1970s 
WARRI VETERANS 
REUNION 2005

Bettina Akinro                                             Sept 21^st, 05

Gustav-Steinbrecher-Str.21     38350 Helmstedt    Germany  
Tel + Fax 05351-7796  

Dear Eileen, Norman, Chris, Doreen and David

First of all I would like to thank you so much for organizing the Warri Reunion Meeting 2005 and for sending me the invitation letters.  I am deeply sorry that I am unable to attend:  since I am still in the teaching profession (secondary school, Art and English, for 2 more years), I cannot take leave at this time to fly over to the UK.  I wish you all a very pleasant and co memorable gathering and I like to greet everyone who remembers Chris Akinro and me or who does not!  I wonder how you got my address, the only Warri friends I have kept contact with are Margaret and Tony Wildig and my German friend Ingrid Tuadiboja, who taught the MCC children before me and lives now in Berlin.

I came to Warri in March 1973 to join Chris.  I am still thankful for the Warri welcome I experienced from his friends, colleagues at Deminex and so many expatriats at the Warri Club.   They were an essential help not to loose courage facing the many problems right from the start.

I cherish the memory of all the activities I was able to join in:  international parties, week-end trips to the clean rivers, cinema at the Warri Club, regatta on the Warri River, various pantomimes, fashion shows, British and American Nights.  I am enclosing some old photos from 1974 and later.   We moved houses between Warri and Ogunu four times in the six years.  In 1975 our daughter Tokumbo Isabelle was born (during our leave to Germany).  In 1976(?) Chris joined Shell.  In 1973 I had started teaching privately, then took over Jean Kraushaar’s Infant School, my happiest time! – worked for MCC from ’76 to ’77, until the family spent 6 months in the Hague, then I taught at the Bilfruger & Berger School until ’79.  I remember bitter discrimination from Mrs Meier (Dutch) and my own countrymen and Bilfruger & Berger – Chris built a boat during my pregnancy.  I enjoyed sewing all my own dresses.  I also enjoyed our Xmas choir in the Shell camp.  Communication among friends became more and more difficult with curfews and out of fear of armed robbers, and no telephones.  In 1979 I did not return to Warri, Nigeria after our leave in Europe.  Chris and I separated.  I visited him and Tokumbo every year, she came to me during every summer.  In 1985 she joined me in Germany.  Tokumbo is now 30 and a professional and very successful Jazz singer (see enclosed card).  We have no contact with Chris any more, which is very hard on Tokumbo.  – My years in Warri were only six but they remain very important in my biography.

I would love to hear from you again!   My brother’s email:  Michael-grobe@t-online.de

Lots of love and best wishes from