Onua Pa Kwabena:
Thank you very much for the correction! It reminded me of Prempeh College Headmaster T. Sai (or Osai). Really, interesting.
By the way, is Akwapim similar to Akuapem?
A.B. Assensoh.
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 6:44 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - RE: IN MEMORIAM: Professor A. A. Kwapong, University of Ghana's Vice-Chancellor, 1966-1976
Kwabena Akurang-Parry
Professor of History
Dept of History
University of Cape Coast
Cape Coast, Ghana
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - RE: IN MEMORIAM: Professor A. A. Kwapong, University of Ghana's Vice-Chancellor, 1966-1976
From: seguno2013@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 23:20:36 +0100
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Segun Ogungbemi Ph.D
IN MEMORIAM: Professor A. A. (Alexander Adum) Kwapong, Vice-Chancellor of University of Ghana, 1966-1976.
By Kwesi Atta Sakyi*
Professor A. A. (Alexander Adum) Kwapong, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Ghana (1966-1976) died on August 9, 2014 at the ripe age of 87. At birth on March 8, 1927, he was named Kwabena Sei (Osei). He was educated at Akropong Salem School as well as the famous Achimota College, where between 1947 and 1948, he taught Latin before proceeding to Trinity College, Cambridge on scholarship to earn his First Class Honors degree in Classics in 1951.
In 1953, at the young age of 26, he returned to the then Gold Coast (now Ghana) to start his illustrious university teaching career at the University College of the Gold Coast, which was an affiliate College of University of London (now named university of Ghana). He was a Lecturer in Greek, Latin, and Ancient History at the university, which was established in 1948. In 1957, he earned his doctoral (Ph.D.) degree from Cambridge, when he was barely 30 years old and -- at 39 years old in 1966 -- he became the first Ghanaian Vice- Chancellor of the University of Ghana, after he served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor under his Irish predecessor, Connor Cruise O’Brien.
Dr. Kwapong retired from the position in 1976 during the Aluta Continua stormy (student protest) days on the university campus at Legon. He subsequently became the Vice-Rector of the UN University in Tokyo, Japan, where he was until 1988, and he left for Dalhousie University in Canada. Earlier on, from 1961 to 1962, he was a Visiting Professor of Classics at Princeton University in New Jersey, USA; Dr. Kwapong ad a meritorious rise in academia, as he became a full professor 1962, at 35 years old.
In physical stature, Professor Kwapong was a very tall as well as elegant, affable, genial, humble, easy-going and handsome man, who had a veritable presence and aura. He could easily have made it, if he wished, to be a player for any of the famous basketball teams in USA’s NBA League, given his height.
After his retirement from academic life, he settled back in Ghana, where he was made the Chairman of the Council of State from 2001 to 2005. Also, he served on several boards of international associations such as the Commonwealth Universities Association, Association of African Universities, The Commonwealth of Learning for Higher Education and Distance Learning, Chairman of the Education Reforms Committee in Ghana, World Philosophy and Humanities Council, among numerous others.
Several honorary degrees were conferred on him from around the world, including degrees from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in Nigeria; University of Warwick (UK); and Princeton (USA). He has left an enviable legacy of selfless service to humanity, patriotism, and extraordinary contribution to knowledge by his numerous publications in renowned journals. The people of Ghana in particular, but those in Africa in general should feel proud that God gave him as a gift to the continent.
Among tributes paid to Professor Kwapong’s memory was one by an alumnus of University of Ghana, who narrated the touching story that in 1978, he needed a ride from University of Ghana at Legon to go to the central part of the Ghanaian capital (Accra). An unknown gentleman kindly offered him a ride from the entrance of University of Ghana; it was when he was getting out of the car that the owner of the vehicle identified himself as former University of Ghana Vice-Chancellor Kwapong, What manner of a man!
Professor and Mrs. Kwapong had six daughters.
May his soul rest rest in eternal peace!
*Kwesi Atta Sakyi (kwesiattasakyi449@gmail.com), who studied at University of Ghana, was there in 1975-1976 when Professor Kwapong was still the Vice-Chancellor of the University.
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