Digre: Past Peace Corps member and honorary Sokode Chief

Amy Jo Jenkins / Reporter

Ninety-degree temperatures and blazing hot sunshine. Two women with large fans hold an umbrella to shield the Ghanaian rays. Muskets fire shots and villagers dance in the dirt streets.

This was the setting of the morning-long celebration during which professor of history Brian Digre was installed as the development chief for the Sokode traditional area during Elon’s study-abroad course in Ghana, West Africa. His official title, “Togbe Kwaku Dake, Ngoryita of Sokode,” was bestowed upon him by the paramount chief, who nominated him during last year’s study abroad course.

Digre said he felt like a king. When his wife, Lori, jokingly told him, “Get real,” he simply replied, “It is real.” And it was — at least for a day. Digre even received a 5-foot staff with a hand holding a golden key, showing “knowledge is the way to heaven.”

When he travels with students during Winter Term, they always bring school supplies to donate to the local schoolchildren. At the University of Ghana, professors make about $150 each month.

“We come from a country that has a great deal of material wealth,” Digre said. But this time the students were able to present the school with $1,000 of their compensation money from British Airways which they were given after the airline lost their luggage.

Digre has taught at Elon for more than a decade — 14 years to be exact. Though he teaches courses on other countries, there’s something about Ghana captivates him.

“I like going with the Ghana (study abroad) class because it’s off the main route,” Digre said. “You can see life in a rural setting.”

Digre received his bachelor of arts in history and political science from the University of California at Berkeley.

After earning his master’s degree from George Washington University in international affairs, he applied for the Peace Corps and was placed in the Congo Democratic Republic, where he served from 1978-80.

While in the Congo, Digre taught high school history and English in a rural area. He was able to help raise money through the Peace Corps Partnership to build new classrooms in a school that was considerably overcrowded.

Digre met someone special while he was serving for the Peace Corps — his wife, Lori. They managed to see each other once or twice a month, although it took an entire day to travel. Digre recalls waiting by the dirt road for a huge, overloaded truck to pass by, and then he would jump on top to visit his future wife.

Eventually, Digre made his way to Elon and he says he plans to stay here for quite some time.

“I’ve really enjoyed teaching at Elon,” he said. One of his favorite aspects of the program in Ghana is reading student journals.

“They gain insights from traveling and see change in various aspects of the world,” he said.

In the fall of 2004, Digre plans to use his sabbatical to research the politics of independence in West Africa at the Center for Democratic Development in Accra, Ghana’s capital.

Digre said he is excited to be in Ghana for the parliamentary and presidential elections in December, where he will examine if the media gives the candidates fair coverage.