said, "The government is not giving us any information." Omawale was a devout Moslem, friends said, like his stepfather, Imam Yasin Abu Bakr. He rarely talked politics, they said, but preferred to talk about studying business and law and activities in black fraternities. They said they doubt that Omawale had been involved in the coup attempt. He returned to Trinidad every summer for about one month to visit his mother. He was on the Dean's List at Howard every semester, friends said, and was active in the international students organization and the business students honor society. He was well known, students on campus said yesterday, especially among the more than 320 students from Trinidad who make up the largest contingent of foreign students from any one country. But his greatest love, his friends and cousin said, was for his fraternity. Locally, Omawale was an officer with the Howard University chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha. He also served on the board of directors of the national governing group for black fraternities. Omawale was scheduled to be installed as an assistant vice president at the fraternity's national convention in Miami. "He was scheduled to be here on Wednesday for his first board meeting," said Warren Scott, Alpha Phi Alpha's vice president for the Eastern Region. Alonza Robertson, who joined the fraternity with Omawale in fall 1988, said he talked with Omawale by telephone on Tuesday, Omawale told him then that he was unable to get a flight back to the United States for the national convention. "No one I've talked to has heard from him since," Robertson said.
Toby A. Owen was born in Fort Scott, Kansas to Polly A. and Jeremiah Owen. He graduated from the University of Kansas in Lawrence with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Later he taught physics and coached football at Manual Training High School in Muskogee, Okla. He married Adlissa Owen in 1924, who preceeded him in death in 1972. Toby Owen retired from the State of Oklahoma where he was financial officer. He managed the Financial Department of the Three State Institutions at Taft and Boley, Oklahoma. After retirement, he was director of Community Action Center and later worked until age 85 at E.O.D.D. as Aging Specialist. Toby A. Owen was active in his church at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, serving as Superintendent of Sunday School for 20 years, Treasurer and in later years Usher and many community organizations. He leaves to remember him, a devoted daughter, Sadie Owen Smith; one grandson, Robert Smith; one granddaughter, Tobi Smith; great grandson, Patrick Owen Smith and many dear relatives, friends and business associates.
t*t The Sphinx/Fall 1990
t*t PETERMAN, Leotis Sunset and evening star and one clear call for me, and may there be no mourning at the bar when I put out to sea.
Tennyson Dr. Leotis Peterman, the oldest child of Mrs. Julia Mitchell Culver, was born on S e p t e m b e r 19, 1934 in Abbeville, Alabama. He departed this life on Tuesday, July 24, 1990 after a brief illness. Brother. Dr. Peterman was a graduate of Henry County (Alabama) Training School, Alabama State University (B.S.), Indiana University (M.S.) and the University of Alabama (Ed.D.). He also attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the University of Florida and Harvard University. He married the former Lucy Elizabeth Bell of Birmingham, Alabama on December 8,1957. Having grown up in the Bethlehem Baptist Church, Abbeville, Alabama, his Christian activities spanned a life time. He has been a member of the Metropolitan Baptist Church, Memphis, Tennessee and the First Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama. After relocating to Nashville, Tennessee, he continued his Christian activities as a member of the First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill. Here, as with each church affiliation, he was an involved member and leader. He served each congregation in many capacities, including trustee, finance officer and deacon. Dr. Peterman served First Baptist, Capitol Hill as assistant church school superintendent, director of vacation church school, and as a member of the Ministry of Communications. In 1955, he began his career as registrar, business manager and instructor at Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1962, he returned to his alma mater, Alabama State University, where he spent most of his career. He served the institution in various positions, including business manager, controller, vice president for business and finance, and vice president for administration. In 1986, he joined Fisk University as Chief Financial Officer, the position he held until his death. Dr. Peterman was associated with many professional, civic and social organizations. He had a very special interest in Alpha Phi
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