My grandfather was the fifth son among eight brothers, born into a time when survival depended on endurance, sacrifice, and collective responsibility. He and his two other brothers left the village between 1924 and 1930, to arrive in Canada in search of work and possibilities.

What awaited them was not comfort, but long days of labour, isolation, and the relentless struggle to build a future in an unfamiliar land. They worked, saved every possible dollar, and sent money home to their village. Those remittances became more than financial support, they became a lifeline. The village buildings, including the Security Tower or “Diaolou”, were constructed, built from money they earned through years of prejudice and hard physical labor.

Their quiet perseverance shaped not only the landscape of their village, but the trajectory of the generations that followed. I am here today because they never gave up! Returning to my village today and restoring my Birth home will be one way to honor their bravery and resilience. This would be a lasting legacy of wisdom, responsibility, and cultural continuity bequeathed to their descendants.