A Legacy Resource                     
      SHANGO - JA MARTIAL ARTS ACADEMY
              Founded 1977 in Sierra Leone, West Africa

BIOS OF KEY KARATEKA

HANSHI FRANCIS M. E. FUSTER -  Founder 1977

Francis M. E. Fuster, born in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1943, was introduced to music at an early age by his maternal grandfather who was a sailor. From his travels, he often brought home gifts, many of which were musical instruments including guitars and drum sets. Their playtime together would lead him to a lifelong career as a musician and indirectly as a martial arts pioneer in his home country and eventually all of West Africa.
At the age of 19, while part of a 12-member dance group called Compare Jazz Dance, Fuster jumped at a surprise opportunity to take his playtime to the real stage. After opening for a band called The Heartbeats, the dancers were backstage when they heard a call for a drummer. The curtains were parting and their drummer was not in place. Fuster, who was also a student at the time, didn’t skip a beat. He took the drummer’s seat and made the road his real-world education, touring West Africa with the group as a drummer and singer for 10 years before starting his own band in 1972 called, Baranta in Nigeria.

Introduction to Martial Arts 

While living in Lagos, Nigeria in 1973, Fuster attended the inaugural meeting of the Nigerian Musicians Union where he had just been elected social secretary and fellow musician Fela Kuti had been elected president.

After the meeting, which was held at Kuti’s Africa Shrine, Kuti invited the executive committee to his house for refreshments. It was during this gathering where Fuster witnessed the popular human rights activist bring in a martial arts instructor to train his security detail to help protect him through the intense aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War. Curious about the art, Fuster asked the instructor to come to his house to teach him. His journey in martial arts had begun.

Sampai Sumalia, who hailed from Cameroon, taught Fuster for about three months until more advanced teaching was required. Sumalia’s instructor, Ibrahim DaSilver, began teaching Fuster and a few of his fellow musicians. It was not the first time the two had met. DaSilver had protected Fuster one night when a fight broke out at a club where he was performing. From that incident Fuster recognized the power of the art.
Now serving as his teacher, the 5th dan black belt from Brazil instructed Fuster to build his own dojo with his bare hands in the back of the band house where musicians lived and practiced. It took three weeks. Over the next couple of years, Fuster would receive his first black belt from DaSilver as well as a small library of martial arts books. 

Music and Martial Arts

The self-taught drummer and percussionist would go on to tour the globe with various legendary musicians, including The Hugh Masekela Band, Miriam Makeba and Paul Simon’s Graceland on Tour. All the while, he continued practicing martial arts, often visiting dojos while on tour and learning different styles of karate. He would also go on to establish two martial arts academies.

In 1979, he started the Shango-Ja Martial Arts Academy in Sierra Leone in response to political unrest in the country that left universities closed and many students in need of constructive distractions. He was able to establish an academy in the backyard of Mrs. Nadett George, mother to his number one student— Donald George (North Carolina-US). Top students include: Phillip Williams (Perth, Australia), Harold King (South Carolina-US), and Junior Heals (deceased). The academy, which produced an elite first *class of 30+ students, continues operating today.

In 1995, with the assistance of the late Junior Heals and Sensei Victor Amara, Fuster founded Shango-Ja Martial Arts Academy in Accra, Ghana. Because of its popularity, Sensei Prince Wilson and Sensei Sylvester Davis were eventually recruited to help run the academy. A year later, Fuster and Amara were instrumental in establishing the Ghana Karate-Do Federation, with Fuster serving as vice president for three years. The academy, located on the property of Fuster’s hotel built in 2010, continues operating today with Fuster teaching weekly when he is in the country.

Class of 1979-1982 in Sierra Leone

Gwyn Allen, Coleridge Coker, Magnus Cole, Brian Conton, Desmond Decker, Junior Fuster, Donald George, Harold George, Sigismund “Junior” Heals, Cecil John, Ayo Johnson, Patrice Johnson, Phillip “Omo” Johnson, Hope May-Cole, Bernadine Macauley, Bertina Macauley, Kofi Mensah, Abraham Metzger, Kevin Metzger, Shireen Nelson-Williams, Sonya Nelson-Williams, Albert Paila, Julius Pratt, Phillip Sillah, Harold Shubu King, Lexton “Lecko” Taylor-Lewis, Tanya Taylor-Lewis, Ronald Thorpe, Nicholas Vandy, Phillip Williams
DONALD GEORGE 7th Dan

Donald George - Shango-Ja’s second lineal Chief Instructor and first student, has had a 40 year engagement with Martial Arts. Starting with Shotokan Karate and widening to in-depth knowledge of many styles and esoteric knowledge. He runs Shango-Ja USA and is a keen supporter of nourishing opportunities for young people. 

He is an American War Veteran now working as a Licensed Special Educator in North Carolina and believes education is a vital part of life; His Martial Art knowledge gained through competitions and training with masters encountered through his travels is an invaluable asset to the future of Shango-Ja Martial Arts

Chief Instructor - Shangoja Martial Arts Academy USA

7th Degree Black Belt, BCDA – American Combat Bujutsu – Hanshi Danny Wilson/Shihan James Beverly
(2009 - 2018 – North Carolina)
1st Degree Black Belt, Hawaii Okinawan Kempo Karate – Kyoshi Joseph Bunch (2003 - 2007 - Hawaii)
Praying Mantis Kung Fu – Master Park Ji Moon
(1989- 1991 – South Korea)
5th Degree Black Belt, Shangoja Martial Arts Academy – Hanshi Francis Fuster (1977 - 89)


         MAGNUS COLE Brown Belt 3rd kyo

A founding member of Shango-Ja and senior karateka with some exposure to Wu-Shu Kwan karate in the UK.
He is an economics graduate of Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, sub-saharan Africa's oldest university and  currently the interim Chairman of the UK alumni association. He was the first FBC Shango-Ja student and was                  instrumental in spreading the word and galvanising fellow students to join a martial arts club on campus in 1979/80.

He is also an ex-chairman and currently the Marketing Director of the Sierra Leone Grammar School Old Boys Association UK. SLGS is sub-saharan Africa's oldest boys secondary school.

He is an experienced business development consultant with a professional background of many decades in business development. sales. marketing within the global Meetings Incentive Conference Exhibitions (MICE) industry, Amidst his different roles, he has raised commercial sponsorship from leading UK and international companies. He has also worked in accountancy, insurance and has an academic background in economics and finance. He has been involved in entrepreneurial activity since his twenties and started off his career in Sierra Leone in the entertainment/nightclub industry coupled with managing musicians at the high end leisure and hotel establishment Lagoonda and Cape Sierra Hotel in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He has made a number of media appearances including  CNN, interviewed by Robyn Curnow and on Henry Bonsu's (former BBC journalist and broadcaster) Vox Africa, "Shoot The Messenger" in 2012.

He is a co-promoter of one of Sierra Leone's flagship eco-tourism projects on Sherbro Island, Bonthe District and has also been a consistent and knowledgeable supporter of culture and the arts.

GWYN ALLEN 3rd Dan Shotokan

Gwyn is a British jazz and World Music musician, actor and Interior Architect.

He was born in Loughborough to Sierra Leone immigrants. Early in his career he played the guitar and sang at Tube stations. In 1992 he landed a job at the London Hilton on Park Lane, playing percussion and singing. In 1993 he had a residency at the prestigious Dorchester Hotel piano lounge. In 1997 he was one of the finalists on the ITV talent show Stars in Their Eyes, where he impersonated Louis Armstrong singing We Have All the Time in the World.

A world class interpreter of Louis Armstrong’s music, he has performed extensively throughout the world. In 2018, he performed at Michael Parkinson’s London Palladium Show with the BBC’s 60 piece orchestra. 

He is a talented motivator and has been a key driving component of Martial Arts Development in Sierra Leone and the wider West Africa region for the last 15 years. 

He has been active in several construction projects in Sierra Leone as an Interior Architect during the last 15 years. As a Director of Tower Hill Primary School one of the most progressive schools in Freetown, he has hands on experience running the school and building eco-friendly innovative cooling systems for the classrooms.


PHILLIP WILLIAMS 10th Dan Bujinjan - currently training in Perth , Western Australia.

A Founder Member and 1st generation SJMAA Karateka.

He attended the famed Sierra Leone Grammar School (oldest secondary school in West Africa), in 1973, progressed from form 1 to form 6.
Higher Education includes, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, from 1980, graduated Bachelor of Engineering (Hon).
University of Adelaide, South Australia, from 1986, graduated Post-Graduate Diploma Computer Science.

His Martial Arts Journey started at Shango Ja Martial Arts Academy, Freetown, Skye Street, 1978. Trained under Chief Instructor Francis Fuster.
Style was Shotokan Karate as taught by JKA with some Tae Kwon Do added in. 
Become Chief Instructor from 1984 - 1986.
Ranked 2nd Dan Black Belt, 1985.
Moved to Australia in 1986 and started training in Bujinkan Budo Taijustsu, under Instructor Ed Lomax (now ranked 15th Dan Dai Shihan).
Obtained 5th Dan Black Belt and Shidoshi (Teaching certificate) rank in 2007 in Noda, Japan.
Ran his own Bujinkan Dojo from 2007 - 2011, in Adelaide, South Australia.
He was ranked 10th Dan Shihan in 2017 and is planning to re-open a dojo soon.

His Professional career is as follows.

Graduate Engineer, Techsult and Co., Freetown, 1984 - 1986
Computer Services Engineer, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 1988 - 1999.
EDS/HP Services, IT Engineer, Adelaide, 1999 - 2011.
IBM Australia, IT Engineer, Canberra & Perth, 2011 - Present.

KOFI MENSAH Senior Instructor Red Belt

After practicing judo for two years, Peter Mensah joined Shanjo Ja (Sykes street dojo) in 1979 and practised till 1987 when he left Sierra Leone for further education. He graduated with an MSc in Computer Science in 1993, and with an MBA in Business Management in 2004. He is also Cambridge CELTA qualified English language teacher. He is currently a lecturer in Business Management and Innovation at Riga Technical University in Riga, as well as an English Language tutor at Riga Business School, Riga, Latvia. Furthermore, he worked as a PSE tutor, and guest lecturer in areas of Project Management, Systems Thinking and Teaching and Learning from a Cultural Perspective at Coventry University, UK for five years. He has also lectured EAP at Brunel University London. He is currently a researcher in 'Using Simulation to Develop a Resilient Supply Chain Strategy' at Riga Technical University, Department of Modelling and Simulation in which he has published several scientific articles. He was also the leader of a reggae band in Riga, Latvia between 1998 and 2010.
NICHOLAS VANDY Brown Belt 3rd kyo Senior Instructor at University of Sierra Leone 

Nicholas is a highly dedicated, talented PRINCE2® and Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) Digital Product Manager. He is passionate about helping business use IT solutions to become market leaders in their area of business. Possesing a wide range of skill sets in delivering exceptional projects to the high standards, he has been assisting businesses to use IT solutions to become market leaders in their area of business.

Nicholas continues to train and is instrumental in training with and developing an association with the Japan Shotokan Karate Association in the UK.
PATRICE NAIAMBANA Chief Instructor SJMAA (1983-84, 1986-87)

(Tree, Barbershop Chronicles, New Nigerians, Baba Segi’s Wives)

Patrice began his training in 1981 at Shango-Ja (Sykes St, Freetown). He became Chief Instructor at red belt, much earlier than usual due to the migration of senior belts. During this period (1983/84-87) he gained valuable leadership skills as the academy sought various premises to maintain continuity. Hanshi graded him to Brown Belt 3 Kyo. He won the kumite finals and 2nd position in the kata finals in Sierra Leone's First Karate Championship 1984). He has trained in Kick -boxing and has commenced training in Wing Chun. In 2011, he was bronze medalist in kata competition at the GKR Karate Club World Championships.

He is an award winning African-Performing Artist/Animateur. He apprenticed with African Theatre Masters Yulisa Amadu Maddy Artistic Director of Gbakanda Tiata in Leeds and Dele Charley Artistic Director of Tabule Tiata in Freetown.

As a direct inspiration of these master-mentors He initiated Tribal Soul - an informal learning and creating space, in 1991 in the UK. His lab facilitation and ensemble work on Shakespeare as a lingua franca and The Gospel of Othello diaspora canon spans 11 years in several countries in diverse environments - including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Australia and the Netherlands. 

He uses the story space to put ‘flesh on silences’ whilst developing community collborations, craft, critical thinking and leadership skills. His conceptualisations and directorial work include The Decolonial Salon, The Gospel of Othello, The Accused, Swarte Piet Speaks, Gravediggers, The Sacrifice and Chapeltown Blues. Under pinning his work is the creolisation aesthetic and exile heritages that characterise the Diasporic imagination. He was recently appointed Senior Lecturer in Community Theatre and Applied Performance MA at Mountview Academy. 

Current projecrts include facilitating a lab space, The Decolonial Salon; a digital performance piece on migration and exile entitled ‘Perception Gap’ and ‘Fresh Conversations for Diversity’ in the National Health Service. 

He has extensive experience facilitating residences in all sectors of education, including Witton Lodge Community Association, The University of Texas, Roosevelt Academy (Netherlands), Warwick University, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

As a professional performer he has worked with major institutions such as the BBC, Channel 4, The Royal Shakespeare Company, The National and The Young Vic and played the voices of The Lion in Tinga Tinga Tales, and Luke in Nina & The Neurons (BBC)

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