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Fiator Mordeku III of Awudome Tsito — The bridge builder in chieftaincy and architecture
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Fiator Mordeku III of Tsito, known in private life as Kafui Kwame Amegbe, is a unique blend of tradition, service, and modern professionalism.
As a chief, an architect, and a community development advocate, he wears his many hats with humility, driven by a powerful dual motivation: a deep desire to serve and preserve his family’s legacy, and to play an active role in creating positive change in society.
picture with winners of the Energy Commission
High School renewal energy challenge
From a young age, Kafui’s life has been guided by strong values rooted in communal living.
Growing up in a close-knit family and community, he experienced firsthand the power of shared responsibility-where neighbours became second parents, and village elders doubled as life coaches.
Speaking to The Spectator in Accra on Saturday, Fiator Mordeku Ill said one childhood memory that continues to inspire him is when Togbe Gobo Dake XII, Chief of Tsito, bought him a slate for his first day in school.
Today, he serves as Fiator (father to Togbe Gobo Dake XII) to his childhood benefactor-a powerful circle of legacy and service.
“I was enstooled in my late 30s, so this journey is still quite fresh-just under two years in,” he said, by many standards that is considered quite young, especially given the weight and complexity of traditional leadership.
Tsito during his coronation
But I have always believed that leadership is not about how old you are; it is about preparation, mentorship, vision and most importantly, a desire to serve.
According to him, becoming a chief at a young age came with immense responsibility, saying “chieftaincy can be complex and sometimes misunderstood, but my family played a key role in preparing me.”
On the day of his enstoolment, he stood composed, not because it was easy, but because he was aware of the expectations ahead.
The reality, however, only sank in later-when the calls, community issues, and needs began pouring in. For him, leadership is not about titles but about providing proactive and adaptive leadership that reflects the needs of today’s fast-changing society.
Fiator’s reliability with the youth is a defining feature of his reign. “I am not far from the Gen Zs,” he says.
This closeness, according to him, enables him to connect with young people on a peer level, encouraging them to engage in community initiatives and understand the importance of preserving tradition. It is this connection that empowers him to blend traditional authority with modern innovation.
Outside of chieftaincy, Kafui is a passionate architect and advocate of sustainable design.
His love for designing spaces began as early as Junior Secondary School, and today, he continues to inspire with thoughtful architecture that focuses on sustainability, community needs, and the intelligent use of local materials.
To him, architecture is about how people interact with spaces, and one of his proudest contributions is his role in the design of the new Regional House of Chiefs projects across Ghana’s six new regions-a national undertaking that incorporated diverse stakeholder inputs.
His work as an architect and a chief converges in one of his most symbolic projects-a small concrete bridge he built behind his house.
It replaced a dangerous makeshift path used by locals, especially the elderly, to cross a storm drain.
“Now people walk across without fear. That one act of building a bridge, literally and symbolically, pushed me to think more deeply about the many quiet struggles people go through,” he said.
This bridge became the foundation for his greater calling – providing not just charity, but dignity and equity.
Through the Footprints of Glory Foundation, which he founded in 2020 and officially registered in 2021, Kafui has launched impactful initiatives across Tsito and the wider Awudome area.
From funding school fees and apprenticeships to constructing small community bridges and launching an online radio station (soon to become a full community station), the foundation has been a lifeline for many.
It is supported by respected individuals like Dr Yao-Foli Sekyema and Mr Michael Brefo. The foundation’s success lies in collaboration and shared purpose.
A touching example of his impact is the story of a young boy from a neighbouring village who, due to financial hardship, was working on farms despite being a top student. Fiator took him in, supported his education, and
today, the boy is university-bound-a story that encapsulates the spirit of his work.
“I don’t dwell much on legacy,” Fia
tor said. “My focus is on providing real, practical solutions that ease burdens and improve lives.”
Whether it’s mentoring architecture students, building community projects, or planning future academic pursuits.
Currently, he is studying for an MSc in Facilities Management with the aim of uplifting others through service, innovation, and collaboration.
He called on the youth to embrace discipline, humility and a deep willingness to keep learning, urging the youth not to be afraid of hard work or setbacks and that they were part of the journey.
“Find people who inspire you, ask questions, stay curious, and never forget your roots. Where you come from is your foundation, and it will keep you grounded no matter how far you go and we don’t have to wait until we are older to start serving.
He is married with three children and enjoys working out, playing lawn tennis, travelling, listening to music which he says helps him reflect, plan and recharge.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
For Dr Penelope Adinku, becoming Ghana’s first female cardiothoracic surgeon was never part of her childhood plans. As a young girl, she was more interested in books and once dreamed of becoming an author of children’s books.
Reserved, bookish and competitive, she loved reading Enid Blyton, Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, The Famous Five and The Babysitters Club. She also enjoyed dancing, while church gradually became an important part of her life.
Medicine became an option through her family. Her father, Mr Ambrose Tettey, is a pharmacist and her mother is a teacher. Her immediate older sister entered medical school before her, and watching her journey, together with the encouragement of her parents, eventually influenced Dr Adinku to pursue medicine.
Her earliest memories of hospitals were, interestingly, linked to recovery. Whenever she was admitted as a child, her parents knew she was improving when she would tell her father, “Daddy, I can spell…”
She eventually discovered her passion for surgery during her final year of medical school. While rotating through the Department of Surgery, she watched surgeons treat patients and realised that she wanted to become one.
Her interest in cardiothoracic surgery grew during her housemanship in paediatrics, where she encountered children with congenital heart disease. She developed a desire to help such children, drawing her towards the highly specialised field.
The decision was not without resistance. Some health professionals discouraged her because of the demanding nature of cardiothoracic surgery. Her family, however, encouraged her to continue. “They had more faith in me than I had in myself at the time,” she recalls.
What attracted her most was the challenge and the opportunity to intervene when vital organs such as the heart and lungs are compromised. For her, it was the privilege of using her God-given ability to give someone a chance at a healthier and longer life.
Her journey was shaped by navigating a specialty that has traditionally been male-dominated. She learnt to focus on her work, build trust and let her results speak for themselves.
During her clinical fellowship in Egypt, encouraging consultants gave her opportunities to participate in major cases. The experience strengthened her confidence and helped her realise that she could thrive in the specialty.
She successfully completed her Fellowship training with the West African College of Surgeons and was adjudged the best candidate in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the 2022 Fellowship Examinations, becoming the first Ghanaian female cardiothoracic surgeon.
For Dr Adinku, the achievement is more than a title. She hopes her story will inspire young Ghanaian girls and women to pursue careers that may appear unconventional.
“If a young girl sees my story and thinks she can pursue her own dream too,’ then that is deeply meaningful to me,” she says.
Her work extends beyond surgery. She is involved in research, medical education, mentorship and professional leadership. She is a member of the Ghanaian Society of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons and serves as its Treasurer.
Her achievements have earned her the IAP Young Physician Leader Award, the Young Star Award and the Valerie Rusch Mentored Career Development Award from the American Association for Thoracic Surgery.
For her, standing before a patient whose life depends on surgery brings a profound sense of responsibility. She remains focused and humble, recognising that behind every patient is a family hoping for a safe outcome. Her faith helps her trust God with what remains beyond her control.
When an operation does not have the desired outcome, she acknowledges the disappointment, reflects on what happened and discusses difficult cases with senior colleagues and her team. She then moves forward, committed to giving the next patient the same level of care.
Balancing such a demanding career with family life has not always been easy. Dr Adinku credits her supportive family and friends for helping her through the journey. Outside the hospital, she makes time for family, faith, church and activities that keep her grounded.
She is particularly grateful to her husband, Rev. Ernest Adinku; her parents, Mr and Mrs Ambrose Tettey; her sisters Gertrude, Grace-Imelda and Audrey-Jacqueline and their families; her mentors, close friends, the Wesley Girls High School Sisterhood, past and present directors of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, and colleagues who have supported her.
She urged young girls to believe in themselves, work hard, learn, ask questions and keep improving.
“There will be people who doubt you, and there may also be times when you doubt yourself,” she says. “Don’t disqualify yourself before you have even had the chance to try. You may be capable of far more than you currently believe.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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Life does not always hand you a script, but you always control how you write the next chapter.
That is the story of Mrs Elizabeth Sackey, affectionately called Liz Sackey, a woman who refused to be put in a box, trading her secretarial desk for the vibrant worlds of global wine and traditional Kente.
Her journey proves that whenever life pushes you, you can use that momentum to leap into greatness.
Born on Friday, June 11, 1976, in New Achimota, Elizabeth inherited a perfect mix of corporate strategy and perseverance.
Her father, Benjamin Ayivor, was a Marketing Officer for Ghana Airways, while her mother, Janet Ayivor, was an enterprising businesswoman. This combination of global vision and local trade ran deep in her DNA.
Her journey began at Greenhill International School, and later to Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School, Saltpond where she completed her secondary school education.
Soon after, she built her professional foundation at Dard Secretariat School in Accra New Town.
For three years, Elizabeth kept things running smoothly at a fast-paced law firm. Around this time, she also got married to Chief Eng. Daniel Nii Ayi Sackey, Head of Marine Engineering, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, with whom she has a daughter.
But Elizabeth wanted more out of life. Balancing a busy life, she went back to school which then pushed her forward into Regent University, graduating with a degree in Banking and Finance in 2009.
After her National Service in the accounts office of the Volta River Authority (VRA), she and her husband took off to travel overseas many times.
Travel changes you, and for Elizabeth, it sparked a business empire. While exploring global cities, she fell in love with how international shops organised their wines by country of origin.
When she one day stepped off the plane back in Ghana, she did not look for another desk job. Instead, she took a leap of faith and launched Wines of the World Enterprise, bringing that experience straight to Accra.
Entrepreneur by day, scholar by night. She balanced the hustle of business with rigorous study at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) to earn her Master’s in Development Management.
Her passion for heritage later pulled her into Ghana’s rich textile industry, where she successfully broke into the world of premium Kente.
“Thirteen years into my entrepreneurial journey, a simple gift of wine and family-woven Kente sparked a brand-new passion,” she discloses to The Spectator.
What started as casual curiosity grew into a deeply fulfilling venture dedicated to sharing Ghana’s rich cultural heritage with the world.
By sharing iconic, masterfully crafted designs like ‘Ewdenisiedwenisu,’ (a beautiful, and complex mix of many different patterns), Emerepa (a distinct collection of traditional structures), and the regal Obaama cloth, she is driving Ghana’s cultural tourism straight into the global spotlight.
After transforming that single baby gift into a thriving venture, she has taken Ghana’s rich heritage far beyond to local borders.
“I help people globally to choose the perfect colours for their most sacred occasions, using tradition to boost our national tourism. So far, so good,” she declares with pride.”
By introducing the vibrant art of Kente to international audiences, especially those who had admired the fabric from afar but had never actually worn it, she is proving that culture is Ghana’s greatest global asset.
Mrs Elizabeth Sackey firmly believes that if the nation heavily champions the Kente industry, it will skyrocket Ghana’s cultural tourism to incredible new heights.
“The future of Kente is bright and wide,” she states with absolute conviction. International travellers are no longer just admiring the fabric; they want to wrap themselves in it.
“Pairing an intricately designed Kente with a bold, plain Kente is the ultimate secret,” she reveals with a smile.
For her, styling clients is not just part of the job, it is a natural gift. The moment a client mentions their colour, her creative instincts take over. She freely guides people to their perfect match, ensuring that every vibrant shade shines beautifully for their special occasion without overwhelming the eye.
“Choosing the Kente is one thing, but finding the right person to sew it is an entirely different battle,” she points out.
For her, ensuring a flawless final look means going the extra mile. She frequently steps in to consult directly with fashion designers, dictating the exact style and required yard to protect the fabric’s integrity. It is a meticulous, hands-on approach born out of necessity.
Despite the immense fulfillment of her textile venture, her journey has been paved with steep hurdles to surmount.
“When the rains fall, the looms slow down and that is just the beginning of the battle,” she reveals.
She says the rainy season brings severe production delays, making bulk orders of complex designs a test of patience. Worse than the weather, however, is the threat of cultural theft. Shoddy imitators and opportunistic businessmen are stealing sacred Kente patterns like ‘Meba wo abrokyire’ (My child lives abroad) and printing them cheaply onto ordinary cloth.
Fiercely protective of Ghana’s heritage, she is calling on the government to step in, secure the borders, and legally halt the mass piracy of Ghana’s intellectual property.
Liz Sackey is a proud member of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC). She enjoys unwinding in the kitchen, cooking to the rhythm of her favourite music.
Turning 50 has only amplified her mission to inspire the next generation, sending a powerful wake-up call to the youth to stop being idle.
“The future is bright so grab the massive opportunities waiting for you and boldly venture into new fields,” she advises.
By Georgina Quaittoo
