Wisdom Kwadwo Mprah: Meet West Africa’s first deaf professor

A senior lecturer at the Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Wisdom Kwadwo Mprah, PhD, has made history as West Africa’s first deaf professor. 

The university announced this milestone in a Facebook post on February 13, 2025, celebrating Prof. Mprah’s groundbreaking achievement and his inspiring journey.  

Prof. Mprah’s academic journey began under trees in the Oti Region, where he attended primary school. He later studied at Krachi Secondary School and Okuapemman Secondary School before earning his first and second degrees at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

However, his path took an unexpected turn during his Master’s programme when he became deaf just as he was nearing the completion of his studies.  

“People didn’t know how to deal with my condition. I decided to go to Mampong School for the Deaf to learn sign language,” Prof. Mprah recounted.  

Determined to overcome the challenges, he pursued further studies abroad, earning a PhD in Disability Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago. “Later, I received a scholarship to study abroad,” he revealed.  

Upon completing his doctoral education, Prof. Mprah joined KNUST in 2013 as a lecturer. His research has focused on mental and reproductive health for persons with disabilities, making him a pioneer in mental health research for this community.  

“Many people cannot differentiate between behaviour caused by my deafness and behaviour caused by mental health issues. They often attribute my actions to my disability rather than mental health,” he explained.  

His groundbreaking work has led to the development of new sign language terms for mental health conditions among persons with disabilities. “We developed different signs for mental health conditions among the disabled,” he said.  

Prof. Mprah’s recent promotion to professor marks a significant milestone, not only for him but also for the deaf community. He believes this achievement will help dispel misconceptions about deaf individuals and their capabilities.  

“This has proven that deaf people can also succeed. Associating speech with intelligence is wrong. Those who are born deaf can thrive if they have access to the right resources and support. With the right push, they can become whatever they aspire to be,” he said.  

He passionately encourages students with disabilities to pursue their dreams, emphasising that barriers can be overcome with the right systems in place.

“A deaf person can become a lawyer, a professor. Anything they want to be, as long as the systems are in place to support them. With the right push, they can achieve their goals,” he added.  

While commending KNUST for its efforts to create an inclusive environment, Prof. Mprah stressed the need for more resources to support persons with disabilities.  

“The university is already doing a lot to support persons with disabilities, but we need more interpreters for deaf students and more resources for the blind, including access to braille.

Additionally, improving roads and pavements to be more disability-friendly will help those with mobility challenges. These are the things we need, but KNUST has been doing well,” he noted.  

Prof. Mprah has pledged to continue working on projects aimed at improving education and healthcare for people with disabilities, advocating for a more inclusive society where no one is left behind.