“Love your home country and honour your roots” says USA Freeholder with Sierra Leonean roots

Recently, I was in Franklin Park, New Jersey, USA where I met and interviewed one of President Barack Obama’s strongmen in the Democratic Party in Union County, New Jersey.  Mr. Mohamed Sellu Jalloh is a Freeholder of Union County in the State of New Jersey. He is the first African-American with Sierra Leonean roots to hold that enviable position. Jalloh is the son of Mr. Abdulai Ben Jalloh, a former college professor and Community Leader in Somerset, New Jersey. Ben Jalloh hails from Koinadugu District in Northern Sierra Leone.   (Photo: Alhaji Jalloh, IA, Saudia Arabia in a one-on-one interview with Mohamed Sellu Jalloh, Freeholder of Union County, New Jersey, USA)

But who’s Mohamed S. Jalloh ?

Below is his biography culled from the Union County official website:

Freeholder Mohamed S. Jalloh is currently in the first year of his second term on the Freeholder Board. A native of Union County, he grew up in the Borough of Roselle and attended Roselle Catholic High School.

Freeholder Jalloh has a Bachelor of Science degree in Rhetoric and Communications with a minor in African-American Studies from Syracuse University. He has also earned a Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University Law School in Newark.

A staunch advocate for education, he served as an undergraduate teaching assistant at Syracuse, and is currently an adjunct professor at Kean University, where he has taught negotiation, debate, citizenship, public speaking and communications law. He continues his advocacy as a member of the advisory boards for St. Joseph the Carpenter Middle School and Roselle Catholic High School.

As an attorney, Freeholder Jalloh has worked for the Northwest Jersey and Essex Newark Legal Services programs, where he represented low-income individuals in matters involving family law, consumer and housing laws, and domestic violence. He also worked as an Assistant County Counsel for the County of Union dealing primarily with contracts, tort litigation and government regulations. He is currently a partner at the law firm of Jalloh & Jalloh, LLC, a general practice that includes: family, personal injury, education, landlord tenant, land use and municipal laws.

As a Freeholder, his first term was characterized by various efforts and accomplishments that helped outline the future direction of Union County’s government. Notably, As Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee in 2011, Freeholder Jalloh played an integral role in supporting initiatives that have updated and streamlined the County’s response in addressing crisis situations, the benefits of which were felt soon thereafter during Hurricane Irene, and most recently, during Hurricane Sandy.

In addition, Freeholder Jalloh has served as the 2012 Chairman of the Policy and Administrative Code Committee and as Freeholder Liaison to the Advisory Council on Aging, Union County Planning Board, Emergency Management Council, and the Workforce Investment Board. His is also a member of the Open Space, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Committee, and the Fiscal Affairs Committees.

As he begins his second term, Freeholder Jalloh remains committed to ensuring access to vital services for all the residents of Union County, particularly to those who are in need and most vulnerable. He remains dedicated to the community and looks forward to working collaboratively with his colleagues and utilizing his education and skills to ensure efficiency in County Government.

He and his wife, Maria, reside in Union County.

Below are excerpts of the interview I had with the Freeholder.

Congratulations on your second term as Freeholder in the Union County.

Thank you very much indeed, Mr. Jalloh

Mr. Jalloh, the position of Freeholder is not known to many. Could you please explain who a Freeholder is and your role/job as a Freeholder in your county?

I am a member of a board of Freeholders that is responsible for the policies and direction of County Government—in this case, the County of Union. We hold regular meetings and supervise boards and committees. The nine member board is elected at large by voters in the County of Union. Each member serves a three year term. At our first meeting, we select our Chairman and Vice Chair, and assign liaison positions to advisory boards and commissions and we set the rules of order to be followed by the board. We also appoint a County Manager, who oversees the day to day operations of County Government.

Mr. Jalloh, how has your ancestral heritage of being a son of a Sierra Leonean affected your relationship with the immigrant community in the Union County?

I think that as a first generation American of Sierra Leonean decent, I have been privileged with a dual perspective in life where- as I have enjoyed the comforts of being born and raised in the United States, I have also witnessed first-hand the struggles faced by members of my family where it came to acclimating one’s self to a foreign place, overcoming language barriers, the difficulty of finding work and providing for a family. As a result, I believe that I was conditioned from a very early age on the importance of giving a voice to the immigrant community, and ensuring that they can have access to the things that can help them overcome their obstacles and help them get one step closer to realizing their dreams.

Do you see yourself advancing the causes of immigrants in your community as the debate about immigration reform takes a center stage in President Obama’s second term?

I certainly agree with the stances and positions of our President where it concerns immigration reform. And as a result, am ready to help advance those positions in any way I can. As a staunch advocate for education I strongly support the DREAM act, and recognize the importance and value of it, not only for the immigrant community, but for our country at-large.

How best do you think you can help immigrants get well-adapted in the US and get well-equipped with the education and skills that would make them live as decent and honorable people in the US?

As I mentioned earlier, I am a staunch advocate for education, and in addition to practicing law and being a Freeholder, I pride myself on being a Professor at the Kean University in Union, NJ.  I believe that education is the great equalizer and as such is the basis for personal and financial success.

As a result one of the things that I am most proud of is my work with the Freeholder Board to allow the County of Union to continue to fund Union County College, a community college that offers accessible, affordable and quality education to a population that is made up of many immigrants and first generation Americans.

Mr. Jalloh, being of a Sierra Leonean descent, what advice would you give to some Sierra Leoneans that would make them enjoy the maximum benefits of their acquired new status as American citizens?

I believe that one of the maximum benefits of American citizenship is the access to endless resources for advancement; the most important resource being education. My advice to any new American citizen would be to stay confident, leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of education, and to take advantage of every promising opportunity.

Can you outline parameters surrounding your vision with respect to the future status of immigrants in the US?  

Having an immigrant parent and wife who also happens to be an immigrant from Venezuela, this issue is one that I am truly vested in. As a result, I strongly support the views of our President and believe that the only thing that is abundantly clear is that our current system is in need of repair. I applaud President Obama’s efforts with the DREAM act, support his efforts to keep families together, and can only hope that others will support him in-kind so that we can look forward to a day where we enjoy a system that is fair, just and balanced where it pertains to immigration.

With the US economy being in a shambles in the past few years and with all the uncertainties of reviving the US economy to where it was during President Clinton’s era, would you encourage immigration to the US in the next few years?

The United States is still a global leader, and we have become so, not by rejecting immigrants, but encouraging waves that have renewed and reinvigorated the country throughout its existence. Those with the courage to come to America, regardless of background, are the people who built this nation. The irony is that, some of the same people trying to slam the door closed behind them are the descendants of recent immigrants. We must keep an open door and an open mind to immigration if we hope to stay young as a country. Some of the best young minds, who innovate, continue to arrive via immigration.

Taking into consideration the dreams that immigrants usually aspire to attain, do you think the US is any longer the place where immigrants can easily make their dreams come true to allow them have the comfort they desire?

The United States continues to remain an inspirational place to every person abroad who has a dream to improve their lot in life. Yes, there are things we politically need to achieve to ensure that this dream remains alive for people seeking to come to these shores and pursue their dreams—recent studies have shown that economic mobility lags other countries. Regardless, we remain the country where immigrants still want to go to achieve “the American dream.” The goal is for us to continue to work towards remaining the country that people envision when they think of success, freedom, equality, and overall democracy.

Many immigrants tend to have their homelands in the oblivion once they have succeeded in having their immigration status granted. How best would you advise such immigrants not to totally ignore their roots and compatriots?  

I always encourage people to recognize and celebrate their roots. . The recognition of ancestry is part of what gives us our individuality. My advice is to love your home country and honor your roots, and where and if possible to try to assist in some small way through whatever means you can. In my opinion, one of the things that makes this country so beautiful and attractive to people from other countries is the fact that this is a place where one can simultaneously be “American” while still recognizing, celebrating and sharing their

Is it within the policy of your administration to give helping hands to third world countries? If yes, do you have Africa in mind, particularly Sierra Leone in terms of helping President Ernest Koroma achieving his goals in the areas of Health, Education, etc?

As we are local legislators, it is not within our means to assist foreign countries. That is done mostly at the Federal level, and sometimes, at the State level.

Many say you have a very bright future in US politics. Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

I see myself as being someone who will continue to work with others within my party to continue to advance the causes of social justice and economic equality for all. It is a pleasure to serve the public as an elected official, and I certainly hope to continue doing so five years from now whether it is as a Freeholder or in some other capacity.

Have you ever been to Sierra Leone? If yes, what was your impression during your visit, if any?

Yes, I had the privilege of visiting Sierra Leone as a small child, and although I cannot recall the specifics of my trip, I am constantly reminded by way of photos and my own personal research of a place that holds so much value, culture and history to my family and friends.

Finally, w ho is your role model and why did you choose the path of public service?

My greatest role models are my parents, grandparents, and really my entire family. Even those younger than me motivated me to be successful and provide a path that they can follow.

I am especially grateful for my father’s advice and knowledge along with his high expectations; my maternal grandfather’s wise words and example (watching him preach at his church made me want to be a public speaker); my grandmother’s charm; my mother’s day to day diligence-she literally carried me until I was capable to carry myself.

My uncles and aunts where also very influential; they often expressed their faith and belief in me and yielded me responsibility so that I could grow. I will always be grateful to them all.

As for choosing the path of public service- I don’t think that public service was something that I chose per-se. I believe that public service chose me. From a very young age I was drawn to participating in programs and extracurricular activities that encourage foster and enhance positive community interaction and service. Being so heavily embroiled in the community, ultimately lead to the pursuit of my law degree which gave me yet another avenue for involving myself with the people.

It was the combined knowledge and insight on the needs of the people of Union County that I gained from these aspects of my life that allowed me to fully realize the importance of having a perspective like mine as a part of our governing body.

I wouldn’t like to take your time due to your busy schedule; however, I wish to thank you very much for granting me this interview, Freeholder.

It’s a pleasure. I thank you too, Mr. Jalloh.

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