Gasparillo scout leader to be buried today

From the moment Nanan became a member of the 1st Gasparillo Scout Group in 1944, scouting became and remained the most important thing in his life right up until his death. In fact, though he was born in 1938, whenever one of his granddaughters would ask him the year of his birth, he would answer “1906.” “That is the year that Robert Baden-Powell founded the boy scout movement,” explained Denise Mohammed, one of his daughters. “I don’t know if he thought he was born then in a previous life or what, but after God, it was scouts, then teaching, and then it was family fourth, but we never lacked for anything.

God really loved us to give us him as a father and not another one.” Nanan’s list of achievements are numerous, from winning a national school exhibition scholarship to attending Naparima College and founding the Second Bonne Aventure Scout Troop, to being awarded a gold medal of merit for the country’s 50th anniversary of Independence.

The national award was given for his work in education and his service to his community. “We don’t know if this is true, but my father said when he extended his right hand to receive the medal, the President recognised him and said ‘No, you are a scout, use your left hand’.” Nanan’s passion for scouting was passed on to his three daughters and two sons, all of whom became involved in Girl Guides and scout groups because of his influence.

According to his daughter, it has also been passed on to his nine grandchildren. Today, his funeral service would be held at 1pm at the Bonne Aventure Presbyterian Church which he was instrumental in building at a time when there were no churches in Gasparillo. His life would be celebrated by a parade of the First Naparima Scout Troop and many leaders from the scouting fraternity from across the world.