Treading the Untrodden Path: The Case of a Disabled (Blind) Pioneer in Sierra Leone (Sequel to Lighting the Darkness)

Description

In my first book, Lighting the Darkness (2020), I tried to tell the story of my life: from childhood, as a blind child growing up in a traditional rural environment, to the day in 1972 on which I received the letter of appointment as Social Development Officer in the then Ministry of Social Welfare. With that, I became the first blind person (and for that matter, the first person with a disability) to enter Sierra Leone’s civil service.In this book, I try to share my experiences in the Sierra Leone civil service and other fields of life. I talk about obstacles I have encountered on the way and how I have tried to overcome them, always bearing in mind the motto of my alma mater, the Milton Margai School for the Blind. That is: “We cannot see, but we will conquer!”My determination to conquer any obstacle has always influenced my aspirations in life. Another saying that I have always tried to follow is: “Perseverance wins!”I have faced many problems in life, but thanks be to God, they have never been of an insurmountable nature, apart from the most untimely deaths of my first wife, Makalay; our son, Frederick; and more recently, my younger brother, Bob.I have also enjoyed a number of successes and many good times, including traveling all over the world, meeting wonderful people, and gaining a great deal of experience.As a pioneer in work for, by, and with persons with disabilities in Sierra Leone, I have always borne in mind that much is expected of me, and I have always tried to live up to those expectations. I leave it to posterity to judge whether or not I have succeeded in that.