Excerpt from my special profile on Opral Benson in October Issue of MANIA Magazine...
Often described as sensational for her enchanting elegance
and superlative trendiness, cultural icon and philanthropist, Opral Mason
Benson remains an epitome of African beauty and engaging intellect. Adeola Ojedokun
takes a trip down memory lane of this woman of courage.
Born on February 7, 1935 at Mason
Hill, Arthington - Northwest Monrovia, Liberia to Honourable Johnson Boto Mason
and Lilly Melissa Mason they (her parents and grandparents elected to name her
Opal (a bluish precious stone with iridescent reflections). They also called
her Amanda, meaning “worthy of love”, but she did not like the name Opal for
interesting reasons and though her parents thought the name was lovelyshe
didn’t. she neither saw herself as precious nor as hard as a stone, so she
began to write Opral on her school notebooks and while it took time she
eventually succeeded in imposing the name change.
Growing up, Opral attended the Shaffer
AME Day School, which was managed by her father’s elder sister, Mrs Margaret Mason-Lewis,
the first lady to be sent abroad to the USA from Arthington. She remained at
Shaffer until her sixth grade when she was transferred to Arthington Central
School. She had always excelled in the liberal arts, particularly English
language. Shortly before she completed her primary education due to outstanding
performances Opral was admitted into the famous College of West Africa in 1946.
The college founded by the Methodists was considered as one of Liberia’s best
secondary schools at the time. Majority of the cream of Liberian intellectuals
had attended the College whose teaching staff comprised of Ghanaians, Sierra
Leonians, Liberians and Americans, some of who were missionaries. Journey
through school was quite interesting, as the youngest of her sisters, Opral had
sufficient sources of inspiration. But she was also gifted. At a young age she
had indicated that she was an intelligent child, who would wind her way through
the stairway to the very top but Opral’s education was interrupted.
In 1951, while in her penultimate
year at the College of West Africa, sixteen(16)-year old, arrow slender and
achievement-driven Opral got pregnant for her 23-year old biology teacher, Mr.
John Bilson who found her charm irresistible. The relationship with her biology
teacher who had excelled in his Cambridge School Certificate and was in Liberia
in the hope of winning a scholarship to study medicine in America started with
enchanting talks to Opral. In no time, he became persistent with sweet intimate
whispers and profuse words of a life of everlasting love. Convinced, Opral who
was impressed with his intelligence, dazzling charm and breathtaking good looks
opened up to Bilson. She took him home to meet her family and he was well
received, especially by her mother
The
relationship blossomed and the family had an engagement as was requested by
him. Through it all, Opral did well in schoool. However, in August of that year
Bilson left for the USA on a Liberian government scholarship and by November,
the inevitable happened; changes in Opral’s biological make-up showed she was
in the process of becoming a mother. Her school, whichwaschurch owned, frowned
at the development the moment it became obvious. The school year ended in
December and Opral did not return in March of the following year – education
stopped. She was delivered of her daughter, Miss Precious Spencilene Bilson on
May 20, 1952, who lated was adopted by Otunba TOS Benson and given the name
Omolara. Opral waited expectantly for cheerful news from America. Bilson’s
letter did come, but he had become entangled with a white American lady whom he
was going to marry. Out of school and a single mother, the future looked bleak
– but she got back strong and fine. She enrolled at the People’s College,
University of Liberia under the presidency of Dr. Max Bond, an American. She
graduated in flying colours on the 19th of November, 1953. Opral’s
sterling academic performance caught the attention of the Bishop of the
Methodist Church in Liberia, Bishop Hatcher who awarded her a scholarship on
her graduation from People’s College, University of Liberia. Six years later,
along with 86 students, Opral in August 1959 walked out with a Master’s degree
in Education from Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. It was later gathered
that Dr. Bilson’s marriage to his white American wife, Mariam eventually ended
in divorce after he returned to Ghana with her and established the Allen Clinic
in Kumasi, he told Opral that Mariam could not adapt to, nor cope with life in
Africa. His hospital became very successful. However, Dr. Bilson did not
restrict himself to medical practice; he was active in politics; was in and out
of detention and ran unsuccessfully for the post of the President of Ghana
during the tenure of Ft. Lt. Jerry Rawlings who ruled his country for twenty
years.
After several years spent travelling around the world, came wedding
bells but the wedding bells did not just peal on the morning of December 22
1962 for Opral and TOS Benson. It was a novel, a thrilling one. it all started
May 1961 during a conference in Monrovia, Liberia, sequel to the formation of
the Organisation of African Unity by independent African States. Miss Opral
Amanda Mason, young and delectable had just been appointed the Assistant
Secretary General to the historic conference with Nigeria’s Alhaji Isa Wali
serving as the Secretary General. Understandably, Miss Mason, aged only 26,
felt it was a job she had to excel in, because not only was she committed to
making both her country and bosses, who had reposed tremendous trust in her
proud but it offered a marvelous opportunity of boosting her nascent career.
She had learnt, while growing up, that opportunities were keys given by God for
the unlocking of personal treasure-chests. While in the conference hall,
engrossed in administrative duties, Miss Mason failed to notice immediately
that some photographers were paying more than casual attention to her. Wherever
she went, hordes of photographers trailed after her, much more than they
followed her colleagues, snapping excitedly. It took some time before she
became conscious of their unusual attention, on investigation; she discovered
that they were mostly Nigerians, acting on instruction. Apparently, someone had
expressed the desire to look at photographs taken of her....Get a copy of StyleMania magazine October Issue featuring Oluchi Orlandi to read full story on Opral Benson. Copies can be purchased at any nearest bookstore, supermarket or vendor.
For enquiries, email me at : deola@maniamag.org
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