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Atta Mills: ‘Asomdwehene’ Was More Than A Merited Title

Atta Mills: ‘Asomdwehene’ Was More Than A Merited Title

He was then with the Internal Revenue Department as a Commissioner of Tax; University of Ghana as a Lecturer and also at the then National Sports Council as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

I had also developed a close relationship with the Late Tommy Thompson, a contemporary Chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak SC and from this, I saw the late Ohene Djan, without proper appreciation and contextualisation of his exploits and contributions to the growth and development of Ghana Sports, as perceived ‘Against’.After reading extensively on Ohene Djan’s contributions after his death on 26th March, 1987, I realised he deserved more than he had been accorded by Ghanaians and therefore sought the permission of his Nsawam family to institute the Annual Ohene Djan Memorial Lectures with the inaugural scheduled for the year 1989.

A, Mills had been elected the third President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana and had commissioned the refurbished National Hockey Stadium on 6th July, 2009.Whilst we were preparing to host all the nations who had qualified to participate in the 2009 Hockey Championship, we got wind of the fact that the 44th President of the United States of America, Barrack Hussein Obama II, the first African – American President and his wife, Michelle would be visiting Ghana around the same time of the continental event.As if possessed, I rushed off to senior Oko Nikoi Dzane, the Vice Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the African Hockey Championship 2009 and asked, “Why don’t we ask the ‘Old Man’ (the late President J. E. A. Mills) the possibility of getting President Obama to perform the kick-off for the championship, especially as it would give the event the greatest push globally?”The Opening Ceremony of the Hockey Championship was coinciding with their planned drive to Cape CoastE

Kwamena Bartels (my senior MOBA) and Peter Mac Manu declared their party the winners and there were agitations by some elements of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), believing their Party had rather won the elections; and especially more when the then Electoral Commissioner had delayed unduly to announce the winners.What was just needed to plug this nation into flames and chaos was the objecting voice of late Prof.

Remember his appearance and worship at the late Temitope Balogun Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) and all the name-callings?Again, for me and to some of his aides at the Kuku Hill Offices, who knew how intimately, we were on the blind side of many, especially my two Hearts of Oak FC supporters, you would be surprised to know, I still feel his admonishing hands on me always, that: “Rex, just let everything go because they are not worth the blunt of any anger!”I guess at this juncture, I can share this personal story.During the hugely successful CAN 2008 Extravaganza as the architect, someone I regard still as a friend and a brother of the NDC political persuasion, expressed an interest to supply the buses we required for the sixteen (16) teams participating in the fiesta as well as for the Secretariat.Perceiving the possibility of a witch-hunt I could see ahead of me and especially where there was another interest from the ruling government then, I swerved both interests by renting buses from the Ghana @ 50 Secretariat and with the assistance of Hon.

Anthony Akoto Osei, then Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, paid them through a transfer from an official CAN 2008 Account with the Ministry into their account also with the MOFEP.In the weeks thereafter, the drivers of the Ghana @ 50 vehicles raided our offices that they had not been paid because they are informed the CAN 2008 Secretariat had not paid them for the hiring of their buses; and worse they got the story published in the Daily Guide publication of the day toasting me.

Mills on public life and how at each stage of our relationship, he never ceased to be the lecturer, he was born to be with the Presidency only a just reward for the thousands of people/students, whose lives he had impacted positively throughout his life.Unfortunately, he never had the opportunity to see to the coronation of the next ‘Asomdwehene’ in 2025 before his death, ten years after or is it thirteen (13) years after but then who on earth could have foreseen such great loss for this nation, Ghana?Truth be told, it is his kind and style of leadership and Presidency – FATHER OF ALL & FOR ALL, IRRESPECTIVE, that our nation, Ghana needs from 2025 onwards: this is not a prophecy but a caution from one, who will always stand afar, watching the lives of the great and mighty, the simple and unassuming of our leaders unfold, as they live their lives leading us into the future.The writer, Magnus Naabe RexDanquah, the Ghanaian – is a Land Economist & Appraiser, Events Architect & Planner, SportBusiness Consultant, Social Commentator and an Author.

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