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

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.