Features
An ode to Kojo Tsikata
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When I heard of the death of Captain KojoTsikata, all I said was Ghana has lost a great time in history. Only a couple of weeks ago I wrote in this column what Ghana would lose if Tsikata, indeed, refused to write his memoirs before his death.
His name evoked fear among many who had heard of his exploits in the liberation struggle hotspots on the African continent. We are told he was called General Gomez in Angola. I heard quite a bit about him till I met him for the first time in the last quarter of 1983. Before then I had only seen pictures of him.
I was in the first class section of Ghana’s only DC-9 aircraft at the time at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos, Nigeria, when Kojo walked in and took a seat after giving a head bow to those of us already seated. A cabin crew member gave him a piece of paper a while later. Kojo opened the folded paper, read whatever was on it, smiled and crumpled it into fine dust. He later told me in 2009 when I visited him in the company of Capt. Joel Kwami Sowu that was the last time he flew on Ghana Airways.
He was born into a family of very brilliant academics. True, every Tsikata I have encountered has an above average intellectual capacity. Kojo was no exception. I came to know him better through his friendship with Prof. Kofi Nyidewu Awoonor and my cousin, Charles “Avu” Segbefia. It took Avu many months to recover from the death of Awoonor in Nairobi, Kenya, from a terrorist attack. Avu was to die a couple of months later.
Like Professor Awoonor and Kofi Annan before him, Kojo Tsikata chose cremation as the method to dispose of his remains. Great souls make such a choice. And I have no doubt in my mind that Kojo was one great soul. I have come to the understanding that when people don’t know you they either fear, despise or even hate you. So was it with Kojo.
The following piece was forwarded to me by a bosom friend. The author is anonymous, though I suspect who it might be. It also tells of what I knew about the man Kojo Tsikata:
“Capt. Kojo Tsikata was my Boss, mentor, teacher, elder brother, all rolled in one. He did not only nurture me in the intricacies of the art of our profession, he also took me under his protective wings and taught me, by his own example, that life is all about being true to yourself, your principles, your beliefs and, above all, your total dedication and commitment to those beliefs and principles.
“It was such an honour and a great joy working under Capt. Kojo Tsikata. If you did a good job, he showed his appreciation for that excellent performance by a very firm handshake, a flash of a smile and a soft ‘thank you’ that was so satisfying. If he disapproved of your performance, he did not yell, castigate or say anything that could discourage you. He only gave you a long gaze and that piercing gaze was enough to spur you on to revisit the task, engage your intellectual faculties more rigorously and improve upon your performance. Because you were afraid of that gaze, you always made sure that you gave of your best.
“Captain Tsikata taught me also not to take myself too seriously but to be humble, unpretentious and develop the capacity to tolerate even my most spiteful detractors. He himself had detractors who were so vicious in their quest to assassinate his character. He was in Luanda, Angola, during the May 15 and June 4 1979 insurrections and subsequent executions of Generals Acheampong, Afrifa and others.
“I saw him almost daily and I personally broke the news of the executions of Acheampong and Utuka to him in his hotel room at the Panorama Hotel in Luanda. Yet, he was viciously accused of being present at a meeting at Burma Camp where he played a key role in the selection of those to be executed.
“This level of character assassination can affect the psychological and physical well-being of a person. But, Efo Kojo always bore the pain of these allegations with a forgiving smile. Even in death, an apology of a journalist decided to use the pretence of a tribute to malign his moral fortitude by surreptitiously implying that Captain had a hand in the execution of General Acheampong; the same person who spared his life!!! How low can people descend in their vow to vilify him even on his death bed!!
“Captain Kojo Tsikata was an African patriot of few parallels. He devoted most of his life to the liberation struggles in Africa. In his mind, political power is all about service; service to your Nation, your people and service that demands self-sacrifice. To him, political power, influence or connections are about using that influence and connections to do good for your Nation. Few days after his arrival in Angola in April 1979, at the invitation of President Agustinho Neto, I mentioned to him casually about the problem of accommodation that our Mission was facing.
“He did not tell me he would intervene on our behalf. Within two to three days, the Angola authorities resolved the problem. He was not obliged to intervene but he did so voluntarily thereby saving Ghana the huge expenditure on hotel accommodation. That is service to one’s Nation.Captain Tsikata dined with the most powerful in Africa and beyond.
“He was close friend with the highest echelon of political leadership and power in most parts of the world, particularly the African continent. But he NEVER tried to use such connections and influence for personal gain. Abraham Lincoln once said, ‘nearly all men can stand adversity; but, if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.’
“For years, Efo Kojo had enormous political power in Ghana but he never allowed it to consume his soul. We do know that, more often, political power triggers inappropriate behaviour.
“Power can make the holder have less empathy for the plight of other people. It can corrode the holder’s conscience. Captain Tsikata had that power but he never let it get into his head. He kept his feet firmly on the ground and used the formidable power and influence for the common good.
“He never underestimated the corruptive nature of political power. And he never succumbed to corruption. He had no palatial edifices or illegally acquired mansions in Ghana or elsewhere to boast of as many people in power often do so shamelessly. He had a soul as strong as granite and political power did not corrode it. He had also such a strong distaste and loathing for all the trappings of power; its stiff protocols and its suffocating grandeur. Wherever he is right now, I suspect he will be laughing at the foolishness and absurdity of it all.
“Those who did not know him that well saw Captain as a very stern person. But beneath the veneer of that seemingly stern, uncompromising and tough public image lay a very compassionate, patient, tolerant, very fair and very generous angelic soul.
“Efo Kojo lived a very unpretentious life that was so rich in its simplicity and so inspiring in its decency. He was special. I know he did not want a tribute and I totally respect his wish. So this is not a public but a few words to friends and family, just to say to him Efo Akpe. Well done.”
People know others for very many reasons and by what they stood for. Fortunately, none of the people who thought and said Kojo Tsikata was evil has come out to say what the man did to be so described. The above “few words to friends and family” sum up who the man KojoTsikata was. Rest well, brave soldier.
- Writer’s email address:
akofa45@yahoo.com
BY DR. AKOFA K. SEGBEFIA
Features
Confronting newborn abandonment in Ghana: When a cry for help is heard in a dustbin – Part 2
The root causes: It is never just one reason
My years of counselling at CPAC show me abandonment is rarely an act of malice. It is the tragic endpoint of seven overwhelming distresses:
1. Severe maternal mental illness —The hidden emergency
a) Clinical Postpartum Depression (PPD): This is far beyond “baby blues.” It is a severe mood disorder that can appear weeks to months after birth. Due to a massive drop in hormones, extreme sleep deprivation, and emotional exhaustion, the mother feels deep sadness, worthlessness, and complete emotional numbness towards her baby. Picture: A new mother sits by her bed all day, staring blankly. Her baby cries for hours, but she cannot lift her hands to carry the baby. She whispers, “This baby would be better off without me.” She does not hate the baby; she feels she has completely failed as a mother.
b) Peripartum Psychosis (Postpartum Psychosis): This is a psychiatric emergency. Rare but extremely dangerous, appearing suddenly within the first 2-3 weeks after delivery. The mother completely loses touch with reality. She hears commanding voices telling her to abandon the baby, or believes the baby is possessed by an evil spirit or is a “spirit child” who will bring a curse. Picture: A mother genuinely believes she heard a voice saying, “Leave this child at the crossroads at midnight or your family will die.” She abandons the baby not out of hatred, but because her broken mind believes she is obeying a higher spiritual order to save her family.
c) Pre-existing untreated Schizophrenia: This is a chronic, severe mental disorder that existed before the pregnancy. The stress of pregnancy and labour shatters her fragile coping. She suffers from paranoid delusions — believing people want to poison her and the baby — flat affect (zero facial expression), and grossly disorganised thinking, making it impossible to plan how to feed or clean a baby. Picture: A young woman whose family called her illness “spiritual attack” instead of taking her for medication wanders away after delivery, completely forgetting she even gave birth, leaving the infant behind.
2. Extreme socio-economic deprivation: For many girls in some parts of Ghana such as Kasoa, Madina, or Bekwai, poverty is not a statistic; it is a daily panic. No money for antenatal care, no money for hospital delivery, no money for baby diapers or formula. When a mother cannot feed herself, the thought of feeding another mouth feels impossible. Some mothers say, “I left her where someone richer would find her, because I could not watch her starve to death in my hands.” It is a distorted act of survival.
3. Intense societal stigma and shame: In Ghana, pregnancy outside marriage, teenage pregnancy, or pregnancy from rape can bring extreme family rejection. The girl is called “spoilt,” beaten, banned from church, or sacked from school. The fear of bringing shame to the family name is heavier than the fear of police. So she hides the pregnancy for 9 months, delivers alone, and abandons in secret to protect her family’s “honour.”
4. Paternal abandonment — The Man Who Ran Away: Behind almost every abandoned baby is a man who vanished. He says, “It is not mine,” or “Abort it,” and switches off his phone. The mother is left utterly isolated — no emotional, financial, or social support. She is criminalised alone, but the abandonment started with him. Psychological research shows paternal denial is one of the strongest predictors of maternal panic and newborn abandonment.
5. Substance abuse disorders: Alcohol, tramadol, and other drug addiction impair the brain’s executive functioning — the ability to plan, judge consequences, and process emotions. A mother struggling with addiction may give birth in a highly intoxicated or withdrawal state, unable to comprehend the needs of the newborn, leading to neglect and eventual abandonment.
6. The spirit child cultural phenomenon and superstition: In some remote pockets of Northern Ghana and even in few parts of Central and Ashanti regions, public health research shows babies born with congenital deformities, severe disabilities, or whose mothers die in childbirth are branded as “spirit children” or cursed. In extreme instances, families, under cultural pressure, mandate that such babies be exposed or abandoned at shrines or bushes. This is not mental illness, but a harmful cultural belief system that still kills.
The invisible wounds
On the baby: Risk of death from hypothermia, sepsis, and infection. Survivors suffer Anaclitic Depression and Failure to Thrive due to lack of touch. As adults, they battle Reactive Attachment Disorder, chronic mistrust, and identity crisis — “Why did my mother leave me in a dustbin?”
On the mother: Lifelong hidden grief, intense guilt, chronic PTSD, depression, and elevated suicide risk. A prison cell does not heal this.
On the nation: Overburdened orphanages like Osu Children’s Home, draining health budgets, and overworked Social Welfare officers.
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“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; no one seeks God. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe. For there is no difference; – Rom. 3:10, 21-22. (NIV)
Introduction
Dictionaries define righteousness as “behavior that is morally justifiable or right.” Such behavior is characterized by accepted standards of morality, justice, virtue, or uprightness. The Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behavior, and every word. Thus, God’s laws, as given in the Bible, both describe His own character and constitute the plumb line by which He measures human righteousness.
The bad news is that true and perfect righteousness is not possible for man to attain on his own; the standard is simply too high. The good news is that true righteousness is possible for mankind, but only through the cleansing of sin by Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have no ability to achieve righteousness in and of ourselves. But Christians possess the righteousness of Christ, because “ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21. This is an amazing truth. On the cross, Jesus exchanged our sin for His perfect righteousness so that we can one day stand before God and He will see not our sin, but the holy righteousness of the Lord Jesus.
Establishing our hearts in righteousness
“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” – Proverbs 4:23
According to the above verse in Proverbs, our heart is the source of our life. Our life flows from our heart. The Holy Spirit resides in the spirit of the born again Christian. So there is a strong influence of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the new-born Christian. But our heart is also comprised of our soul. As Christians we can choose to focus our soul on the Lord, or on evil things. If we focus on corrupt, immoral, and evil things our heart will be affected detrimentally. It will cause our heart to be crooked or wicked, instead of straight or righteous. So the Scripture says to keep, or guard, our heart. It is wise to protect our heart as what we allow to dominate our heart will inevitably become the fruit, or influence the outcome, of our lives.
One way to approach life is to continually ask the question, “How will this decision or action affect my heart?” Everything we do, every thought we entertain, everything we watch, read, or listen to, shapes our heart. Therefore, the future prosperity of our life will flow from how well we care for our heart.
Think of everything you do, every moment of time, as a seed. We have been given responsibility for choosing which seeds to plant in our heart. What will you grow in the garden of your heart? What seeds will you choose? Our heart is our garden, and our life is the fruit of our garden. So next time you are tempted to dwell on a bad thought, think, “Do I want this seed to grow and manifest in my life?” Next time you are tempted to indulge in a sinful action ask yourself, “Do I want the extension, or fruit, of this sinful action to be what I am known for?”
God gives us the freedom to plant whatever we like in our garden. God loves us regardless of the good or bad choices we may make in our lives. You may be reaping the fruit of some poor choices right now. And God is still saying, “I love you.” But He has wise advice for us; He desires we have a good life. He says, “Guard you heart with all diligence.” This Hebrew word translated ‘diligence’ conveys the meanings of: prison and guard (ibid). A superintendant of a prison is very particular as to what goes in and out of his prison. A prison has very tight security. Just as a superintendant watches over his prison, so we should also supervise our heart (our lives). We should exercise meticulous security with regards to what enters into our heart. Actually, even what comes out of it, as the Scripture says, “ Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” – James 1:19, as “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” –Matthew 12:34b.
If what goes into, and what comes out of, our heart determines the success of our lives, what is the first important principle to establish in our heart? “In righteousness you shall be established;” – Isaiah 54:14
Righteousness is the key foundational truth we need to first establish in our heart. Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” –Matthew 6:33. Notice Jesus said, “His righteousness”, not our own righteousness. We have to seek and understand God’s righteousness. Isaiah 54:14 says, “Their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” God’s righteousness comes from God, not from within us. Humans cannot make themselves God’s righteousness, as all humans have sinned and are therefore inferior to God. God’s righteousness is a gift from God: “ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21
Righteousness, or right standing with God, has been attained for us through the exchange Jesus made on our behalf. Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness. God’s righteousness is imparted to us when we are made a new creature in Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:17. This righteousness is a gift from God and undeserved by us: “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”- Romans 5:17
Through our faith in Jesus’ blood, shed to remit our sins – Romans 3:25, God imparts righteousness to us by His grace. We actually become a new righteous creation, fully identifying in Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and ascension. This is the foundational miracle we need to understand and have established in our heart. All the other miraculous promises of God come the same way, by God’s grace through faith. Righteousness must be established in our heart for us to truly have faith to receive our rich inheritance in Christ. Jesus has been made unto us righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). We are now “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us”. – 2 Corinthians 1:20
Establishing our minds in righteousness
God expects that, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will be radically changed. In Romans 12:2 He tells us, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
This transformation is to be a metamorphosis, of a magnitude at least comparable to that by which a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. He expects us to become totally different.
Scripture uses many different images to express the change that should occur: We become “a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.“ – 2 Cor 5:17. It is almost as if we become a new species. Scripture speaks of the “first Adam” who was earthly and fell into sin, and the “second Adam” (Jesus Christ) who was sinless and holy – Rom. 5:12-19; 1 Cor 15:44-49.
We are “made new in the attitude of our minds” – Eph. 4:23.
We “put off our old self” and “put on the new self” – Eph. 4:22,24; Col 3:9-10.
We “live by the Spirit” and not by the flesh – Gal. 5:16; Rom 8:13.
We become “instruments of righteousness” rather than “instruments of wickedness” – Rom. 6:13.
Each of these metaphors, in a different way, emphasizes the magnitude of the change that is expected. Each is dramatic and astonishing in itself; their cumulative effect is even more powerful. We are talking about a tremendous transformation. It should be visible to others, but its internal effect should be far greater than what others can perceive.
The goal of this transformation
What is the goal of this metamorphosis? Scripture states it in a number of different ways, which overlap and can be seen as different ways of expressing the same basic concept. Scripture often does this, because our minds are inadequate to comprehend, and our language inadequate to express, the full scope of God’s revelation to us.
To be continued!
Stay blessed!
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