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This Site is dedicated to those individuals who've made a difference in molding and shaping my professional career, and helped me to realize my full potential. I hope and pray that I, too, will pass on to somebody, what has been handed on down to me.
The first acknowledgement goes to the Reverend Walter D. Richards. If you have ever heard the phrase, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste," then you would understand why I bestow this acknowledgement to this God fearing man. In my early years (high school days), I walked with aimless feet; always in mischief and ending up in the Principal's office or, at the dean of discipline. They even ran out of punishment to give me. I was even whipped 25 latches in the auditorium in front of the whole student body, and faculty. But this too, seemed to have had no sound effect on me. Yet and still, despite all the trouble I got into, I would always pass in all my subjects, and even made the honor roll when I wanted to. In fact, that Friday when I got my whipping, my name was called on the Honor Roll list for that period. I would play my guitar, blow my saxophone, and entertain the student body Friday and Saturday evenings at the school's social functions. At the end of each year, or before then, I would receive an "NTR" ("Not to Return" because of bad conduct). This went on for the entire four years I spent at Ricks Institute. Each time I would be accepted back on behavioral probation, until my senior year when Mr. Richards sat me down and told me, "The only condition I will accept you back on this campus will be that you, on this piece of paper, write down all the reasons why you do all the things you do to get in trouble." As I started to write, I became introverted for about an hour or so. Still with a blank sheet of paper, I could come up with no reasons at all. But during the interim, I began to realize that, should I turn things around and involve myself into positive things, and prepare myself for life after Ricks, etc. etc., instead of being good at being bad, I would be "bad" at being good. I left that office as a new person with a destiny. It was then I realized that Rev. Richard knew that I had a good head on my shoulders, and had he expelled me, a good mind was surely going to waste. For this, I am indeed grateful. As I reflect back on that whipping, I now realized that it prepared me to be a stronger man better prepared to deal with some of the tough times that a man goes through in this Life. Today, there stands a monument in front of the administration building, which the class of '77 dedicated to Rev. Walter D. Richards. I designed that monument.
The second acknowledgement I would like make goes to the brother of Rev. Richards, the late Winston D. Richards. Under the watchful eyes of Winston, at the Ministry of Public Works, a cadet draftsman began a career. I was that cadet draftman. He would scrutinize every line I put down, and chase all the plastic effects of architecture away. I must have written the alphabet five hundred times or more, not to mention numbering. Then it was time to go to college. When I returned, and went to work for his firm, Milton & Richards, fresh out of college, I thought I knew it all. But those years I spent at the firm, "Win" as we affectionately called him, exposed me to a world of innovative, and practical design work. Being the only Liberian architect in the firm at the time, more emphasis was placed on the quality of work I did, in collaboration with Aaron B. Milton, who was a "no nonsense boss." I now understand why they made sure that I had to be, and should always be, all that I can be in the business. As Aaron B. puts it, " You must not only work hard, you must be seen working hard." Thanks once again, and "Win," we sure do miss you, may your soul rest in Eternal Peace.
To all those who have helped me along the way, in one way or the other, no matter how meek it may have been; especially to Mr. Sam K. Lynch who brought me architectural books to study in the early days at Bomi from Greensboro AT&T University, Mr. Charles B. Harris, and the late Randolph V. Gbanya Sr. ....., I say a very big THANK YOU, and we still have lots more to do, more buildings to design, more roads to build, more bridges to build, and in the end, we will say WELL DONE!
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