Who am I? Besides my birth given name, Jamesina Rogers-Wright, I tend to see myself as a fighter, survivor, and most of all a constant hard worker.
The pathways of life’s vicissitudes have prepared me with the following skills which are most needed in the human service field: empathetic skills, listening skills, organizational skills, added which I have also acquired the skills of psychology and psychoanalysis.
After many trials and tribulations, I am at the brink of attaining the position of Mayor of Freetown. I have learned a lot of and about the cosmopolitan city of Freetown, which has earned me the portfolio of the job description of the municipality. From the age of 12 was brought up by her step mother to be a home maker. Single handedly cleaned and maintained her father’s home, shopped and prepared the meal for the home even though her father provided house help for all facets of life she kept home spotless, did the laundry and ironing without any complaint.
As the daughter of the late Cyril Bunting Rogers-Wright (SHEKPENDEH), she accompanied her later father to all political functions, at which she participated fully. She was with her late father when he went to contest and won the elections in Port Loko, as the first Creole national to win an election in the provinces, it was and still is history. She participated in the 1967 general elections and worked tirelessly with the late Nancy Steele and others to secure the freedom of Late Siaka P Stevens.
She single handedly manned and operated the Shekpendeh press when her late father Cyril Rogers-Wright, S I Koroma, C. A. Kamara- Taylor and Bobo Kamara were politically incarcerated at Pademba road prison for four months, by the then the late Brigadier Andrew Joxon- Smith. From proceeds she obtained from the press, she was able to support the four homes of the then incarcerated men monthly-she worked tirelessly day in day out to keep the body and soul together-she has been a member of the APC since she was sixteen and has never faltered. She attended Christ Church School, St Antony’s school, Freetown Secondary School for Girls and St. Joseph’s of Cluny in Dublin, Ireland. A university graduate of the University of Dublin and Kings-Inn Dublin attained the Degree of Civil Laws and Barrister at-Law.
She returned home in 1974 to take up appointment at the Law of officers department a parliamentary council where she participated in drafting of the 1978 constitution of Sierra Leone together with Mr. Abdulai Conteh, now in Beliz, Ms. Molley Scott-Sawyer, Justice Dr. Bankole Thompson, and the late Ms. Issatu Taylor –Kamara. She also participated in the drafting of the Lome convention and also the Manor River Union. She later transferred to the prosecuting department where she worked closely with the then DPP the late Mr. Nasiru Tejan-Cole Solomon Berewa (former VP) and the former Chief Justice Umu Hawa Tejan-Jalloh.
In 1981 she and Solomon Berewa proceeded to the Gambia to prosecute offenders of 1980 coup-de-ta against Sir Dauda Jawara, under the watch eye of Bathern- Macauley Sr. She successfully and single handedly prosecuted several offenders.
On her return home, she resigned to contest the 1982 General Elections under the APC one party system. She was successful and later departed with her family to the USA. In the US she single handedly brought up her eight children, toggled with school where she attained Bachelor of Science in Human Services (BSHS), Master of Education (MEAD), and Master in Special Education.
As an educationist, she taught with perfection several students who are now pursuing various courses in universities in the USA. She has eight children, who are now grown men and women of outstanding citizenship in the US , some are Lawyers, Doctors, Engineers, Nurses, Anesthetist, RNs an Army officers in the US Army.
She has fifteen grandchildren, four of whom are already university graduates.
She is an ardent believer in women’s Lib having survived the crucibles of spousal abuse for many years. During her eventime, she is ready to take up the role of Mayor Freetown where she will put into practice her life skills and experiences to strengthen the malfunction of the council. She is looking forward to the challenges in life.
Her range of domestic and academic achievements , and life skills experiences have made her one of the most power women in Sierra Leone; not in terms of economic wealth, but in terms of innate knowledge. She is ready to serve, and to sterve unflinchingly.
