2022-11-19 11:16:03 wrote:

Tribute to Professor E . H. O. Parry by Dr Thomas Tontie Baah, Founder/Ophthalmologist Save the Nation’s Sight Clinic, Accra, Ghana; I had missed the medical school interview through no fault of mine. After the A-Level examinations I returned to my village, Tumu in the Upper West Region of Ghana and started to prepare feverishly for the November-December examinations of 1981. I had missed classes for many months in Upper Sixth Form and was not expected to do well in the final examinations. The results of the A-level examinations, however, surprised me. I had passed and even made enough good grades to go to medical school or do any engineering program in the university. I was in the village when someone came to show me an old newspaper with my name in a publication inviting me for a medical school interview. The date of the interview had passed. All the same I made preparations to come down to Kumasi to find out if I would still be considered for admission or not. The first person that I saw at the medical school was the secretary to the school. She told me that they had finished with the interviews long ago. The names of those who had been interviewed and offered admission were pasted on the notice board. She suggested to me to see the Dean of the medical school. I was standing in front of the notice board when someone went into the Dean’s office to tell him that a young man had come from the north of the country, a deprived community. He was not aware of the medical school interview until recently. Before long, the man accompanied by Prof. Parry came out to meet me still standing in front of the notice board. I turned round and saw a tall lanky English gentleman behind me. I later on got to know that he was Welsh. In front of the notice board, he started to ask me a series of questions. When he finished, he removed the piece of paper on the notice board containing names of those already offered admission to study medicine and with a pen he added my name to it. He signed and put the Dean’s stamp by it sealing my admission into medical school as though divinely occasioned. Professor E. H. O. Parry was the epitome of simplicity, humility and selflessness. Through him and by him my childhood dream of wanting to become a medical doctor was fulfilled despite daunting obstacles. Prof Parry was a living legend. He had a heart that was sympathetic and very caring for the unfortunate and the less privileged of society. He always sought to do the right thing. He fought for justice and fairness. He circumvented needless bureaucracy and protocol to admit into medical school, four decades ago, the son of a distinguished hunter and a house wife and a product of a school under trees. The world has lost a great gentleman and, indeed, a living saint. Prof. Parry, you have fought the good battle and you have been victorious in many fronts. You left behind a shining legacy for posterity. Professor E. H. O. Parry, you have left us into eternity but you will forever be remembered in our hearts and memories. May your soul Rest In Perfect Peace.